soft and fuzzy

The little critters below are guinea pigs. They are all just babies or so the pet store told us. They are suppose to be all boys, because they will mate and mate and mate... I am pretty sure they didn't mess up sexing them, because I threatened bodily harm if we ended up with a cage full of babies!

David was very sad with the passing of big dog, and he wanted to get a new puppy. I can't do a new puppy. My heart just isn't in to getting a new puppy. Right now I don't ever want to get another dog. You just grow to attached to them, and it hurts to badly to lose them. So we started looking up pets on the internet and found guinea pigs. They are not suppose to bite, they are very social, and they are easy to take care of. So we sat down and gathered information on these little guys. They are orginally from South America where they are grown as a food source in some areas. They can be litter box trianed, and they are much cleaner than hamsters. They really don't have any smell to them. You can brush them and bath them. They eat lots of leafy greens and other veggies and fruits along with hay and pellets. We had to build them a special cage, because the pet store ones are really just to small from them. They like to have a lot of space to run and play and chase each other, and they also like to be held and petted, at least 2 of the 3 do. Speedy likes to explore, but when he gets tired he goes and crawls into Coltons lap. I thought he would be timid of Colton because he is just a little kid, but they have developed a bond. However him and I have no bond what so ever. He likes to bite me. It doesn't really hurt that much when he chomps down, but I don't think he likes me very much and all I have done is be gentle with him. Colton on the other hand squeals when he runs up his shirt and gets a little rough with him, not overly rough where he will hurt him, but he chases him around with his hand and it is just funny to watch the 2 of them. Now the other two they see me and they come running to me to snuggle up against my neck and purr at me. The more I talk to them and the more I pet them the louder and longer they purr at me. The boys will set still and watch tv and the little fur balls will stretch out against them and take little naps. I didn't think that I would get very attached to them, because we had hamsters when I was a kid and they just didn't bond with you. These things they really develop a bond. Tank eats from your hand and everything.

They have in no way taken the place that Doc held in our hearts and home, but I think that they have been great at taking everyones mind off of everything. I still have certian times during the day that I break down and bawl, but I am getting better every day.

and they talk

Meet Speedy



Here's Fireball


This is tank

In loving Memory

Doc was almost 2 when Steve and I started dating. I think he was probably the main reason I kept coming back over. We developed an instant bond, me and this four legged furry creature. He would whine at the top of the stairs when I had to leave for work. I would come over after work and Doc would leap from the top stair and I would have to catch him, which wasn't easy considering he was over 100 pounds. I often wonder how I managed to get pregnant with David in the first place, because Doc was always in the middle of Steve and I. I would get into bed and he would snuggle his back against me and we would drift off to sleep together. While I was pregnant with David I would prop my belly against him. I think Doc was the first one to feel David move. He stopped jumping off the stairs then too, and would just bound down them to great me. After David was born Doc got responsibility. I swear he thought we were horrible parents. D would go down for his nap and Big Dog would pace between the crib and me, or lay in the hall and moan and whine. He wasn't happy unless that baby was close to all of us. I would put David down in the bouncy chair and Doc would lay with his head on the baby. Sometimes he would just look at me and sigh, and I am pretty sure he was thinking "It's a damn good thing you have me around to raise this kid, because you just suck!" He grew more comfortable with my mothering skills with the next 2, but he was still protective of them.

Doc knew all my secrets, my fears, my hopes, and my dreams. I told him everything, because he was my best friend. He listened when I was sad, he hovered over me when I was sick. He was joyous when I was happy. Doc took a part of me with him today, a part of my heart that I freely gave him over the last 9 years. Thankfully he gave me a part of his heart to keep with me forever. I will miss you more than you know my big dog, and I will always love you.

It's been a long hard week

I am going to go get Doc tomorrow. I will be bringing him home to spend one last night with us. I can't stand the thought of his last night being spend away from everything he has ever known. They are leaning toward pancratic cancer, because he is just not doing any better. They have been through several different things and nothing is working for him. Well I shouldn't really say that he starts to get a little better and then just gets sick again. I need to step up and do what is best for my baby and it is the hardest thing I have ever done.

Doc

I loaded Doc in the van, bawling all the way to the vets office knowing that he was not coming home with me. We get there and they help me get him back to the room. I sit crying hesterically on the floor with Doc's head on my leg. Our normal vet was off yesterday and we saw one of the others in the office. She was a very nice lady, who I really like. She didn't just treat Doc she treated me as well. I told her I didn't think it was a pinched nerve or nerve damage making him not walk I told her I thought it was something internal. She knew that I had come into that office with ever intention of doing what was best for my baby. The more I talked to her the more she listened and then she said "Let me get a blood draw on him." She took blood, went back to have it tested, and I sat and waited with Doc. About 15 minutes later she comes back and says "I think this big guy has pancreitis." Everything seemed to point to that. So she got a bed ready in the hospital ward, and they hooked him to the IV's and I left him in their care. She called this morning and by no means is he completely out of the woods but everything is looking a whole lot better today. I am fixing him some chicken bites and rice to take down so that when he can eat again they will have something there that he likes to eat. I am very hopeful that he is going to get to come home next week! Thank you all for keeping him in your thoughts and prays!

Nine years

It isn't very much time when you think about it. Nine years goes by in the blink of an eye. I kept hoping that the pills they put Doc on would kick in and he would start getting better, but if anything he has gotten worse. I take him outside to pee and I have to hold him up so he doesn't fall down now. He doesn't even try to get up off the floor without my help now. I don't think there is much they can do for him honestly and I know that putting him down will be one of the only options I have when I take him back to the vet tomorrow. It's funny how a dog can become so important in our lives. Doc was 2 when I moved in with Steve, and it was love at first sight. That is how it is with Doc he just loves you with all he has. He is 11 which they say is pretty old for such a large dog. I know that this house is going to be very empty without him in it. I am looking for a mircle right now, in a place where no mircles exist.

Odds and ends

The hockey season is almost over, and I am overjoyed. With 2 of them playing this year seemed extra long. D man has one more game on tuesday and Cam has his awards night that same night. D will have his awards night on thursday and we are done for the year! Cam isn't ready for the season to be over and David is experiencing a little burn out. He said he isn't sure if he will play next year or not. I think part of that comes from his little brother playing and playing so well. David isn't the only star in the family anymore. I hope that he plays he has a passion for it, David plays with all his heart in the game most of the time. The only reason I would want him to quit playing is if he didn't love the game anymore.

Something is wrong with our oldest lab. He can hardly get up and walk. He is getting up there in age and I am worried that they won't be able to fix him. He has been getting stiffer and stiffer over the last year, but this isn't like stiffeness. It is almost like he has pinched a nerve in his back or something.

I have had a headache for about 3 weeks now, not one of those dull achey headaches this is a strange headache. I may go to the dr someday about it.

The boys start swimming lessons and soccer next month. I will have a whole 3 weeks between things going on. I think Colton is the only one playing soccer.

I am so ready for school to be out. The weather is slowly starting to get warmer and the days are getting longer and I would much rather be playing outside with them instead of making them go to school all day.

David is going through another round of IEP testing. He is doing a lot better this year, but he is still behind most of the kids in his class. The thing his teachers have noticed this year is that he trys harder than most of the kids in his class to get it. He puts a lot of stress on himself. I think that is part of his problem. I feel so sorry for him struggling with it.

back through the years

We were all sitting around watching animal planet the other night, when a picture of a goat popped up on the screen. One of the boys made a comment that we should get us a goat. Now my experience with goats is limited, and there is a reason why I enjoy keeping it that way. It all started when I was a young girl. We were attending a family reunion in Colorado Spring. We discover a little place called Santa's workshop or as I like to call it the place of the evil child eating goats. We got our tickets, which were very much like the lift tickets you get when sking.

So there we are wondering around this little place and we come upon this pen full of cute little goats. There must of been about 100 of these awful devil creatures lurking about the pen. Oh they knew the game all to well standing there looking all innocent and friendly. My Aunt, sister, mom, and I all wander in to feed and pet them. They were excellent hunters, stalking their prey, waiting for just the right moment to strike, my mom and sister left first followed closely by my aunt, and that is when it happened. The gate swung shut behind her and the goats made their move swarming around me, pushing and crowding. They began taking bites out of my ticket, my coat, my hair, and anything else they could put in their mouths. I struggled to get away from them, trying to push them away from me, but the more I pushed forward the more they pushed me back. Finally my aunt notices that I am no longer with the group and turns to see that I am about to be goat lunch. She yelled to my mother, and came charging in to rescue me from these deranged child eating goats. I will forever be greatful to her for saving my life that day! We quickly put the goat pen behind us and moved on to some rides. We get to the first one and I say I can't go they ate my ticket. So mom tells the guy what happened and he goes "yeah they do that all the time." My aunt and my mom were horrified that they let people in with man eating goats. All I could think was I wonder how many children they actually eat before someone noticed they are gone, cause at the rate they were chewing on me they could had me devoured bones and all in about 3 minutes!

Cold and flu

So the boys gave me their sick. Yesterday I layed on couch slatered in vicks, running a fever, coughing and miserable. I didn't really know how sick I was until Cam got home from school and said to me:
"You smell funny mom."
"What do I smell like honey?" thinking I hadn't done much of anything to smell to bad.
"You smell like minty dead people."
I was much worse than I thought! So later I told them I was going to go take a shower and then cook them dinner to which Cam replies "It's ok if our food stinks mom. I know you don't feel good."
I thought that was very kind of him considering I was knocking on deaths door!

What happened to the paddle?

When I was a child I never got sent to the principles office, not once. I was scared to death to do anything that might put me there. See when I was a child there were consequence for your actions, and the bigger the action the worse the consequence. Well a few weeks ago Mr. Colton was being an awful child. He was smart mouthing his teachers sticking his tongue out and just being horrible. His teacher, who is also a friend of mine, sent him to the office. When I went to pick him up she came out and told me what went on, and Colton knew he was in for it when he got home.

I told her the next time he does that to call me and I will handle it right then and there. Now at 4 he has already learned that being sent to the office means you sit on the bench for awhile. That is the punishment you get, a time out so to speak. I am not a big fan of the time out. It has never worked with any of my boys. I can tell you that not one of them enjoy a swat on the butt, and they have all gotten them. Spanking a child is an art that most parents have mastered I am sure, and there is a wide gaping hole between a spanking and abuse. I have never abused my boys. I have left them with a stinging butt check, just enough to get their attention.

So what did my 4 year old learn from his office trip? You don't have to worry about getting into trouble until mom finds out. Now if they had taken him into the principles office and that big wooden paddle was hanging on the wall, and they had explained that the next time he was going to get a spanking with it the chances of a next time get pretty slim.

Now I know that some parents are going to say "I don't want anyone spanking my kids" and that is all good and fine when your kids get into trouble the school should be calling you and you can leave work and go to the school and take care of it yourself that minute. The lessons children learn follow them through life, and if they learn at an early age there are no consequence that is exactly how they are going to live their lives.

Ice Ice Ice

The wind was howling like a banshee, piling the freshly fallen snow into 5 foot high drifts. The thermostate quivered at -15 factor in the wind and it dropped to -39 degrees. Between the wind and the cold my first thought was curl back up in my nice warm bed and lazily drift back off to my pleasant dreamworld, the only place where the cold couldn't touch me. "Mom? Mom it's time for my game." The little voice breaks through the barried my mind has tried to create witht he real world. I jump up look at the clock and we are running late, we have an hour to get to the rink, and the drive takes 20 of those. I scramble to my feet, grab some cloths, rush around like an idiot. Tell David to get his gear on, and notice he is almost back asleep on the couch. Steve goes over to him and starts to get him ready.
"Jenn he's burning up."
"What?"
"He has a fever." Steve says to me again as I walk over to my oldest baby. Sure as shit he is about 104.
That was how our Monday started out. The boys had their last big tournament this weekend, and the D man was sick through it all. He played in all the games except for the one that morning because there wasn't enough time to get his fever down. He wanted to play with the fever, but mom said NO WAY and it was a big maybe if he could play the afternoon game. So I gave him some meds and sent him back to bed, or rather dragged him back to bed. It took all of 5 minutes and he was out like a light. Cam had to be at the rink by 9:30am so we still had a few hours that D could rest.
In the end it all worked out well. Cam's team took the gold metal and David's team took 4th out of 6 teams. They were all disappointed that they didn't win, but they played well and I was proud of them all. Cam's team was stoked they took first! David was just mad at himself because he didn't play well, and mad at me for not letting him play in the morning game. I told him he has many more games to play in his little life and that one tournment was not the biggest thing that was ever going to happen in his life.
The crud that is going around here is nasty. It seems to last about 2 or 3 weeks, and everyone is getting it. It runs through the whole gamma of symptoms from the throwing up to sore throats and coughs it is like the stomach flu, regular flu, strep, and a cold all rolled into one and one day you think "oh good I am better today" only to be knocked back into bed the next. Tonight Cam started that seal bark after hockey practice. I am debating weather to even take them to the dr. Most of the people I know who have been get treated and nothing comes from it. I think this stuff just has to run it's course.

I am not sure if I will contuine to try to keep this blog up. It isn't fun anymore. It is something that has become almost a burden to keep up with. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I just don't have anything to say lately. They boys are still just as crazy as they always have been and they offer a wealth of storied to choose from. The things the dogs do could fell novels. My marriage, my extended family, my in laws, are all topics that I could spend months writing about, but I just don't seem to have the ability to put it all together and write it down. I think I am having one of those leave everything behind and move on moods. I have them sometimes, lets just hope I don't pack up and leave Steve, the boys, and the dogs with no forwarding address...

So time will only tell if I plan to share my thoughts and stories here in the future or not.

email from my sister

This may solve many of my problems. I may have to get a bottle. This made me laugh so hard I had to share it!





Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Tequila®.

Tequila® is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Tequila® can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything. You will notice the benefits of Tequila® almost immediately, and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past, and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Tequila®.

Tequila® may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Tequila®. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.

Tequila®. Leave Shyness Behind.(tm)

Support?

I've been following the comments over here. There was a comment alluring to the fact that if someone doesn't support our troops that doesn't mean they think we should be spitting on them when they return. Figuritly that is exactly what these people are doing. Everytime one of our soliders hears negitive thoughts from these people it is no different than spitting on them. I had the honor of being in the checkout line behind a young man and his father at Christmas. I was buying camo pants for the boys, and the father said to the son, "I bet you never want to have to wear those again." and the young man smiled and said "not for awhile". I of course asked if he had just returned from Iraq and he nodded and said "yes ma'am". The guy behind them made some rude comment about the war. The young man lowered his eyes to the floor and hung his head in shame. I hugged his neck and I told him "thank you". The father smiled at me, he was proud of his son, and hurt by the words of the asshole behind them. We talked while my purchases were rung up, he was getting his mama a Christmas present that day. I told him I was very glad he made it home for Christmas and I left, but I left with tears in my eyes, because some idiot with his stupid anti war comment had made that kid feel ashamed. So anyone who thinks they are not spitting on these kids with their words is just plain wrong. I believe that old saying if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all!

You're giving me a headache!

We got up and went to hockey practice yesterday, then we went straight from there to walmart. We did our shopping and standing in the checkout line the lady in front of us decided she would pay with her income tax refund. Well they will only let you do that if you spend so much of the return. The lady didn't even come close to spending enough. Then she gets all shitty with the poor checker like it's her fault, and she says "I just paid this way last week with a refund check." I looked at the checker and she looked at me. We both found that very suspious, but the manager came over and let her do it beings she had 2 baskets full of crap she didn't need, half of which she paid for with food stamps. This all took about 30 minutes, but my stuff was on the counter already so I was stuck waiting. Well Colton was getting board and he started to whine and I told him to knock it off. He looks at me and says "Quit talking to me you're giving me a headache!" The man behind us and the checker started laughing. I don't have a clue where he gets this stuff from, I would never tell my kids to be quiet because all that noise is giving me a headache!

Conversation with my mom this morning:

"I talked to your aunt, and she told me she talked to Colton for awhile this weekend."
"Yeah David and him were downstairs with my cell phone and they called her. I didn't even get to talk."
"She said David got on the phone talked for a few minutes and then he told her he had to go get his brother out of that box and hung up."

I have no clue what box he was in. I thought they were down there playing air hockey.

The Visit

I was sitting here with the kids monday and I got a phone call from my uncle. He was in town. I don't see him much because we live on different sides of the state, so it was really good to get to spend some time with him. The boys think he is great, probably because he reminds them of their grandpa, which is funny because he is my mom's brother, not my dads. We did what all the Olree's do when they get together eat! It's a family tradition. We had a good visit, and I am so glad he called.

The boys are still playing hockey. Cam got 4 goals in his game the other day, only 3 counted in the game, but 4 counted for him! David still loves it that is all he thinks about really. After the season is done he wants to play 3 on 3, and he asked if he could be on the travel team next year. I may let him try out, but I don't know if we can afford all the out of town trips that gets a little spendy always having to stay in motels.

I watched Million Dollar Baby the other night. That is a really good movie. At first I thought "oh a woman boxer movie that is going to suck" but it isn't what I expected at all. If you have not seen it you should.

Words of advice.

We are driving along the road coming home from hockey the other day, and as we come along side this car parked on the side of the road the driver all of a sudden decides that he is going to pull out in front of us. Steve veered over into the other lane, and thankfully there was nothing coming. The car didn't stop, didn't slow down, in fact I don't think they ever even saw us. I look at the plates Texas. Well I don't know how you people do it there, but here the car in the road has the right of way, and the car that is parked must stay parked until the lane is clear. Ok I didn't really give much thought to the fact they where from Texas until this morning.

I am taking the boys to school and it snowed last night so the roads are covered with ice and snow. I just dropped the boys and turn down the side street to head back to the house. Coming right down the middle of the road is a truck, yep from Texas. He doesn't slow down, he doesn't move over, in fact I don't think he even saw me coming straight at him down the little road. I have driven past many cars and trucks on that very same road. I know there is room from 2 vehicles to pass each other. I see he is not going to go for that. I pull the van as close as I can get to the parked cars along the right side of the road. I watch hoping that I am over far enough he doesn't side swipe me, oh and did I mention the fact that there isn't one car parked on his side of the road so he has miles of room to move that damn truck over. As he drives past the mirror of his truck actually hit the mirror on my van.

Now I don't have anything against Texas. I have a lot of family from there, and I love my blogger friends who reside there. You have a beautiful state, with wonderful people, but it's apparent to me that you people have different traffic laws there than we have in the rest of this great nation. So please for the love of all that is good stay in Texas we will all be safer!

You say it's your birthday...

Because someone I know had a birthday yesterday, and as usual I forgot I wanted to say HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you guys found a crab dinner last night! I love you girlie!

and speaking of birthdays today Elvis would have turned 71.

Cam's birthday is at the end of this month, and I have no idea what I am going to get him for his birthday. Not to meantion the fact that it depresses me beyond belief that he will be 6 in a few short weeks. He should still be a tiny baby!

Knowing is the hardest part!

I lead a dull life. I never really understood how dull my life was until I started blogging and in less than a year I had already told all my stories. I couldn't write a good post if my life depended upon it, and thankfully it doesn't! So another jumbled posts of thoughts and ideas is what you few people who actually read this are going to get.

My grandfather died in the sunshine silver mine in Idaho in the early 70's. My dad relived it watching those poor miners who were killed in the exploision in West Virginia this week. My thoughts go out to those families.

Why would anyone in their right mind live in Oaklahoma? It's hot, it's humid, and it's way to close to death by fire or tornado. I think if you live there you should just sell everything and move home! (I'm only kidding, but that was a little scary when mom told me how close the fire was to your house!)

I really want the new Martine Mcbride CD Timeless. She has remade a bunch of old classics like satin sheet, til I can make it on my own, and you ain't woman enough, and I never promised you a rose garden. She has a beautiful voice and I love those old country songs. I had hoped I would get it for christmas, but we all know how disappointing that was!


I am dieting again. It sucks. I have cut sugar, chocolate and anything good out of my diet. Now I just have to build up the whole excersize thing in my head!

our oldest lab had to have surgery on his eye monday. He had this awful looking tumor growing on his eyelid it was gross, but he is home and everything is well with him now.

and now I leave you with a picture of our silly none lab dog.
Buddy the baby

Showing my age

Well I am up on this cloudy New Years day, and I have been up for quite some time now. When I was younger I would have just been falling into bed about the time I got up this morning. It's funny how time and age can change a person so much. I use to celebrate the new year, and love to watch it come in, usually the party didn't stop until the sun was rising. The older I get the less exciting the prospect of a new year gets. The New year means the boys will be another year older, and that much closer to growing up, I will be another year older and that much closer to death, and everything stays pretty much the same. This year I have no resolutions. I refuse to set myself up for anymore failures. Life is to short and already has enough pitfalls without putting more in my way.

What not to get your wife for Christmas!

Worst gift this year: Ionic Pro air filter from my husband.
Best gift this year: AVS sweatshrit from my mommy!
Over all Christmas was a big disappointment. I never did get in the Christmas mood, and my tree is already put away, the lights are off the house and you can't even tell we had Christmas here.

The boys on the other hand had a great Christmas. Colton got a drum kit that he really likes. He sits down at the little chair, beats the sticks together and counts off 1,2 1,2,3,4 and begins to beat the drums for about 5 minutes then he stands up, throws his arms above his head and yells "Thank you, thank you my fans."
David got the Star Wars light saber game that plugs into their new TV, and that game is freaking work. He is a little sweatball after he plays it. Cam got the paintball game and he is a better shot than his dad. Overall they had a great Christmas which made mine a lot less disappointing. They all got a lightsaber and Steve and I have had more fun with them than the boys have. Those damn things are fun, and I am quickly on my way to becoming a master Jedi with as much as I play with them!

Hope everyone else had a great Christmas and don't forget we have a new story contest going on at Fizzle and Pop forum. Come on over and play!

IT"S ON!

Stole this from Tricia girl!

Round 22 is on!!!
Are we going to do this again???
Hell, we've had a year to sit and think.
We should be able to come up with something!

I'm ready!
Jenn's ready!

Let's roll!

The words for Round 22 are as follows...

n no particular order...

Smell
Velvet
Midnight
Candles
Message
Angry

Put on your thinking caps folks.

This round will self-destruct on January 16th!!!
(On account a' I intend to get smashed on New Year's weekend)

PS. You may need to get a new activation code, but your old password will let you in.

Fizzle and Pop

Just remember the rules people.
There are no rules.
Just use the words in a story then come back to read and vote for your favorite!

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Argentine: Feliz Navidad

Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo

Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
(Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sunk

Danish: Glædelig Jul

Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast

English: Merry Christmas

French: Joyeux Noel

Greek: Kala Christouyenna!

Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka

Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat

Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie

Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto

Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha

Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!

Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul

Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie

Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
amoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Spanish: Feliz Navidad

Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År

How every you say it I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. My Christmas wish this year is for each of you that read this. May all your christmas wishes come true this year, and may the year to come bring you joy and happiness. I wish for your dreams to come to and your health to be good, and most of all I wish you love and happiness! Merry Christmas everyone. See you in the new year!

Oh the thoughts you can think... I think Dr. Susse said that.

I sure hope that sex is like riding a bike you know that old saying that once you learn you never forget how. Steve has been gone so much lately we just see each other in passing.

I wonder whatever happened to that one guy who had a thing for me... What the hell was his name he played drums in a band I remember that and we got drunk on CLC together once and ended up spending the night talking about things 17 year old kids never talk about. You know the meaning of life and all of that crap that is meaningless in the end. I wonder why I never dated him?

Did I get all the boys the same amount of stuff for Christmas? I better check before Christmas morning...

What the hell is up with my tree it is leaning forward and no matter what I try I can't get it to stand straight.

Rob Thomas is hot...and he writes his own songs that is just sexy as hell.

Memoirs of a Geisha is an excellent read. I am always a day behind the times it seems though, because I just saw it advertised on TV that they made it into a movie.

I will be glad when Christmas is over. I love doing the Christmas morning thing with the boys and playing with their new toys with them, but all the family crap I hate! Steve's family does a Christmas eve thing and a Christmas dinner thing. I hate staying out until midnight and trying to get the boys to sleep after they have opened all their presents it is always 3am before Santa can even come to my house, and 5 by the time I get to sleep and half an hour later the boys are awake. Then by noon we are all tired and cranky. This year I think I am just sending them without me and my Christmas gift will be going back to bed and sleeping the rest of the day.

I am tired and I think I am going to find a place to sleep now.

Oh the Joy.

I have done as little as possible for the last 2 days. I cleaned up the basement and put the air hockey table together and beat all the boys in a game. I have chated on the phone and the computer. I have played with the dogs. I have read most of the new book I got in my stocking. Now I am going a little crazy. I think I may have to go shopping or ice skating or something! To be on the go all day and half the night and then just stop is a little to much. I need to find a middle ground somewhere.

We had a good visit with my sister. It was way to short, but it was nice to see her. When we were at the airport Colton said to her "Aunt Jo can't you just find a good home here?" It was sad they didn't want her to go. I am glad that they love her so much and she loves them. I wish she lived closer. We had a big scare with my granny. She has pnemonia and ended up going to the hospital. She got to go home yesterday with a breathing treatment machine and a bottle of oxygen. I am so thankful she is feeling better.

Now I am going to try to get caught up on blog reading. I have missed everyone these last few weeks.

Busy, Busy, Busy

It has been so hectic around here I have not had time to write anything. The boys had their hockey jamboree last weekend. I was at the rink by 8 every morning and didn't leave until well after 10! All the kids had a great time and got their trophies. Monday I tried to get caught up on laundry and did some christmas shopping. Tuesday both the boys had hockey games, and wednesday my sister got here. Thursday we spent shopping and today I think I finished up most of it. I still have a few more things to get, but mostly I am done. The boys all had their Christmas parties at school today, and thankfully there are 2 whole weeks of not getting up early, well except Christmas morning. Tomorrow we are going to my mom's for an early christmas dinner and to visit a little while. Then Sunday is our last hockey practice until after the new year. I am so looking forward to some sit down and do nothing time.

Next week I may have something entertaining to say, but right now I am to tired to think!

64 Years Ago

64 Years Ago

The sound of silence was deafening as we stood there and gazed over the rail into the oily water below.  For several long moments our tourist group stood there and no one spoke.  It was almost as if time had stopped for those brief few seconds.  When people finally did begin speaking again it was in hushed whispers.  I am not one who believes in Ghosts or the supernatural, but standing on the deck on the USS Arizona Memorial you can feel something beyond this world.  

If you listen hard enough you can hear the bombs exploding around these young men, who gave their all serving their country.  You can hear the people running to their positions aboard their vessels, as their confusion turned to realization.   I was very humbled and honored to be able to visit Pearl Harbor on my trip to Hawaii.  It is one of those places that every American needs to see at least once in their lifetime.  The tour of the memorial starts at the museum; they have pictures and artifacts from the day Pearl Harbor was attacked.  We spent quite some time looking through the pictures and reading the stories, some of survivors and others that perished that tragic December day.

They called our group number and we made our way to a theater and took our seats.  They show a really great film, and it makes it much better because you are right there you have looked out into the harbor and you have seen Diamond Head, and if you were crazy like us actually climbed to the top with a broken ankle.  You have all these land marks to make references to while you are getting the history.   After the film, they loaded us on the boat and carted us across the water.  There are huge Navy ships in port and you can see their crews doing their thing, much like it must have been December 7, 1941.  The trip out to the actual Memorial site only takes a few minutes.  I think the thing that I remember feeling the most as our craft pulled along side the USS Arizona was sadness.  There is an overwhelming sadness that surrounds the memorial, and even thought it happened long before my time I was still very upset by the whole thing. 

I hope one day that I can take my boys on the journey Hawaii has a great amount of American history that is worth seeing.  If you get the chance don't pass it up, it will be a trip you won't soon forget.  I have added some links below feel free to click them!









USS Arizona Memorial

National Geographic Articles

Great links for more history

The halls are decked

Woooohooo who rules. Who is better than dad. Yep that is right me! I got all the outside decorations up today. Cam was home sick so I didn't have to go to school with him and I put up the lights and snowman outside. Last year it took Steve about 3 hours to get them all up. Me it took an hour and a half, because yes I am just that good! Me and the boys put the tree up last Saturday and the stocking are all hung by the chimney with care, well not really by the chimney, but with care. Now as soon as I start my Christmas shopping all things will be good. Lets hope I soon find time to brave the hordes of mass consumers who have totally made Christmas a commercial holiday.

The things we have going on:
David played a hockey game last night scored a hat trick, his first this year!

We have hockey practice tomorrow from 5:30 until 8:00.

Cam and David play in the jamboree this coming weekend and I am running one of the fund raiser booths selling tee-shirts and what not.

My sister gets here next wednesday.

and inbetween I am trying to get the house cleaned up for christmas and get rid of toys the boys don't play with anymore.

I won't know what to do with myself over the week of Christmas because there will be no school, no hockey, and absoultly nothing going on!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I am getting the best Christmas present every and I am getting it early! My baby sister is coming home the 14th! I am so excited. We see each other about once a year and that sucks. We talk on the phone at least 4 times a week, and we email each other everyday, but it isn't the same as actually having her home! The boys are more excited about Aunt Jo coming than they are for Christmas to get her. The down side is she has to go back way to soon. She will have to leave the 19th. We will have an early Christmas dinner at mom and dad's and she will get to see Cam play a hockey game and we will do some shopping together and have a great time! The last time she was home I hardly got anytime with her, because the boys hovered over her all the time. They love her and she loves them and that makes me so happy!

I still have not put up my tree so I am getting ready to do that today, and tonight the boys can decorate it and hang their stockings!

Quick tag

Jamie made me do it!

Weapon of choice?

My words. You piss me off and they drip with vemon. I will say the very thing I know is going to hurt the most. I have figured out you can't beat a anyone under ten if they refer to you as mom though because they will defeat you at your own game.

Relative Psychosis:
I don't think I have any blood relatives that are psychotic. Yes some are a little off you could even say crazy, but we are not a threat to ourselves or others. Beetles suck.

How Hard It Can Be:
Hard enough to poke an eye out!

So, What's Next?
The occurence after this one.

I'll name that tune in...
2 notes cause I don't play to lose.

The list

I am actually enjoying a few minutes of me time this morning. We have been so busy around here there is no time for blogging, no time for reading and barely anytime to watch the AVS play a game! Sunday we had Cam's practice, then we went to the store, got home fed the boys some lunch, went back to the ice rink for David's game, came home fed the boys, and went to bed. Then yesterday I went to school with the boys and worked with the Kindergarten class, picked up Colton, came home and did some laundry that I was behind in from running all weekend, the boys got home, we had David's school program, which he was very unhappy about. He hates doing those school programs I even got an "I hate you for making me go", and he only uses that when he is really pissed off. After the program we came home whipped up some sloppy joes and I finally ate at 8 o'clock. Dinner seems to be an 8 o'clock thing around here more often than not. Tonight we have practice for Cam, David has a game, I have a meeting about the jamboree coming up the 9th of December, and then I have to come home make dinner and feed the boys. Thankfully there is no school tomorrow. Wednesday will be spent cleaning the kitchen so I can cook Thursday, unless of course Steve won't be home on Thursday then we will postpone Thanksgiving dinner until Sat. This seems to be a typical week for us lately. Now I am done with me time and off to get Colton from school!
Hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!

Til death do us part

Standing in the Walmart line yesterday I struk up a conversation with the lady behind me. I ofen do that, talk to strangers, but that is a different post. This was a pleasent woman, who because I talked to her felt compelled to share her live story with me. She must of been about 29 maybe 30. She has 2 kids one was 6 and the other almost 9. Then she starts telling me that she is on this diet and she has lost 12 or 15 pounds already. I am standing there nodding and saying things like good for you. She could have stood to lose 30 or 40 pounds, but she wasn't obese by any means. We talked about diets for awhile and work outs... Then she says with a venomus hiss that she hates her kids for making her fat! I just stared that blank stare at her. I being a big girl have no one to blame for the added weight except myself. Sure after the kids were born and I started staying home I gained a lot of weight, but in no way did my kids force me to eat 3 cookies to their every one. The boys never held me down and shoved food into me. I did that all by myself and would never hold my children responsible for that. I think I was most shocked at her seriousness. I think she really did blame her children and she really did hate them for it. I wanted to say so many things to that hateful woman, but I couldn't. I wanted to tell her that eating is what made her fat, and laziness, and I wanted to tell her that I would raise her children for her if she hated them so much. Then she started telling me about her marriage and how misserable she was and that if she didn't lose weight her husband was going to leave her. At that point I just felt sorry for her. What kind of man abuses his wife, the woman he is suppose to love and cherish above all others, that way. I am sure that the husband is the one responsible for making a mother resent her children. I can only imagain the horrible things he has told her. Things like "Before you had kids your ass wasn't that big." and "Before you had the kids you took care of yourself." Steve would never in a million years tell me he was going to leave me because I am fat. He loves me no matter what. Oh sure some days he would like to choke me, but that is being married and living with someone for the rest of your life, and has nothing to do with added weight. I was angery by the time I left walmart. I was angry at the husband for destroying this womans relationship with her children, and for being so cruel to his wife, but mostly I was angery at the woman for letting it happen.

and this was just to good not to share. It came in an email from my sister.

A Somalian arrives in Minneapolis as a new immigrant to the United States. He
stops the first person he sees walking down the street and says,
"Thank you Mr. American, for letting me in this country, and giving me housing, food stamps, free medical care and free education!" But the passer-by says
"You are mistaken, I am Mexican.

The man goes on and encounters another passer-by. "Thank you for
having such a beautiful country here in America!" The person says "I no
American, I Vietnamese."

The new arrival walks further, and the next person he sees he stops,
shakes his hand and says "Thank you for wonderful America!"
That person puts up his hand and says "I am from Middle East, I am
not an American!"

He finally sees a nice lady and asks suspiciously, "Are you an
American?"
She says, "No, I am from Russia!" So he is puzzled, and asks her,
"Where are all the Americans?" The Russian lady looks at her watch, shrugs,
and says:

"Probably at work!"

You're a mean one Mr. Grinch!

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
by
Dr Seuss

Every Who
Down in Who-ville
Liked Christmas a lot...

But the Grinch,
Who lived just North of Who-ville,
Did NOT!

The Grinch hated Christmas!
The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were to tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.

But,
Whatever the reason,
His heart or his shoes,
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos,
Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown
At the warm lighted windows below in their town.
For he knew every Who down in Who-ville beneath
Was busy now, hanging a mistleoe wreath.

I don't know what is wrong with me, but I have been Grinched! Friday I asked Steve if we really had to have Thanksgiving dinner. He never got a chance to answer, because Cameron quickly said that yes indeed we did have to have Thanksgiving dinner. He informed me it was a celebration and we should be joining in on the celebration! Then last night just Steve and I were sitting in the living room. I looked at him and said "I don't think I am even going to bother putting up the tree this year." He just stared blankly at me like I was speaking a different language, but I am pretty sure I said it in English! Maybe it is the fact that Christmas should have been over a month ago, at least that is the way it feels in every store. Since before Halloween the stores have been pushing their Christmas wares upon us. Every other commercial on TV has been about the holidays, and Steve took the credit card away from me. I have to be placed on a limited budget for this Christmas. So really what is the point? If I can't spend like a mad women it is really pointless to have Christmas. Cameron said "God will be very upset with us if we don't have Christmas",and yes my kids all believe in God and Santa Clause too! I on the other hand feel like Albert in the animated classic "twas the night before Christmas". Maybe as the seasons quickly approach my mood will change, and even if it doesn't I will put on a holly jolly face and tis the season for the sake of the boys!

The Beetles

I can cohabitate with spiders, if they get in the house I usually pick them up and put them outside. I don't really mind snakes they are actually pretty neat. Rats, mice, and other rodents are furry and cute. Beetle cause me go quickly go into a panic attack.

Yesterday Cam found an ugly, horrid beetle thing. He came in to get the D man and of course David goes out to check it out. A few minutes later he comes running as fast as his legs will carry him and all I see is legs coming out of his hand. I know right away it's a beetle. I can see those ugly legs with their little grabby feet. I jumpped up and screamed, causing D to fling the stupid thing through the air right in my direction. It hit my foot as I was running in the other direction, and in the confussion it hid somewhere in my house! My fear of beetles runs deep, it is not really a fear so much as it is a phobia. When we coudln't find the stupid thing I was reduced to tears. My heart was beating out of my chest, the sweat was dripping off me, and I was in the middle of a full blow panic attack. I still can't put my feet under my desk. I didn't sleep well last night, and I really had to fight hard to stay in this house last night.

I think the hardest part of my irrational fear is the fact that I know how crazy it is. I know that normal people don't experience those kinds of emotions over a stupid little beetle. I mean a beetle can't hurt you, they don't carry nasty germs that cause horrible sickness and death, they can't sink their fangs into you and kill you with their venom, and they don't even bite. I don't want to be crazy and I don't want my boys to see that kind of fear from their mom.

What's it all for?

David had an awesome hockey game last night. It was his first mite game, and his first full ice game. They play half ice in the mini mite level here, mostly because we have 4 teams and one sheet of ice. So this was the D mans first full ice game, and they lost, but that isn't what is important. I never really care if the boys win or lose, what I care about is if they play the best game they can, and he did. He scored 2 goals and 2 assists in last nights game. He was working his backwards skating and his passing and he was paying attention to the lines and he didn't go off sides once. He was controling the puck and just over all he skated very well! I was very proud of him and his team as a team they all played very well together.

Colton got his glasses yesterday. He looks cute in them. When I find some batteries for the camera I will get a picture of him. I picked him up from school today and he says to me "Mom I could see everyone today and really know who they are!" It made me feel awful for being such a bad mom and not knowing he was blind!

Cameron is loving hockey. He had big plans of playing soccer this summer and last night he asked me if he could go to hockey camp instead of soccer this summer. If I had 2 more boys I would have a full line and a huge mortage on the house to pay for it all!

The weather has been beautiful today. We were suppose to get snow last night, but it was in the 60's today. It makes it hard to send the boys to school when it is nice. I would much rather keep them home and go do something fun!

My last vice

Hi my names Jenn and I am an addict. I had my last cigarette 4 hours and 11 minutes ago. I really want to quit, ok that's a lie. I enjoy each cigarette I smoke. I want one the minute I wake up, after every meal, and pretty much ever 15 minutes thoughtout the day. The truth of the matter is that I need to quit. I have to quit. Between Steve and I, we are spending over 500 dollars a month on the damn things. When you add it up and look at the numbers we just can't afford to smoke anymore, we never really could. I could get a new car for less a month than we spend on smoking. I could get a new computer or that digital camcorder I want. In one year if we both quit we would have saved 6,000 dollars. That is a lot of money spent on trying to slowly kill yourself. The very sad fact is that as I am writing this I don't care about the cost. I don't care that they will eventually kill me. I don't care... I want a cigarette badly. I don't need one. I don't have to have one. I want one.

Going once, going twice...

My blog is worth $38,388.72.
How much is your blog worth?

Is it November already?

I don't know where the time has gone, but it seems to be flying at warp speed. I don't think I have had 15 minutes of unbusy time since my last post. I have fallen into bed every night this week and was sleeping before my head hit the pillow.

Halloween was a lot of fun, in spite of the fact that 2 of the boys were not entirely thrilled with what they got dress up as for the occasion. I took the boys to paperwarehouse, because they were having a sale and told them they all had to pick something there because I was not running all around to pick just the right costume and I was not paying a fortune for them. Cameron had big plans of being a skeleton before we even got to the store so we lucked out with him they had just the perfect skeleton outfit. David wanted to be this zombie ghoul thing, but we couldn't find anything remotely resembling what he had his heart set on, then he was going to be Darth Vader, but they only had Colton's size for that. So I got to digging around and it was between a ninja or a power ranger. Oh my lord don't tell your 2nd grader they can be a power ranger... just don't so he took the ninja. Colton didn't care what he was going to be as long as it was scary, he likes the whole scariness of Halloween. Well I told him Darth Vader was scary and he was all for it, he ran around going "Luke I am your father." and "Aww a sister, Obi Wan was wise to hide her from me." and then I looked at the price 42 bucks... Needless to say I had to crush his hopes of being a dark lord this year. I found Hulk and a Spongebob get up, and Colton loves Spongebob so I figured he would go for that. He looked at me and says "Pongebob is not scary mom!" I quickly convinced him that The Hulk was scary, and he could take spiderman out! So the big day finally gets here...

I went to all three of the class parties, which were fun, but by the time we got home I was ready for my blanket and a story, but the boys had other ideas of how our night would be spent. So they began putting on their costumes and digging out the trick or treat bags. By 4:30 they were ready and by 5 we were out the door. We met up with the little girl across the street and her mom and off we went. After an hour and a half of trick or treating the mom's were cold and tired and the kids bags were overflowing. Success!

Tuesday we had hockey and I get to be the team mom for Cam's team, so the whole hour I was handing out team rousters and jerseys, then I rushed David into the bathroom, because I didn't have time to get a locker room key and he changed into his gear as I handed out the last of the jerseys for Cam's team, he is on the yellow team, and then I got D's skates laced up and found out that I get to be the team mom for his team as well, so it was another hour of running around handing out jersey's and team lists to parents! I may be insane by the end of this year, but with as fast as time seems to be moving it will be over before I even know it. Cam has his first game tomorrow and David's is on tuesday. It is going to be great!

Thursday we had parent teacher meetings. I am in their classes enough that it was really just a waste of time on both our parts. I didn't find out anything I don't already know, but the teacher have to have them for everyone, and I did get to pick up school pictures, which I will probably get mailed out when Colton is 12 or 13! Actually this year I am waiting for the hockey pictures so I can mail them all together. (That will be you Christmas present Paula and I promise to mail them and last years too!)

I am off to bed I tried to get caught up on house work and laundry today, noticed I said tried as with most things in my life I failed! Oh well we all have clean clothes to wear next week so that is something!

I'm still alive!

Well since we last spoke...

The weekend before last started off with the lovely stomach flu. David woke up in the middle of the night throwing up, it lasted about 24 hours with him. Steve started throwing up sunday afternoon and I woke up sunday night or monday morning witht he crap and 2 days later I was finally able to move. The throwing up wasn't so bad, but I felt like someone beat every inch of my body. I felt brused and battered it wasn't a nice flu bug... Then Colton whacked his eye with one of those sticky hands so I had to take him to the eye dr, because it looked bad! The doctor looked at it with the glow in the dark dye and everything was all good. He had some minor abrassions, but nothing in the cornea. I thought everything was good until wednesday, we had managed to get to hockey and school with no one sick! Then wednesday I get the call that Colton is sick and I need to come get him ten minutes after school started. So he missed wednesday and thursday of school. On top of all of that I have had this awful sinus headache, and stuffy head earache stuff that I have been fighting for about a month. I went to the dr. today and he shot me up with some kind of allergy stuff, gave me a perscription, and some eye drops, because I looked like I had pink eye in both eyes. I am already feeling better from that and hopefully the shot keeps the allgeries at bay. I am so happy the eye drops stopped the itching as soon as I used them life got better.

We did manage to get the back deck finished, made it to every hockey practice, and even made it to school early for David's student council meetings! I was totally impressed with my accomplishments, but then most days just getting the boys to school before the bell rings is a major accomplishment for us!

The AVS did better.

Friday nights game was played much better, and even though we suffered a lose the boys at least played. The blackhawks goalie was on fire, and Budaj, which is pronunced Boo-die not Bud-age, played an awesome game. It was a goalie game that is for sure and the boys all played with some effort.

Steve is on vacation, and I take back all the "wish he was home more" statements I made last week. Now I have to make it through this week with him here! The boys have hockey tomorrow, and then monday I will be at school all day, tuesday is hockey night, and we have hockey thrusday so I should do alright!

Things I am pondering

Things I am pondering tonight:

First this,
What the hell happened to the AVS?  They played a very sloppy game of hockey.  Their passing skills where on the same level as a mite team in the 3rd period, and when someone did manage to get a pass off flawlessly the person they passed to couldn't pick the puck up if it had been the size of a freaking basketball.  They had absolutely no control of the puck what so ever, they just knocked it around the ice, no looking where they were passing, not knowing where the puck was half the time. Sloppy Hockey boys very sloppy!  I love my AVS, and they can play beautiful hockey, Monday nights games was a perfect example, but tonight was sad.  I don't expect them to win all the time, but I do expect the same thing from them as I expect from my own children, to put forth their very best effort.  Tonight's game lacked much effort.  Friday I expect better, weather you win or lose boys let put forth the effort.  Play a smooth game of hockey, make every pass count, work that puck down the ice, be ready for the passes, and for god sakes get someone in front of the damn net you are wasting your scoring opportunities when your whole damn line is behind the net fighting each other for the puck.  

And then,
I am going to get my coaching certificate and help coach the little kids, that might be a little scary for them and for me, but I figured what the hell I might as well.  

Now this,
The price of oil needs to go down a great deal, not because of the price at the pump, but it is seriously cutting into quality time with my husband.  He has been gone so much the last 2 months that when he does show up I check ID at the door just to make sure he really is who is says he is, and it won't stop until the price of oil goes down and they stop all this damn drilling!.  

And now,
Speaking of jobs if anyone wants a job in the oil field and you have a CDL I know where you can go to work today drop me an email and I'll hook you up.  It is kind of like a job in the Army you know see the world while your earning money except you don't see the world just a whole lot of the rockies mountain states and you earn a lot more money, and by that I am not saying you will be paid well, just better than the government would pay you.  

Ok this is the last one,
I need to clean off this desk.  I am sure there are things lost in here, important things like the water bill and that book I started reading a few months ago and misplaced.  I don't know why I am keeping half the things that find there way to my desk…

Hockey was great!

We dug through gear Monday night to make sure both boys had everything and it all fit, and then David says, "mom you didn't get my skates sharpened!" Well that was just peachie, one more thing on my list of things to get done Tuesday! I took the boys to school, came home threw a roast in the crock pot, got showered and dressed, started a load of laundry. I sat down looked at the clock and it was time to go get Colton, so I grabbed up the skates and ran out the door. I managed to get the skates to the ice rink just as the guy who sharpens them was leaving so I did some quick begging and he took pity on me and stayed to put an edge on the skates. I have to get Cam some socks and a helmet still.

Cameron in the black

We got Cameron dressed, and left for the rink a little after five. He was so excited to finally be getting to play hockey. We got to the rink, picked up his skates and got them on his little feet, along with David's helmet. He waddled off to the bench to wait for the zamboni to finish up so he could get out there. I was a little scared that he wasn't going to like skating. The last time we went he skated for about 15 minutes, fell down, and decided he was cold and was ready to take his skates off. I had no reason to worry really. He skated out with no help and the whole night he only fell a few times and he got right back up. I didn't get to watch as much as I would have liked as we had a parent meeting, which is pretty much to welcome the new parents and give them all the information and sign up to be team parents. I signed up for both boys this year. We got out of the meeting and I had to run to the locker room, because we have a new rink manager and he doesn't want the kids dressing in the lobby, which is just crazy because our locker rooms are the size of a large bathroom and trying to get 40 kids and 40 parents in there is not going to happen. So I took David in to help him get dressed, he can get most all his gear on by himself, but still needs a little help getting his garter and socks fixed right and getting his skates laced up tight. I told the D man to get his stuff on and I ran out and got Cam as he was coming off the ice. We rushed into the locker room, I snatched Cam's skates off, got the socks that the boys had to share, because we managed to get to the rink with the one pair, and managed to get David's skates laced up and have him out the locker room door before his ice time started. I was impressed with our ability to get one dressed and the other one undressed in record time! Then I ran back up the stairs to make it to David's parent meeting! Over all things went really well and it can only get easier from here!

David

Ice is nice!

The dues are paid and tomorrow it's time to take the ice and drop the puck! David and Cam are both playing this year. David can hardly wait to get back on the ice. Cam is excited because his cousin is playing as well. I am not as excited, tuesdays we will be at the rink from 5:30 until after 8 so that makes for a long night. The boys will have to come home get homework done and a snack and then we will have to dress Cam and head out the door so he can be on the ice! David will have to bring whatever homework he has left and him and I can work on it while Cam is on the ice and vice versa! I usually try to get them in bed by 9, but tuesdays we will be lucky to get to bed by 10 after they come home and eat and all of that! I can hardly wait until they get to play some games though. There is nothing more fun than to watch your kids play a sport!

Foggy

Colton and I were sitting on the couch together when he looks at me and says, "Mom, you are getting kind of old."

"Yes honey I am."

He then takes my arm, pulls it up to his face, takes a big sniff and says, "But you smell great!"

I guess that I am not so old that I am rotting.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This is what we woke up to this morning! I love the first snow of the fall. It is so pretty, and it isn't all that cold. In fact today the sun is shining and the snow will soon be gone!

I have been busy at the school with the boys. Last Friday they had PDA. I don't remember what the hell that stands for, but the teacher have meetings all day and the kids get to do fun kinds of things. This time we got to see snakes and lizards. I was with the pre school and kindergarten classes and they thought it was pretty awesome. We saw a cobra, rattlesnake, blue rock lizard, and some other stuff. Mondays I am in Cam's class helping with centers, and then David wants me to start going to his class once a week as well. So I will have 3 days a week at the school.

Cam has been sick with stomach pain and the school nurse called yesterday for me to come and get him. I took him to the Dr., because he said it was not like a stomach ache, but more like a burning pain. The Dr. said that the lining of his stomach has been irritated, and put him on zantac. I am suppose to give that to him 2 times a day for 5 days, take him off, and see if the pain comes back. If it does start again then he has an ulcer.

I have put off going to walmart for the past 2 weeks, and we are quickly running out of everything around here. I think Colton and I will go after I pick him up from school.

David starts hockey next week, and Cam has decided that he wants to play as well. We will be spending much of our time at the ice rink this year. David has practice Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and Cam will practice Tuesdays and Sundays. We should just pack a bag and camp out down there!

Well that is all I can think of today.

Why?

Because the lovely Martine tagged me, and I simply love her and she made my template, and El is adorable, and I have nothing better to post, and I can't sleep, and I have 200 things I should be doing beside sitting here at the computer, but I don't want to do them....



10 years ago
Oh 1995. I was working as a motel manager, living with an idiot drug addict. All I did was work and go home and work and go home... Oh I bought my first and only new car that year a 1996 subrau. Kids and marriage were not even on my mind at that time.

5 years ago
I was knocked up for the 2nd time in 17 months. I was still working at the same motel, but I quit a month before Cam arrived. I was misserable and slept all of 2 hours a night between work, a baby, and peeing all night long. It sucked, but have Cameron now is well worth it.

1 Year Ago
Last year I was doing the same thing I am doing this year. Just being a mom, going to school functions, getting ready for hockey to start, and just normal mom stuff I do.

Yesterday
I was shopping with my mom. It was my birthday, and she came to take me out to dinner. I got ecards from my Aunt Joyce and Uncle Dusty, my Aunt Paula, and my mom, flowers from my sister, and a home theater system from mom and dad, and a new keyboard and mouse that I have yet to hook up!

Today
I didn't do a thing. I played with Colton a lot, emailed my sister a picture of the flowers she sent. Talked to mom online for a minute, talked to Steve on the phone, put the boys to bed, and now this.

Tomorrow
I have to take Cam to get his 5 year old shots because I am an idiot and I forgot. The nurse even sent me notes and I still forgot! Then I will do some laundry, and maybe take a nap or something, who know?!

5 songs I know the words to (these are without hearing the song)
Hear I am by Air Supply
Delta Dawn by Tanya Tucker
The Star Spangled Banner (our national anthem)
Leather and Lace by Stevie Nicks
Joy to the World by Three Dog Night
but I know the words to most every song in my cd collection once the music starts playing.

5 snacks
Chocolate
Cheesecake
ice cream
peanut butter on a spoon
fudge
I don't really snack often although my butt says otherwise! I really don't keep anything around the house just for me to eat.

5 things I would do with $100 million
Invest it so my boys would be set for life.
Buy a new car
buy a new house
pay off my sisters house
pay off my mom and dads house

5 places I would run away to
China I have always wanted to see the great wall.
Alaska-I have never been
Hawaii- I loved it there
Neatherlands-to see Martine
Alanta- to see Tricia

5 things I would never wear
spandex pants, althought I did when I was younger, not anymore.
a tutu
hip hugger jeans
a bikini, well I hate swimwear in general.
padded bra's

5 favorite tv shows (currently)
Dead Zone
anything on the history channel
Discovery Channel
Animal planet
Forensic Files
I don't watch a lot of TV. If you were to visit you would swear my favorite show is spongebob or batman.

5 joys
David
Cameron
Colton
My dogs, sometimes.
Cool nights and sleeping with the window open

5 bad habits
Smoking... your right Martine I need to quit too!
biting my nails
lazyness
staying up to late
swear words

5 things I like doing
spending time with the boys
writing
sleeping
drinking my coffee on the back deck when it cool outside, and by cool I mean like 35 to 40 degrees F.
Sitting in the mountains and listening to nothing and everything.

5 movies I like
finding neverland
10 things to do in Denver...
Shaw Shankredemption
Usual Suspects
Spongebob Squarepants The Movie, because I coudln't think of a 5th and we watch it every freaking day. It's their master plan to brainwash me with the spongebob!

5 famous people I would like to meet
Honestly no one really comes to mind if it is just meeting them...

5 toys
Computer
Digital Camera
that's it really that I can talk about here...

Now on to Jennifer's meme.

The Rules:

1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five other people to do the same.

Little did we know we were their biggest harm.

I am not tagging anyone for either of these, but if you want to play please feel free to grap away.

You think the price of oil is going up!

Cement Shortage? While everyone is running around with notions of our oil supplies running out, and wondering how we will drive our cars, heat our homes, and every other thing we do with oil, something I don't give a second thought to honestly, there are real issues surfacing.

Yes you read that first statement correctly. The Untied States is experiencing a cement shortage. How the hell is that even possible? Cement is a mixture of limestone and clay, which is everywhere, and when you mix that with water and sand you get concrete. I am sure there is more to it than that, but it can't be that complicated. So now if there ever is an oil shortage, which I don't see happening in my lifetime, it won't matter, because with concrete we won't have roads, or foundations for homes, or sidewalks, or a million other things we use cement for. There are 11 states, mine included, that are actually experiencing critical shortages. Does anyone else find this amusing?

Showers and Flowers

I turned off the water and grabbed the towel, when all of a sudden someone is pounding on the door and all the dogs start barking. I wrapped the towel around me and stepped out of the tub, and pear down the stairs there is the fed ex guy standing there with a big box. Shit what to do what to do? I cinched the towel around me, and crept down the stairs. Opening the door just enough to peek one eye at this guy, I say "Yes" and he goes "Hi, Jennifer I have a delivery for you." Well duh, but I ain't opening this door any wider. He stands there smiling at me as I am still gripping the towel, and I reach one arm through the door, and he tells me I have to sign on line 3. I grab the clipboard and close the door sign on the line, crack open the door, poke the clipboard back at the guy, and he hands me a box, which forces me to open the door wider. I quickly grab the box and say thanks. He wishes me a nice day and wanders off laughing, as I close the door as quickly as I can. These are what were in the box. My sister loves me!

Aging gracefully

It is said that with age comes wisdom, well I don't feel any wiser. The thought of another year going by is scarrrry really. It feels like this one just started. Did I blink and miss it? What happened in this last year? Where was I, because it sure doesn't feel like I could be another year older already. Time goes by faster with each passing year, and I can hardly keep up. I remember when I was younger and couldn't wait for my birthday to come around. As a child you can't wait for those gifts to come your way, and then for 16 to be able to drive, and then 21 so you can get in the bar legally... and then one day the birthdays seem to come quicker then you can keep up. I don't know when birthdays lost appeal for me, it was sometime in my 20's when I looked at my life and saw that nothing was how I expected it to be. All those youthful dreams left unfulfilled, all those big plans thrown out the window. I don't really celebrate my birthdays anymore, they come and they go, and it's just another day really. Honestly it is a day I reflect on all the failures in my life, all the goals I never attained, all the things that I said I would do, and still have not. I mean don't get me wrong I would much rather have a birthday, then not have one. I still have boys to raise and things I want to do. I just don't enjoy the reflecting back to things I can't change all that much, and that is what birthdays tend to do for me, that is what Monday brings for me...

Sensible Shoes

I heard that song today, you remember that song, you use to sing it to me, when you went off to california. Still even after all these years I think about you when it's playing. We really just had bad timing didn't we, but that never meant I didn't love you. There will always be a special place in my heart that belongs only to you. I think we both knew on some level that last weekend we spent together was going to be it. I think that is why it was so hard to let go of each other. We had been inseparable from the day we met and it was all ending so fast. I still have all those letter you wrote to me, and the tapes you made for me. Remember that time I came to see you after you moved back. I think about it a lot, and all the phone conversations we had afterwards. I know you don't have a clue what happened to me after that, but I met someone and we got married and have 3 beautiful kids now. He is a really good guy and I think you would like him. I hope you met someone too, and I hope she is all that I could never be. You were that one great love in my life, that soul mate everyone is always looking for, and I just wanted you to know that. I wanted you to know that I am content with my life, and it is a lot better than it was the last time we spoke. I hope that if you ever think about me it is with kindness in your heart, and you know that I did truly love you.

Secrets

I have to come clean, and some of you may feel differently about me once all this comes out, but that is a chance I'll have to take. There are those of you that will laugh and think "Oh I knew she needed help long ago." I am a little off I will be the first to admit it, but honestly I am not insane. I have this fetish that borders on the edge insane though. I don't know how it started, but it has been going on for years. I don't feel that it has become enough of a problem to seek help, but it does teeter on OCD. Ok I'll just say it I love to buy paper and pens and pencils. No I mean I love it like some women love to buy shoes, or like some men love sports more than sex. I walk by the stationary department of any store and I get excited. I have this need to own more instruments for writing than anyone. I probably already do. I mean how many people do you know that have a drawer full of nothing but pens and then one for pencils, and one for paper. I have colored paper, flowered paper, flag paper, normal notebook paper (3 reams of it still unopened sitting under my desk), cloud paper, Christmas paper, Halloween paper, rainbow paper, pastel colored paper, copy paper. I have a forest of paper. Today I found spiral notebooks 10 for a quarter. I got wet on the spot at that find. I was elated, much more over joyed than one should be over paper. Now I have 75 notebook under my desk, some college ruled and some wide. It's the same with pens, I have gel pens in every color and regular bic pens, and pens of every shape and size, pencils same thing. If you can write with it I own it or think I need it. Some of my pens are only used for certain things, and my favorite pens are kept in a special place so no one gets them. I go into Office Max, and you know most people go in there and look at the electronics and stuff, not me I head for the stationary. It's the happiest place in the world to me, I can spend 4 hours looking at paper, feeling it and touching it, and give me a pen and I love the way it glides over the paper so smoothly it's sensual really, and the things you can create with just a plain piece of paper and a regular old pen... Word thousands and thousands of words, and stories, and just writing my name over and over makes me happy.

Today I got 5 boxes of pencils, 6 packs of pens, 50 notebooks, 14 boxes of markers, and 10 boxes of crayons. I got 5 packs of erasers, 4 pencil sharpener, and a nifty little stapler and 3 boxes of staples. Target had it all at 75% off. I didn't even spend 30 bucks on it all! I was walking on clouds when Colton and I left that store.

Void

The darkness swallows my words.
A void
A huge black hole where nothing exists
no time or space just emptyness
I am hallow
and shallow of thought
blank and black as a moonless night
I long for the words to come,
some inspiration to fuel the fire that burns in me
but alas I am barren.

Wyoming

Most people don't know a lot about Wyoming, we are just some place out west to many people. Oh sure people know that Wyoming is were the Teton's are and most of Yellowstone national park is here, but they don't know the people that make this place such a great state. We have more Pronghorn Antelope than we have people living in our state. The total population of Wyoming lingers around 500,000 people and we are like the 10 largest state in land mass, which means you can always find a place to be alone when you need it. We live in a land that is forgien to most outsiders, we just do things a little different here. I know that if I break down on the highway someone will pull over and lend a hand. I still feel safe leaving my doors unlocked in my home and my car. We still visit with our neighbors, and talk to strangers when we are standing in the check out lines at the store. We have managed to keep most of our small town values, because we don't have to deal with the crime the rest of the country sees. Oh we have our problems with kids shooting out windows with BB guns, and we have horrible problems with drugs, but we don't see a lot of murders, and we can walk from one side of town to the other at midnight and the only people that stop are the ones asking if we need a ride. We take pride in being Americans, and we are just as will to help the rest of this great country as we are to help our neighbors, and I think this article really proves that.

Over 1 million dollars has been raised from our little podunk state already to go to the Red Cross to go to the Gulf Coast. I know it doesn't seem like that much really to all the places that support a larger population, but it is over $2.00 per person that lives in our state, and the donations are still coming in. It makes me glad to know that we are doing what we can to help.

Some parents...

Ok people I am asking, no really I am pleading and begging here. Do not send your little girls to school in Laura Ingals dresses you have hand sewn from old table clothes! I am telling you if you do this your child is the "weird kid" in school, and to 200 other kids it doesn't make any difference that you made all little sally's clothes by hand and you just think she looks so cute in them, and they don't understand that your religion takes up a good chunk of the family income and your to broke to buy her "real" clothes. Come on there are second hand stores all over town that sell pretty good stuff get her some, because the other kids are laughing at her. I am serious it will only harm her social life.

There is a little red haired girl that goes to the boys school. We see her every morning, and today D man tells me "She is weird". I asked him why she was weird and he says "Just look at the way she dresses mom, she's weird" to which Cam says "She is weird mom". I, trying to be a good mom asked if they knew her and they both said "No". Then I asked them how they could know she was weird if they didn't even know her Cam says "Everyone thinks she is weird mom." I tried to explain to them that she couldn't help it and her parents probably made her wear those clothes. David looks at me and gets deeply serious and said "Boy mom I am sure glad you don't make us be the weird kids that no one likes! Some parents just don't have any good sense do they!" "No baby some parents don't have any good sense at all." I said as I kissed the 3 of them goodbye and told them to have a good day trying to hide my giggles until they closed the car door. It was so clear to him that it was not her fault after that.

I am sure the little girl is a normal happy kid, she is always clean and smiling, and I know my boys don't tease her, I asked them they said they just stay away from her, but there are other kids that tease her I am sure of it, and it will only get worse the farther in school she goes. I think I agree with D man some parents just don't have good sense.

Why?

Today was the fourth anniversary of the day that changed America as we know it.  I can't believe it has already been four years since radical religious fanatics' hijacked airplanes and crashed them into our buildings.   I am just as affected by it today as I was the day it happened.  I still see the burning towers and it moves me to silent tears.  I was watching the Discovery Channel, one of the few channels on television worth watching, last night.  They had some really good programs on about the families of some of the people who lost their lives in the tragedy, which left me deeply saddened.  One mother, a police officer, left behind a baby girl, and her father, a cop as well, was left trying to raise his daughter alone, and give her memories of a mother she will never know.  I hope she always knows her mom was hero, and I hope that she grows up just as carefree as any child should.  There were stories of daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons, and brothers.  There were stories of regular people who thought they were safe going to work, and there were stories of the brave men and women who gave their lives trying to save other lives.  They put names and faces with the victims and did so in a heart touching way.  My tears fell uncontrollably as I listened to their stories.   It still seems so unreal, things like that are not suppose to happen in America, but it did happen and can happen again.  We as a people tend to forget and move on way to quickly, and the simple fact is that we must remember, and we must not let our guard down and allow something like this to happen again.  

I like most of US citizens have a hard time understanding how a group of individuals can take life for granted and strap on a bomb or hijack an airplane in the name of a God and kill themselves and others.  After the 9/11 programs were over they had Suicide Bombers: A Cult of Death.  I would recommend watching it if you didn't get a chance to see it.  It was a frightening program, but very insightful.  It really did a good job of showing how mindless we as humans really are.  Things like The Manson murders, and Jim Jones' cult, and those Haley's Comets nuts, and Hitler came to mind as I listened to the narrator, whose name I now forget, tell the story of how it all started.  It frightened me because there is always someone willing to die for their cause no matter what cause that might be, and there are always people who will use that to farther their own gain, even if it has nothing to do with the cause of the people.  It has happened time and again in the history of man kind, and will continue happening until mankind no longer exists.    

The suicide bombers are no different than the American's who kill doctors because they work in an abortion clinic; they believe with all their hearts that they are doing the right thing, and when you have a leader telling you your God loves you and you are going to walk hand in hand with him for giving your life in the fight against evil it makes it even more right.  If the Pope started telling people it was good and right to kill the abortion doctors, and everyone who murdered them would be at God's side, people would be lining up right here in the USA to do the same thing that is going on in the Middle East.  It would start with Doctors, and move on to killing anyone who didn't share your belief that abortion was wrong.  There would inevitably be someone who jumped on the bandwagon not caring either way about abortion, but saying they did, saying they cared deeply, because they see that they can get these mindless drones to do their bidding.  They start telling these fanatics that they have to get rid of all people who do not believe that abortion is wrong, these babies killers, murders who are doing the work of the devil.  They show them pictures of women getting abortions, and they tell horror stories and they make them believe that they will go to hell if they don't get rid of every person that is against them.  They tell them it is the only way to stop abortion.  They give them lists of names of people who are against them, they do the work they get rid of these people without knowing them, without checking the facts on weather they are for or against abortion, and they mindlessly kill because they think it is the only way to stop the evil.  They are working on the side of good, and yeah they have heard that this so called leader is just trying to farther his own gain, but if it helps their cause so be it, because he is on their side.  No one bothers to tell them that Mr. So and So on the hit list is pro life, no one tells them that he is the father of 4 small children, and a loving husband, and active in his church.  No one tells them that he and their leader had an argument about the price of milk, and that is why he is on the list.  Years go by and people start raising their children to believe they are fighting the good fight, and now we have generations of people willing to kill and die for what they believe is right.

That is the best analogy I can come up with to explain it to myself.  I can clearly see how these things happen, but for just as clearly as I can see how it happens I still do not understand why.

School, tooth aches, and dasiy dukes

Colton has loved school. Everyday he is excited that he gets to go with his brothers. I talked to his teacher today, and she said he has done great. He had a minor break down today. Half the class went to the libary and the other half stayed in class and did a project then they switched off and the ones that were doing the project went to the libary... well Colton looked at his teacher and said "Oh I was suppose to go to the libary, it was in our plan." He thought he messed up and when she explained how they were doing it everything was all good again.

I have developed a nasty habit of clenching my teeth and grinding them in my sleep. If you do this you know that it causes great pain in your mouth! My teeth finally feel better today, but the last 2 day I could hardly bite down or anything. I guess will have to break down and go to the dentist and get fitted for one of those mouth guards as this is a problem that I have had in the past that just seems to be getting worse.


There are some things in life you can never prepare for no matter what, today that unpreparedness happened to me and Colton while we were at mini mart getting soda's. .Dasiy Dukes should not be worn by women over 40 that have not taken care of themselves. It is horrifying to see and something I never want to expose my child to again. We walked up and got in line and eye level with Colton was ass. He looked up at me, I looked at him, he reaches up touches her leg and politly tells her "lady I can see your ass checks and that is really gross. People don't want to have to look at that." It was lunch time and the store was packed and I thought the older man behind us was going to fall on the floor he was laughing so hard. The lady simply ignored him, with her cellulite butt checks exposed to the world. He then looked at me and said "Well mom it is gross." to which I said "Yes honey it is. Just don't look." and the lady was no more than a foot away from us so she heard it all. Maybe she will go home and throw those things out. After she left the guy behind us said he wished that adults could just tell it like it is the way children do, because he really wanted to tell her the same thing, and about 10 other people agreed with him

It's Tuesday

6:40 am "Moooommmm it's Tuesday."  "Yes baby it is, but we have an hour to sleep still." I mumble as he crawls under the covers by me.

6:50 am "Is it time to get up yet?" which I try to ignore.

7:00 am "MOM it's time!" and I go ahead and crawl out of bed, because I know this is going to last for the next half an hour.  

I got Colton some cereal while he woke his brothers up informing them that he got to go to school with them today!  He was excited, so excited that I didn't even get as sad as I thought I would be, but now my house is quiet and lonesome.  I can't wait until it's time to go get him!  I am excited to here how he liked his first day!

Ok its quiz time fol

Ok its quiz time folks.  Jack has invented his very on quiz.  The rules are very simple it's about you and the movies and the only rule is there are no rules, ok ok that isn't really true everything must have at least one rule and Jacks rule is you can't reuse movies, each one has to be unique and individual.

Name your five favorite movies.
1. The usual suspects
2. The untouchables
3. Finding Neverland
4. The Jerk
5. 10 things to do in Denver when your dead

Name five movies that made you who you are today.
1. ET
2. Nightmare on Elm Street
3. Winnie the Pooh
4.  Benny and Joon
5.  The killing fields

What five movies should everyone see?
1. Five People you meet in Heaven
2. Spanglish
3. National Treasure
4. A Walk on the Moon
5. The Lion King

Name five movies you think rock, and everyone else says they suck.
1.  Van Helsing
2.  Secret Window
3.  Basic
4.  Bark
5.  

Name five movies you think are over rated.
1. Pulp Fiction
2. Titanic
3. Moulin Rouge
4. Interview with a Vampire
5. The Terminal

What five movies scare you the most?
1. The Fog
2. The Shining
3. American Werewolf in London
4.  Silence of the Lambs
5.  Psycho
What five movies do you wish you had seen earlier in life?
1. The Notebook
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
3. Shawshank redemption
4. ?
5.  ?

What five movies do you love that you didn’t get the first time you saw them?
1. The Big Chill
2. What's Eating Gilbert Grape
3. Boy and his dog
4.  ?
5.  ?


I am still trying to think up answers for some of these.