More fun

Still having fun and loaded more pics on Flickr. I am going to go into more detail on all the rides and some tips I have picked up later but right now just time for pics.

And yet again more Disney

Here are a few of todays Disney pics and of course tons more in Flickr. A really cool ride today was Soarin it was so neat. We at with Winnie the Pooh and friends tonight. Going to be out early in the morning....and Tuesday is swimming with the Dolphins at Discovery Cove.

Having a Goofy Good Time

Lots more pics in Flickr including the parade yesterday. Braden was thrilled he got to see the Power Rangers and we will see them again on Friday.

1st day at Disney

The kids in their official mickey ears. Braden wanted Stitch...he also had to get a stitch laser gun too.


The serpent behind Matt and the kids is completely made out of legos.



At the resort hotel it is Pop Century and so far I am impressed with it. Rooms are small but the theme is neat and the service is really good. And surprise they have internet access it costs though so I wont be using it all the time but still nice to have.

Lots more pics in Flickr.

BEACH FUN!!!!!!!!

On the road again

We left out at 3:30 yesterday morning. It was a long day...luckily I have no problems sleeping in the van..LOL...sad thing is the kids stayed awake all day not me I dozed off two seperate times. I drove a little (not while I was dozing) but mostly Matt.

We crossed Arkansas, went through the corner of Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and are currently in the middle of Georgia. Next stop Florida. We hope to be at the beach by noon.

The hotel we have reservations for at the beach has internet too so I should be able to update before we go to the Disney hotel that is archaic and doesnt have in room interenet access (the nerve..LOL).

I think Braden summed it up yesterday morning. He got up and he said "Mom I am so tired I am going to sit and pee like a girl because I cant stay awake to stand up to pee"...it was so funny.

We got a good nights sleep and are about to head out. I only took one pic yesterday when we crossed into Alabama. The rest of the signs were at inopportune times or too busy traffic. The amount of wrecks we have seen are scary.

We're Outta Here....Almost

Van is packed, and I am ready to hit the road. We wont be leaving until 4am but I am so ready.

We will be taking a laptop but wont have access except at the very beginning and end of the vacation. I will upload pics when I get a chance. I am sure there will be lots and lots of pics.

The itenirary is: Drive and drive some more, Beach time, Disney time, Orlando time, and drive back home. We wont be back home till the 30th!

Now the computer is getting shut off and last minute packing will be finished up.

Yeah after a year of planning it is here!

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day!!!

I started my mothers day VERY early. Brittney was waking up her daddy before 6am to get him to help her with breakfast. Braden crawled into bed with me complaining that sissy wouldn't let him sleep in.

I got a wonderful breakfast in bed. Beautiful cards, a cd I wanted along with a cool mug Braden made in class for me, and a certificate Brittney made on the computer. The kids did a program for me and Matt video taped it, they wrote their own songs to sing and Brittney also did in my mothers eyes on her karaoke machine.

Matt was in the dog house yesterday. My wonderful mothers day present that I was so proud of (My pink razor phone)...well hubby was up late watching a movie Friday night and spilled red wine on my phone and didnt notice it...well my beautiful phone is no longer working. He has promised to take care of it in the morning so I let him out of the dog house in the spirit of Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms!

On a side note we are all packed for Disney (we leave Wednesday!..can't wait)

We had fun

Skipping out on the school sponsored field trip was a good idea. We had lots of fun. From what I hear from the parents that did go on the school field trip it was awful.

The girls and I went shopping, manicures, pedicures, lunch at Olive Garden, more shopping and back home.


The girls posing before going into the beauty college for their manicures and pedicures.


The girls at the beauty college just after getting their toes done.


Our pretty toes.

Skipping out

Today is second grade class field trip.

They are taking 97 second graders to Chuckee Cheese at 9am this morning and then going to a historic courthouse. Needless to say this does not sound like too much fun so I proposed a different idea....

So the new fun field trip involves Britt, her friend Brinnlee, and another mom.

The agenda...
Pedicures, manicures at the beauty college
Lunch at Olive Garden
Making bath lotions at Bath Junkie
And some shopping at the mall

Sounds like a much better field trip to me...and since both of us are pulling our kids from the school system next school year we could care less. Add to that the fact that two of the teachers going on the field trip are the ones that caused so much trouble for us in PTA and I am so glad we are not going on their trip. Not to mention I just had to endure Chuckee Cheese a few weekends ago and again on Wednesday with Braden's first grade field trip.

So I am off for my girls day!

2nd post of the day but it couldnt wait

Hubby just gave me my mothers day present a little early....I got what I wanted and was so excited....a Pink Razor Cell Phone...it is so cool now I just have to figure it all out. Happy mothers day to me a few days early!

Birthday Party Pics

We were in the Dragon room at Laser Quest which worked great with the Power Ranger Mystic Force Theme.

Mid week

This time next week we will be on our way to Florida and Disney. I hope to get the rest of the packing done this weekend.

Last night Matt and I attended the parents homeschool group meeting. It sounds like a lot of fun and they have a lot of activities available for the kids. Sinking in that we are really going to do this.

Today is a field trip with Braden's class. I am not overjoyed about it because all my friends are moms in Brittney's grade...boo hoo for me I don't know who I will set by...LOL. They were suppose to go to a farm and pick strawberries before heading to Chuckee Cheese but with bad weather and lots of rain I really don't see the strawberry thing happenning.

Weekend Wrap...a little late

Better late than never....

Friday afternoon we left for Tulsa to stay with my Aunt and experience the chaotic fun that is Incredible Pizza for Braden's 7th birthday. If you have never been to an Incredible Pizza they are really neat and much much bigger and better than Chuckee Cheese which is what we normally would go to. We bowled...I WON which I love to brag about...we can leave out the fact that it was only by 1 point because the fact is I WON doesnt matter by how much...LOL. The kids and Hubby raced cars, did bumper cars, and I played games to win the kids tickets (it was for the kids..I swear).

Saturday morning was a cluster getting ready for Braden's party and talking to the ones that were driving the two hours to attend. The cake had his name spelled wrong so that took a few minutes to correct but it didn't look bad after they fixed it. The party was held at Laser Quest and I even got in and played the second game. I can now say I have done it and I can also say I dont have much of a desire to do it again. But everyone had fun and Braden was spoiled ROTTEN.

Sunday we cleaned out the vehicles, garage and just got some general stuff done. Making the to do list for the 9 days before we go to Disney.

Monday started the week at a run and I dont see it slowing down anytime soon.

He's 7!

You came to us 13 weeks early. You have been a joy, we love you. We have watched heartbroken as you went through illness, we have been overjoyed as we watched you be strong and brave. You make us laugh as you try to get out of doing things. You are a joy and a bright spot. Happy 7th birthday Braden. We love you to the moon and back.

Too too busy

Someone has hit fast forward on my life and I am struggling to keep up.

It is just nuts. Work is nuttier than normal seems the different attorneys I work for doing freelance have all decided to become extra demanding and irritating at the same time. School year is coming to a close so more demanding there. Braden's birthday is Friday yet more time demands planning classroom party and his birthday party on Saturday. We leave for Disney in 13 days so busy busy there.

Ugh just while trying to post I have had 3 different phone calls from attorneys.

Tonight going to do some more disney planning.

I have my cell phone ringer which is "Redneck Woman" by Gretchen Wilson playing over and over again because it has rang so much.

Hopefully I can push the pause button soon if not I will definetly be pausing in 13 days while we are in Florida no cell phone and no internet (that may kill me but maybe I will be so busy having fun I wont notice).

Wouldnt have been a get together without a scene

Saturday was a get together with the inlaws. We knew none of them would make the effort to go to Braden's birthday party so we set up a mini party celebrating Braden's birthday and our nephew Ryan whose birthday is 2 days before Braden's.
We decided on a 9am trip to Chuckee Cheese. I picked the place Crazy SIL picked the time and then they were about 45 minutes late.

The get together was going off just fine...until....the present time.

MIL...which by the way it is about killing me to defend MIL...but this time I have to. MIL got out her presents for the kids she gave both Ryan and Braden $20.00 plus a small present. Then according to Crazy SIL she committed the most henious crime ever.....she gave the other two kids Brittney and Ryan's little brother Sammy who is only 2 a present.

No big deal right....well Crazy SIL went off. She just got all pissed off with all the how dare she give the other kids a present when it wasnt their birthday and on and on. It was a mess, then Crazy went off on Matt's brother for not telling his mother off about the gifts.

Luckily the kids were so distracted with Chuckee Cheese games they went off right after they got their loot and didn't witness the scene.

It just reaffirms why I am so glad that we basically see the inlaws 3 times a year.

Talent Show!

The Annual Night of the Stars Elementary Talent Show was tonight.

Kids had fun. I have to figure out how to do the videos on here. But for now some pics before they went on stage.

The girls before going on stage to sing "Breaking Free" from High School Musical.




The boys before going on stage to sing "God Bless America".


Some more photos.....

Whats most important of all

We have been having such problems with our school system. Not just us specifically but a whole range of problems. This has caused several people to pull their children. Some to homeschool (like us starting next August), some to private school and others to different public schools.

I happen to run into one of the moms that had recently pulled her daughter to a neighboring town school.

Me: How is girl liking school at town?

Her: Girl loves it, because it is a really good school.

Me: That is great, so all the teachers and everything are nice?

Her: Oh well we have had some problems with the teachers, but all the kids dress so much more fashionable and in brand clothing.

Me: (Slack jawed expression) Ugh okay, that is what makes it a great school.

Her: (Totally not getting my sarcasm or expression) Yes it is just so nice to see well dressed kids and to know that the kids know that Gasoline is a brand not something they put in a gas tank. I also let my other girl pierce her belly button because several of the girls have.

Me: Oh well glad your liking it I better go. Talk to you later. (Running away from the idiot, saying a little prayer for the kids and thinking I am so glad she is no longer going to be in Britt's circle of friends.) Because the belly button pierced girl is 2nd grade!

Zoo Trip

I was too wiped out last night to post. I went straight to bed only to be woken at 2:30 am by a storm so starting what is going to be a long long day by posting.


Pic of several of us moms and the kids.


Pic of Kiddos


Brittney in front of the bear


Braden in front of the giant turtles

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday night the kids had basketball games. It was a fundraiser tournament for Kindergarten and 2nd grades. Braden was a little bit of a stinker and started his crying when he didn't immediately get his way, but I made him finish playing and he did pretty good. Brittney made several baskets and lots of assists.

Saturday morning we were suppose to have two more games but dreaded pink eye had invaded our home. We ended up going over to my parents and working in the yard at my aunts house. Braden and I rode the riding lawn mower. He loved that.

Saturday evening kids stayed with mom and dad and Matt and I came home and took a late nap which was so nice. We stayed up late doing some organizing and cleaning. Getting ready to hand over all the PTA stuff on Tuesday.

This morning no church because of the pink eye. My eye is itching so I started the drops too. We ended up cleaning. We also dragged out all the clothes and things we have bought for Disney trip to start preparing for it. I then went to WalMart and got a few more things we needed clothes wise. Brittney had outgrown everything. I ended up buying her some shorts in the boys department because all the girls ones were so so short. The boys ones look really cute on her and at least they are long.

Now trying to wind down and also get prepared for the week and it is a BUSY one.

Tommorow headed to the zoo for field trip. Going to be a hot day and I get to have a group of 10 kids oh joy.

Not our brightest idea

Setting: Christy and I sitting around in the living room

Discussion:

Christy: That dog looks so hot

Me: I know but they are booked 3 weeks out at Petco

Christy: I can groom him

Me: Really?

Christy: Sure I have done it before

Me: Okay

3 hours later.........2 burned out clippers.....a very patient dog.....a skin showing hind quarter and several bald spots (but we were very proud of no blood).

Discussion:

Christy: Next time I will help by driving you to Petco

I would post a pic of poor Nipper but I am afraid the humane society would track me down and haul me away.

Not worrying about it anymore

Okay, I've been posting, but not really posting about much at all.

The reason....

People are reading my blog.

Real people and by real people I mean friends I see all the time. I have blog friends, internet friends, friends I have met through the internet, then I have friends that I see every day or pretty often. Those everyday and often friends are reading me now.....

How did this happen?

Duh I gave them my blog address, but didn't dawn on me till I have had about 4 say that they loved reading my blog. Yikes you mean you read it...oh I didnt think that would happen when I gave out the address (I know that makes a lot of sense).

So then I got self conscious I was like oh gotta watch what I say.

Then I started thinking I never talk about anyone bad, I may gripe from time to time but not specifically. So I am over that now I will just chat like I always have.

Of course crazy sister in law and my loser boy brother can never get this address...of course maybe if they did I would get disowned (now there is something to keep in mind).

So no more hiding, now I just dont have anything to blog about. But that is okay a half way quite week is fine with me. Even though it is quite it is still so busy.

But hey the countdown is on...PTA is almost done...yeah.

Oh and 4 weeks from today we will be on our way to Disney and be gone for 2 weeks. Yipee.

Happy ads????

We are finishing up the elementary yearbook.

The PTA sponsors the yearbook and this is the last thing I have to finish up before getting out of PTA (and believe me I am ready to get out and not look back).

In the yearbook we sell small ads in the back that the parents can buy for the students, teachers so on.

Most of the ads are the standard we are so proud of you, we love you, and you're the best but some are not so standard....

Boy You did so much better this year not near as bad as last year. Love Mom and Dad

Boy Your Hot Snot Love Girl

Brother I love you thank God for Febreeze from Sister

Son Glad you didnt get in as much trouble this year Love Mom

Hubby is now scanning the yearbook and hopefully it will be at Kinkos tonight. Be printed, delivered and next week maybe I can blog that I am finally free of the PTA gig.

Happy Easter!

Six Weird Things

I've been tagged by OwlHaven for the 6 Wierd Things Meme.

1.) I have to be doing more than one thing at a time, if I watch a movie I have to be flipping thru a magazine, balancing the check book, or making to do lists. I agree with OwlHaven on this one it is indeed physically impossible for me to sit and do nothing.

2.) When I get ready to eat steak or something I have to have everything cut and ready to eat before I start. All my steak cut up no cutting a few pieces and beginning to eat no everythin has to be cut, bread buttered, potato ready before I take my first bite.

3.) I broke my hip when I was 24 years old. I was standing on a coffee table that was put in the garage for storage trying to reach something fell off and cracked my hip. I heard you are to young for this about a million times.

4.) I am an organize freak and the sad thing is I still feel so disorganized and dream of being more organzied. I make lists for just about everything.

5.) I start planning my kids birthday parties at least 6 months in advance.

6.) I cant stand to wear sunglasses. I squint against the sun and I think I need to wear sunglasses but when I try it drives me absolutely nuts.

If you do this then leave me a note in comments.

Of course I really dont think any of the above things are weird at least not when it pertains to me..lol

Spring Walk!!!?!!!

Being Good Friday the kids are out of school, it's 75, and very sunny. So out for a walk we went. Here are some pics....Can you tell which one doesn't belong on our spring walk?




You guessed it. The darn Christmas wreath. It is about 4 houses down from us and it is driving me CRAZY, I am threatening to either take my ladder in the middle of the night or send an anonymous postcard.

Avoiding

It's amazing what I can get accomplished when I am avoiding doing something.

I have a huge lawsuit to prepare and I am so dreading it. But in the week I have known that it was almost due I have gotten so much other stuff done. I have sit down to do the lawsuit and instead gone through a whole stack of things that I have been needing to do, got up early to work on the lawsuit and cleaned out a closet....I am a really good avoider.

Ugh..problem is now I am almost to the deadline and so no more avoiding.

Internet Issues

Woke up this morning to no cable internet. Yucky way to start the day. I always start my morning with my bottle of water (makes me seem healthier than I really am) and my computer time. This morning I couldn't and it just threw off the day. Of course since hubby has a homebased office it completely and totally ruined his day and turned it crazy.

I did go to the abeka homeschool seminar and was very impressed. I really want to do the dvd program 1 thru abeka it is completely acredited even though Oklahoma doesn't require anything I still want to do it through the stricter guidelines of other states. We are still discussing but today answered a lot of questions.

Internet service was restored a few minutes ago.

This evening is one of the rare evenings that we don't have something to do so hopefully going to just enjoy.

Contemplating

Ever have just this nagging thing on your mind. Well I have a huge thing. Homeschooling. I know the thought of it sends me into fear, especially with Braden but the thought of not doing it scares me to.

This is my dilema...Brittney is doing awesome loves school, next year 3rd grade I think she will continue to do well but all I hear is how 4th grade is really the downturn of the school and so on. So I am concerned. Braden I am really worried about for next year because the teachers I have to choose from are not that great to be honest and definetly not good with modifications. But the thought of homeschooling him is scary. Brittney I know I could get her ahead and she would excell at homeschool, Braden I am afraid I would fail. But then I think isn't he the one that needs it the most. Of course there are pros and cons with every decision and this one is no different. Also it would be such a change and is not as widely accepted in this area.

Add the complication that hubby is on the school board and this would definetly be frowned upon.

The socialization I am not too worried about as we know a bunch of kids, actually Brittney's best friends mom is homeschooling next year. So I wouldnt be alone. Plus the Co-op's.

Just such a large decision and everytime I mention it hubby doesnt give much positive feedback so I am not sure what to do.

Of course I woke up at 2:30 this morning with insomnia and it is now 4pm so maybe not the best time to be contemplating such a large issue.

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday - Kids were out of school for teacher conferences. We had "the talk" with Braden (see post below). Brittney and I worked on her project for end of the year. This years theme is "All About Me". It was a fun project the judging and medals will be awarded at the end of the month. We tried to get Braden to work on his makeup work to no avail...kept telling him he has to have it done by Monday morning it would be best to work a little at a time, but he didn't listen. Kids went to my parents to spend the night. Matt and I went and ran some errands got some easter basket stuffers and so on so that is done.

Saturday - Went over to my parents to celebrate my dad's birthday. Matt and the kids had a party with movies and junk food while I went to a surprise party at Logan's for my friend's 30th birthday. Ate way too much and recommitted to doing better on watching what I eat and excercising...starting Monday. Tried to get Braden to do his makeup work...again he put it off.

Sunday - Fought almost all day but FINALLY Braden has completed his makeup work and I dont think any of us want him to get that behind again. It was a nightmare but he is done finally....only a few meltdowns along the way. Kids have achievment test this week so early to bed tonight.

I have a to do list that is over a page typed and am getting a little panicky about getting everything done. I am wrapping up PTA getting ready to hand it over but still lots of work before I do that. A big legal case that I am working on has to be worked on this week and it is so intimidating that I am being like Braden and putting it off. Plus getting ready for disney trip only 5 1/2 weeks till we leave.

Matt can handle this discussion **updated

Parent teacher conferences were tonight. Matt kept the kids and I went.

Brittney's no problem she is doing good needs to work on her handwriting. Got the dates for upcoming field trips, etc. So good to go.

Then on to Braden's teacher. First off he is not doing his work and is sneaking (or trying to anyway) his work into the basket without it being done.

Second thing...it seems my son has "discovered himself"...as in getting as hard as a rock and rubbing it on his desk back and forth...OMG...I about died...teacher thought it was funny and said that little boys had a tendency to do this at this age and so on.

I told Matt I would talk to Brittney about her handwriting and Braden about not doing his work but the "discovery issue"...that one is all Matt's.

** This morning Braden came into our bed early and Brittney was still asleep so we had the talk about what was appropriate and about his body parts and so on. I had to put my head in the pillow half the time Matt was talking to him because I was laughing hysterically and I didnt think that sent a good message so instead I buried my head in the pillow. We will see if the talk does anygood.

Extra what's that?

We got some extra money that we had not counted on...

Yipee

Car transmission messed up and now must be rebuilt to the tune of $1,600.00...

Yuck

So much for the extra but we have to look at it that we at least had the extra to pay for the car without scrambling like mad to come up with it.

Hoping to get a final price from the guy tommorow and then the calculating and balancing the check book will begin. Juggling with one vehicle is not easy so will be glad when this is completed.

Free?

When we were on our trip we kept passing this one place each day that had me and my friend cracking up.

It was a little trailer on the side of the road.

The sign said:

"Absoluetly Free windshield repair all credit cards are accepted"

Our Trip

I am taking a 15 minute break from unpacking, washing and all the other post trip fun to blog.

Our good friends Adria and Eric went with us with their two kids Noah and Brinn. We left out at 4am to head to Texas. We all road in the van but it was very comfortable.

I was trying to post pics in this post but after using half of my break fighting with the computer I am giving up and adding them to flickr still ended up with a few in this post but most are in flickr.

By 10:00 am on Friday we we were in Texas at the first outlet mall stop of the trip. Lunch at a very good Mexican resteraunt. Here are the kids in the waiting area.


We then hit Canton Texas for our first day of shopping. I handled it better than I thought I would but I will admit that by evening my incision was stinging and I swear I thought my stomach was going to just rip open. But hey I made it and didn't slow anyone down. Found a few bargains. I will have to take pics of later got a neat Miss Priss sign for Brittney's door and a sign for Braden's door with airplanes on it. All of us basically fell asleep when our head hit the pillow Friday night. The kids took no naps and had been up since 3:30. I have to brag on all four of them they did really well no major meltdowns or fits.

Started out Saturday morning heading back to Canton. My family told Adria and Eric we would be leaving out at 8:30 and I didn't think to correct them and tell them that means 7:30 so it was a little rushed but we got there here are some pics of Britt and Braden and one of all 4 kids piled in the back of the van.




We headed to Grapevine Texas Saturday afternoon. Cleaned up at the hotel and went to Joe's Crab Shack our friends had never been there. This is the point in the post where my computer starting going crazy I have pics of the kids eating their build your own sundae's. Braden must not have been messy because I didn't end up with a pic of him.

The kids loved going to the bass pro shop. I got some cool pics of that too but as I have already griped something is possessing the computer right now and will not cooperate. I know the dryer is about to buzz any minute ending my break.

All in all the shopping was fun, we also met up with some other friends of ours and the kids loved Rainforest Cafe. We got home around midnight. The pics of the kids at that time show them much more wore out than the first pic of them in the back seat.

I am just dreading because I am like ugh this much post trip clean up from the weekend and in about 7 weeks we have a 2 week trip to disney.