STUCK

I had so many places to go today. I was going to go to the mall and pick up the valences we ordered, then I was going to bring the kids out to eat lunch while we were at the mall, then I was going to go to exchange a poster frame that has some chips in it for Andy. Then we had to get some stuff for supper tonight at the store...We all got as far as getting our shoes on and walking out the door- when Andy cam back IN the door looking guilty as heck. I knew what he did right a way. I said "You did not just lock my keys in the van when you went out there, did you??" He said yes and it was an accident. All the doors were locked except my driver side door- so he opened that one to unlock the rest of them. He pushed the button down (LOCK) and then shut the door. He tried to open the back door- still locked. Then he opened my door again but what do you know...now thats locked too. I brought my purse and the diaper bag out on the first trip so I didnt need to carry all of that and Ryan too.. I should just be happy that I didnt bring Ryan out with the first trip or he would have been strapped into a locked van with mommy's keys locked in the front seat! :( So there sat my keys poking out of the top of my purse locked in the van. I could see the keys - just couldnt get to them. That is SO frustrating. So here we sit. I ended up making corn dogs for luch and rounded something up for supper...which happens to be partty dang good! I had some ribs from Von Hanson's hiding in my freezer, some garlic mashed potatoes (betty crocker form a pouch- I will cheat tonight), corn...and for a treat I found some apple cinnamon muffins. They just sounded really good so I wanted to use them too! Oh well. It sucks to get out the door and have to go right back in. It could have been worse though- Ryan could have gotten locked in - or we could have been at the store when it happened! Atleast were were at home. Now I am stuck here till Jake gets home at 5-ish.  Ugh- I hate being stranded- even if it is at home. grrr

So long lazy summer days!

Its official. I start school tonight.(Yay for the extra income when I am done!!!!!!)  Andy and Justin start next Tuesday. I am going to miss the lazy summer days with the boys, but I think they are ready for a change. They are starting to get at eachothers throats about everything. They even tattle if the other one smiles at him for something. Usually the smile is because of something mean...but come on. I am losing my patients with the constant bickering- so this will be good. They will each have their own thing to do and wont be with eachother all of the time. I just feel bad because I pictured spending long days out by the pool with lemonade and friends, popsicles, trips to the beach and the pool and time working on things inside on rainy days or HOT days...like making little art projects and working on little work books... We hardly did any of that. We really did do alot of things too- but it just feels like we wasted most of the summer away- like we could have done more. Then there are the excuses...it isnt fun to be outside when its 90 and humid. Ryan is almost too small to be  out all day by the pool. If we go out now, they will miss nap time. Blah blah blah. I will be more organized with a list of fun things for next summer. I can check them off as we go then. I do better with a list. If I see it and it's not checked off- it will drive me batty! And, they will all be a little older which will make things (fun trips) way more easy! Yay-here's to next summer!!!

I am excited for this time of year though. I am ready for the awesome, cooler fall days where it is not humid. I am excited for the apple orchard and making apple pies and apple sundaes-- and the hay rides too!  I am excited to see the leaves change and I am excited to see Andy and Justin having their own excitement for school and watching them learn. I am excited to give Ryan one on one time the mornings that Justin is at pre school. And weirdly enough...I am excited for football (even more now that big boy Andy likes it as much as his daddy!) Just as long as it doesnt snow and get cold too soon- I will be ok. I hate the REALLY cold weather as much as I hate hot humid weather!! I love the snow, and dont mind cold weather too much (only if I have my snow pants on when we are making a snow man...) but that bitter cold that freezes your eyelashes and inside of your nose...not so fun!  Ok...where am I going with this?? I am easily distracted :) Do you know what else the fall and cooler weather means? Now we get to do all of those projects around the house that we kept saying, "We'll do that this fall." Yeah... so let the projects begin :) 

Good bye's are never easy

It doesn't matter if you know for a while that someone is sick, and that the end is coming...or if it is a fast and sudden loss that you are not prepared for. Today we had the funeral for Jake's grandpa. I dont know what to say other than I am honored to have known such a sweet, gentle and loving man. I cant say enough about him. He is everything that I hope for for my boys when I think about their futures. Even though he wasnt my grandpa by blood, I thought of him as my own  grandpa, He was one of those people who you can look into his eyes and just see what a gentle person he was. Up until his very last hours, he was not only keeping his sense of humor, but his care and concern for other people too. When we went to see him the day beofre he passed away, he asked me how my mom has been feeling and to tell me she was a nice lady. He was a special special person- the kind of person that the world needs more of. I am lucky to have known him. We love you and miss you Grandpa Ken!!!

Back to School

Its that time of the year again. I cant believe the time is almost here. Andy is excited to get back, and Justin is ready to start his very first year of preschool. AND... for the first time since Ryan was born, I am going back too! Wow, it is wierd to say that! I am taking a health class called Drug use and Abuse. This is an elective that I picked hoping that it looks good when the time comes to get into the dental hygiene program. If I picked some other random elective, they might take someone with more science/health etc... classes, so I am trying to be the one who has the good classes in my record to get into the dental program! I am nervous about finding the time for everything...but I wil ljust need to be more organized and follow the schedule that I come up with to get everything done. Dicipline- haha...I have never had that, but I can always try!! Maybe Jake will let me get some school clothes too!

I got my motivation for school back when I brought the boys to get their teeth cleaned last week. The dentist asked if I was still going to school for hygiene, and I said yes. But I also told him I was not sure if I could do it because I didnt want to put the kids in daycare for the summers. He told me how flexible the dental field was, and that they have temps, and that its no big deal to take a month or two off for summers. I could also work nights for the summers and cut back on hours and everything. It was nice to hear that- I was so relieved. It looks like my childhood dream of going to this school to become the tooth fairy, might just happen after all :)

Our trip to the zoo

On Monday, I brought the boys to the zoo. We renewed our membership so we can go all of the time again. The last time we were at the zoo, was the fieldtrip for Andy's class at the end ofthe year. The new Russia/Grizzly exhibit wasnt even open at the time. We had a great time too!! We got there around noon, and left when it closed at 6pm- and we still didnt even see everything.

Go figure... I took too many pictures again! This isnt even all of them- Oh well. :D

Hmmm.

I am just not in the mood to write on this thing lately. I am just stalling to make sure Justin and Ryan are sleeping beofore I go and try to clean up my scrapbook room. I hate working in there when it is over run with tools, dust from putting knobs on the cabinets...and the paper that I have out all over the place instead of put away where it belongs... The whole point of that room is to have a nice place to go work- so I am going to try a little bit today to get it as close to that as I can.

So... in as few words as possible I will say:

1. We are looking at getting a new car. Hopefully we will get rid of BOTH other vehicles this time around. (Not the van, but the two others that dont work the best) Just to have 2 good vehicles would be great. No more... no less.

2. Andy taught himself how to ride a two wheeler a couple of weeks ago. Now he is getting wild and crazy and giving me heart failure with his craziness everyday on his bike. I might have already said this on here, but like I said... I am just passing the time right now.

3. We had Andy's friend from school over to play yesterday (and his little brother). That was fun. It made the day go faster. I love it that he has school friends who live in the neighborhood. BUT this kid is giong to a different school for 1st grade, so that is a bummer. Atleast he still lives close though.

4. I cant believe school is getting so close. And I cant believe that Justin will be going to preschool a couple of days a week this year too. Ryan will get some one on one time that he has never had before.

5. Andy's b-day is coming up and we are going to bring him to the Twins game for it. He is totally in to baseball this year...it is cute :)

6. I am easily irritated lately

 and 7... my kids (Ok, only Justin) still wont sleep. ugh.

 

Wow, sometimes I even surprise myself

Today has been a pretty good day- if you dont count the times Ryan has kicked my belly button when I lift him up. That really stinks. But...I have had enough of being locked up in this house, so ready or not- I took the boys to the park today. We went to a new one that they havent been to yet and they loved it. It was nice to have a change of scenery for me too! Then after that, I thought this would be a nice day to do our special once a week eat out for lunch day (this is new - hopefully it works). So I bring them to (YUCK) McDonalds. I am so sick of that crappy food, but its what they wanted so I went with it. I ordered 3 happy meals for the kids- all chicken nuggets, and then something for myself. I went and got my pop, and on my way back with the tray of food and pop, I stopped back at the counter to ask for bbq sauce for the nuggets. There were no other customers there, and about 5 girls waiting for someone to show up. The "swing manager" is the one who took our order, and the one who gave me ONE little container of bbq sauce. I looked at her and said we needed 3. She gave me the dirtiest look and said that they charge for them. Wtf?? I looked at her and asked her if she was serious and she just shook her head like a snotty little brat who felt like she was powerful to be in managment at McD's. I said "well forget it- I cant bring ONE back for my 3 kids to share. I dont want it then", and I tossed it off the tray and back on the counter.  As I walked away I was so mad and said that I thought that was ridiculous. Then one of the other girls came over with 3 bbq sauces and said that girl was just being "weird". She asked if I had ordered 3 nuggets, and I said "yes, I paid for 3 chicken nugget happy meals."  This girl just shook her head at the snot behind the counter. Really, I dont know why it made me so mad- but the rudeness just got to me. So, out of no where, I gave the rude beotch of taste of her own attitude. Normally I wouldnt even care- but today...I dont know. I can blame it on the surgery...like I do with everything else. But I dont really think that is why. Just the inner bitch in me??? I dont know. I was nice when I ordered the food, I was nice when I asked for the bbq sauce, and I was nice to the girl who brought back the sauce for the boys. But that little hooch behind the counter- once she got snotty- I couldnt be nice to her. This is why I hate eating out. I love not doing dishes, but then you have to deal with rudeness from the people who are bitter about their jobs and dont like the work. Ok.. enough of that. Now hopefully I can get some laundry or dishes done :)

Back to reality

Wow. It has been so long since I have been on this thing, and I still dont have anything to say. I will though, since I have gotten a few emails wondering where the he$^ I am :) This is the first day in a week that we are back to a normal schedule. Jake is back at work, and I am back to playing with the boys! I am not much for advertising this kind of crap, but I had surgery last Monday. It was really like a 3 for one deal. Great times I tell ya. The whole week has flown by and is a total haze. Gotta love narcotics!! It is so not fun to lift Ryan yet though.
So that is why I havent been on the computer lately. Well- that and we moved it upstairs so I didnt have to stare at the thing all day long. Now it is harder to get on it, and I dont really mind that.
Oh- and thanks to my sweet little Lynnie and Mom for the flowers :) You guys are so damn sweet- I love you!!!