Mitchell's football party

Mitchell-my full-back and corner back! He has definitely found his sport. He has always been one that gives it his all, never gives up, and never complains. He is a coaches dream..does exactly what he is told. As a mom of a 3rd grade tackle football player, I have to say that it was very hard to see my sweet, mild-mannered boy come home covered in bruises. I mean WELTS! I would force him to put some ice on a few of them just in case we had to go see a doctor or something. I didn't want to be written up as an abuser.

He would never complain, jump in the car when I said it was time to go to practice (which was 3 days a week).

I can't say enough about his coaches. His head coach played football for West Point and has a philosophy of fun, learning the game of football, and if we happen to win a few games that's just a bonus. He teaches the kids that, like in life, in football you will be knocked down. He teaches them to get back up and persevere. And persevere he does. He gives it his all every day.

One week we had some players down with illnesses and Mitch had to play the entire game--every play without a break. It was a very hot day in Denver, and he played his heart out.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF HIM!!








Here he is thanking his coaches and parents.





We love his team and their parents. We look forward to many more years together, watching our boys grow as a team, in their friendships and ours. Thanks for making our first year GREAT!

A Day in Denver

I took a field trip with Mitchell's class to Denver. We walked down 16th St. Mall, visiting historic landmarks and beautiful buildings.

We started at Union Station where we checked out the Amtrak trains. Sorry, not a lot of pics--my camera died after 2 pictures.

Next we went to the Oxford Hotel:

This is the 'Oxford Hotel'. One of the oldest hotels in Denver. It is beautiful inside, very expensive to stay there, and supposedly haunted.

From here we walked to the old Clock Tower, the City Bell, then out to lunch at 'Rock Bottom'. It was almost 80 degrees, so we ate outside and got a little sun.

One of the parents worked at this building, which is the tallest building in Denver, and gave us a tour.

Here is Cole and Mitch on top of the tallest building in Denver. I couldn't get any closer than this. :)

It was a great day, full of history and VERY active boys. I think the girls groups saw us coming and took off as fast as possible. Us Moms were very concerned that one of the boys were going to get hit by a bus. Whew...to have their energy...

Our last stop was to the 'Brown Palace'. A very historic, gorgeous hotel. When we arrived it was high tea time, where there were patrons and their very fancy dressed little girls having tea and cakes. Needless to say, our stay was limited---6, 8yr. old boys, just didn't get it. So, we took them to City Park and let them play tag, wrestle, and pretend to shoot each other among the numerous homeless that called the park 'home'.

November Moon

So bright and beautiful, it lights up the night

Animals that lay low during day

Come alive under this glowing night light

Fall in Colorado

Our hike at Kenosha Pass.


Ashley did not want her picture taken.



Beautiful Aspens.

Taking a rest and overlooking South Park.


South Park--can you believe how flat it is?

Fear

Yes, it's been months--over half a year, actually. I can't believe how they have flown by. A lot has happened, it'll take me half a year to post about it.



Fear--I'm consumed by it lately. Just typing the word brings up so much emotion that I don't know how I'll get through this post. I'm hoping this will help release some of it...and maybe get my family to snap me out of it! C'mon girls...I need you.



I'm afraid. Afraid I'm not going to learn to love it here.

Afraid that I won't be 'in tune' to my kids when they need me most.

Afraid for our financial future.

Afraid of not being able to afford health care.

Afraid that my family won't know how much I miss and love them because I don't call them often.

Afraid to move forward because I'm consumed by the past.

But what I'm most afraid of? Not really LIVING due to all this fear! I'm missing out on so much and I'm just starting to see it. I get so mad at myself because I have SO much to be thankful for...why can't I keep that first and foremost in my mind? Is it because it's easier? Easier to keep living this way rather than change? I hate it!

I'm on a mission of change. From here on I'm determined to focus on the title of my blog...the Joys of my life. There's a lot of them...and I'm recommitted to finding them.

A weeks worth...

I'm putting a hold on any more house news. It seems to be changing every day, so I'm not going to post about it until it's all settled. Just patiently waiting until things fall into place, that will tell me where we are supposed to be. I've decided to stop obsessing about our next house, and picturing us in each house we see. I do love to daydream about where I'd put our furniture, which bedrooms would belong to each kid, but I find now that I can't get to sleep 'cause I lay in bed THINKING!! So, I'm letting it go. What will be, will be.

We joined our church last Sunday, with a reception afterwards. What a great group of people. Our pastor just has a way of speaking to my heart. Maybe it's because he's close to my age and speaks like he's talking to a group of friends, but it's great, and I've never felt this way before about a church. It's exciting.

Last Sunday was a beautiful spring day, and we headed to the high school for a 2 hr. lacrosse scrimmage. Tanner scored 3 points, so he was excited. He's really getting the hang of the game. We just need to work on his stamina....mine, too. :) I can't imaging running ONCE down that field, let alone 2 hrs. worth of running back and forth.



During the scrimmage, the girls finished up their last performance of 'Beauty and the Beast'. I'll be getting a CD of pictures, and will post a few then.



Afterward, we grabbed the boys and headed back to church for pizza and cards. We taught the kids how to play 'Spades'...and ourselves, too. It was so much fun. I knew Mitch would enjoy it, as he loves playing any and every game. It is now his fav.



We wrapped up the night and prayed for rain/snow overnight. We didn't get a flake or a drop! We need it soooo bad. We are in extreme fire danger right now.

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Well, that was all LAST weekend. Our week flew by with school and work. On Thursday morning it finally started to snow! School was called off, and we were officially in spring break. The kids were, obviously, ecstatic! It was great to have a snow day. Even Chuck got to stay home. Yay! We ended up with over 18 inches of snow that day. Three days later it was melted, but it was a fun 3 days!

So, my plan was to take the kids somewhere different every day. We were going to head to Colorado Springs to check out some 'touristy' things there, but the weather isn't cooperating. I don't want to do outdoor things while there's snow on the ground. I can hear the girls now....brrrr....yes, they're such wimps. Honestly, I don't like the cold air either. My other 'cool' idea was to head to Glenwood Springs and soak (me)/play (boys) in the hot springs. But, you guessed it, Vail pass was closed yesterday, and the weather hasn't been the best for traveling in the mountains--with a mini-van, that is. We'll try it at the end of the week. Allison is back to work and has been need the van every day in the evening. She's off Thurs. and Friday, so we're going to pack everything into those two days.

Today, we're heading to Denver to Plato's Closet to sell some of the girls' clothes. They have so many that they don't wear. I'll let you know how much we get for them. I have a feeling it won't last long in their pockets, though.

So...over this past weekend Ashley was asked to prom. She's only 15 (freshman) so Chuck and I were quite leery about letting her go. We haven't given her the final o.k. We're still talking about the 'rules'...like no driving alone in a car together, must be in a group, Allison's the chaperon...stuff like that. :) We'll see how this pans out. Alli is going to prom here and back in MN. She's paying for her own trip to MN..hence the new job. Hopefully she doesn't purchase a one way ticket and never comes back!...maybe I shouldn't have said that.....

Alli has been working on a quilt for Phil's (her boyfriend) graduation. It will be beautiful when it's done. I can't post pics 'cause Phil reads this...sorry Phil. He knows she's making one, so I didn't just ruin the surprise, he just doesn't know what it will look like/ or what colors she's using. She's been cutting every day for over a week. She's now onto sewing. I'm so proud of her. I'm dying to help her...which she doesn't want....so I have to leave the room when she's working on it. I haven't tackled a quilt before, and watching her makes me want to go out and buy fabric to make my own. It looks so tedious, but the outcome is so pretty...Can't wait to show you all.

Yesterday, I started a little spring cleaning. I just can't bring myself to decorate for spring yet, mainly because we'll be (hopefully) moving in the next month or two. We're so cramped here that I just want to put all un-needed stuff in boxes. Believe me, Chuck feels the same...less to clean. So, I started by vacuuming all the cobwebs off the wood beams and ceilings. You would not BELIEVE the cobwebs/spiders in this state! I was shocked. I shudder right now thinking about it...I swear I was covered by them!....ick.....I packed up all my dusty yarns just sitting there waiting for me to play with them. I really need to find a project...and some money for more yarn. :) Chuck's allergies have been TERRIBLE in the last week or so!! I feel so bad for him. Spring has sprung down in Denver and the pollen is VERY high and the atmosphere is very dry, so he's miserable. I have to keep the windows closed now so it doesn't get in the house, and I'm getting rid of everything that is a dust magnet---which is almost everything. We put a new filter in the furnace, too, so hopefully that will help a little. Poor guy....meds aren't doing the trick either. :(

Chuck and I have been budgeting. We've been pretty good about it, too. Our weakness?...eating out. It's the one thing that we went over at the start of the year. This past month has been so much better, thank you very much. We're still working out the kinks, and trying to figure out what works best to keep us both on budget. The kids will be getting an allowance starting next month, so that they can start budgeting their own money, too. Another thing we've been talking/thinking about is a 'Plan B'. With the economy the way it is, people have been saying that everyone should have a 'plan B' just in case they lose their jobs--which is a very high possibility these days. It's not fun to talk about, and makes me very anxious, but it's smart. We have a family at our church that I think about daily. He was a financial planner in CA until his company let him go. He hasn't found a job yet, and him and his wife and two kids had to move here to CO to live with her parents. Nobody is hiring right now in the financial world, and they're just in limbo. There are so many stories like that out there, it's terrifying. So, a 'plan B' is in order.

I need to go make breakfast for the kids. Hope all is going well with everyone. :)

Saturday lacrosse, soccer and further house hunting...

It's me again! Yes, I'm going to try to be better at this now. Today, we were out of the house by 8:00 a.m. ON A SATURDAY!!! Not my favorite thing to do, but it was for a good reason...Tanner's lacrosse game. We headed down the hill towards Denver and ended up at this beautiful lacrosse field at the edge of the foothills. The weather was GORGEOUS...in the 60's. I could have stayed there all day. Sad to say, Tanner's team lost, but they played a tough game.

After his game, we headed back up the hill for Mitchell's soccer game--after a quick bite at McD's. Up here it's about 10 degrees cooler than in Denver, but it was still nice enough not to need a coat. After being in the sun for 6+ hours, I was ready to head home and veg. Chuck was not having it--he likes to pack in as much as he can on the weekends. Usually I like to do whatever he suggests, especially if the weather's nice. :)

In my last post I mentioned that we found a house. We really like this house, but there was one house out there that we hadn't looked at yet. We've seen this house online for over a year, but the pictures just didn't look that great. Anyway, we thought we should go look at it, since it is in our price range, and we didn't want to regret not looking at it. So, right after the game we went to check it out. Boy, are we glad we did!! It was awesome! It was clean, updated (mostly), a great size (five bedrooms) and on a perfect lot. It is actually cheaper than the other house, too. So, we ran home, grabbed the kids, and brought them back to show them. They all loved it, and picked this one over the original one. The boys loved the tarred driveway (the other was granite chips), it already had a basketball hoop, and the road to the house is quiet and paved (the other was gravel) so that was a plus for Chuck--and my floor. So, we have to re-think things a little. I'll keep you updated. I lay in bed at night just visualizing these houses..and us in them. Now, I'll have to think about 2! I'll never get sleep now....

So, tomorrow we join our church! The girls are finishing up the last weekend of the musical, and tomorrow is their last performance. It should be another busy day. After church they are having a reception for the new members, then it's off to the musical, then there's a BBQ at the pastor's house. It's all fun stuff, and should be a great day!

Last night we had Tanner's lacrosse team party. They had the party at a boy's dreamland...a place that has every game console you can think of--Wii, Rockband, Playstation, etc. You pay a fee and the kids can play til their hearts content. They have large screen t.v.s, balconies where the kids sit and the t.v. screen is on the wall in front of them, so it looks like they are in the game. It was very cool. Of course, no one wanted to leave when the time was up. Maybe that's why they were a little sluggish this morning for their game....hmmmm...
The parents were very nice. It'll be fun getting to know them.

The girls just got home, changed their clothes, and are off to the cast party. We've hardly seen them these last two weeks, but it's so fun to see them having fun.

For us, it's jammy time....

WooHoo...I'm back!! What a winter....

Yes, it's truly me! I need to get back to this blogging stuff. There is always so much to post, but I don't seem to have enough time.
It has been a crazy winter for us here in the mountains. First off, we've hardly had ANY snow! C'mon, it's our first winter here...we wanted some SNOW. The ski resorts have gotten plenty, but here in the foothills and Denver, absolutely nothing (except for an inch or two here and there). It looks as if MN has gotten all the snow that CO usually gets. I guess it was a good winter to be out of that state, though, with the sub-zero temps. Can't handle wind chills...
So, onto us. We are in the midst of spring sports. Tanner-lacrosse, and Mitch-soccer. Tanner is adjusting well to being the new kid on the team, even though he gets a lot of slack. My heart breaks when he tells us some of the mean things that are said to him. He just shrugs it off--unlike I would at that age--and knows that it's their way of testing him. He's such a strong kid.
Mitch is lovin' life. Things are going great with him. He has a best friend, and those two are a powerhouse together. He can't get enough of sports...and chasing girls on the playground. :)
The girls are in their final weekend of performances of 'Beauty and the Beast'. Allison plays the oven-mitt...and is hilarious in the fight scene. She runs around the stage bobbing forward, hitting anyone that gets in her way. She has no arms, and you're only able to see her face. So funny! Ashley plays a plate and takes up quite a bit of stage space. She was so worried about tripping and falling, but so far has done a great job. They have after-parties every night, so she's having a blast.
We have four more days of school until spring break, and I'm so anxious to explore this state of CO with the kids. We can pretty much go anywhere in a day, so I'm checking out quite a few things for us to do. Skiing isn't going to be one of those, unfortunately. I don't think I dare to go alone--without Chuck--and, to be honest, the Natalie Richardson accident scared me to pieces. :( So, we will be checking out some cool zoos and other nature things. :)
Well, we have some good news, too, to report. We found another house. Yes, we are moving YET AGAIN!! I won't say that this will be the last time..as I've said that quite a few times before, but we will be unpacking our boxes...FINALLY! We knew that this house was temporary, as it is way too small for our brood, and found one that is just the perfect size for us. Not too small, not too big. It needs updating, but is livable for a while. :) The lot is what we are most excited about. It is gorgeous and level (something very hard to find here), and reminds us of a very nice campground. The evergreens are beautiful, and I can't wait to see the snow falling amongst them next winter. We will be getting the details this weekend on when we can move in, then I'll be packing my boxes like a crazy woman! I'm also excited because now we will have room for visitors!! Any takers?? Mom and Dad...unfortunately we won't be in before you come. :(
We are joining a GREAT church this weekend. We finally feel like we've found an awesome church family. They are so loving and helpful to us, being the newbies. There are so many great people at this church, and we're really excited to be a part of it. So...YAY!
This weekend will be filled with 'Beauty and the Beast', lacrosse party/game, and soccer! So, after a slow winter, we are filling up our weekends. I have to say, I'm so ready for spring break, though. Four more days.....

Finally....an update!

I know, it's been forever since I've updated this. Here's what we've been up to:

My handsome Tanner getting ready for his band concert.

Our pizza and movie night with our neighbor girls. It was so much fun! I forgot how much three little girls can giggle. They all get along so well together. If you couldn't tell, we watched a 3D movie....'Journey to the Center of the Earth'.

Mitchell spent a day doing crafts. This is one of his creations. He was so proud....:)

Last weekend the boys decided to build a tree house. Chuck was going to let them do it all by themselves....but it didn't take long for him to join in.

The start.....

Then Dad joins in, and the tree house doubles in size...

Ashley couldn't resist joining in, too..

My big boy using a power tool for the first time. He's screwing on the floor here...

Tanner waiting patiently to add the slide.

The end product...minus the walls, that's for another weekend! Chuck sprayed silicone on the slide so that it was VERY slippery. We all had fun going down.

In other news....

--Ashley attended a Christian Rock concert at a church in Denver, and had a lot of fun.

--Allison tried out for the band at school and got picked as first chair in the best band at school. I'm so proud of her! Yippee...Allison! You ROCK!

--Allison really wants to graduate early and has been searching colleges she may want to go to. Chuck says absolutely not, she's not graduating early...but Alli points out that she will be 18 next summer and doesn't need to ask for permission anymore. Yeah.......teenagers......

--Tanner's been writing his Christmas list and it includes various forms of guns and ammunition. Air soft guns...paintball guns...ammo for both..............I don't think so. Where does he get this stuff??

--Mitchell wants to do the science fair. Am I the only parent stressing over this possibility?? It is a huge deal here, with judging and whatnot. He can do it every year, but, of course he wants to do it right away. I'd love to just observe this year then jump in next year. I have a feeling some of these science projects will be over the top. Help!

--I've been fighting two different bugs this week. A stomach thing, and probably a sinus infection. I haven't missed work, and on top of it all, I had two meetings and a Father's class to teach this week in the evenings. I'm spent.....so glad it's the weekend....

--Planning our Thanksgiving Feast! It's fun to cook all our favorites and just relax---that is, after the turkey has cooked. Looking forward to taking in some good movies...like 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas'.

--Looking for ideas for Christmas gifts. We're doing a French theme for my side of the family, and a Green theme for Chuck's side. I can think of a ton of 'green' things, but the French one is a little tougher. Ideas, anyone??

--Last weekend we got the home movies out, and stayed up LATE reminiscing. I had a lump in my throat the whole time. My dreams that night were filled with memories, my sisters, my BABIES, our homes throughout the years, and how things were just simpler then. I want those years back soooooo bad!

Hope everyone has a nice, relaxing, fantastic weekend. All you northerners.....stay warm!

Thank God it's Friday!!!

Oh...how I love Fridays! I think I say that every week. :) We've had a busy week of late nights, working on homework, Tanner's band concert (which we had to drive down the mountain to shop for clothes) last night, then coming home to TONS of homework for him. It never fails...he waits until the night before to get his reports done. After repeated times of being frustrated and disappointed, last night I just shook my head and said, "Let's get it done." He pays the consequence the next morning....and I guess I do, too. Some day he'll learn......right?......please.....

So, tonight we are getting cozy by a fire and watching 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'. We are watching the neighbor girls tonight, and plan on having a great movie night with popcorn and pizza. Tomorrow I'm taking the neighbor girls, and mine if they want to go, to a Christmas Festival/Craft Fair at one of the local high schools. Part of the proceeds benefit the program where I work.

My family and I are trying to come up with a Christmas theme this year. We've brainstormed and came up with a 'Green' theme....or a 'Cozy' theme....or a 'White' theme. If anyone else has any great ideas, let me know. This should be really fun.

It's been cold and windy the last couple days. It still seems so strange to see all the skiers in the area. We don't have to drive very far to the nearest ski resort--like 20 minutes--but we don't have snow here yet, so it feels strange knowing it's not too far away. We have the best views of snow capped mountains. I'll have to snap a picture for you all. Even though it's beautiful and brisk outside, I can't get my butt outside to walk. Lorrie, you'll appreciate this, but Danielle, I expect to get a lashing from you...but MY EARS!!! I can't get over the frigid ear pain. If it gets below 50 degrees, my ears hurt like he**. Yes, I know, ear muffs will do the trick, but how embarrassing.....it's 50 degrees and everyone here is wearing shorts...and I'm wearing ear muffs. I'm a Minnesotan.....toughen up, girl!!

All in all...things are good. We still have our ups and downs with the move, and all the adjustments. We've found a great church, and a pastor we LOVE. He is only 40, and we have so much fun with him. He's very youth oriented, and has embraced the kids. I'm anxious for the girls to sign up for everything they offer, but the girls are slow to warm up. Ashley would do everything, but she doesn't want to do it alone. Allison always has so much homework, and really hasn't wanted to do much in the evening. I'm encouraging them to try ONE thing, then it'll be easier to jump in the second time.

So, life goes on. Most days I'm dazzled at the beauty surrounding me and really do feel happy. I'm thankful for all that we have, and that we're together. Of course, I miss my family and friends. I try so hard not to be sad sitting at a school function and not knowing a soul. It'll come, I'm told....but I want friends NOW!! :)

I'm off to clean my house! Have a great weekend everyone!

What a beautiful day to vote!

I love voting day! I love the feeling in the air....everyone is so proud, excited to be casting their votes. No matter who you vote for, it's just a great day...a great opportunity to get your voice out. I do feel proud to be an American today.
I do, however, feel for our next president. He will have a great burden on his shoulders. May God be with you....



HAPPY VOTING DAY EVERYONE!!!!!

A couple weeks in pictures.

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted. We have been busy. We had a great Halloween, all the kids dressed up and had really fun plans this year. Allison's costume was homemade--by her, except for the shoes. Here is her ingenious costume:

Isn't she cute?

Here's Tanner:

He was a beat up lacrosse player. We tried to get him to go as an 80's rocker with a mullet, but you know my son....very conservative. :)

Here's Mitchell:

He's a ninja!

Ashley was dressed up as a fairy, but I didn't get a picture of her, unfortunately. They all had plans with their friends, and Chuck and I felt so good that they all had something fun to do that night. Mitch had a big parade and party at his school, then went downtown with a friend to trick-or-treat. After getting home and running around the neighborhood, Chuck and I tried to take him out to eat....just us three as the others were gone, but he just wanted to stay home and watch movies. He said his legs were tired. :) Who passes up a chance to eat out??? So, we ordered pizza and settled in with his candy. We didn't have one trick-or-treater, so I had a whole bowl of candy to myself. I'm going to have to hike for hours to wear off this weekend.

On Saturday we took the boys out to eat for lunch then went to the park to throw around a ball. It has been beautiful weather here, warm enough for shorts!

That night Ashley and I went to our church for a concert. It was 80's night, and our pastor (who is the same age as me) came walking in with an acid-washed jean jacket that was covered with pins. (Remember those???) We cracked up laughing when we saw a pin with his and his wife's picture from when they were dating. MULLET CITY!! He'll never live that down. Ashley was so embarrassed when I put ear plugs in my ears when the band started. I don't think she'll be asking me to go with her again. :)

A friend of mine gave us her sons' outgrown snowboards this past weekend, and the boys are so excited that they've been wearing them around the house....yes, the boards and everything. If I trip over one more board I'm going to scream!! They are waiting, not so patiently, for the snow to fly so they can try them out. I can't wait to see them. We're pricing out helmets and gloves. Amazing, the cost of snow equipment. I'm in the market for some cross-country skis. I'm leaning more towards that form of skiing this year. We are surrounded by hundreds of miles of trails, and you are able to ski on all of them. Can't wait!

What season is this???

We woke up one morning this past week with 4 inches of snow. It was beautiful, and brought up feelings of Christmas and sleigh rides. One thing I didn't like, or expect, was that I couldn't drive up the driveway. I didn't even make it up a fourth of the way. Yes, our driveway is that steep, and my front-wheeled drive van is hopeless with snowy, slippery, steep hills. This may be a long winter. I would of parked on the street, but we're not allowed. So, I left the van at the bottom of the hill. A little bit later I receive a call from Ashley whose class was taking a field trip. She says, "Mom, is that our van stuck at the bottom of the hill???" I told her "Yes." and her and her friends burst out laughing. That summed up my day, and my attempts to make it up the hill.
Three days later the snow was melted and gone. That's typical here, so they tell me. My emotions are askew....wanting to start a fire in the fireplace, cooking pot roasts and stew...to spring cleaning and taking hikes outside in the 70 degree weather. The sun is so strong here, melting everything and warming things up. I think I'm gonna like it here.....
In other news, we're on fall break right now. Chuck took the girls with him back to Minnesota to get the rest of the stuff out of our house. So, the boys and I are having a party of our own. We went and saw "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" yesterday. It was really cute. Any dog lover will like this movie. Tonight we're watching 'The Hulk'. We bought a mini cart full of goodies for tonight. On special nights like tonight I let the boys get whatever they like. It's kind of a treat for me, too. :) Our favorites: Garden Salsa Sun Chips, Sour Cream and Cheddar chips, little containers of our favorite ice cream, Garlic Bread Pizza (yum), pop (non-caffeine for the boys), and CHOCOLATE!! I have to make up for the fact that they didn't get to go home to see their friends, like their sisters. I can't even bring it up as it 'causes great sadness--in both me and them. I'll be counting down the days until the holiday season, when we'll be home next. I take solace in the fact that the girls are on cloud nine. Chuck said that they sang all the way home. They were just giddy. Today they went to school with their friends, and have bonfires and parties this weekend. This is just what they need right now. Allison just recently broke up with Jack, her latest boyfriend, so she needed some best-friend time.
Otherwise, we're trying to come up with Halloween costumes. This may be one of the kids' favorite holidays (can you call it that?), but me....I hate trying to come up with costumes, and I hate buying ones from the store. Tanner wants to go as 'Edward Scissorhands'. I'll have to research that. He's invited to a halloween party and trick-or-treating with friends. He's very excited. Mitch, who knows? He wants to be something scary, but I've never allowed the kids to dress up as something too scary, so I keep saying no to everything that he suggests. I'm no fun! ;)
Does anyone have any unique ideas out there for costumes? What are you dressing up as?

My week--Thursday

Morning went the same as the others--driving Tanner up the hill to the bus. I know, I'm spoiling him. I would just rather have him leave home in a good mood rather than the opposite. His morning mood lasts throughout the day, unfortunately. He just can't shake crabby moods very well.


I didn't get many pictures today, and my computer doesn't want to acknowledge my memory card this morning. :(

I put in quite a few hours at work today. After class we switched the toys in the room for next week. I swear, I keep that preschool room cleaner than my own house!

After work I picked Mitch up for his doctor's appt. He passed his appt. with flying colors....shocker, huh? No shots for him today...just the flumist. He skipped his way out of the office, anxiously waiting to rub it into his brother and sister. :) Ashley is well today, and the doctor said that her reaction was from the meningitis shot. I remember when she was a baby, she would react so much to her vaccinations. One night I remember frantically calling the ER because her fever spiked to 104 degrees. I'm shocked that she still seems to react to them. Scary stuff! I hate putting those vaccines into their bodies. The doc said that just imagine her sickness and times it by 150, that is what it would be like if she GOT meningitis. I just couldn't imagine.....

Mitch had soccer after school today. That boy is amazing on the field. Tanner loves to stay and help, so he did. I had to run the van home for Allison 'cause she had to work, so I called Chuck to see if he would pick them up from soccer. As soon as Allison left for work, I get a call from Chuck--he locked his keys in his car! So, I had to walk over to the school to pick up the boys. It's getting cold here, but I was sweatin' my butt off (I wish) by the time I reached his school. I arrived just in time to see him kick the ball straight into the face of one of his teammates! Poor boy..... That finished the little boys' soccer practice and Mitch was so concerned. He kept apologizing over and over. :(

After making chicken and gravy for the kids for supper, it was Tanner's turn to do the dishes.

After getting the kids settled, Chuck had the great idea to go out for Happy Hour. He scooped me away in his company vehicle--since his sat at work with the keys stuck inside.

We went to a wine bar downtown that had the coolest atmosphere. We shared fish tacos (which reminded me of my friend Leanne, who was obsessed with them in Mexico) and french onion soup. It was nice to just catch up with each other.

We came home, slipped into our jammies and watched 'Kath & Kim', 'The Office', and 'Grey's Anatomy'. Great t.v. night. :)

Wednesday...

Today started out normally. Ruby wasn't up during the night last night, so that rice must have bound her up....YAY!!!!!! So I wasn't up with the dog, BUT...did I ever mention that my dear hubby has sleep apnea and has to wear a mask at night? Well, he does, and some nights his mask, or his mouth, make the most annoying noises. Last night was one of those nights. I feel bad 'cause he can't help it, but MAN!!! I kept poking him in the back to try and fix it. Of course he thinks I'm CONSTANTLY poking him all night...even though I did it, like, twice. sigh.

Tanner and Ashley woke up with tremendously sore arms. They could barely brush their teeth. :( Tanner thought he should stay home......good try, son) and doesn't know how he's going to play lacrosse tonight.

Today is 'crazy hair day' at Mitch's school. It's the elementary's equivalent to 'Homecoming' week. Here is a picture of Mitch's CRAZY hair.....

Did I mention he HATES doing anything different to his hair? So much like Tanner that way.....come to think of it, they're both like their Dad that way. :) No crazy hair for him...

I was off to work early today. We had a busy class...but fun all the same. While cleaning up the room I receive a phone call from Ashley. "I'm so sick, Mom. Can you come get me?" She sounds terrible...probably a reaction to all those shots yesterday. She aches all over, possibly from the flu-mist?? I take off to get her. I finally get her home, fix her soup, and within minutes she's out...

Poor girl.....

All I'm thinking about is Tanner. I wonder if he's feeling bad at all.....

Well, the answer to that was a resounding NO! When he got home from school he said his arms were still a little sore, but he was pumped for lacrosse. So, after a snack I dropped him off at lacrosse practice and ran to the grocery store.

My hubby was home when I pulled in.......

My love....

I have to tell you my insane Mom moment today. After school was out, I was waiting for Allison to come home. I waited 20 minutes....no Alli....so I called her to see where she was...no answer. I thought, "O.k. she'll call any minute, like usual." A half hour went by....no Alli, no call....so I called again, no answer. Forty-five minutes went be with nothing...and I'm starting to freak out a bit, thinking of running up to the high school to see if she was just 'hanging out'. I'm calling every 5 minutes at this point. AN HOUR comes and goes with no call or sign of her....I call Chuck to see what he thinks I should do. During this whole time I'm leaving increasingly angry messages. My last one to her was, "Alli...BE PREPARED TO GET IN TROUBLE WHEN YOU GET HOME!!!!...click" As I'm talking to Chuck Ashley pipes in from the couch, "Hey, Mom, maybe she's still on her field trip." ........that's totally where she was the entire time. They had gone into the city for French to see Les Miserables. Needless to say, I left a very sheepish and apologetic message to Alli after all this. She calls me back when they're done, I pick up the phone and all I hear is..."Mom, you're a dork." I'm glad she has a sense of humor.

Within 5 minutes of getting home she has her jammies on. (A girl after my own heart) Here she is eating her latest favorite snack.....caramel rice cakes.

After a spaghetti dinner with pesto bread, Mitch and I sat down to do his homework.

After picking Tanner up from lacrosse practice.....

feeding him a plate of spaghetti......

and helping with HIS homework.....

I snuck downstairs to take a picture of the girls doing their favorite thing....

Watching a movie with their favorite actor...

Will Farrell---can you guess the movie?? ....answer at the bottom of page....

It is now 8:00p.m. Time to do the bedtime routine. Chuck is down in the basement with the furnace guy. It is just not working right...and believe me, we need the furnace at night.

The troops are getting crabby....mainly because I said no bedtime snack--due to the fact we JUST ate spaghetti and I'm still burping it up.....and because I'm so 'crabby', as one put it, because I got mad that he was sticking his stinky, smelly, just-from-lacrosse-practice feet in his brother's face. I have to go 'crack the whip', I guess. ;)

Good night all.....

....Anchor Man.....

A week in the life of ME....

O.k. my sis Danielle is doing this this week, and I have so much fun reading hers that I think I'll try it, too. Please forgive me if it bores you to tears.

I'm starting on Tuesday of this week. I have no pictures prior to 7:00 a.m.--I won't do that to you. I crawl myself out of bed, reluctantly, at 6:30 a.m. in order to get Tanner ready. I don't think you want to see that mess, so I'm sparing you. One morning I'll try to get a picture, but, like me, he is NOT a morning person. I'm afraid it'll just ruin his day, but I'll try to be sneaky.

Tues:

Tanner needs to be out the door at 7:00a.m. in order to catch the bus to his school. The bus meets at the high school, so Tanner has to walk up the hill to catch it. On this particular day, he thought it was too cold to walk, so I slipped my flip-flops on and drove him the 1 block to school. Yes, I know. I get back home to find that Ashley is mad at me because it's not 'fair' that I drive him and not her, so into the car I go. I finally get home to hop in the shower to get ready for work when Allison pouts that she wants a ride, too. See where I'm going with this?

Finally, after my shower, I wake up sleeping Mitchell. Yes, he gets to sleep until 8:00a.m. How unfair is THAT??!!

Every morning Mitch needs some cuddle time on the couch....watching the weather report.

After getting him fed, and in his room changing, I head back to the kitchen to mix up a gourmet breakfast for our dog Ruby. She has been sick off and on since we moved here--giardia from the creek....or elk droppings.....or both--and was getting better until I changed her food. Stupid...stupid me!! So these last few days have been terrible for her and us (mainly me... as I seem to be the only one that hears her during the night to go out). Poor Ruby! So, this morning she is having rice mixed with pumpkin. Everyone swears by it here, and has been working great.

Here's her pumpkin and giardia medicine....yum yum.

She doesn't mind it at all!

After that, I threw a chicken in the crock pot for supper......

....and packed Mitchell's snacks in his backpack.

"Mom, can you help me with my hair??"

"Of course, my handsome man!"

Off to the bus stop! I work late today, so I get to walk with him, and wait for the bus to come. He loves that. "Bye, my sweet...have a great day!"

Here's my daily water bottle on my way to work. It's sooooo dry here, I can't get enough water.

Here is some of the scenery I'm treated to on my way. It's a 15min. drive, but I love it. I crank the tunes and sing, and look at all the fall leaves changing on the mountains. Please don't ask how I got these pictures...

Here is the building where I work.

Something I learned today....Did you know that when the weather turns cold in higher altitudes, it makes the air pressure in your car tires decrease? I suppose it's simple science, but my car didn't know that....and neither did I before today. The light turned off as soon as the air warmed up. Interesting......

I left work a little early to take Tanner and Ashley to their doctor appointments. They needed check-ups and SHOTS. Here's Tanner being tough.....

.....while Ashley was getting hers done. Don't you love seeing me in the mirror? :) They had a total of 4 shots each...along with the flu-mist. Yuk!

We came home to find that poor Ruby couldn't hold it while we were gone. So, hence the drying kennel. Not a fun thing to return home to....especially when you have chicken cooking in the crock pot that smells delicious....and, well, you know....

After cleaning up, I monitor computer time,

and enforce trumpet practice and homework.

After supper it's shower time and bedtime snack time.

At this point, I'm trying to watch the debate, but....

this is so much more interesting...

While I was reading with Mitch, Chuck was doing the job I hate the most...washing dishes (especially crock pots with chicken cooking in them all day). Thank you, honey!

One more gourmet meal for Ruby. It's strictly rice tonight, baby. O.k. maybe a little chicken bouillon.

After scratching backs, and listening to all the super-hero names that Mitch has picked for his stuffed animals, it's lights out for the boys. Goodnight, 'blue-bear' (who can swim underwater without being noticed)...goodnight Freddie (who can disappear at any time), and goodnight Willy (who can disguise himself as a rock). O.k. maybe not too creative, but you gotta love 'em.

Finally, I'm off to the couch, exhausted, with a 'Mikes Hard Lemonade' and 'The Biggest Loser' on the tube. Sorry I hardly have any pictures of the girls today. Allison didn't get home from practice until after I was on the couch under two blankets. Hopefully tomorrow with be a little less chaotic.