Sunday, May 5, 2013

My Sneaky Boy

Every other Sunday all the kids come over here for dinner.  Today as Brandon and TJ pulled up, Alex saw them and thought they didn't see him, so he hid...
 
 ...but obviously not very well.

 
Then, just to make sure they didn't see him...

...he snuck a peek to see if they realized he was gone, yet. 
 
And, yes.  Those are Cookie Monster pants he is wearing.  It's Sunday - my kids have always come home and put pj bottoms on as soon as they get home.  My girls even kept their skirts on but put pj bottoms on.  We are a stylin' family!
 
So next time you're in the neighborhood, look out because Alex might be hiding from you!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

What's up?

First of all, Baby C is growing up too fast!  She just passed her 2 month birthday! Where does the time go?  She's getting strong and showing her personality.  She seems to favor her dad, Papa and Alex.  She's got good taste!
 
 
As you can see, A and N can't get enough of her....

 ...we do have to watch them to make sure they don't love her too hard!  N especially.  She will just grab C, not realizing she's scratching her or pulling on her.

 
 
I've gone through a very klutzy phase lately.  
 Yes, that's my ankle.  No, it's not supposed to look like that! 
 
 I have to stand on the one bed to open the curtains - a hazard of being short - and this one day the kids had pulled the blankets off the bed onto the floor to make a hut.  When I stepped down on the blankets I also stepped on a ball.  My foot rolled and I was down!  I sat there for about 5 minutes with thoughts going through my head; "I could have M go get my dad to take me to the hospital.  No, I could have her just get the phone.  But TJ isn't working this morning.  I guess I could ask Jill to watch the kids no matter who took me to have this checked."  I just knew I had to have broken it!  Then I thought, "Well, dummy.  Stand up and see if you can walk on it before you call anyone."
 
I was fine.  Just a good sprain and a pretty bruise.  I wore one of Mike's ankle braces for a few days, more to remind myself to be careful than anything else, and it was fine.  But I have an emergency plan all figured out in my head for next time I do something that stupid.
 
 
Yes, that's my van.  No, it's not supposed to look like that!
 
I take Al to school every morning and when I leave I turn onto State Street going north.  The truck in front of me started to go because there wasn't any traffic, I looked and saw there was plenty of room for me so I started to go, too.  But the truck had stopped.  I don't know why.  He just did.  Not one scratch, bump or bruise to his truck, but my van had over $3,000 worth of damage.  Talk about doing something stupid!  And then 2 days later, someone rear-ended me in the exact same spot pulling onto State Street!!!  I didn't go and stop, I was just slowly eeking out to see past the cars that were turning, and the lady behind me was just going faster than I was.  I think she was texting.  Anyway, this time no harm, no foul!  Whoo!!
 
This wasn't because of anything stupid.  I had my sinus' cleaned out, adjusted and fixed.  I had Cali add a moustache to the bandage because I felt it needed some décor.  The surgery lasted a couple hours and I haven't had any trouble with my sinus' since!!  AND I've only had one headache since the surgery and it was a mild one. 
 
 I've always had my share of headaches and once in a while I would get a migraine bad enough that I had to sleep it off, but I was starting to get them so bad that I had to go to the emergency room just to get some relief.  I'm really hoping this surgery will stop that!



Remember a few posts back I said I was getting my house redecorated by one year olds?  Well, one of those kiddos - I won't mention any names Miss A - has decided that N can handle all the messes on the floor so she needed to start climbing on things to get the decor at a higher level.  She's not walking yet, even though she can.  It's just faster to crawl or walk on her knees.  But any obstacle in her way, she climbs.
 
It's a darn good thing she's cute! 





 
 
This is just a little genius idea I had a few years ago....
...you take an inflatable pool you can buy at Wally World, add air and a few toys... put an umbrella up or put it in the shade for comfort...
 


...and let the kids have fun while you do yard work or do the dishes.  The kids that are big enough to climb in and out are old enough you don't have to worry about, but those that would either eat dog poop or crawl into the road, this has saved my sanity and their lives!!  And it's tall enough that even A can't climb out of it.  It's big enough that they have plenty of room to crawl around, and they can see what everyone else is doing, yet they are contained!  Genius, pure genius.  Plus, it doubles as a pool when the weather gets hot!
 
Al is still doing really well in school  His class will be going as a group to Prom soon, and I will definitely post pictures and any funnies that happen. 
 
He keeps reminding us how tall he is and that his foot can reach the gas and brake pedal in the car, but we have told him he can't drive until he's as tall as his brother (who is 6'2")  and that's NEVER gonna happen!  Again, pure genius!
 
Mike got a new job!  He loved the people he worked with at his old job, but the way it was managed was ridiculous!  Not any business sense there at that company.  So, after looking and talking to a whole bunch of people he started last week as a cemetery director!!  Yup!  He's the guy you go to to buy your coffin and burial plot. 
 
We've come up with, and heard quite a few 'dead' jokes since he got this job.  But he's so much happier.  Knowing that he's helping people is a huge plus, but the others that work there are all great people and he's already been a recipient of some positive reinforcement (gift card!) - something he hasn't seen in a long time!!  I'm very proud of him and even though it's kinda scary working for commission, I feel very confident this is the direction he should be going.  And so does he.  That's always a bonus!
 
I will definitely keep in touch with Prom pics.  But I'm hoping to be spending my time outside with the girls enjoying the nice weather so I might go a bit longer between posts than I used to do. 
 
Spring has finally sprung!