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(Just thought it was a funny picture and had to post it, couldn't think of a context for it though!)

Early Christmas

So, Jer... being the doll that he is... gave me my Christmas gift early this year. Mostly cause I had family in town for Thanksgiving. :) You see, back in the day when digital cameras where new and film cameras were still in mild usage I bought this camera....

It has gotten a LOT of use. It's nearly the same age as my marriage. It has been dropped, stepped on, dripped on, and I don't even remember all of the cruel and unusual punishments it has been through simply by being my camera.

It is scratched up, banged up, and the protective shudder that is supposed to close when it is turned off sticks sometimes.

This:
Is my new camera (picture taken with the old camera). It has oodles of doo dads, but is still easy to use!!!! I'm in heaven... just ask my family... over Thanksgiving I took a LOAD of pictures just to "play" with it. :)

Thank You Jer!!!

Thanksgiving

Well, believe it or not the pie I made ended up turning out pretty good! :) The rest of the meal was, of course, fabulous! My mom always does a fantastic job on Thanksgiving... something I will probably never be able to do as well.

It was so great to have my sister and her family here to celebrate with us! Oh how her girls have grown... it always amazes me how quickly people change when you don't see them every day.

Ali is a true sweetheart and has a heart of gold. I'm always surprised by how much gentleness and love surround her, it seems to come almost effortlessly from her. I wish that everyone could understand how rare a gift that is and value it for what it is as well. Unfortunately people often don't understand what a blessing a "heart of gold" is.

Kat is a fireball as always and was so great with my kids and so eager to help. I know one thing for sure, when she sets her mind to something she is definitely a force to be reckoned with. What a great asset!

It was also wonderful to see Jo and Shawn! I'm so glad that we got to share the holiday with so much family. There really is nothing quite like having relatives near to make the holidays enjoyable!

Getting Domestic

Yup, Me. Imagine! I actually made pumpkin pies.
I hope they don't taste narsty... guess we will find out tomorrow!

Not Yet!

Soooo the new thing around here....

Mom or Dad: "EB you Poopy?"

EB: "Not yet."

Grandparents

Today I took the kids up to my parents house for a visit. This doesn't happen as often as I would like it too, but I'm sure glad it happens when it does. :)

First the kids raided the sugar stockpile and then asked if they could go outside. Grandpa J went outside with them... and Goober and him played tag for a bit. I LOVE the fact that a man that is over fifty years old is not above chasing his six year old grandson around the backyard! I tried hard to get my camera in time to catch it, but I missed it... darned purse being five bazillion yards away. I did get a picture of them all standing out by the (empty? or soon to be empty?) pond throwing rocks in.

When they came inside they raided the Oreos stockpile, grabbed some chocolate milk, and asked Gma and Gpa Jones to start a movie for them.... then proceeded to ignore aforementioned movie and built forts on the couch and pulled out a bunch of toys to play with, and of course pulled out the markers and the crayons and started coloring. :)

We left to come home after Jer should have been home from work and on the way Missy said that she had a fun day playing at Gma and Gpas house, Goober seconded the statement... and of course EB babbled along in the background.

I'm so thankful I have my parents around.

Life ISN'T Fair.

Tonight I was done being a mother. done.

Earlier today the power went out. Which means no "shows" for the kids and no computer for me. While I don't mind that so much I do hate not having a distraction while I make them lunch.

EB of course decided he wanted to be held while I made lunch. Which in and of itself isn't so bad, but the fact that I was making PB&J's due to the aforementioned power outage made this near impossible. So whilst I tried to quickly make lunch EB wailed loudly on the bar stool across the counter from me and intermittently would climb down and try to force me into picking him up by standing directly in front of me and hugging my legs. Which in turn slowed down the process of getting things done, inducing more earsplitting vengeance.

Of course once lunch was ready and I was able to sit him on my lap, all was good.

Then there was the usual back and forth of Missy disagreeing loudly with EB even if she has no clue what he is saying. And EB of course restates what he said, but in a louder voice etc etc etc.

This was my day.

Then Goober came home from school and we did homework. I even let him write his spelling words in shaving cream while Missy was downstairs watching Backyardigans (yes the power came back on after lunch).

EB woke up early from his nap.

After a cop out dinner (give me a break! it's THAT time of month and I'm plumb tucker out thankyouvery much) Goober and Missy wanted fruit snacks... to which I said no. They did have a small orange after there dinner. They shouldn't need any more sugar at the moment.

Oh, but heaven forbid that Missy mention she had a fruit snack after lunch today. Oh gads, the world must end! Goober starts boobing about how she got one, and how he should have one too. And how life isn't FAIR. "It's not fair mom!" ... time passes ... "It's not fair!"... and it's STILL not fair.

Enough. I've had enough. Jer warns him that if he mentions it again he is going to bed. I tell him and Missy to start cleaning up the toys. To which he tells me no. GAH!

So I haul him upstairs, change him (not so gently) into his PJ's, toss him into bed, and tell him to have fun with that.

I know some day he will understand. Some day many years from now, when he is grown with children of his own. And when that day comes I'm sure I will miss the days when he was this young. But honestly, right now... I wish I could make him understand that telling a mom that life isn't fair is about as ironic as it gets.

While I believe that in the long run I wouldn't be happier doing anything else but raising my children, lately all I want to do is be me. Selfish me. I want to be able to cook dinner without someone whining at me. I want to be able to buy new clothes for me and not feel guilty that one of my kids might need new socks, or for me to pay for preschool, or some other random thing. I want to be able to go exercise daily without having to pay for daycare or feeling like I'm putting someone out by asking them to watch my kids, or sacrificing time with Jer. I want to be able to sleep in till noon and not worry about if Missy's hair has gotten combed.

No, Life isn't fair.

I know that probably all I need is a vacation. The thing is, Christmas is coming... and family birthdays... and of course all the regular things. No funds for an escape right now. So until I do have some time, and some money I guess I will have to suffice with the fact that things will change.

They always do.

That the kids will grow, that their needs will change, they will learn. Maybe someday soon I will be able to get a nap without having them wake me up every five minutes. And what will seem like such a short amount of time they will be grown and gone. I know that looking back at the six years I have been a mother it really does seem like a short amount of time so I'm sure the rest will fly by too. So, until I have some time to call my own again I will make do. And tomorrow will be another day.

So, just like Goober, I think life might not seem fair.

But maybe in the long run things will even out.

Morning Rituals

So every weekday morning I get up and get Goober up and off to school. Then EB insists on sitting down and watching a "show" aka a movie, cause HEY! We don't get any TV channels so DVD's are about it around here. Then he cuddles up with a blanket in his favorite spot until Missy decides to show her face.

I just think he's too cute.

The Grumpy Dog Issues Lady

Ok, first let me point out that I like dogs. I grew up with dogs. I've owned dogs. My dad bred dogs when I was a kid.

Dogs are fun, and good to have around especially when you have kids. Sometimes people just need someone to listen and have no fear of it getting around :) Can you tell I was a kid that used to go outside, sit by my dog, put my arm around her and blahblahblah and sometimes bawl... cause really? That dog ain't going to judge you no matter how much of an irrational teenager you are! And it sure as heck isn't going to tell that really cute boy that you are desperately in love with him.

Anywho, as I was walking around my neighborhood yesterday searching out parents of the little punks that were picking on Goober... I noticed a LOAD of dogs. Some small, some big. Mostly nice dogs. Very few confined. One dog ran up to me, sniffed me out and wagged his tail. If EB had been with me he would have been TERRIFIED.

I continued on my way and proceeded to go in my front door, blocking aforementioned dog from coming in with me (he seemed set on it). After a few minutes I heard scratching on my front door. So I headed back outside to see if this dog had tags... mainly cause I really am not fond of having my door scratched up by a random dog.

Low and behold he had a tag. Yay! Hammer was his name (who names their dog that?!) and he was a sweet dog, but from about three blocks away. I called the phone number on his tag and got a voicemail. So I decided to walk him home... hoping for a fence or something to keep him there.

There wasn't a fence, but a chain in the front so I tied him up and went on my way back home. Kind put out that it was left to me to take care of someone elses dog.

Later I got a call from the lady of the house saying thanks for bringing him back and that she had just let him out to "do his duty" and that he usually wanders off, but comes back after a while. I replied that I was glad he had a tag so I would know where to take him. Her reply? He had been picked up by animal control a couple of times and so they decided to get him a tag.

Now, here's what I don't understand. Having been a dog owner myself I understand that sometimes a dog will escape, sometimes they run off when you are cleaning the car in the driveway and let them out while you are outside. What I really don't get is if a dog has been picked up by the animal control more than once, shouldn't that be an indication that they shouldn't be running around loose? While I'm glad they got a tag for the dog, many people wouldn't bother to look for one and would instead just call animal control.

I know that people think their dogs are sweet and not bothering anyone. I know that. I don't have a problem with how nice or not nice their dog is (which sometimes totally changes when their owners aren't around). I have a problem with the fact that my youngest son is scared spitless by cats.... let alone DOGS... which are usually bigger (and whom, I might add, might not be current on their shots and might actually be a danger to my children).

Then there is the whole dog doo on your lawn thing. I know dog owners don't think it's that big of a deal... it is after all a lot less than what they clean up on a weekly basis. Thing is, I don't know it's there before me or one of my kids step in it... and then I get to do that whole, scrape the crap off the bottom of the shoe with a toothpick thing. And that is besides the fact that this is one of the main reasons I don't currently own a dog.

Now, I don't want to be a pain in my neighbors butts. I don't want to complain to them, mainly because they are nice people and generally law abiding ...besides there are already laws about having your dogs loose. Shouldn't that be enough? If you have a dog. Get a fence. Then you won't have to feel bad about the dog not being able to run around a bit, then you won't have to make sure they don't run off when you let them out to relieve themselves. I now fences are pricey. I know! I've put one in myself. But if a fence is too much, isn't a dog too much?

I just don't get it I guess.

I Hate Being The Butthead Parent

So today Goober went out to the bus stop.

Oh, the dreaded bus stop.

If you remember there are three kids that insist on teasing Goober while they wait. Goober has done a pretty good job of ignoring them so far, but it does bug him. He tells me about it. And for a six year old to remember to tell me about it when he gets home from school, after seven hours of other stuff, says something to me.

Today I simply stood at the door and watched the kids at the bus stop. The ones that are being little turds noticed and started making actions etc towards me with loads of attitude. Goober ran over to me as I went out and got the mail and told me "mom, those are the kids that call me ______"

I simply walked over to the bus stop, looked at them and said I would be finding out who their parents are. (They have, after all been warned by Jer a couple of weeks ago) And I promptly turned around and started walking.

I'm pretty sure I ruffled them, since they started to yell to me "for what?!" (my reply was "you know what.") and other flustered "I know I'm in trouble" type things.

I hate being the parent kids hate. I don't want to talk to parents.

I want to move, if only to get my son away from these bullies. Honestly, I know it could be worse, they could tease him throughout the day, but it still pisses me off.

Cold Day At The Park

Jer joined an indoor soccer league recently, which of course means that he needs to practice his soccer skillz with some guys outside in the cold on a Saturday morning. lol I took the kids and hoped we wouldn't get frostbite.

The kids seems to have fun though! We walked around the park a couple of times, watched Jer play for a bit, played on the playground (and got wet bums from the wet slides), and rolled down the hill. :)

Probably the last trip to the park outside of sledding this year though.

Dad's Doing His Job!

Riling up the kids before bed!
(if you can't tell he is using EB to bounce on Missy, making her laugh so hard she can barely breathe)