An oldy but a goody...

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What's UP?

Hey ya'll!
Hope all is well. Not much happening here tonight. Sean and I got Burger King for the kiddos, and then went to Chili's ourselves. Yummy!! Now we are just waiting for 8pm to roll around, so we can watch NCIS. My ear is really hurting today. I don't get ear infections, so this is new for me. I will take a cold pill tonight before bed, and get a bonus of a decent nights sleep with it.
I am off work tomorrow, so other then walking the puppy; I can sleep off the cold pill effects after I get the kids off to school.
We scheduled a two night camping trip to Fort Stevens State Campground, in July with Sean's parents and their kids. We also have a trip scheduled with my side of the family in late June. I can't wait to take Jarod to the Fort itself, he loves anything military... so running around the old fort will be fun and good learning for him too.
I did realize that we go with Sean's parents, just a few days after our anniversary, so we won't get to go by ourselves for that. Oh well... next year will be 15 years and can be something more to celebrate. LOL
Ok... not much to say today. Hugs to all!

Garden's a growin'

We spent much of our weekend, in the backyard. It may not be spectacular to look at, but our garden is planted. I tilled the ground, after the kids and I pulled the grass off the area. We used the clumps of grass to fill the spots in our yard; left when the boys played baseball. Now we just wait to see if the weather freezes AGAIN, if the slugs come out, or if we actually get veggies in a month or two. :) Here is Jarod. My oddball at times! His hair has grown enough that he talked his aunt into playing with his hair. He is very much like his mom, and finds it relaxing for someone to brush their fingers through his hair or just to make wierd hairdos. He also loves the attention of being a goofball. Hee-hee! I caught his photo a few times, as he tried to jump out of camera range. Then he actually posed for more photos, after he realized it was a good way to see the look for himself. :)

Redesigned my demo layout

I have a demo at Michaels on Saturday... well... I decided to make a different color version to display too. Plus... I got a layout completed! LOL

The first photo is from Michaels.com and is the original layout idea for Saturdays demo. Then I have my new version. The sun was shining through the curtain on the layout, so you don't see it as brightly as in person. It also has alot of inked edges going on. :)
The "baby bug" is my niece (over a year ago now).

What to talk about?

Yesterday was a Teacher In Service day in our school district. The kids were grounded from Playstation and the computer (issues the previous evening with not doing their chores 1st). So, we had craft day. I didn't even start the idea, it just kinda came to be. LOL
Jarod was in his room, quietly making army men into star wars characters using TP for capes. He then started drawing, which is really becoming a good thing for him to express himself. He got out a turtle sun-catcher and drew it really well.
Wednesday evening, Jordan and I made "Congo Squares". He made them in his "facts" class at school and has been wanting to make them at home for a few weeks now. I almost fell over when I realized he was putting in over 2 cups of brown sugar! ACK. They are good, but wow!
So then Meghan and I worked on her sewing a bit and she made a "wish pillow". Michaels sold little $1 "build-a-bear kits" a little while ago. I had stashed them, and recently pulled them out.
Jordan got a dog food tray for Christmas, a year or two ago... and decided he would paint it up for Lucy and Dash. I loved his creativity & I am so proud of the job he did. I was also proud of myself for letting him do his own thing on it.

This week we had a hail storm/"is it snowing" moment. My seeds are patiently waiting in their little trays for the weather to decide to stay warm. We have been enjoying time with the puppy. Dash's favorite game to play has always been keep-away. Well... he is teaching the puppy now too. When he decides he has played tug-of-war enough, he jumps on the couch with the toy and taunts Lucy. Funniest thing ever, but yes we make him get down. LOL

Support our troops!

I got new photos from my BIL today. He looks SO much like my hubby now, as they both get older. I did figure out why my hubby has been butting his hair so short lately. I think, it might be to look a little more like his little bro.

Patrick is the one holding the drawing in the group pic of him and his friends. My bet is that his daughter sent it too him. I sure hope he keeps these good photo thoughts in his head more then the ugly he isn't sending to us at the moment. Anyways... please say a prayer for him and all our troops!!!

Vet visit

We took Lucy (new yellow lab) to the vet today. Just to do the puppy checkup. We went to "Milwaukie Animal Clinic" and I can not say enough good things about them. They were full of information, the vet knew the most current studies and the why and why not of nearly everything! He gave us samples of heartworm meds, flea meds, and even a bag of food. (granted mostly donated from the companies, but WOOHOO! for us)
We found out that he agrees with her stated birthdate, so she is now 9 weeks and 2 days old. She also shares birthdates with my dad. She seems to be a little runty, but passed the hip check and what not. A good thing to us, having had a lab with bad hips before. It is not a guanantee that she will have good hips as an adult, but a better chance of a longer life without the early on-set of hip issues. :)
She actually fell asleep on the table furing the check, while we chatted. LOL
Jarod and Meghan went with us, and he took the time to let them hear her heartbeat. I thought that was very sweet of him! I really like this office, the staff and the vet. WOOHOO! I am not easy to please when it comes to my four-legged babies.
So for the afternoon I plan to go clean up the house a little and hope to get rid of my headache. I really HATE headache and shoulder aches. UGH!
What's for dinner y'all?

Great end to a busy week!

Tonight has been a great end a very mentally draining week. I am finished with my business trips to Corvallis, Or. The new Michaels store will open tomorrow. Their event coordinator is trained now. We went out to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner, as there is NOTHING in the house to fix for dinner after my being gone so much this week. Sean did make dinner 4 nights this week and fold ALL the laundry pile too. WOOHOO!

So... now for the big news... we are welcoming the newest member of our family. We have looked for over 6 months now, trying to decide if we would get or not.

This is LUCY. She a a Yellow Lab. She was said to be born Feb. 16th, but we think she is only between 6 and 8 weeks old. Or she is going to remain a smaller sized adult. Either is fine with us. :)

So, get ready for updated pics of our baby, as we begin the sleepless nights of raising a puppy again. Oh my!! (I may share some rants with my raves too).

Hi, Ho, Hi, Ho its off to work I go... again. :)

Boy is it EARLY! I am so NOT a morning person and starbucks isn't open yet. Bummer!!

Here is Jarod's Map project, we got finished last night. It is due today. :)

New Store

It's Monday! I am off to work today. Not so unusual in its self, but today is different. I am driving to Corvallis (about 90 minutes) away from me. I get to train an Event Coordinator at one of our new store locations. I am excited for the change of pace, scenery, etc. Just the whole idea is interesting and fun for me... but I am so nervous. The drive itself. I always worry about getting in a wreck and not seeing my kids anymore. I know it isn't likely, but it worries me. Maybe it is God's way of making me think today. I know my guardian angels are flying beside me and that I shouldn't worry. When my use here in this life is over... I will be finished here. Not until then.
Anyone seen "August Rush"? Good movie! I keep expecting a little more "big" ending to movies I watch lately. Nothing huge, just a good "Oh, I feel the build to the closure" kinda thing. I haven't felt that, but do love the drama feelings during the movies.
Anyone seen something they want to recommend? Please leave me a reply :)

Sun and 79 degrees today!

What a beautiful day. I took the kids to the park for the afternoon. We swung by KFC for lunch, YUM!! Then off to Big Lots to find new gardening tools and lunch goodies. Big Lots has the best prices for the kids lunch snacks and drinks too.
We came home and Jarod was immediately BOREDDDD and the idea of reading for the time being didn't suit him in the heat. He thinks he is so HOT! I wonder how he would have felt if we had moved to Texas. LOL
He made his way to the yard to mill around and came in after finding a 4 leaf clover. His friends found one in our yard last week too. Maybe this proerty is good for us. :)
OK... are 4 leaf clovers more common than I thought... he just came in with another one. Humm!!

So now... what to do for the evening?? I could hook up the computer my fil gave the kids. But that will mean yet another electronic item to fight for their time. I could make bookmarks for Meghan's class... I could... just sit on the porch with a glass of ???. I should have made suntea today. I thought of it, at the park. UGH! So many choices for my free time. LOL
Oh, I could read a book. Humm...
I could got off the computer... go for a walk... go grocery shopping... UGH!

Support our troops!!!

Just thinking of the troops (my bil included)...

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What a week. Jordan fell down the basement stairs. After a slide down wooden stairs, his back is bruised. Immediate icepacks did keep him from swelling too much. He went to school the next day, without issue. Though I told him he didn't have to. He just wouldn't miss a day of school. The boy would have to be dying before he would miss a day. Anyways... the following evening, he bites pavement on his bike. He scraped his handlebar right under his arm, down his chest. Again, only complains because the healing is itching. I told him "can you just break something next time, and act a little more hurt" LOL

Meghan got her library card today! We have gone a few other times, and the computer is always down. She was so excited to find a book about kittens too. :)

Jarod and I have been working hard on his "Oregon Map" for his 4th grade project. He was so worried that we were using too much glitter. LOL So we stopped glittering and got out the scrapbook supplies. We used Crayola Model Magic for the Ocean, then pushed my ocean wave ruler into that. We then allowed it to dry a little and rubbed stamp pad ink in three colors. The cricut and wishblade have made this so easy to label everything. I helped Jordan make his, 3 years ago, when I only had my sizzix. Wow how the stash of supplies has changed and enabled.

I also got the rest of my front yard cleaned up today. I got flowers in the ground and a few pots filled too. Our front yard of left over mulched trees is finally almost flat. It won't be too long before I can grow grass out there!! I got peas planted and Meghan helped me get seeds started indoors. We shall see how many plants I will be buying to replace seeds with. I also learned recently that the pretty purple flowers I planted last spring are actually a mini ground cover. They are alot like a pansy, but the following year they return in odd places. Even made their way into a pot of strawberry plants. Go figure! I am glad that I think they are really pretty, since Diane told me they may take over! Ack!! Oh well... I have more pots to fill in the back yard, I will just replant the stray buggers. :)

It's been a another busy week. Jordan fell down the basement steps... slid down the wooden steps and got a bruised back. He then fell off his bike, the following evening. Took the handle bars of his bike, right across his chest and underarm. I told him "can you just break something,

Cricut Cartridges

Cricut Cartridges are on sale for $39.99 at Michaels, all this week. While supplies last of course. I think I fielded a dozen "do you have" phone calls on these today. I sure didn't mind shopping the isle as I answered the questions. :)

I came home and made the kids some bookmarks with animals on the tops, after work. A good afternoon!

My weekend.

We are enjoying a good family time weekend so far. I went to a friend house last night to scrapbook. I took Meghan with me, and she was so excited that she got to watch "alvin and the chipmunks" while she was there. She played so well with Diane's daughter too. I was able to enjoy some time with good adult conversation without consent kid interuptions. I also got to complete my chipboard dog bone album, minus the photos.
Today I got to sleep in. Jarod and I are working on his Oregon Map school project. Glitter and carpet are NOT a great match, but luckily my dyson vaccum will clean that up quickly. Only about 10 hours of working on that, in the next week. I made this project with Jordan just over 3 years ago. It is a great learning project for the kids and an excellent way for mom and son to spend some quality time together. A win-win!

Skippers just opened down the street, after being closed (we thought for good) for about a year now. We will probally head down in a bit for some yummy clam chowder.

Counselor

Well... I spoke with Jordan's counselor today. While I don't totally agree with her strategy, I am willing to let Jordan give it a try. She seems to think it MIGHT work for this kid. In just the last 24 hours, I know it means nothing to the kid; but I guess I will give this counselor the chance to figure it out too. I told her not to pull Jordan from class anymore. She agreed that if this idea (contract the kids signed) doesn't stop the bickering and bugging, etc.; then the parents will meet for a meeting. Anyhoo... on another subject... Jordan fell down the basement stairs last night and brusied n scraped up his back as he slid down them. Poor thing would not stay home from school today though, as he thinks he MIGHT miss something important. While he is such a great student, I worry about him putting so much pressure on himself. I know he is learning about life, growing up, etc. but I don't want him to go mental doing so either. I also want him to enjoy the rest of his childhood too.