Posting before leaving...

We are leaving in a few hours to go to Florida. We are all very excited. Unfortuneatly I can't really make anyone here jealous since we're having 80-90 degree temps too...

So as usual, it has been crazy and I haven't posted for a while. Jacob started T-ball. He has had practices and will have his first game the Sat. after we get back. He is really liking it. As Jim says, the practices are painful to watch...but you know, they have to start somewhere. I am so glad he is playing and maybe it will spark Joshua into wanting to do something to.

Last weekend we went for a little walk in the woods. Jim, being the nature man was a little frustrated by the typical boy behavior. They were yelping, running, banging sticks on trees. Behavior to surely keep away any wildlife. I think it was fun. Don't tell anyone, but I even peed in the woods.

"What kind of poop do you think it is?"

I took a picture of myself to prove I was there since I'm usually behind the camera.

This is Jim's attempt at picture taking with my new camera.

Jeffrey in search of catching some newts or salamanders, which ever one lives in the water.

Plenty for everyone.

Happy Anniversary

Holy Cow! I have been so unmotivated to get my butt to writing and today I decide to give it a shot. Today marks one year of this blog. I just checked and my very first post was April 17th.

OK, some random happenings.

This weather is more torture on me. You would think that 60-70 degree days would be welcomed and they are...it's the mornings that are a pisser. The kids don't want to wear coats because they know what the temperature will be. Today, anticipating a 70 degree day thanks to Jacob's teacher, he wanted to wear shorts. Joshua insists he will not be wearing them to school (Big brother influence, you know the teenagers that won't wear a coat in the winter but won't wear shorts in the summer...I'm convinced teenagers are just plan old anti-establishment) But anyway, I regress. Point being that in the morning when we leave it is still 33-34 degrees, one degree above freezing I remind them. And...they have to stay outside for a half hour in the morning. So, bottom line...I'm not the popular mom, but I insist on trying to be a good mom. It's not easy making the unpopular decisions but I think I can deal with it. It is of course made tougher when Jim has been wearing shorts to work for at least three weeks.

Jacob broke a window. We have a little octogon window in our stairwell. He as trying to throw a baseball up on the roof to practice catching it on the way down. Missed the roof, hit the window. Bummer! Contact paper does a good job sticking to woodwork just incase anyone has a temporary draft they need to seal up. Not a noise reducer though.

Easter was great. We were nine altogether. I made pork and ham and yummy cheesey potatoes from Letti's blog on the right of my page. You should check out some of her recipes! Emily made a bunny cake. Here are the ones from this year and last, I like them both. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next year. I think she should try her hand at an Easter Egg cake. Consider that your invite Emily! We enjoyed having you.

This Year. Last Year.

I got the car rented, plane tickets and hotel rented for the first night. Boy are things more expensive than I remember. Actually the hotel was pretty cheap considering it was a vacation spot and we are 5 people, less than 40 bucks. The car was the kicker. Those suckers are like $500 a week. I got a deal for like $380, if you consider that a deal. I'm thinking I could start packing. But that wouldn't go along with my procrastinator MO.

Hey I did get my taxes and my Dad's estate taxes done in time. Mailed them on the 15th. With plenty of hours to spare.

I've got to lose weight. Surprise Surprise I know. But, my blood pressure is starting to rise and if I don't get it under control I will have to go off the pill. And since I can't convince my husband to buy a bag of frozen peas and suck it up to get snipped...I've got to get busy. Wish me luck.

Here are a few pictures of the boys (Ages 5-52) after Easter Dinner.

Let's see, where are we....

Crazy month to say the least. I would like to say we are out of the woods and all healthy. That would be mostly true. I have finally cleared everything. Just in time for Jacob to start some boogie nose crap. I can handle that though.


Jacob continues to have a hard time with his transition to the Kindercare in place of his beloved Kellie's. Kellie's son become ill at the same time we were all fighting the flu. He got a bacterial lung infection that they just couldn't control. He was medically fragile due to his multiple disabilities. He succumbed to his illness in late March. The boys enjoyed Drew. They got an experience that very few got. They unknowingly learned the lesson of accepting and interacting with people no matter of their appearance or limitations. When they 'read' picture books to him, they did not see that he could not see. When they put their four wheelers on his lap for him to play with they did not see that he could not. When they drew him pictures, they did so proudly. I see them interacting with classmates with disabilities the same way and it makes my heart smile (and my face too). As a teacher of disabled students, I see the struggle of inclusion in school and in the community. I am proud of them. Now if I can just get Jacob to 'overlook' nondisability traits, like being fat...Overheard when Jacob called a boy the wrong name, "Oh sorry, I have another boy in my class who is fat too"...can I please just cringe under the table.
This is also a very stressful time of the year at work. It is IEP writing time and I am tidying up the year long collection of work samples for Alternative Assessment. All of this combine gave me the last push I needed to plan a last minute trip to Florida. I have been swaying back and forth struggling between not wanting the little boys to miss a Disney experience and entertaining a 16 year old in a little kid world. We are going to compromise and save money. We are going to stay with my grandmother and go to three days of theme parks. We will go to Disney for the boys, Blizzard Beach (a water park) for Jeffrey and Sea World for us all. I am very excited for all of them (with the exception of wearing a bathing suit) but am worried about my camera. I am still having a hard time getting pictures of moving subjects. I never had this problem with my $200 camera. Now that I have upgraded to a Nikon P80 (which I read a lot of great reviews on) I am struggling.So much to do...so little time. That's what they say. It feels even tighter when you are a procrastinator, self-confessed. I have two IEP's to write for Monday and Tuesday and all I can think about it starting another 'project'. I want to take down the disgusting cheap wood cabinets to have Jim add trim to and paint white. Then of course I will need some color in the kitchen...It's called task avoidance folks, in its true sense!!! I'm in trouble.

Maniac Men

I wish pictures came with noise effects. He's got some dirt bike sounds going on.

So cute.

No Fear.

Thank goodness for helmets...and a little skill. Gotta give them their props!

Better Luck Next Year

So unfortunately we didn't have any luck catching the darn leprechaun, so I had to drag my butt out of bed the next day and show up at work. Wait a minute, I actually worked from home the next day. Anyhoo, the pesky leprechaun's made a mess out of Jacob's class at Kindercare. Apparently their mom's never taught them any manners. Joshua wanted to make one too to get into the fun. The little tricksters took his 'gold' bait and left him a 'ha ha' shamrock. He's on too them though, next year he say's "It's on!" So all of those of you who were hoping to share in the loot, there's always next year.

The other day I stuck my fingers in Jacob's mouth as I periodically do to look for loose teeth. Joshua got teeth at 5 months and started loosing them at 4 yrs, 11 months, before he started Kindergarten. Jacob got them at 8 months and still hasn't gotten a loose one, let alone lost one. But when I checked them he has four loose ones, two top and two bottom. Someone is about to go broke and someone else is about to fill up his wallet, and someone else is going to wish he still had teeth to loose. (I'm talking Joshua, not Jim :)

The transition to the Kindercare program is going much better. Just as with Joshua, Monday mornings can be tough, but he is doing great.

Sunny and 55 degrees

You would think I would be happy. The warm weather here really means melting snow. Melting snow mean mud. Mud means dirt on my newly washed floor and an annoyed Daddy from the ruts the boys make in the mud with their bikes. I hate to complain but I feel like sharing my misery. Even now as I type I see the rays of sunshine coming in the door as the sun starts to set, clouded by the specs of dirt the boys are swirling around as they raced past me time and time again.

Today we went to lunch and we saw a grandpa who had taken his grandsons to lunch. Sometimes I wish they did have local grandparents to take them out for a special outing to give them some different surroundings. And sometimes I think I should find some different surroundings. I did go to Emily's birthday party on Friday, but her like 90 year old pepere outlasted me since I felt so crappy and exhausted. On an up note, I think I may be on the way to recovery...

And to only add to my emotional exhaution, we had to make a leprechaun trap today for Jacob's new afterschool program. I enjoy creative projects when I choose them and when I get to do them alone. These projects cause me stress. When Joshua says, "Mom, thanks for not exploding" I think it says it all...

Does anyone want a cut of the gold if Jacob catches the leprechaun?

Do you think a hepafilter would get rid of all this flying dust particles?

Still alive

Sorry I am so boring, I think it is a slight case of seasonal depression and this damn sickness string. I moved from the flu to another 'virus'. I really hate that word. My neck hurts, my ears are ringing and plugged, my throat hurts everytime I swallow and I never feel like I get a full swallow in. I'm tired of it and pretty much am just content to stay in my comfy home. So pretty much we haven't done anything.

I did sign Jacob up for Tball so be looking for those pictures to start in May. I'm glad he wants to do something. Both boys are talented but we just can't convince Joshua yet.

Aside from the sicknesses, we lost our babysitter over vacation. Her son is very sick and has been in the hospital since we left for Tennessee. He is medically fragile anyway so this is devastating for their family. Jacob has started at a daycare center that is actually a full day kindergarten so he is transported by them to finish out the school day and then has free time after. He has been with Kellie since he was 10 weeks old so it has been a difficult transition, which I can understand due to the sudden change. I keep reminding him that each day will get better. I think he basically is having a hard time knowing and being comfortable with the new routines since they have all been established together since Sept. That coupled with the fact that he can't eat/drink at his leisure and that they have a 'small toilet' (that is his latest concern) has him a bit stressed out. Dealing with Joshua's uncertainty for three years has me prepared so I can deal with Jacob, though it isn't any less heartbreaking.