Merry Christmas 2008

Snow Days

Today is day 2 of no school. The MPS decided to cancel school today, last night. WHAT?? WHY??? There is barely any snow on the ground and as of right now there is no precipitation falling from the sky. Poor McKinley missed her Christmas party/last day before break due to school being cancelled. Tomorrow is Reagan's last day and it looks like it may be cancelled as well. Sigh. These poor kids...they actually hate staying home when they know they should be at school. huh??? I'm sure in a few years this will change but for now I'll put up with these 'tantrums' and perhaps pullout the video camera to playback to them after a few years...I'm sure we'll all have a good laugh.

On other fronts, not much is new. We got home this past weekend from doing Christmas with my family at the Key Lime Cove waterpark/hotel in Gurnee IL. Fun fun fun!! It was there perfect way to spend time together. All the kids had a ball as did the adults. What a great waterpark. I would totally suggest it especially to people with younger kids. After the waterpark we spent a few days in Racine and then went to visit Neal and his family outside of Chicago. It was so nice to spend the day with them. Our kids played so well. I wish we lived closer. They are great people!

Erich is still looking for employment. He will have is third interview, on Monday, with a large retailer. A retailer, that I LOOOOOVVVVEEEE. Perhaps my FAVORITE retailer of all time. I don't want to jinx it and give the name but I will say that it's a store that's full of 'bullseyes' in the color of Santa's suit!! I'm hoping this pans out well but unfortunately we'd probably have to move...again. This makes me sad. I love it here but what can ya do?

I think I'll take advantage of the day and take the kids out to buy Erich's Christmas gift. Yeah, nothing like waiting until the last minute. I got my present early this year from Erich...a TOMTOM. I love it. But now i have to find him a cool gift too...ugh. Where do you go when you only have a Walmart and Biglots in your town???? Yeah, and WHY don't I want to move??

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

McKinley Turns 4 Yrs Old

The makings of Kinley's 4 yr old party:

*Fancy Nancy Plates

*Princess Birthday Cake

*Visit from Mimi and Papa AND Lydia

*16 birthday guests

*Renting the local gymnastics center and instuctors

*Lots of gift bags

*ONE VERY HAPPY FOUR YEAR OLD SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO LOVE HER

BAD WEEK

Erich lost his job with Home Depot. Prayers and job leads appreciated. 'Nuff said.

Finally Pix

Been a long time, been a long time, been a long time....

I just realized that I sit here and read everyone else's blog nearly every night but I can never seem to find the time to update mine. Or at least update mine with anything interesting. So here's what's been happening.

Reagan and McKinley have been very busy with school and sports. The first and third Monday of the month we have MOPS. Every Tuesday and Thursday night we have swim lessons. Every Sat morning we have a soccer game. (but that has ended as of this past Sat) Now, beginning, November 1st Reagan and McKinley will be playing tiny weenie basketball on Sat mornings. Yes can you imagine one of MY kids playing basketball...this should be a hoot!!! So between all of this and homework and attending two halloween parties this past weekend AND spending two weekends out of the last 4 weekends in Wisconsin with my parents, things have been CRAZY to say the least. Honestly, though, I sometimes prefer the hectic schedule...i like to keep myself and the kids busy.

Hmmmm..what else. My three legged dog is doing fantastic. The kids are finally unafraid of his 'stump' and we all laugh when we ask him to 'shake' and he tries to shake with this little 'stump'. actually it's kind of sad.

Fall has finally arrived here in IL this week. Its so nice to see the leaves change and get to wear jeans and long sleeves. The biggest issue I'm having is how to get Mckinley out of Crocs. The girl doesn't care how cold it is she still wants to wear them....with no socks, nontheless. What can ya do...the girl lives for comfort.

I'm almost finished Christmas shopping for the girls. I know...crazy but we've decided to cut way back this year therefore shopping was a breeze since I already knew what I wanted to get them and have been watching sales. Now, i just have to shop for everyone else but i have plenty of time for that.

Erich got a Playstation 3 for this birthday this month. Let's just say he hasnt been sleeping much or watching tv. I usually find him sound asleep on the couch with a remote in his hand. Sigh.

As for me...nada mucho is goin on. I'm looking forward to a trip to St Louis next week with a friend of mine, Nikki. We decided to take a day and go shopping for ourselves...should be alot of fun. (i've never been to st louis) busy busy busy being a minivan soccer, swim, basketball, ymca, school and scrapbooking momma.

i'll try to get some photos up this week.
but don't hold your breath.

Auggie pix

the pix of him laying down is him the first night we brought him home..last friday. the pix of him standing is tonight. he is healing amazingly. i don't think he knows the leg is completely gone...i mean COMPLETeLY gone.

Drama Queens

Today i have two HUGE drama queens in my house and surprisingly Erich is NOT one of them this time. Reagan had dry skin on the bottom of her foot this morning and peeled a little off...omg...she fell into this tirade of tears: "Mommy I can't walk, i can't play soccer today, my toe is falling off, get me crutches, my feet are falling apart" and i could go on and on. She cried all they way to the soccer fields but low and behold, when we arrived she was 'miraculously' cured and ran to score four goals. Then tonight in the bathtub kinley accidently scratched reagan's knee and there was almost blood. Well you'd have thought mckinley took a razor to her knees and removed all the skin. So now we had to get out the waterproof bandaids (WALL*e) and fix reagan up. Next thing I know mckinley is trying to scratch herself so she can get a bandaid. I get them both out, bandaged up and now neither one of them can walk. Their legs are broken, they need to be carried, etc. etc. Mind you these 'scratches' if you can call them that, are about 1/8th of a centimeter. I am so happy this day is almost over. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Wait, no it won't, Erich is HOME from work tomorrow so I'm sure some more drama is in the works. I shouldn't wonder where the girls get it from. Gotta love em!!!

i'm sick..we are all sick

i have been sick all week. today reagan threw up at school and is still throwing up. mckinley is hacking and erich is just grumpy and feels 'off'. to top it all off auggie has an additional new fracture in his leg...they had to resplint him and he MUST be crated for the next eight weeks or they will have to amputate his leg. poor guy. nobody in this house can catch a break today...well except auggie and his poor leg. just needed to vent a bit.

Day Two

WATER AEROBICS 845-930AM
WATER VOLLEYBALL WITH THE ELDERLY 930-1000AM
OPEN SWIM WITH KIDS 645-830PM

Day one:
WATER AEROBICS 845-930AM
WATER VOLLEYBALL WITH ELDERLY 930-1000
TREADMILL 530-645

I AM BOUND AND DETERMINED TO LOSE THIS WEIGHT...EITHER THAT OR TURN INTO A FISH.

McKinley's First Day of 4 yr old Preschool

She's just growing up so dang fast!!!

A Saint of a Surrogate MiMi

This past weekend we were invited to Terra Haute with my good friend and her 3 kids. Her kids are 2, 6, and 17. (and the 17 year old's boyfriend) The kids and I jumped on the chance to get out of Mattoon for a few days) So we all loaded up in her Durango without an inch to spare(imagine carseats, pillows, sleeping bags, suitcases, toys, purses, ipods etc) and headed to Amy's mom's house in T.H. Her mom is a dear lady with so much patience to put up with us all. We were crammed into her home and took up about ever spare inch. The kids were exceptionally rowdy but thankfully she has a fenced in backyard to they spent alot of time outside. We learned, quickly, the first night that Mckinley is deathly afraid of bonfires. Poor girl...scared the poop right out of her. My kids call Amy's mom MiMi Mary since we tend to see Mary more than their own MiMi...Mary seems to love my kids so it's nice to have a 'fill-in' for the real MiMi. Anyways Mary spent alot of her time cooking for the extended family she had staying with her and was such a gracious host. We really had a great time.

Old Friend Vent

I have an old friend who still drives me crazy. We are no longer in touch but I keep up running into her on various web/chat boards as well as I occasionally scan her blog. She thinks she can do no wrong, nor can her 'precious, perfect' children. It drives me bonkers. Her kids are annoying (as I know and readily admit mine can be) and nobody has the balls to tell her because she'll only make it into an argument that you can't win. It doesn't matter how well my kids are doing, her's are always a step ahead of them...socially, academically, physically etc. I haven't spoken to her in quite some time but alot of people who know her still contact me...they all think she's a pain in the ass. Why did it take me so long to see it...even my family told me they thought she was an overbearing, needy friend. I guess I always look for the best in people. I felt sorry for this person initially because nobody could stand her...look where it got me...nowhere. I just had to vent because she's on my mind lately. this post is more for my mental wellbeing than anything else. So if you read this and run into my dear old friend, please don't tell her I said hi.

Ps she's so self absorbed that she'll know this post is about her if she reads it!!!

Our Dog

Yesterday our dog, Auggie, got hit by a car. No, he wasn't supposed to be running the neighborhood but he accidently got out. I was chasing him around the neighborhood and just when it seemed like he was ready to give up and run across the street to our house, BOOM, he ran into a moving car. He hit the hubcap/tire of a speeding SUV and was tossed right back under it only to come back out the same side. I was right there watching helplessly. The SUV did not stop but the vehicle behind it did. When Auggie got up he hobbled across the street, into our house and straight to his crate. He was walking on 3 paws. I called the emergency vet as I figured his leg was broken and his eye was bleeding very badly but I was much more worried about any internal injuries. Seems he did break his leg in two places and may actually lose that leg but that seems to be the worst of it. His eye suffered some trauma as did his lung but eveything should be ok. He's still at the hospital until Monday when we can bring him home. Poor baby. He will be have to be crated for a while to let the leg heal. The vet called this morning to tell me that he was up and walking on 3 paws and eat a big meal so that's great news. hopefully he will heal quick and he doesn't lose his leg to infection.

i swear, if it's not one thing it's another these days. sheesh!

Changes

Now that Reagan is in kindergarten, and of course getting loads of extra attention, McKinley decided that she wanted to move into her own room. Unbegrudgingly I gave up my scrap room for Kinley to have her own space. Nope, she didn't need Reagan to sleep with her because, after all SHE is a big girl too. So we busted our tail last night and got her room all ready. She went right to sleep...we couldn't believe it. First words out of her mouth this morning, 'mom, I really want sissy to sleep with me tonight in my new room.' So now they both have their own rooms but are sharing Kinley's. The did, however, inform me tonight that tomorrow night they would be back in Reagan's room and then switching every night. Hey at least they aren't fighting about it. (that makes one argument that they've given up)

Reagan is doing well at school. She loves going. Sounds like she's made some new friends and is learning already. Geesh, she's already had homework and is expect to know how to read all of her color word (10 of them) by the end of the second week of school. But for now she seems even excited about that. Oh, and buying hotlunch is THE most exciting thing that has ever happened to the girl!!! She loves it!!! At 1.60/day I figure it's even cheaper than packing a lunch and I don't have to deal with the leftovers she brings home.

So, so far so good. We'll see what changes come about when Kinley starts school in 2 weeks.

First Day of Kindergarten

Reagan's first day of school went well. She woke up extra early, picked out her outfit and even accessorized with jewlery. (ya know, a girl gotta look good on her first day of school) Her school had a 'BOO HOO' breakfast for all the kindergarten mommies and younger siblings. Surprisingly I did not cry...I was just so proud of her. She walked in like she owned the place. Her first day was 2 hours and her second day was about 4 hours. Tomorrow she goes for her first full day. Her school is outstanding and I am so impressed with the staff, security ect. I think things are going to go well.

Sum Summertime Shots