Christmas time is coming....

Not sure if I am ready or not and it's coming way to fast! If you must know I am not all that fond of Christmas or any holidays in general. Not sure why, but somewhere in my teenage years I don't know I just lost the happy, happy, joy, joy of it all and it became a burden. I haven't decided if having kids makes it better or worse...

Anyhoo, the kids had a snow day on Wednesday and this was my opportunity to tidy them up and put them in front of the Christmas tree for a few photos. This is my fav of all three of them, yes Carter is trying to get away, but oh well he is smiling. And yes if you are wondering that is the one and only Christmas tree in our house this year. I LOVE IT!!! Not that I don't sorta enjoy the real trees we have had in the past, it's just this year there is a little monster living here and well I wasn't in the mood to be cleaning up dumped over Christmas tree over and over again all through the month of December. This tree is perfect, it gets knocked over we just stand it back up again no harm done! And Linds and I made it, that is we painted and screwed the bottom on. That's gonna be a cute scrap page.

So this morning I got an email and I wanted to post it here, cuz I liked it and again it brought a few happy tears to my eyes. It's a letter to Santa from a mom -


Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor and sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold.Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.Yours Always,MOM...

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.

November 24-25, 2007 - we went on a mini trip...

Well after all that fun of black Friday I guess I needed to relax a little and would you believe it Jeff had some free time too! We packed up the kids and headed just south to Dubuque, IA. The fact that we were in a different state (even if it was only 50 min away) was a totally cool thing with the kids. We stayed at the Grand Harbor Resort which was next to the Mississippi River Museum, that's where the top two photos are from. The first one's from inside a monster catfish! The museum was pretty cool, we saw lots of catfish and other river creatures, plus learned lots about riverboating. They also had some neat looking stuff outside, but it was a little cold so we may just have to take another trip in the summer.

The hotel had a nice sized water park area (nothing like the dells hotels, but nice), and even though I brought my camera along I didn't take it out to get any wet pictures. I guess sometimes I just need to play too. Took Carter down the waterslides, I think he liked it, Jeff was at the bottom watching and he said Carter was smiling. I also did a little bit of relaxing in the hot tub, that was spectacular!
This last picture is of the fabulous carmel apple treats the hotel was doing Saturday night, fresh apples dipped in warm carmel and then your choice of sweet, salty treats to roll them in. Can it get any better! I just love this picture of Linds, check out the carmel in her teeth, hope the dentist doesn't read this, LOL!!!

Black Friday Fun!!!

So we decided that we wanted to get a Nintendo Wii for Christmas this year, ok that may have been my first mistake... Checked out the internet on Wednesday and the local WM, nobody has 'em. So when browse'in through the adds yesterday morning and finding only one place that even listed the darn things I began to remember stories of how my mother stood in line for a cabbage patch kid one christmas season, because that was all I wanted. Pay back is hell! I got up at 2:00 am today bundled up as best as I could threw a lawn chair and Jeff's sleeping bag in the back of the van, filled my thermos with coffee and made the 45 min trip to American TV to hopefully be one of the first crazy people in line and come home with a Wii. Got there and there were already 40+ people in line. Now what??? I sat around and thought about it (second mistake), then decided what the heck! Got out wrapped the sleeping bag around me (it's only 17 degrees out here) and headed to the end of the line. Now the add said they only have 16 Wii's and I am hopefull that not all 40 people in front of me want one too. Wonderful guy with info about where to go when they open the doors is chatting with people and giving me hope. Get the info with where to go and see I am heading to a green balloon (now I think things are looking up, green is my fav color). But alas at 4:50 I finally enter the store to find out I am number 19 in the line of only 16 Wii's. and at 4:55 I am heading back home with NOTHING. Life is crazy! And this is the best part, found out what time the first guy in line got there, 9:00 PM thursday night! That is TOTALLY INSANE!!!

I do keep reminding myself that Christmas is a month away and I could find one before then, we'll see...

He finally got one!

So Jeff has been having horrible luck hunting this year, winds haven't been right, hasn't had enough time, tresspassers, loggers, anything and everything that could go wrong this year has. But he just kept going and late yesterday afternoon in walks this monster. He was a little bummed that he had to take it with the gun, but it's a nice deer and my freezer was getting empty. For anyone who keeps "score" this buck is an eleven pointer and grosses close to 150+ inches. That's all good!

Congrats to Daddy, we love ya!

Yes I am totally neglecting this blog thing, but sometimes there are other things in life that just need my attention. Right now I am not completely sure what they are, maybe extra sleep...

But anyway thought I would share a couple photos of the boys out in the leaves the other day. Carter isn't really interested in leaves he just enjoys being outside and running around. Kaleb he likes to make tunnels and trails and pretend to hunt in the leaves, like you couldn't have guessed that.

And I got this email this morning and well it brought a tear to my eye and also made me think. I like emails like that and well it is Sunday and we all could use a little "religion" so I thought I would pass this along.

Once upon a time there was this girl who had four boyfriends.She loved the 4th boyfriend the most and adorned him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.
She also loved the 3rd boyfriend very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.
She also loved her 2nd boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.
The girls 1st boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first boyfriend. Although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him.
One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, 'I now have four boyfriends with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.
'Thus, she asked the 4th boyfriend, 'I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?' 'No way!', replied the 4th boyfriend, and he walked away without another word. His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.
The sad girl then asked the 3rd boyfriend, 'I loved you all my life. now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?' 'No, replied the 3rd boyfriend. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to marry someone else! Her heart sank and turned cold.
She then asked the 2nd boyfriend, 'I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?' 'I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!', replied the 2nd boyfriend. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.' His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated.
Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.' The girl looked up, and there was her first boyfriend. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the girl said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!'
In truth, we all have 4 boyfriends in our lives:
Your 4th boyfriend is your body. No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die.
Your 3rd boyfriend is your possessions, status and wealth. When you die, it will all go to others.
Your 2nd boyfriend is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave.
And your 1st boyfriend is your Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world.However, your Soul is the only thing that will follow you where ever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity.
Thought for the day: Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray.

I need to vent... so stop reading if you want to hear all the happy fabulous stuff there just isn't any today!


I feel totally icky today, just down and really I have felt that way for a couple weeks now. I feel like they took all my get up and go out along with my appendix. I am forcing myself though all of my daily tasks and that is it. Otherwise I am hanging out in front of the TV, eating! Great for my diet! I need to get out of this funk, but I just can't figure out how. I am going to a crop this Saturday, it should be fun, but I don't want to go. I am scheduled to teach a scrapping 101 at the crop, something that normally gets me all giddy. I love to teach and share my love of the scrap with people, but even with that I still don't feel like going. Hoping that if I force myself that maybe it will make me feel better, but I just can't even get organized...

And to make matters worse the LSS that I love working, helping and hanging out at is closing in a little more than two weeks! What will I do with myself! When will I get that adult fix? I know I have Tally to keep the scrap fix, but for me the cyber world just isn't the real world that I need.

Then there's Carter... we had our doctor appointments last week, first and the good news, he probably won't need surgery on his belly button until he's 4. And we have a 50/50 chance that it will just go away by then. I am not holding my breath! The asthma/allergy thing did not go so well. He doesn't have any allergies at this point, other than having hyper-sensitve skin, you should have seen the mess of hives from the histamine scratch with the allergy tests. YIKES! But at least I don't have to start freaking out over anything that he eats or touches. Bonus! Asthma side of things, well I thought he was having a wonderful day, you know you finally get in to the doctor and the kids are perfectly heathly and they think you are a worry wart of a mother. That is what I was sure was going to happen, nope! Doc took one very short listen to Carter's lungs and states, yep he sure has Asthma and you are in the right place, we'll be seeing lots of you, but we will get this under control! We went home with precriptions for 5 medicines daily! Let's see we start the morning off with the liquid prednisolone, then for lunch we do singulair, at snack it's dose two of the prednisolone, then with dinner zyrtec, and finally the best we do a neb treatment of pulmicort. The neb treatment is the worst, doctor suggested to do it after he is sleeping, because after all he is a wild 13 month old boy, he does not like to just relax. Alrighty we have tried that, but Carter sleeps on his belly and if you turn him over he wakes up and gets upset that you are trying to hold this mask on his face. So I have resorted to cuddling him until he is asleep and sleeping for at least a half an hour. Now don't get me wrong cudding with my baby is something that I like doing, it's just now I am spending an hour or more of my time that I normally use for reading with K and Linds to snuggle and do medicine. Which of course the medicine is not going so easy. As soon as the neb machine is turned on Carter wakes up and fusses, it's 15 min of fighting and crying until the neb is done. He is getting a little better at it the last couple nights, it just really sucks. And I don't know if or when this will end.

Hmm I feel a little better now, not even gonna re-read for errors before posting, could care less. Gotta get a grocery list together, don't really want to do that either, but there is nothing but Halloween candy in the house to eat, again not good for the diet...

My little stinker...

Halloween here we come!

I need my brown Prada purse... I need FABULOUS!

And I really think this is it! Ok so it's just a knock off, but who cares I love it! Got it at this silly purse party that I went to last night. Purse parties seem to be all the rage around here. I'm not a huge purse gal, but on Sunday I got a surprise gift of $$ from Grandma Mary, thank you so much! I was also told that I needed to spend it on myself, love it! So the purse is what I got!

My hubby made fun of me last night, cuz after I got home I had to run back out to the grocery store and well I of course had to transfer the wallet and stuff into the new purse and when I told him I was running out I had my purse and he just laughed at me saying I was only going because I needed to test my purse out. Maybe he was right a little bit, but I did need soy milk for Carter's breakfast too! LOL!!! Anyway I feel like a queen when I am wearing my new purse!

Think about it...

Today while working at the LSS a man walks in and asks a few questions which I do my best to help answer. Very pleasant guy who is looking for a copy shop, I give him directions to my favorite and as we are saying good byes, he tells me what a fun place the store is and then asks if I am an artist. Hmmm??? I have never really thought of myself as an artist just a silly scrapbooker. So my thought for the day is can I say I am an artist, should I say that, really I don't feel like an artist, but it really made my day that he thought of me that way. And of course calling my pages on the wall beautiful work brought a big smile to my face too. Just a little something to think about...

CONGRATULATIONS KALEB!!

Last night was Kaleb's first "test" in Tae Kwan Do, it was so much fun to watch and take pictures of. The only bad side is the lighting is so bad I'm not really happy with any of the shots. These ones here are ok and I think they will pass for scrapping...

So on with the story, they start with basic punches and kicks all in a group (there were 7 little people testing together) and then they each have to do a move on their own in front of the crowd and the instructors/judges. Boy was I a nervous wreck when it was Kaleb's turn for the by himself portion. He's not the best when you single him out and well he gave it his all and when I asked if he was nervous he said nope he wasn't. Gotta love him! Then they all got to show us how they break boards with a single kick, every single one of the kids broke their board! Really this martial arts stuff is amazing. If I had time I think I might like doing it too. Lastly they have a small ceremony to add the yellow strip to their belts and get their certificates. I was very surprised at all the "pomp and circumstance" they put on for the kids, way more than I expected, but very, very wonderful. All in all the whole think took close to an hour, makes for a crazy night afterward.

Beautiful fall...

I ran to the store early this morning and on my way back the light was just so beautiful across the neighbors yard, I had to grab the camera and try and capture it. I so love fall colors! If I could live my life in green, brown and oranges I would be happy always! I of course am not as happy with the photo as the real life, but it stiff shows the colors. And as my sweet Linds is standing over my shoulder as I type saying where is that from, that's cute! I guess that's all the complements I need. Any of you plant buffs, know what sort of shrub/bush that is????

I have been a little computer absent the last couple weeks, Carter's birthday sort of hit me in a strange way I've been sorta sad, but I know I'll get over it. I think it must mean that my baby days are behind me and well that must mean I'm getting older and I hate getting older.

The other shots are Carter's one year photos, they went well. He is such a wild guy, I would have never guessed he would be this way and I know he will continue to surprise me as he grows.

So the other thing that I must document is the fact that I had my very first surgery. Not that I wanted it! Last Friday I felt icky, painful stomach cramps for 24+ hours. Finally after my husband forced me I went to the ER Saturday morning. After a few tests and a CT scan (5 hrs later), doc is back and yep it's Appendicitis! FABULOUS! Off to surgery I go with an Anesthesiologist who keeps telling me to think of a happy place like the beach, little does he know I hate the beach! I tell him that as I drift off...

All went fine and I am feeling much more like myself today, only tough part was/is that I am suppose to be watching the amount of lifting and carrying that I do. Not so easy with a toddler! Especially with a toddler who is sick too! Yep I guess it's that time of year, Carter's got the nasty cold/allergy/asthma thing going on again. I am not happy! I am so worried that I will spend the next six months trying to help him breathe. I am freaking out enough that I have already scheduled a meeting with our Doc to discuss a plan of attack for this winter. First thing will be to get refferal to a specialist. Wish me luck with that meeting.

Kaleb has is first "test" in Tae Kwan Do on Tuesday, he can move up to a yellow striped belt. I'm excited, I'm going to bring the camera and get some photos to scrap! YIPEE! (really do I need more photos to scrap????)

Linds is wonderful, everytime I look at her I just think how beautiful she is and how fast she is growing up. She told me the other day she was going to be a superstar when she gets big. I asked her if she would be an actress, singer or dancer. She replies, a dancer and maybe singing too. She has the performing bug bad. Right now she is dancing and singing her way through the High School Musical CD for the third time. Don't you just love the "Fabulous" song! I kinda think I like it better than her, and I am so being completely truthful about that.

The Birthday Party was a success...

Can't you just taste that frosting??? Ok any of you real experienced photo takers out there, tell me is there are trick to taking photos inside and not ending up with the horrible shadow??? I love the shot but I could live without the shadow. Do I need to invest in a better flash to get rid of this or is there a magic setting that I am unaware of???

We did have an interesting week, yes my baby is one can't really seem to get over that yet, but I will move on. Kaleb, Linds and I took Carter to McD's on his birthday, there was another little one just a few months older than Carter and boy did he love that. I am thinking that Carter needs more playdates with other one year olds. I was a little worried that he was gonna tackle the other little one, he is an aggressive monster some times. I have heard lots of stories about child number three and well Carter fits like a peg into some stereo types.

Then on Wednesday I had my first "photo shoot" I was the photographer! I conviced my friend to let me take senior pictures of her daughter. I am relatively happy with how they turned out and it seems they are too. We are doing some more tomorrow, she had a different hair style that she wanted to try.

Thursday's excitement came from Kaleb. As you may have read he's doing Tae Kwan Do, he loves it and it is fitting quite well into our schedules. Well on thursday Kaleb broke a board with a kick! I so wish I could have been there to get a picture, but I am guessing he will attempt this another time and I can be there. He was so proud it was just awsome!

We also had teacher conferences and I am feeling better about Kaleb's teacher, she really adores him and is so willing to do whatever it takes to help him succeed. Linds' conference took all of 30 seconds, she just doesn't have any issues and is doing all that she should be doing. The teacher did laugh at one of my comments about my concerns, I had to ask if Linds follows directions in a timely manner (she so does NOT do this at home), I guess she does fabulous at school though.

On to the big party day, yesterday. We had nine adults, seven kids, and two fabulously precious infants (SIL's twins), quite a crowded house. I think this will be the last time I do an individual party. Next year we'll do all three kids sometime in September, when it's still warm enough to be outside. Which is funny because it's been very unseasonalbly warm around here and if we had better lighting we should have been outside... I am not sure that I like 80+ degree weather in October... back to the party, it was crazy but Carter enjoyed all the attention and the cake! And what type of family would we be if another boy in the house did not have his own four-wheeler! Check out the hot new ride Carter got from Grandpa and Grandma Johnston! And no it's not motorized, just incase any of you were starting to worry, all Carter powered.

Then and now... HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARTER!
I can hardly believe that you are a whole year old today, time really goes by too fast. Look how much you have changed, how much you've grown. You are such an independent little guy, I love it and I hate it. I know that if I don't pay attention if I just doze of for a few you'll be a kindergartener then a senior in HS and then a father. How does it all happen... Until then I will just try and enjoy every moment I get with you and with Kaleb and Linds too.

I'm getting kinda lazy about this silly thing lately, oh well!

This past week has been a strange one, I have been feeling off, not really sure why the kids are acting good, the baby is sleeping alright, we are getting to all of our activities on time and with out whinning, so who knows maybe it's just me!

So anyway to try and get myself out of this funk I decided that I would force myself to get on the scale and really work at getting myself where I want to be. I wasn't a little unhappy with the number but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I am now doing the silly Special K diet, and I really feel good! Quite strange because I thought I would feel like I was starving all the time, maybe I am just to darn busy to think about being hungry any more. And I have gotten my share of exercise in lately. Been walking all week and yesterday the kids and I (with Carter in tow) rode our bikes to and from school. This is not the easiest task, it's kinda hilly out here in Dodgeville and the school is at the top on one very large hill. Now I have only gotten back into biking just a couple months ago and it's tough for me to make the hill on my own let alone pulling the baby. We had to walk it, but hey that's gotta be good exercise too right??? Today is another wonderful day and I am looking forward to a walk after nap time again. I am anxiously awaiting the fall colors, for some strange reason all my pictures from the fall last year are of a little baby???? This year I really want to get some good shots of the kids in the leaves.

Speaking of the baby, we are just around the corner from a birthday! I am in the midst of planning a party and well I could make invites, but I can't seem to find the time. I searched for a "photo" card and here's what I found, check out Zazzle they do cards and shirts and calendars and buttons so much cool stuff. I made the cutest invites, when they arrive I will post a picture.

So you'd think now that the kids are off to school I would have a little more time on my hands...

NOT TRUE!

Really I can't explain why I am so busy or rather why I feel so busy, but the days just fly by and before I know it, it will be Christmas and then we will be counting down the days for summer 2008. Everytime life moves too fast I always think of my Grandma Baun (I know most of you have heard this before, but...) and what she wrote in a card a few years back when she turned 80. Time moves faster because when you are 8 one year is only 1/8 of your life, when your 80, one year is 1/80th! Much smaller amount of time! Grandmother's have so much knowledge.

So I made it through the kids first week of school and we are half way through the second, I have settled down a bit and think that everything will work out just fine.

I spent a wonderful couple days this past weekend in Minneapolis, doing the ScrapFest thing. Went with my friend Chris, it's our third time going up together, we have a blast. The drive is a great time to catch up and just gossip. Then the mall is filled with scrap stuff and everything else you can think of. I tried to stick hard to my budget and I think I didn't go to far overboard. Got a very special truck for Kaleb, check out RIDEMAKERZ they are a spin off of Build A Bear, you build your own car or in Kaleb's case a monster truck! The pictures are of me creating Kaleb's special treat!

Linds got a new doll, and Carter got some much needed fall clothes. And well I did break down a buy a few scrap items. But now I am set for long winter days and nights full of scrappin!

Check out the TallyScrapper pin on my bag! Talked a couple peoples ears off about TS and I am hoping that I see there names there soon.

And the best part of the weekend by far had to be meeting in real life, Minda from tally! She is even more fabulous in person and I think we hit it off quite well. She took us out of the mall and to a great LSS. I found some really cute hunting paper (God knows if I will ever get around to scrapping Jeff's stuff, LOL), and the infamous HS playing cards! Miss Katie it is your fault that I had to have these, but it's ok don't feel bad I LOVE THEM! They are a monster sized full deck of cards to alter and scrap with! I can't wait to get playing with them. Then Minda took us to a great "pizza" joint. Real brick oven pizzas with tons of cheese and chunks of tomatoes! This is heaven for me! I had a great time and I can't wait to see Minda again for our Tally Rally at Blooming Escapes in March!

Well it is a beautiful day outside and I want to enjoy it! Off to wake the baby and then out the door for a power walk before picking up the other monsters and taking Linds to dance. So far the running around between school, Tae Kwan Do, and now dance is going good. We shall see how I feel about that when it's 20 below outside in Januaray...

Back to school...

So we made it through our first day back! And I am having all of the wonderful, over-protective mother issues. If only we could have one teacher for all the grades than I wouldn't worry so much. Last year I had the same feelings of worry about who was watching out for my babies and how I wasn't quite sure if I would like them, then I grew to really like them and now I have to start all over again! I keep telling myself it will be ok, but I still worry.

Both Kaleb and Linds seem totally unaffected by my worry, they had a wonderful day full of fun and new excitement. I think they are both looking forward to going back tomorrow. Kaleb can't wait until thursday, he started Tae Kwan Do today and the next lesson is after school thursday. I have not seen him this excited about something since his first experience on a hunt with daddy. I am really glad that he likes it, they say it's really good for self confidence and he needs that. Tomorrow we get our times for Linds dance class and I think she is excited for that too. Not so sure I am as excited for all these extra-curriculars, means lots of extra running for mom, but what's a parent to do... these kids just keep getting bigger and they want to do stuff!

Speaking of doing stuff, Carter is starting to take a few steps on his own, I am positive he will be a fully functional walker by his first birthday, which happens to be in less than a month now! Why, oh why does time have to go by so fast???

Busy, busy days!

So with Jeff gone we have been keeping pretty busy. Saturday we spent the day at Grandpa Bob's and enjoyed a wonderful meal with lots of chit chat with the Baun family. It was fun for Linds and K to meet some far away second cousins. Two cute and wild boys from Pennsilvania. Linds had them playing Polly Pocket with her it was just adorable. I brought my camera, but alas no pictures were taken by me. I think i was just too concerned with Carter not wrecking anything. Grandpa Bob's really isn't baby proof. I really did enjoy catching up with relatives we rarely see, expecially my Grandparents. Then we sort of snuck out early cuz I needed to get our stuff together for my night out! YIPEE! The kids went to JoJo's and had a blast, while I got a little bit of scrappin done and a whole lot of great adult time in.

Sunday we spent the entire afternoon at Nana's, the weather was perfect. The kids had tons of fun outside on the slip/slide. Only one silly downfall, nana had mowed her lawn the day before. It took 30 min in the shower to shampoo and condition and comb out all the grass that had found a home in Linds long hair! Since my scrap stuff was so nicely packed from the night before I drug that along and got a couple more pages together. Perfectly relaxing time was had by all!

Monday we thought about going to the pool, but we had a wonderful crazy thunderstorm from 9:30ish until noon. So off to madison we went for a little scrap shopping (had a gift cert to spend) and just some bumming. We hit the mall and went to Build a Bear for new accessories (gift certs for that too!). Then we picked up a few new school clothes. It was nice to not feel pressured to rush, rush, rush. We took our time and played. That would be one bonus of not having Daddy home.

Speaking of Daddy, Jeff touched base with us Monday. They made it safely to the hunting grounds in Colorado and are having a pretty good time. I guess he missed a very nice Mule deer that was quite a distance away. He didn't sound upset about missing, would have been very lucky if he had hit it. They are seeing lots of Elk, deer and bear. Which is wonderful in itself, they are bowhunting so there is a whole lot more skill involved in actually taking an animal. We are missing him tons, but he will be home before we know it. Kaleb just keeps asking when will he get to go. K is definately a born hunter.

HAPPY, HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

So I got Jeff out of the house yesterday after only a few very stressful moments, I love the sigh of relief when he is finally gone. He's off to Colorado for Mule deer hunting. But then I started thinking, I probably won't get to talk to him for 3 or 4 days! Yikes! I sorta miss him...

But with the hubby gone I get busy scrappin! Love it! I am so excited I am going to scrapmania tomorrow. Meeting up with Shannon so it should be a blast. It's kinda crazy cuz I am pretty much organized for the crop and I am so a last minute girl, that's probably why I am still up and doing this silly blog I feel like I should be getting something ready. Oh well! Sending the kids to Aunt JoJo's for the night, yes all three of them. K and Linds are way excited about spending the night with their cousins, it's something they rarely do. I of course will be worried about Carter, but with him being number 3, I will just worry and keep it to myself, no calling and checking in. Heck I won't have time for that with all the scrappin and gossipin I'll be doing.

And it's still raining...

So on Friday night the pool was empty, here's what it looks like this morning, YIKES! I am certainly glad that we don't live down in a valley or we could have been dealing with a very wet basement.

I wish I could say that I have been scrappin up a storm in this perfect scrappin weather, but somehow the kids have not let me get to my pages. I did however have a very sleepless night Friday and round about 3 am I finished two pages for a photo swap I am in on TallyScrapper. I like how they turned out, now one last picture to do and I will be sending them back to my friend, hoping that she enjoys them. Maybe I will get that done today...

So yesterday I was supposed to go to my high school reunion, but it was a picnic and well not really what I wanted to do with all this rain. I skipped it. Today I am feeling a little low about not going, but what can I do but wait 5 yrs and try again.

Jeff, Kaleb and Linds went to the races on Friday night, Kaleb was too funny, Friday afternoon I asked him if he was excited to go and he replies, " I get to see Bud, mom!" He thought he was going to a Nascar race! Too cute! Nascar would be the only type of car racing that Kaleb had ever really seen and he just assumed when Daddy asked if he wanted to go to the races it was Nascar. It was sorta sad telling him he wouldn't be seeing Bud (that would be Dale Ernhart Jr., just incase any of you are not up on racing, not that I really am either). I stayed home with Carter, car races are so NOT my thing! Sometimes that baby comes in real handy... But anyway, K and Linds had a great time with Daddy and they both loved the races.

Today if I could have it my way I would be heading to the outlet mall in the Dells and doing some shopping. I have a serious shopping bug and well it has been six months since I've had a day to play. But alas with three kids in tow I will be staying in. I really should try and clean out my office and get some scrap stuff organized...

Alright, blogger is not liking me today, couldn't seem to get my pictures to post through picasa so I'm trying something different we shall see...

So the pictures are from this past weekend, we had a wonderful campfire at Grandpa's! The kids had such a great time running around in the dark. Jeff was giving them little challenges and the winner would get a dollar. By the end the challenges were getting quite silly. We of course did smores, gotta love those! Other than that excitement we have mostly been hanging out at the pool when it's not raining. Boy I am glad that we did finally get some rain, my lawn was turning an awful shade of brown. Now it is back to the beautiful lush green that I love. Only issue now is when it's not raining the humidity is almost unbearable, we are either at the pool on chilling in the AC. Feel like I haven't been able to take a walk or ride the bike in forever. I just don't seem to have the strength to brave the heat. But I am thinking that todays rain is coming from the north along with some cool breezes, sounds like the weather for the next few days will be perfect for walks and rides.

We went school shopping on Monday, checked out the new Super Target in Madison. I have decided that I do NOT like super stores. To really see the whole store I think I would have needed the whole day and without any children. I just don't have that much time anymore... We did get 99% of the things we need, now the count down begins only 20 more days until school starts. I am excited to have a little more quiet time around here, but with each start of the school year I feel sad because my babies are just growing up to fast and I just don't have enough time to do all that I wish we could do.

Speaking of time moving by to fast, this Saturday is my High School Reunion! Yikes 15 years! We are doing a family picnic and it should be a good time. Then next month is Jeff's Reunion, 20 years for him! He sure is getting old! Really you should always marry someone older than you so you can always feel young.

A little bit of fun from the last few days...

So I feel like I must have photos to go along with an update, so that's why I haven't made any notes on this thing in over a week. I really like to blog, so I should get over this photo thing.

Anyway, we have been keeping busy. Last week was a strange one, we were here and there and everywhere it what seemed to be a very short time span. Jeff and I had a little couples get-a-way Sunday night, we had a wonderful dinner just the two of us and then a night alone at the Don Q Inn, Jeff's dad had won a free nights stay and he graciously let us use it! Had a wonderful time relaxing in the hot tub and not having to tend to anyone's needs. Every mom needs that once in awhile!

Monday and Tuesday we ran around doing this and that getting ready for Jeff to head out to Indiana for the IBO World Championships. Jeff left on Wednesday while the kids and I headed in to Madison for some play time with Julie and her girls. We had a great day, love being able to get together with Julie, she gave me all the scoop from CHA (big scrappin tradeshow). Jeff had a good time at the archery thang, he finally had a great year. He took second place out of thousands of shooters, I am so proud of him!

We also had a little camping time in the backyard, got a new tent from Nana a couple years ago and it hadn't even been out of the box. I decided that I could put that thing up myself and I did! Good for me! LOL! K and Linds slept out there four nights. They were really upset to see it come down, but I was starting to worry about my lawn. If we can get rid of this hot humid weather we may put it up again before summer ends.

Carter had his first bubble bath! He is so hilarious, whenever he is in the water be it the pool or the tub he wants to stick his face in the water and drink it. With the bubbles he had the wonderful bubble beard, too cute.

I do think the weather is getting to all of us, poor Jeff it's gotta be so hard to run all day in this heat. Last night everyone was a bit out of sorts and I put Kaleb to work feeding Carter. Already have the scrap page in my head, Big Brother, Big Helper. Now to find some time to get it done.