The hardest NO!!!!!

Today we took the kids to a park near our house. While we were playing a lady came out to the area with her kids and 2 Chihuahuas. 1 the mom the other a 4 month old puppy. I pointed at the dogs to Liam and the Liam ran to the fence, the lady came closer and said do you want to pet it. Of course we do so Liam holds it and pets it and Rori came running over and held it and I cooed at it, and the lady tells me it is a pure bred and that she is giving it away for free do we want it? Are you serious?? She tells me the brothers and sisters all sold but her landlord was making her get rid of it or they were going to be kicked out and it hadn't sold so she came to the park to try to find someone to give it to. Oh my gosh my heart panged, this puppy was so cute and tiny. There isn't much we needed to get it started heck she could sleep in my big hat she was so small, I was so seriously tempted. But said NO. I said we can't really afford it, she said she doesn't eat much (which is true) but then we would have to spay her and what if anything happened to it like the kids squishing it and we had to take it to the Vet, plus we are in a rental and these dogs are notorious detractors. So as cute as she was I had to hand her back and sigh heavily. When we have our own house and the kids know better than to pick it up by the neck like Liam almost did, we will have our dog. (I still have my heart set on a mini rat terrier) of course Lance wants a big dog to through sticks with so our house will probably have one of those funny mixes of a big dog and a tiny one. Can you imagine having to say NO to that face????

Happy Birthday to my baby!

I can't believe it was a year ago that I was at the end of my labor and Pierce would make his appearance in this world in less than a half hour. He has been such a joy, such a sweetheart, such a blessing, I can't believe we were done with 1 boy 1 girl. He melts my heart everyday. I so love him. I remember after I had Rori I didn't know how a mom could love more than one child it just didn't seem possible. But then you have your children and you realize there is a reserved spot in your heart that is just for them and it fits just right. No child is loved more or less. I am grateful to be a mom, especially to my babies! Happy Birthday my baby boy!

a week in my life through photos.

I love the photo groups I belong to, they challenge me to think outside the box and sometimes take photos of things I normally wouldn't. This was a challenge to show 7 days of you.

my little princess is growing up!!

I swear you blink once and they aren't a baby anymore, you blink twice and they are morphing from toddler to child. I took these photos of Rori yesterday as I needed a twirling photo and when I looked at them I couldn't believe how grown up she looked. My baby girl is a little girl. She has made it a week overnight without diapers or pullups. My biggest stress in life was potty training so I am glad to be past one for the most part, it will be interesting to see how the boys are. Anyway here is my little princess!

nice weather for playing outside

The kids spent part of the day outside as less than 100 degree days have arrived and when you add some shade to that you get mid 80's. Pierce had his first exploration of the yard and kept wanting to eat dirt and rocks. Liam my boy always goes for the rocks to throw. :( Rori kept playing on the slide up and down and up and down. This is a slide we got from our neighbors who were going to trash it. We took the broken swing off and the kids have had a hayday with it. I love watching the kids play and explore. Pierce seems to always find a spoon to have in hand. Liam is at the phase that Rori was a year ago where it is hard to get him to take a picture, Rori is my picture queen but she knows she can work for a treat so she holds out sometimes!! The one pic she was hamming it up for me and right as I was going to take the picture Liam threw the volleyball on her head. Tears spilled!!

HAppy Birthday Sweetie P (Sept 26)

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

night photography

I am in love with taking photos in the dark, there is a magic about it and the more I learn and can get it the more I love it. I also love creating light trails and the magic of creative blur. We went to go to a balloon glow last night and I was so sad that it was canceled do to wind. They still lit the flames (though not as beautiful) and there was a carnival and fireworks. My friend Christy met us there.

Her son Ryan is almost a year older than Rori, and they are so cute together. They totally love each other. The photo of the two of them is when Rori was crying because she wanted to go on more rides and we told her there were no more tickets, Ryan hugged her and said it's ok. These are a few of my favorite shots that I took last night.

Help Lance's Art Room!

http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/adoption/sponsor_landing.aspx?Private=0&inter=0

Click on the map
Then teacher name Lance
school Mabel Hoggard
state Nevada
zip code 89106

It is a tax deductable write off and you will help him get funds for things he desperatly needs like paper!

How Can People.... and Trying not to be jealous.

Today one of the themes in Cafemom was "How much are you spending on your children for Christmas?"

I read through the responses which varied from some 50 per child to the one who posted it who said 500 per child to this post

"3 children. Their part of the Christmas budget ranges between 5 and 7 thousand dollars usually. So on the low end, around 1800 per child."

I try really hard to keep my comments to myself as to not bash someone for their mentality, so I am going to make my comments here. I am floored by this response. First of all what kid needs 1800 worth of stuff for one holiday? That is as much as I've probley spent on all three on my children for their whole time on earth combined (and they still have a lot of stuff) We are not going to be able to have Christmas at all this year, maybe a dollar store thing or 2 and whatever the grandparents send to the kids. My mom generally sends a gift card or money so we will go get some gifts with that. Is it wrong for me to think even if you completely had this kind of money to just blow on your child that they would need that much stuff? Is it wrong in the same sense to be a tad jealous that someone can spend that kind of money? I would be teaching my children about giving and taking that kind of money and helping the many many families who will have no Christmas this year and will not go and put themselves on angel trees and the likes. Hopefully by the time my kids are old enough to know it is Christmas morning, we will not be in this position anymore. I am tired of struggling. I am tired of falling short. This response made tears come to my eyes. It seems like the U.S. is turning more and more into the old Feudalism system. We middle class are sinking lower and lower and each time a system changes it is hurting the middle more. Like the airlines, the hike the fares and then add baggage fees, but no bag fees for 1st class and business class who are the people who can afford to pay the fees. We being a family far away from our loved ones with Lance's parents being the farthest away will cost us over 2,000 dollars to go visit be it 2-3 days on the road to get there with gas and lodging or a three hour plane ride that will cost as much as an airline ticket to check in all the baggage you need with three children three and under. 3 carseats, cribs,strollers plus clothes. Lance is working as a school teacher who are paid so lousy that it can't sustain our family, his student loans are in forbearance as we can't afford to pay them but are still collecting interest. He works a 2nd job and we still can't make ends meet. We have a couple of old credit card bills that we pay but do not have any credit cards we currently use. We have 2 cars but only one car payment. How do we and others like us scrape by? Ok I went off on a tangent but I am so mad about that 1800 per kid for Christmas. AUGH!!! I acctually think some of these moms have great joy in rubbing how much money they have to spend on their kids in these posts. It is making me sick to my stomach!

My favorite capture of the week

I absolutly love this photo I took of Rori, with her dirty knees and shoes on the wrong feet.

Cheese, angels and other happy thoughts

Yesterday, I was taking photos as usual and was shocked when I pointed the camera at Pierce and he said clear as day CHEESE!!! The above picture is the result. I did it a 2nd time and got the same response. My baby is growing up, I can't believe he will be 1 in 10 more days. It just went by way to fast. I said when he was just days old I felt he was destined for great things and it grow more with each day. He is very smart and very detailed I think for being not yet one. He says mama, daddy, yeah, wow, whoa, knock knock and now cheese. Liam is dropping new words everyday. It amazes me. Today he said daddy skoo? in question of is daddy at school. Rori spent her first full night in big girl panties with no accident. I am sure we aren't out of the clear yet but HOORAY for a first night! She says the funniest things. The other day we were at Lances classroom and she said she had to go potty. I said just wait a few minutes till daddy comes back. A few minutes passed and she started skipping around the room saying "the poo poo is coming out of my butt and I can't squeeze it! " Oh my goodness I almost died laughing. Yesterday she was singing in the shower as I was getting Liam dressed, when I came to get her out she said "I am not done singing with my friend spiderman" (she had the spiderman loofah) I know I have bad days but I am blessed by happy times and days most! I am also very blessed by Angels watching over me all the time. Whenever I think we aren't going to make it we do, and I am very grateful for a good friend for filling a need. I am very bad at asking for help. I like to help others, but I forget about me a lot. I am not going to go into details, I am just very very grateful! I am also grateful for my sister Tammy's help with my book. I had set aside for a few months and came back to it and know I needed to jazz it up and she helped me open my mind again! THANK YOU! :) Pierce is still not fond of the tub, I have to get him in and out. It's funny he loved the pool this summer but does not like the tub!

The kids got into the oatmeal the other day. How do moms get through the day without being allowed to ever leave the room. I went down to start a load of laundry and as quick as that Liam got into the pantry and dumped the oatmeal on the kitchen floor, all three of them were having a ball when I came back up!

More chipped teeth

My kids are destined for chipped teeth I guess. Rori had her accident a year ago with the bed post and today Liam decided to crash the tricycle on the kitchen floor and chipped both his front teeth. :( I am part way freaking out right now. I don't know if I am ready for accident prone boys. I am so sad his cute little teeth look like this now!! :( AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Oh now I find out we dont have dental insurance on him. Last year at this time he was just getting teeth :O Open enrollment is in November!!

I am not a morning person!!!

I have great hopes with the days getting shorter and the light coming later that my kids will see this as an opportunity to sleep in. I am not good at these 6:40 am awakenings. Liam climbed out of the crib and was banging the closet door open and closed to wake up Rori and Pierce and then everyone wanted up. Now nobody wants to take a nap! I haven't been a morning person since I hit puberty in about the 6th grade. I wish I could have the little girl in me back. The one that in 5th grade woke up at 5 something to to the 20 minute workout on TV. I've tried several times to readjust my body clock to make mornings a happy time but they just aren't. I do my best baking after 10pm. My favorite time (pre children) to go the gym was past 7pm. My ideal bedtime would be about midnight with a wake up time of 10am. Rori is more of a night girl but she wakes up early because of her brothers. The difference is her brothers are ready for bed by 730pm. She is not. We have 2 more years until she starts school and then she is going to have to start readjusting. I wonder what is in a body clock, what makes us morning and night people. I have a theory it has to do with the time you were born but I haven't researched it enough. I was born just after 9 pm. NIGHT PERSON. Rori was born at 2:20 am. NIGHT PERSON. The boys were born in the afternoon though, wouldn't this make them night people or is it that the sun was still out so that makes them DAY people? All I know is it is 11:30 am and I am ready for a nap but can't take one because nobody wants to take a nap they want to get into things whenever I walk out of a room for a moment. Just like now I here my books being thrown from the bookshelf so my blog for now is done!!

Family Life

Liam has learned to escape from his crib, three days after I was happily telling friends that my kids don't climb out of cribs, so we are on our way to a 2nd toddler bed. Yesterday at nap time was a trial, I tried for three hours to get him to lay down even in Rori's bed but a few minutes later I would here him happily banging the closet doors open and closed, so I finally let him out to eat lunch and he fell asleep in the middle of eating GO FIGURE!! He is certainly a headstrong boy. He likes to climb and finally jump and he likes to figure how things work! He absolutly loves to pull my books off the bookshelf, which he knows makes me angry and he laughs while I say NO! He even puts his hand out for a smack or bows his head for a thumper, or runs himself to a 2 second time out and laughs. This is not happy time for mommy!! Add this to Rori who at 3 1/2 has discovered she can open fridge doors and can use a stool to get to things up high. She likes to make bubbles with the handsoap in the bathroom and the other night she and Liam decided to chuck the babyfood jars out of the grocery bag onto the tile in the kithen shattering them as I had gone downstairs to get PJ's from the laundry. I came running up the stairs (in fear) as all three were in the middle of glass Pierce crawling through the middle of it and scooped him from the floor and grabbed the other two to our room to clean up, then Liam started playing in the toilet and got water all over and I was at my wits end. I made them both sit on the sofa where I could see them while I cleaned the glass and Rori announces "We like being in trouble, It's fun! " OHHHHHHHHHH!!!! This on a day I thought I wanted a 4th child!! HAHAHAHAH!

Then there is my baby who turns 1 in 3 weeks. I keep thinking he shouldn't be doing the things he is doing but he should be because he is not a tiny baby anymore. He is scooting around furniture and trying so hard to be with his sister and brother. I can't believe I juggle things so much sometimes. I am a stay at home mom and time flies everyday and I can't believe how fast the time goes. I sure love these little ones even at my wits end.

The sad State of our schools (copied from my cafemom journal)

I really scared for the future of our schools, every year it is getting worse. My husband is starting his third year teaching. This year he moved to a magnet school as the middle school he was teaching at dropped Art completely. (Art Music and PE are the first to get cut completely) This school is a wonderful math and science school with a great staff and lower student/teacher ratios compared to the regular schools in the district. The students test scores reflect this. However at the 1st staff meeting all the teachers were told what they currently had in their classrooms is all they have for the whole year. The remaining budget will only fund TP for the bathrooms and cleaning supplies. My husband hasn't even made an order at all so what he has in his closet is what he has to last him 442 students for the entire school year. My mouth dropped when I heard this as the closet seemingly looks full but will be depleted quickly. We can't afford to buy more than we do for the school and the school is embarrassed to ask the parents for any donations. When they do fundraisers from talking to other teachers they don't make near the money they need to make, as people still bid low on silent auctions instead of pushing the limits. If the states and federal government can't afford to educate our children our future demise is certain. Other countries are far exceeding us already. Why do we cut education dollars first? Why are teachers paid just above poverty wages when they start out? It takes 20 years to make a decent living and by then all the student loans and children you have are gone and near grown. There are so many things we spend money on that we could put back into education. If every entertainer and sporting event would donate even 1 dollar of every ticket sale better yet a portion of the the multi bajillions they don't even need to schools. If we saved every boxtop for education and Campbell's soup label group of items, and if more products would jump onto this and participate. Thousands of dollars are going in the garbage every year. Even if we could charge a tuition at the public schools. In this school instance if each student had a 20 dollar tuition (which isn't much 5 dollars a quarter.) That would bring in 8840.00 to the school. We can't rely on taxes and government spending to give our children the education they deserve. I don't really want to have to home school my kids but if it gets any worse I certainly will. Please if you read this, give your schools what you can, they aren't going to turn it down, even if you just want to bring in a bag of supplies or copy paper. Cut your box tops and encourage your school to participate sign up on the boxtops site and buy more online through the participating vendors that give money back to your schools. Thank your teachers. Everyone wants to know what to get teachers give them gift cards to walmart or office depot where they can buy things that they already do for your kids classrooms.(don't forget the Art, Music,PE and specialty teachers.) Support stores such as target or I know Vons here in Vegas right now is giving proceeds of items spent to the school of your choice. These things add up. The budget for next year at my husbands school is even less than this year and they are not going to be able to replace the complete depletion of the supplies. Make this post popular so all the moms can read! Spread the word and help your PTA/PTSA's!
originally posted aug 25,2008