Got Slime?

I think he was trying to tell us he is feeling better...but I don't think he was feeling the effects of something bad served at Easter dinner. He's GOT no slime, but is looking like he is feeling ill. This photo was found on my camera, shortly after Easter. Glad they have more class then some.

Phlog

Our Trip to "All Fired Up". We get to pick up our pieces tomorrow, I am so excited to see how they look.

We cleaned out the fish tank and moved it last Sunday. This is Stanley the cat fish and Kirby the algae eater. John could tell you just how big they are, all I know is you cannot catch them with the net. For one we do not have one big enough and two they have spikes along their fins and they get tangled up in the mesh.John doesn't mind taking the tank all apart because he gets to catch fish the manly way with his bare hands. This is Kirby, I would have got a shot of Stanley (the cat fish) but John dropped him on the floor when he growled.

We try not to do this project with kids around,

they tend to get into the job a little to much.

I worked this week, I think I only worked two days but I feel like it was the whole week. I am NOT use to boys, let alone boys with MAJOR behavior problems. I scheduled myself on Tuesday and got asked to come back for the rest of the week. I had scheduling conflicts on Wednesday, so could not work, instead I spent the Valentines Day at the roller rink.

(this is not one of my kids, Bird would not allow me to take her picture)

For Valentines I got a hand made heart Valentine from Rose, a purple feather rose from Byrd (that she bought at the roller rink), and very sweet email, card that was created by my Valentine. That Evening we put the kids to bed, I was ready to put my fat pants on, when I was told to grab my hat and gloves.

(Notice the stocking hat, that I would have never ever would be caught dead in before this last October when the temperatures stayed blow -10 F for weeks)

After a glass of wine at the Brew House, we spent the evening with Bob and Barney, riding around down town Anchorage.

The air was fresh it was nice to be down by the water and feel that sea breeze. I have never seen down town like that, we weren't racing around trying to beat the lights, just the slow steady pace of the horses hooves and the jingling of the bells. It was a little scary trying to cross L Street uphill headed east, stopped at a stop sign trying to get through traffic of people that were celebrating Valentines day down town at the bars. I couldn't have asked for a better evening, he even got bonus points for pre-planning and actually making a reservation.

Oh where has my little baby gone??

It has now been thirteen years…. I could spend hours telling you about the day. About how I went to see my midwife, the morning of the 12^th, she did a pelvic exam, saw one bacteria culture in her swab, and prescribed me vaginal medication. How I spent the rest of the day running errands and doing laundry at the Washboard, how I hauled six loads of laundry and the groceries up to our second floor apartment, how I ate so much food while playing with our first new television and Nintendo we just got for Christmas, feeling a little gassy, I used my medicine and went to bed only to be awoken in the next hour thinking I needed to go see the doctor and get an enema…but when I showed to the hospital I was really having a baby, ten weeks early. How I wondered how my midwife did not notice this 12 hours earlier when I saw her. How the Doctors held off a very scary labor for three hours waiting for the neonatal team to arrive from Anchorage, knowing our family was waiting in the hall wondering what was happening, me just thinking “get this done with”, how the Anchorage team arrived and I was so relived to finally push. To hear her fist cry…watching my two and a half pound baby leave me to fly to a bigger hospital, the scary drive to Anchorage to meet them, how we had to scrub down to see our daughter, the other babies in the NICU. Lately I have been reliving the rest of the joys and fears of those days though Baby Boris and his family, remembering how every ounce was a goal met and every poo a step back.

We Are Blessed

Well another wonderful Christmas has passed and we are prepping for the New Year. The girls had a wonderful Christmas, they didn’t ask for much this year, so we asked Santa for a new TV and sound system. Along with that new Game Cube Games, LOTS of movies, and board games. This year was all about family and things to do together.

For the first time in years my parents came up to spend Christmas with us. It was so great having everyone here. Someday we will rent a dinning hall and caterer so we will be able to spend Christmas with all our loved ones, but for now my house is pretty full when you shove 14 adults and 8 children into it.
Everyone was well fed and entertained. Grandma didn’t get ran over by the reindeer, but after sledding with JD and the girls she was sleep on the couch by 8 on Christmas eve. On Christmas it was Buddy’s turn. Grandpa enjoyed teaching us young-uns the proper way to play Texas hold-em and the shot guns only came out a few times.

We are so blessed to have one another...

so much to do and so little time

So there are comment quirks on my site…I am sorry for the quirks….I have no idea what I did and ….I plan on not even looking at it until after the holidays….but I am sure it was user error…or the fact that you should not wait for Blogger Omega…

The season is running away from me only a few more days till Christmas. The cards just got out and I have not mailed one package. I have gotten my shopping done. We went on the annual family shopping trip Sunday and the girls have bought all of their gifts, Wal-Mart…one stop…I love it. We spent last Saturday getting a start on some candy making, Heather and Hunter enjoyed that.

Johns bosses threw another great Christmas Party (last Friday), we all missed Jeremy but enjoyed watching the entertaining drunk people. This year we were treated to a male stripper, his poor girlfriend was so embarrassed. I got JD home before he could get into trouble.

Christmas is a little different for me this year, the girls aren’t getting greedy and they are more concerned with others. In fact they aren’t even trying to peek. Tay gets in the car after school and is more concerned if I ate fast food without her, then the piles of packages trying to hide in the back seat. Don’t get me wrong they know every package under the tree, and they know that very few are for them, but they have not asked where theirs is. Byrd is the only one that has voiced any concern over this and it is more about “Why Dad has gotten SO MANY!”

I am looking forward to hosting Christmas dinner and am hoping to have most of family here to celebrate….I am crossing my fingers and getting a little nervous…I have my food list made up and plan on shopping tomorrow. How will I ever get enough chairs???....so much to do and so little time….I LOVE IT!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Byrd

Yesterday was Byrd’s birthday, (I would have posted sooner but I spent the day making death masks with her class mates) my baby is now NINE, I wonder where all the time has passed. Seems like yesterday I was calling my mom letting her know Byrd was coming a day ahead of schedule. The doctor had us scheduled for a Tuesday delivery when Byrd decided she couldn’t wait another day. Mom was going to join us so she could watch Rose and Tay while I was in the hospital. Shane and Dana were in LA Christmas shopping, thankfully, so they watched my other two while mom drove up. JD was working at the hospital replacing/ working on their washer and dryer (not your average sized washer and dryer), he sat with me all day so he wouldn’t miss a thing…I tried to get him to go back to the laundry room to get more work done but he refused. I mean how convenient…I was in Labor and he didn’t have to miss any work….also he was annoying me…just staring at me….we were both so bored… this labor was a snap, especially after I got over the pain they cause when they released the slip stitch tying my cervix closed (cerclage) . Ladies there is a reason for labor pains, cervixes aren’t meant to go from 0 to 7 in 30 seconds flat.

Yesterday we hade the family over for pizza cake and ice cream…. Okay so it was my family, Heather, Hunter, Valette, and the Sargeants…but how much closer could you get to family. Today we are expecting 8 little girls to come over and go ice skating….but not until they shovel the ice rink. We got a lot of snow last night…right after the rain.

They week has flown by I was working on Christmas cards but still haven’t finished them up…I have been doing some shopping….but have not bought any Christmas presents...I have looked at Christmas trees but have yet to buy one…I think this week was meant to sit back and watch. Yesterday was fun I went to Byrd’s class to help make Death Masks (like the mummy’s wore) I have never had such a quiet volunteer job at school, with all their faces covered on casting material, no one could talk let alone see or walk. I was a little nervous being the one responsible for making such a treasured keep sake especially when I noticed who was working beside me….a very talented clay sculptor, a fellow classmate, we spend many hours together in the dark room playing with freeze butt (Mr. Hunts Photography class…perves), our brothers were best friends… Anyway I am thinking I will make face castings with my girl scouts and along with that I may go use Mr. Kriks (it was odd telling kids to go talk to “Mr. Krik”) pottery room he has a kiln and everything!!

Christmas Prep

We are patiently waiting the arrival of Byrd’s birthday so we can move into the Christmas sprit. We will probably start decorating on the 10^th. Today JD asked me where I stored the Christmas lights, I was so excited. About six years ago I got JD talked into hanging lights on one of my HUGE spruce trees in the front yard, at that time we talked about each year trying to get anther tree lit up. Those lights are still hanging on that tree, and the rest of the trees remain un-lit. Very year we add another strand or two to the one that gets lit but it never reaches the top of the tree.

This winter I had the pleasure of seeing how our neighbor, Larry, lights his spruce tree. I told JD and how easy it was and he went and had a few words with him, I am under the impression they weren’t good ones. So today when he asked where the lights were I was so happy. He found the lights and proceeded to light the ice rink in the backyard. I guess something is better then nothing. When I mentioned this to JD he went out front and hung a few strands. What a great man…now I wonder if I buy more lights will my tree be lit???

Winter break won’t come until the 22^nd for the kids, so I still have time to do my shopping (which I have not started). My cards aren’t out yet, I am still hoping for the opportunity to do a family photo, maybe the cards will be in the mail by Friday.Heath and Erica have found a home of their own, in South Birchwood, a fifteen to twenty minute drive north of LA. Tonight they packed up and moved out, but they forgot Rugar, the poor ol’dog.

I had a job interview last week, for a special education teacher assistant. I am hoping I get it, but believe it will go to the gal that interviewed before me, she is already working at the school.

Happy Thanksgiving…

Looking back to last year...I think some changes have been made… but we all made it through…so this year I am thankful for"Our strength, that gets us through anything."

I still have a lot of cooking to do…. So I though those of you who aren’t into football and who aren’t cooking would enjoy something to do…We are thinking of you all Happy Thanksgiving.