Teenagers....

So, yes, it's been a while, but I have been busy... who hasn't LOL! Anyway... I am perplexed, confused, angered, confused, irritated, confused, in awe, and just plain confused about K1. All she has talked about these past few years is being a teacher. She has been in Teacher Cadet 1 and Teacher Cadet 2, done some student teaching, and finally, after much mind changing decided she wants to be a music education major. FANTASTIC!!! We are so incredibly proud of her! She makes awesome grades and SEEMS to be on track. She is going to apply for all these scholarships (the only way, besides student loans, she will be able to attend college) keeps her grades up and aside from annoying teenage stuff and drama, pretty much keeps her nose clean and out of serious trouble (THANK YOU GOD!!!). All of a sudden this year, her senior year, she has lost her mind. Her grades are still awesome and she still wants to do music education but she has not made ANY effort to apply for scholarships, study for her SAT (except the week before, which didn't work that well for her so she is taking it again), or anything except TALK about going to college. She decided ON HER OWN that she did not want to apply for the NC Teaching Fellows Scholarship. No consultation with the parents, nothing... everytime we inquired, she was on it. Now, this scholarship and her wanting to attend ECU was one of the MAJOR factors we based our decision to stay in NC while William took the job in Maryland. Our family has sacrificed A LOT so she would have residency and be able to attend where she wanted to and graduate with her friends. SHE DROPPED THE BALL! Why have we lived apart for these past 2 years... so she could muck it up?? K2 was another major factor - there is not an early college high school where William is and we didn't want her to have to repeat some classes and let's face it, she has the chance to graduate with her Associate's Degree next year! While she has had her moments also, she is still focused and on track.. she is motivated enough to take on extra classes this year so IF we decide to move this summer, she will have completed the work required for her high school diploma (a year early). But this is more about K1. I don't know if she thinks college is going to fall in her lap?? I inquire almost daily about the progress of her studying for the SAT (not yet, I need to __________ first), filling out her FASFA form and looking and applying for scholarships (no K1, the entry every day to seventeen magazine for a 1 million dollar scholarship does not count) and while she may not actually get all these scholarships, it would help if she would at least TRY!!! Show some initiative girl! Have we made life too easy for you??? She does have her audition date for the School of Music, but she hasn't submitted her application yet... and this is serious stuff, you would think she would be practicing for her audition in one month... nope... she is an extremely talented musician! BUT it takes practice... after all, she isn't the only talented one out there. Harsh realities are being presented to her this weekend. She has the possibility of losing her car and cell phone until she can pay for them if she does not make some kind of effort to get the ball rolling - in the RIGHT direction.... UUUUGGGGHHHHHHHH

K3 is doing great in school and has aspirations to attend the Naval Academy... and be a star lacrosse player! I hope it stays that way!!

K4 is also doing great in school, but his aspirations change quite frequently these days... but he still has plenty of time!!!

What the heck were we thinking William???!!!!!

Laundry...

Laundry at the Recreation Center is hit or miss... last night there was a wait so I only did 2 loads for William since he went on a trip today :( Earlier Kalee washed her own laundry and now I am waiting here using Kamile's computer to play random games and blog about laundry while I do SIX loads... a little bit of William's, a little bit of mine.. the rest... the BOYS!!! Kevin may get the dirtiest, but Kendall changes the most! At that age where is dresses to impress LOL! Okay, back to your "has to be better than waiting on laundry" day!

Summertime

Well, it's our now annual trip to Solomons Island for the "summer". Due to the boys being in year round school, we have a relatively short summer... plus this year 3 of the 4 added a week of band camp, making our trip even shorter. BUT we have packed in a lot of summer into our short visit!! They have run of the recreation center (basically a huge playground/camp ground) and we only see them when they want money for games or food to keep going :) We went to Kings Dominion this year on July 3rd, it wasn't as crowded as I thought it might be. Everyone had a blast on the roller coasters and we did learn that we should have started off in the water park area as the boys only got to do one ride... whoops! The fireworks were amazing!!! For the 4th we hung out and did lots of nothing, but it was perfect. The weather was great and once again Solomons put on a great fireworks show. I love my tree. It is a huge tree with tons of shade and I just sit out there and read while a cool breeze blows and the dog loves napping out there also. William is going on a trip for 4 days... it will be the first time I've been here without him... as long as the kids are out and about, I think we will all survive just fine! We may go into DC when he returns as July 13th is our return to NC date. The boys start school on the 15th :) That's okay... 3 week break coming up at the end of Sept and we will be back again!

Addictions

My Husband... I miss him terribly when he is gone... he is my heart and soul
My Kids... They are growing so quickly, they are truly amazing
Photography... my kids, their sports, the dog, things the family does, nature, airshows, etc
Computer... Scavenger Hunt on Facebook, emails, photo editing, free samples, blogging, myspace
Starbucks... Peppermint White Mocha, White Chocolate and Raspberry, Mint Mocha Chip Frappacino
Fontana Coffee Cafe... being allowed to make my own creations of lattes, since I used to work there, such as White Chocolate and Toasted Marshmallow YUM!
Good Romance Novels... I can finish one in a day!
Comfort Foods on a rainy day (today!).... making chicken and dumplins for dinner and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
My work... part time is perfect for me!!!! I really do love seeing all the photos that come in from all over the country and knowing that most of the time (lol) the recipients of the photos are going to love them! Wedding and baby photos are my favorites. I also love helping on the photography side... action shots are my favorite.
Spending Summers on Solomons Island with my husband and children. So calming and peaceful... as long as K1 is not putting away the dishes as she is now...

Distractions...

So tonight was Tucker Creek Pennies for Patients night at Burger King. I stopped by and got some food to go to support this great cause.... however, as usual I was distracted and thinking of other things, such as remembering who the guy behind me was in line and where the heck I knew him from... so, I place my order, which I had written on a piece of paper in front of me as to not get the boys and their friend's burgers wrong... I ordered 4 #3's.... with fries and drinks... I THOUGHT I ordered 4 Jr Whoppers with cheese, etc... imagine my surprise when they said "4 TRIPLE Whoppers and 4 fries"... I looked at the guy with a bewildered look and said "you mean 4 Jr Whoppers, right?" he looked at me, the receipt, I looked at the board... ummm yea.... shoulda ordered #4! My mistake! So I took them home, K3 and K4 ate the whole thing!!! Friend ate almost the whole thing! They haven't asked for ANY snacks tonight LOL!!

Oh, and the guy... I worked with him at Gold's Gym many years ago!

And mine... I threw two pieces of meat away and ate about half LOL!

K1, the driving test, and major lessons on the first day....

Feb 23, 2009: It's official! We have a new driver in the house!



And she came this close to failing her test after doing an outstanding job! She parked at the only spot with a utility pole!!! If she would have hit it, she would have failed!! He asked her why she chose that spot when there were a lot of parking spots open... typical teenage answer "I don't know" LOL!



After she passed the test, we went to the insurance co so they would have her driver license number and got proof of insurance for her car. Then, we went to the license plate agency so we could register her car. Carpool was next(in my car, with me driving lol), then home and she got to put the plate on her car. It was Teen Court night and K3 had Science Olympiad so K1 filled up on gas then went to get K3. I ran back to the house for something I had forgotten and met them at the middle school. Here is a very short video of K1 leaving the middle school and me getting a good chuckle... I guess I should mention that her car, as well as K2's truck, has a manual transmission... it's a bit bumpy at times!




Here she is leaving the house earlier and in traffic on the way to pick up K2 and Teen Court.



K2 was pleasantly surprised when K1 drove up. We went to dinner and proceeded to Teen Court arriving all in one piece. A little note: She can have any or all of her siblings in the car OR one friend/other passenger under the age of 18 but not both, for 6 months.

K1 and K2 were attorneys on the first and second cases of the evening. K3 was a juror for cases 1, 3, and5. K1 and K2 asked to leave after their cases to go to K1 boyfriend's (G) house. After assuring me G's dad was home, I said OK hesitantly, with directions to be home BEFORE 9. Also earlier in the day, we had discussed the "rules". You will go where you say you are going... I am not stupid, I was a teenager and told my parents I was going one place and then went another (sorry mom, but I know you knew...lol) but I have an advantage over my parents... the cell phone. You will call me when you get there, you will call me before you do anything not previously approved (ie run to the corner store for something), you will call me when you leave, you will call me when you get home if I am not there. What I did not exactly specify in specific words was that a text or voice mail was not acceptable for changing plans... this will come into play, of course! Off they go.....

In the basement of the courthouse, there is NO signal, K1 and K2 know this... so I am sitting, waiting for court to be over thinking they are at G's house... Court ends, I walk outside to a voicemail - so I listen... they have gone to K2 friend's (T) house - in the same neighborhood as G, as G was not home. "Don't worry we will be home on time, T has to be home by 8:30" was the message from K2. Then there was a text... we are at walmart... Needless to say, I was not amused in the least.... I called K2 phone and since she didn't answer, left her one heck of a message stating that K1 was doing a great job of trying to lose her car on the first night, going to a different friend's house was NOT approved and definitely going to walmart was NOT approved and they BETTER GET HOME BEFORE I DO! click!!!

Then I call William... he thinks I am over reacting, they are just wrapped up in the excitement of some freedom, etc... I think about it, already having decided she would not be in "trouble" as in losing her driving privileges, but we would go over the rules again specifying that if she did not speak to me personally, she was to take it as a no and go home, not assume she could change her plans... BEEP goes the phone, I put William on hold... It's K1 calling from the corner store by T's house... BAWLING hysterically... "I'm so sorry, I broke the car, the muffler is hanging off" or something VERY close to that.... BEEP goes the phone, its K2.... I ask K1 why K2 is calling me if K1 is on the phone with me.... "oh, she's at walmart, I'll explain when you get here". I answer the beep, K2 sounds so innocent.... I honestly don't even remember one word of what I said to her or what she said to me.... but I get back on the phone with K1, tell her I will be there in a minute. Try to get back on the phone with William to explain what the heck is going on, but we had been disconnected or I hung up, who knows... so I called him back. He is now the angry one LOL! I am almost at the point that I am just laughing... He wants to know what she's done, but I don't know because I hadn't gotten there yet. I pull up, go in the store, hand Kalee the phone and let dad deal with her while I look at the car. The pipe leading into the muffler has come out and the muffler is hanging and on the ground. I peek under the car... it was bungee'd together! OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I asked William if he knew that and he said no, the person who had given us the car had told K1 and William he had fixed it.... William never looked completely under the car... you had to lay on your back to see the bungee. So... T's step dad arrives and "fixes" it so she can drive it to his house around the corner... he did a temporary fix until we can get it fixed correctly... William will be home this weekend to check it out.

So, in K1's words the story goes:

When we got to the neighborhood, K2 asked if I would take her to T's house. I dropped her off then I went to G's house. He wasn't home so I went back to T's house. K1 asked if we could go to walmart, I told her I wasn't comfortable doing that, but she kept bugging me, so I finally said okay, but you have to give me a couple dollars gas money. We went to walmart and hung out. We were talking to a friend and I was telling him what the officer had said about siblings/friends in the car and that's when I realized what I had done (she drove K2 and T to walmart). Then we got your message, so I drove T home, leaving K2 at walmart and that's when the muffler broke.

Now, this all appears very calm to the reader, but you have to understand that K1 is a 17 year old DRAMA QUEEN! You would all be dying laughing if you could hear her talking and telling the whole story! I pretty much told her this was a great lesson in what happens when you are doing something you aren't supposed to be doing.... something will happen... and not always end this nicely! I told her she was not in trouble, but she needed to learn from this and we went over the speaking to me is the only way she can change her plans! I told her this would not be forever, but she needs more experience and guidance before she can just "go". William finally calmed down too.

WHAT A NIGHT!!!!

20th Anniversary Trip to Asheville

My gift from William!


The following is what I wrote in an email to my mom... I am too tired to retype it all!!!

"the incident" = Friday Feb 13, 2009 my wallet and camera (my super really nice camera, two lenses, two filters, cleaning kit, two memory cards, etc) were stolen from our car. We did not lock the car, we thought we had, but this proves otherwise! HUGE thanks to Moose the dog... he took his owners on a walk a different way and he was sniffing a gutter.. they peeked to make sure he wasn't eating something he shouldn't and found my wallet Saturday afternoon. All the ID's and bank cards, credit cards and the beloved Starbucks card (with $100 on it) were still intact, only the $10 cash was missing, thank goodness!!!! I do not even want to know how you go about getting a new military ID with absolutely NO ID to show who you are!!! Anyway, Moose's mom and dad were an awesome younger couple and they called Navy Fed to try to get in touch with us, but they wouldn't really help them out ( I do understand why....) so they contact AAA and gave them my account number and AAA called my house with them on the line and let them leave a message on our answering machine. HUGE KUDOS to AAA!!! All the pawn shops in Asheville have been notified and the serial number of my camera and one of the lenses is in a national database, but I seriously doubt we will get it back :( However, thanks to the generosity of my parents, they gave us a very nice anniversary gift and I am now looking for a new camera!

The Cottage @ A Hill House Bed and Breakfast Asheville NC

The Bed and Breakfast was amazing!! The owners (Bill and Terry) were soo wonderful and helpful - even contacting the local pawn shops after "the incident"! We arrived Friday and the cottage was perfect! There were even roses waiting for our arrival. We went to a local grocery store, like the one on Solomons with the cheeses, and picked dinner from their deli/bar area and it was good. We also bought some cheeses and crackers :). We drove around downtown Asheville for a little while, looking for the ABC store, but instead found a beer shop that William really enjoyed. We came back to the cottage watched some TV, got ready for bed, found out the stuff had been taken from the car, waited for the police and were finally done with all that about 2 a.m.

Saturday we had a wonderful breakfast. She is a truly amazing cook!! Then we went to the Biltmore Estate. It was really interesting, huge, and yes, I am saying amazing again!! We couldn't take pictures inside and the gardens were not in their splendor, but it was still very nice! We also visited the winery, William tasted the wines, I had some pretty darn good grape juice! We also ate an appetizer from the Bistro - we had french onion soup and it was out of this world! Since we didn't even think of having reservations for Valentine's Day, Terry had made some extra reservations "just in case anyone needed them" but they were late (9:30). We snatched those up for S&W Cafeteria (S&W = Steak and Wine). We had the best steak we have ever had, it just melted in our mouths... it was awesome! The sides are big enough for two people, so we had to agree and we chose the loaded baked potato with no butter and sour cream on the side, it was quite tasty too! For dessert I chose the chocolate covered strawberries and we had off handedly mentioned it was our anniversary and they gave us our dessert for free! That was a nice little bonus.

Sunday we enjoyed Crème Brule French Toast and oh boy was it good! We drove around waiting for things to open and found the salon where our couples massage was going to be. We didn't really find anything we liked when we shopped while waiting for the massages, but we did have fun window shopping! We arrived for our massages and they gave us a soothing foot soak. William was a little weary of the robes because all the ones hanging up for sale were very feminine, but the ones for the massage were beige and very comfortable. The massages were amazing, the ladies did a wonderful job. While I don't remember smelling anything, William says his lady had garlic for lunch LOL! Not overpowering, but he could smell it! We drove around some more after the massages, then went back to the bed and breakfast for some delicious cookies from the endless cookie jar and recommendations for dinner. We went to a restaurant called Salsas. It was not your ordinary mexican restaurant. It was excellent though! After dinner, we got back to the cottage early and watched Nights in Rodanthe... it was good, but William wants to know why someone always dies in Nicholas Sparks novels/movies....

Monday we had breakfast in the cottage and I ate the omelet! and it was good! I don't think I will be eating them regularly though... but it was good. After we checked out of the bed and breakfast, we went to the arts district to look at pottery. The first place they had just left for lunch, the second place was closed, the third place wasn't what he was looking for... so we started the journey home. I wasn't feeling good and wanted lunch but he wasn't hungry, so I waited too long to eat lunch and had a horrible headache most of the way home, but overall we had a great time and I can't wait to do it again!!!

Oh, and it's a big deal that I ate the omelet because I DO NOT like eggs!!!! But I was very open minded and tried new things on this trip!!!

The Blizzard of 09

It all started while we were in MD this weekend. K3's trip to the inauguration was upon us. We heard stories of snow, but they were all up there! Monday I get a text from my friend warning me of the dangers that lurked at home... 4-6 inches of snow... in NC... on the coast no less! It has been at least 5 years since we have seen more than just random flurries. The debate begins on whether to wait to drive home until Tuesday, or start the journey home Monday afternoon and get a hotel if it gets bad. I decide to go ahead and head home Monday afternoon. Afterall, I have work Tuesday and have already been informed that they will hunt me down in a 4 wheel drive! All in fun though, they were concerned about our safety and told me to take my time. So about 4 pm Monday night, we begin the journey home. Traffic was light, the skies were pretty clear, then some clouds, but no snow or ice in sight. After our usual stops (dinner and Starbucks in Emporia VA) we made it home around 11 pm. It was still 40 degrees outside... snow... what snow??!! After unloading children and luggage from the car and getting everyone in bed, I set my alarm for 6:15 a.m. I have to be at work at 7, unless the roads look bad. 6:30 a.m. the phone rings and school is now canceled instead of a 2 hour delay. I am out the door by 6:45 a.m. and it is still 40 degrees but now it's raining. I am a little sad, I was excited for the snow! And the sleeping in part would have been nice too! Work goes on, prints are printed, packaged, and mailed, then the excitement starts... flurries! Yay! But it doesn't look like much... oh ye of little faith.... the snow did come! We closed at 3 and it was already coming down pretty good by then. The kids had called excited and were playing in the snow. It finally came... about 2 inches or so!!



Notice the difference in picture 6 and 2.... 6 was taken right when I got home... light snow... a HOODIE and SOCKS for gloves... that's K4!! After mom has her say... heavy jacket, hood, gloves, and the reward of more snow ;)

Had to reassure K4 the snow will still be there tomorrow when he gets up! He is worried about that and sad that it will melt tomorrow... but not til after he gets another chance to play LOL!!

You have to SEE it....

So, we had some theft of prescription medications from our home during the time period of May 2008 - August 24, 2008 (when the culprit was confirmed). K4 is on medication for ADHD. I have learned through all of this:
ADHD meds that K4 takes are considered a Class 2 Narcotic
Teenagers let people in your house repeatedly without your permission (I really did already know this)
Children are way too trusting of some people and are wiling to look the other way, but not really aware because they are still innocent and don't put two and two together until its too late :(
People addicted to prescription drugs are sneaky and will do just about anything.
Seriously addicted people will SNORT ADHD meds up the nose to get high.
They will go to different doctors to get prescriptions for the meds they are addicted to.
They will take anyone with them... even if they aren't their children....
They will ask several different people if they have pain medicine... often in the same day... with children who are not theirs in the car.
They ask the children to lie about where they've been and what took so long... to that person's spouse and the child's own parents..
They act like friends, not parents....
They disrupt your family life without care or concern... letting you believe, against your better thought or gut feeling, that your child may be taking, giving, or even selling the medications...
They play children like pawns... even if they aren't theirs...
and of course... it's NEVER their fault...

The number one thing I learned today after being in court from 9 am to 1:15 pm and being told that if I leave to do my required car pool that I could be arrested because I was subpoenaed and then having to make emergency car pool plans, including taking half the car pool children out of school while on the lunch break from 1:15 - 2:30, and being back in court by 2:30, was that if you don't SEE them take the pills (I mean really how many people will steal the pills while you are watching????) then it basically didn't happen... not even if another child's prescription bottle is found in the perpetrator's possession... but you didn't SEE them take them, then all the other stuff - like proof that the pills were missing, dates, lists of people who were in your house every single time pills went missing (btw, only two people met that - K1 and the perpetrator) SEVERAL different families coming forward once you reported your case... yep... if you don't SEE it happen, then well, it must not have happened... so the case gets DISMISSED...

2:35 pm

plenty of time to pick up the car pool kids

so apparently, the DA doesn't read the case before it gets called..... surely they knew they were going to dismiss before we got up there....but no... they were waiting til the end of the day because it was going to be a trial.... already did the prelim stuff the month before where they decide whether to take it to trial or not... yep... a trial....that never happened

what a wasted day in my already too full life!

THANKS a TON!!!! To my wonderful friend Karen who was going to pick up the 2nd part of my car pool and of course my friend Tracy (just started a new job and can't leave early and her hubby is in Iraq) who let me check her kids out early so I didn't get arrested!!!! LOL!

Nothing Like Waiting til the Last Minute....

We had beach portraits done at the end of August. They are fabulous! I work for the photographer and have paid for them, but not printed them out yet.... Today, I finally picked the portrait that will be the 24x30 canvas print.... but.... I don't think I will be able to get a frame for it.... they don't have those just laying about... and that is all I really wanted for Christmas... I am kicking myself in the booty now!!! Even if I get one from work, it has to be ordered... sigh....

A "normal" day in the life of me...

It started with a call from a friend in need. She and her husband both had to leave the house @ 5 a.m. and they needed K2 to stay the night, get the kids (K, M, B) ready in the morning and asked if I could get K and M to school and B to daycare. Sure! What are friends for! So K2 stays the night and I show up at 7 a.m. K2 is first to school because if she misses the bus at the High School, then I have to drive her to New Bern! We get her to the High School about 7:30. Next K and M go to AWE, but can't be dropped off until 7:45, so we hang out in the parking lot until it's time to get them in school. Then B and I go to Wal Mart to waste some time because he can't be dropped off until 8:15. I got lunch out of the deal and B got a new hot wheels car! We get B to daycare, then back to their house to drop off the booster seats so mom can pick them all up from school in the afternoon. All this and I am only 15 min late for work (arriving @ 8:45 with permission from the wonderful boss!) Today I only worked until 1:30 and while not a busy day, it was hectic with picky people who want something for nothing and then try to complain, but I just kept smiling and making it right :) (only making faces when I was in the back LOL). The reason I only worked til 1:30 is because K1 K2 K3 and K4 had dentist appointments beginning at 3:30. After criss-crossing Havelock all morning (friends we helped live on opposite side of town than we do, High School is on our side of town, AWE back on other side of town, B daycare in the middle, then back to their house for the booster seat drop off, then off to Morehead) I drove to New Bern (where K2 goes to school) to pick her up so I could be back in Havelock (half way between Morehead and New Bern for those not in this area - mom :) ) in time to pick up neighbor carpool child and K3 and K4 for the dentist. I get to New Bern, K2 is taking End of Class test in Geometry so I wait as long as I can and end up leaving K2 in New Bern and getting back to Havelock just before police are called for abandoned school children (not really, but it makes it exciting!) all the while it is pouring rain... after picking them up, I drop K3 and K4 off at the dentist, explain why K2 will not be here ( I love our dentist office, they didn't make a face or anything when I cancelled one appt at the last minute! - esp. when they heard what I have been through up to this point LOL!) and then go get K1 from the High School. We make it back to the dentist. I actually got to sit for a few minutes! K3 and K4 have 2 cavities each... gggrrrrr but K1 is cavity free once again! YAY!! We are all finally done just in time to pick K2 up from the High School where the bus drops her off after school and make it home about 5:30. After a quick potty break I was back out the door to fill up the gas tank and pick up the pizza for dinner. Tonight will definitely be an early night for me!! Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday! and WOOHOO the hubby is coming home for a visit! Oh, and he was supposed to get his check up Monday, but due to the work schedule had to cancel his appt, so now K2 will be taking his spot on Monday... @ 10... so now I am pretty much only working T and Th next week due to a gazillion appts... poor K2... dentist Monday, Orthodontist and Neurologist Weds and then just my dr appt on Fri... it will be kind of nice to have them out of school and a little break from all the activities... I think the car will be glad too! Oh and I am kind of freaking because there are only 14 days til CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's Christmas Time

Today K2 and I conquered putting the lights on the house with a little help from K4 and a smidge of help from K1. K3 was at a friend's house - calling every half hour or so to see if I changed my mind about letting him drive his dirt bike a couple streets over...ummmm, NOPE! But thanks for asking!
We got all the lights out of the garage and tested them a couple nights ago. Yay! All but one section works! But that is okay because we don't need that section as long as we put it at the end of the house. The last part of the lights get tucked in the gutter where no one sees them anyway! (When will they plan houses so that you can put the perfect set of lights on??)
Today was a very nice day for putting lights up. I only wore my jacket to have pockets to keep the gutter clips in. We started with the biggest peak. We got the ladder out and I started and got two clips on. Then we had to extend the ladder and move it over. Two more clips, maybe three and repeat... for the peak, we had to extend the ladder all the way... that ladder sure is wiggly when it is extended all the way... I wondered quite a few times if people I knew were on duty today at the Fire Station... also, made sure I had good undies on - you know... if it's people you know rescuing you, you don't want to give them anything else to talk about besides the stupidity that caused the accident they are rescuing or saving you from! Anyway, made it up and over the peak and lowered the ladder and moved it a couple times. K4 helped by holding the lights and making sure they were not tangled and the icicles were straightened out. He also tapped them against the house, but failed his attempts to frustrate his mom by breaking any of the little lights :). He left us to play legos then came back outside later to play football with the neighbor. We proceeded to the porch area and it went fairly smoothly. Finally the smaller peak. K2 asks if she can do this one, so I said "sure!" (also I figured if she fell, at least we were in the yard now and not the driveway and the yard is still soggy and squishy so if either of us fall there is somewhat of a cushion!). At this point, we also realized that one set must have been broken last year and we were going to be a string of lights short. So, we hopped in the car, drove to Walmart, grabbed a new set of lights (after making sure the cord color was right!) made our purchase and walked out of Walmart with only what we went in for! Only a half hour delay and back to work. She did a great job! We proceeded much the same as the big peak, just not extending the ladder as far.
K1 walked out while K2 was at the top of the ladder so I mouthed to her to get my camera. She sneaks back out and we switch places (she holds the ladder for me). I get a picture, then K1 leans forward and a little roughly puts her hands on the ladder, scaring K2... so much so that K2 asks "can you see any brown in the seat of my pants?!!"(Totally implying what you think she is implying!) K1 apologizes and told K2 she didn't realize how wiggly the ladder was. At least there wasn't an argument and it really was funny once K2 realized her life was not in danger. She finished putting up the lights and then I hung the new 42" snowflake. We think it looks great! We have decided, however, that DADDY will be taking the lights down!!!

Whoa!! Somebody put a brick on that boy's head... QUICK!

K3 is growing like a weed.... I JUST bought him new jeans and slacks about a month ago. He is a Bailiff in Teen Court tomorrow night, so I had him get his clothes ready... He tried them on for me because I didn't believe him... yep... he's waiting on the flood! I just can't believe it... leaps and bounds in only a few weeks!!! And I hope his feet slow down... he is already in Mens size 8 shoes... He is attending the Presidential Inauguration in January and these new band shoes and these slacks were supposed to last til then! I guess not!!! I have to buy new slacks for Monday night. I think I will wait until just before his trip to buy the slacks he needs for that trip! Good Gravy... someone hide that Miracle Grow and find me a brick!

What... something about K1??!!

So, I am learning to use photoshop, slowly... and also the software we use at work so I can answer questions knowledgeably when photographers call with problems, so I create lots of little projects, download templates, etc. Last night I made K1 her very own Christmas cards with a picture of her and her boyfriend on them (tomorrow is 9 months that they've been dating). They turned out super cute and we printed them on metallic paper, so they look super cool too! I only printed 5, but told her I could print more if she really needed them. I won't post a picture now... some people who read my blog just might get one in the mail and I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise!! I didn't tell her about them, I just surprised her... she LOVES them... see even when you are 16, sometimes... just sometimes, your mom rules!!

:(

Took K2 to the Dr yesterday.... 3 shots in the hiney and some percocet.... she missed school again today and is still miserable. I feel sooo bad for her... this is frustrating as we can't figure out what could be causing it. It is sooo different from her "usual" migraine. When she got diagnosed with migraines, it took 13 days for it to finally break.... I hope it doesn't take that long this time. She is so incredibly miserable, has been sleeping almost all day, and just looks plain miserable :(. I guess we are off to the Urgent Care Clinic again tomorrow....

Sweet Sibling Love

K2 came home early from school with a headache (thankfully NOT a migraine!) She just can't seem to shake it. At dinner time, she asked K4 to make her some french toast sticks for dinner. He smiled, knelt down beside her (she was laying on the floor under her blanket), gave her a great big - yet gentle - hug and a nice kiss on the cheek. Then he proceeded to make her dinner. I was making grilled cheese for the rest of us and I just smiled at him. He looks at me and says "what?" I said "that was such a nice thing you did for K2". He just gave me a huge cheesy grin and told me she is "one of the best sisters ever".... AAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

The Life and Times of K2

So, apparently, I like to write about K2... she is a total ham, and while "cleaning" the pictures and messages off my cell phone, I found these two videos... Enjoy!




Now I do have to say that yes, I am a mean mom... but hey, she shouldn't have been messing around in the restaurant!!! But anyway... we went to Walmart to buy her some new pants because we were going there after dinner any way.... the child walked around Walmart taking in all the stares, weird looks and comments from small children to older people... and giggling... I even offered to buy her pants before we finished shopping... nope... she is an attention hound!!




A normal night at dinner... hahaha... this is her true personality shining through! :)

soo, enjoy a peek into life with my special little girl!

K2 - eager to drive!

K2's main goal in life right now is to save up her insurance money before K1 so she can drive alone first... along with that goal is learning to drive her truck... a 1989 Toyota truck with a manual transmission. (K1 has a 1992 Geo Storm also with a manual transmission, but hasn't shown the desire to learn as K2 has). Today, K2 and I spent about an hour or so driving the neighborhood, I would tell her there was a stop light at an intersection (practicing before we get to a real one LOL) and then tell her the light was green... she did very well... only died a few times and the one time we tried to wave a car that snuck up on us around us, they waited patiently... so thanks neighbor!! There were a couple of houses on corners who had people out and you could see them giggling as we would drive by if they had seen our practicing... LOL! I know they must have been thinking they were glad it was ME and not them!!! I know I would have been thinking that!! We did learn some important things when we went to the corner gas station... 1. make sure mom has her wallet! 2. the clutch has to be pushed in ALL THE WAY to start the truck 3. great friends will come to your rescue when you think the truck has died!! (THANKS ED!!!)
Yesterday it took her 10-15 tries to back out of the driveway... today, she got it on the first try. I am really proud of her!

Just for Kelli :)

So, my friend Kelli keeps getting on me to start my blog... so just for her I will post some random happenings! While not so intriguing as some of her family's antics, the Smith clan has it's moments too!
K4 was doing the dishes (which meant to him, only the dishes in the sink) yesterday and came up with some pretty cool science experiments. One of his favorites was when washing the glasses, he ran his soapy hands over the rim and left a "bubble", then ran some water through the bubble into the glass without popping the bubble, but making the bubble expand over the top of the rim. He called me into the kitchen to see his amazing feat, the proceeded to explain why the bubble expanded. He said the water displaced the air causing the bubble to expand, then as he poured out the water, the bubble sunk in from the rim of the cup. He also found "randomly" formed bubbles coming up the other side of the sink and had me get a picture for his dad :)
I know he is one smart little guy! Wish his teachers could see this part and not just the kid who loses or just plain doesn't do his homework (lately just math, though!)