SHORTY MOM: 2011

Sunday, November 13, 2011

So Many Milestones!

When I went back to work, I never dreamed how hard it would be for me to get motivated to do even the smallest of tasks. There are days that I am constantly on the go, doing laundry, running the kids, washing dishes, and still don't have enough hours in the day. Then there are the days that I don't want to get out of the bed, don't want to go to work, don't want to do laundry or dishes and want to go to bed as soon as I can possibly get the kids in theirs. I fluctuate between those extremes fairly often and it's such a disappointment, especially when I am ready for bed at 8pm. It interferes with my me time! Like for blogging! And Words with Friends! I have seriously cut back on my facebook time as of late simply because it doesn't interest me. I may glance through it but after a couple of minutes I'm caught up and on to bigger and better things. Usually sleep.
School is going well for the kids. Football season is over and Brady has now moved on to basketball. He also turned 11 a few weeks back. My baby is 11!!

When did this happen?? Wasn't he just a baby in my arms yesterday? And I love the little bits that he has to share with me. Like when he told me today he weighed 70 pounds without his head. I prefer he weigh the full 80 pounds. He decided a few weeks back that he also wanted to join band and play trumpet. His closest friends have decided to join band and he wanted to be a part of that group too. So a trumpet player he is trying to become.

He came home from school one afternoon and informed me he wanted to be Johnny Appleseed for Halloween. I didn't argue. I think he made a fine choice.

Belle has been doing well in school, is on the school news team and seems to have fun each day. She tried out for basketball, made the 7th grade team and just this past week turned in her jerseys. There are people who are made for coaching and people who aren't and her coach was not made for coaching in my opinion. There is a difference between coaching and bullying and her coach crossed that line, again, in my opinion. So she decided that it wasn't for her right now and I support her decision no matter how much it breaks our hearts (mine especially!). She became a teenager a couple of weeks back.

She was certainly ready for the challenge. I think she's been ready to be a teenager since she was 8. She informed me that she wanted me to make her a blanket and I have spent the last couple of days working on it. Yet another thing that has been keeping me busy.

Bryce is doing well in school. He will be attending All-District for band tomorrow and Quad State in a couple of weeks, huge accomplishments for this area. He turned 14 the day after Belle turned 13.

He is shaving now. I know. He was just a baby not too long ago. I distinctly remember holding him and wondering how I was going to take care of him, he was so little. Now he's over 5'9". Not so little anymore.

The new company Hubs is working for held a conference call for all of their drivers Thursday of last week. A half hour later I received a tweet from the local news station that his employer was announcing the closing of the terminal he is working out of. His new job, his dream job, is now on the line as they are closing the doors in the spring cutting 240 jobs. Not all of the employees knew when the story broke nor had the drivers had time to tell the families. That tweet was how I found out my husband was losing his job. While there will be a handful of drivers in the area, the majority of them will have to relocate or find other jobs in an area where there are really no good jobs to be had. The possible few local jobs that will be left will be subject to a wage change and will not be paid as well. We are seriously, seriously, seriously considering relocating. So much so that we are both going through the motions to see what we need to do to be ready. What does the house need done to sell? Where are there jobs within his company that are available? Making sure the areas we look at have good schools for the kids. I hate the uncertainty. I hate the idea of moving the kids from their schools but when it comes to being able to provide for their basic needs, there isn't much of a choice. It was me who initially said maybe we should go somewhere else. It is never me who says lets get out of this town.

I think it's time for me to update my Words with Friends games, put my dogs out for one last time and get some sleep. Oh to not be so tired!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

OK So I Lied

I think one of the reasons I have really slowed down on my blogging is simply because I simply cannot get back into it no matter how hard I try. And I do try. I feel as though I write and there is no one out there to hear what I say because honestly there isn't anymore. Not that I had many followers when I was writing but now I really have none.

Anyhoo. Obligatory first day of school picture of my 6th, 7th and 8th graders:

I know. They're entirely too big for their own good. Brady had his first football game this past Saturday:

That scrawny little number 2? That's my son trying to block a kid who was almost double his size in pads.

I gave Belle a lesson in friendship bracelets a couple of weekends ago:

I can't tell you how many of these I made or how many hours I spent working on the next one. Belle has my want when it comes to making something but her daddy's impatience when it comes to finishing it. This one? Ended up being a ring because she got bored. The next one she made actually made it all the way to completion but only because she was making it for a friends birthday. I do know that she has one that she has started and that's as far as it's made it. It has been moved from her purse to her room to her purse but hasn't had any progress made on it at all.

Next pictures of four of the cats eyeballing a moth at the end of the hallway:

Sebastian is the one who finally won the prize when the moth came too close to his huge paws. Ginger is a HUGE fan of the dryer:

That is one of her most favorite places in the house, especially if I am folding laundry. She loves to try and catch what I pull out.

Lately my life has been a lot about cleaning. I have cleaned my kitchen, washed down cabinets, washed windows, cleaned dishes and ceiling fans. For the most part, I've been keeping up with it and for me that is amazing. I'm not one who likes to do the dishes immediately after supper. I just finished cooking it. I want time to relax before I clean it up. Also? I have made all four beds the majority of the last 4 weeks. Awesome! And yes I make the kids beds simply because they get up at 6am, eat breakfast before they catch the bus in addition to getting ready and only have about 45 minutes to get it all done so I don't mind making their beds if it means I don't have to drive them to school. I have been slowly working on my living room. My windows are clean, curtains are clean, picture frames are clean. I even dusted! My goal is to finish cleaning off my desk and I will be happy with the progress I've made. The catch will be how long it actually lasts before it goes back to normal and if I can get the rest of the house picked up before it reaches that point. That is my goal! To have all of my house clean at the same time!

Now that I have bored you with my mindless dribble, my accomplishments tonight. A blog post and a clean desk. Very, very cool.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

It's Almost That Time of Year! Again!

Today is the last day of the kids summer vacation. They are definitely ready judging by the number of arguments and short tempers that I've seen over the last couple of weeks. Belle is beyond excited to be starting middle school. I was just listening to her sing about tomorrow being the first day of school. Bryce is really indifferent about moving up to 8th grade and I think Brady is excited to have the elementary school to himself. They have their school supplies bought, separated and labeled ready to get on the bus in the morning. And it has to be the bus because it isn't cool to have Mom drop us off anymore. At least until it's not cool to ride the bus and they want rides full time. That's when I will have to remind them, "Remember that time you started school in 2011 and didn't want me to take you to school???" Yes, I am that parent. And then I will drive them to school if I am able to because that's what my mom did for me.
Also Bryce has grown almost a full inch in the six weeks. No matter how hard I try, the boy will just not stop growing! I would really like to be able to see over the top of his head again without having to stand on a stool. I just cut his hair and had to make him sit down in a chair just so I could make sure I didn't miss a spot. It's just so unfair!

I have not mentioned how insanely hot it is here. Belle took that picture in my car tonight at 7PM! At 5pm it was reading 103. I don't even want to think what it registered earlier in the day. This is one of the times that I am very grateful that I work in an office.

Today is one of the days that I am glad I work in such a small office. Hubs truck broke down last week and I have been running to the next town to pick him up and drop him off. We leave around 2:30am to drop him off, I return about 4:30am and then attempt to get a little more sleep before getting up again, then I would go back and get him when I got off on the days he came home. Today, my boss's son was in the next town and only a couple of miles from where Hubby parks his truck. I called Little Bossman and requested he pick up my husband since he would be finishing up his last job of the day around 2, Hubs was already in town and I didn't get off until 5. He gladly did so and even took him home when he got to town! Loved it! Made our evening a lot easier and he got to bed a lot earlier because of it. Some days I love my job!

Very short post from me today, but unfortunately I have "homework." With school starting tomorrow, I have two kids worth of paperwork to fill out in order for them to be able to start school. I am almost as impatient as they are, just waiting to hear about their first day. Almost.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

I've Been Called Out!

A dear blogging friend called me out a couple of days ago on Facebook for not blogging as much. I admit I am guilty as charged. I haven't been blogging and I have no real excuse. Or I could make excuses all day long but it still wouldn't change the fact that I haven't blogged. And they are really thin excuses.

Work is busy. Spring and summer are always busy times during the pest control season what can I say. I am still clocking 45 hours most weeks and the weeks I'm not doctor appointments and such has taken the place of work hours. The kids are definitely keeping busy. Since the beginning of May we have sent them on school trips to Holiday World, strings camp, birthday parties, and softball practices and games. Bryce and Belle play on a youth level softball team while Brady plays on the younger youth team. Since Brady will be 11 in September, he also has the opportunity to play "up" on Bryce and Belle's team so he actually plays on two teams this summer. He has been in for his 6th grade physical and his back to school night is next week. Bryce picks his schedule up next week for 8th grade. Belle registers for 7th grade August 1st. As if this isn't enough we have softball practices Wednesday evenings and just last week we found ourselves with four games in three days. Even with Hubs taking a local job, he is still up and gone by 3am so he is usually ready for bed if not in bed no later than 8pm so most of the running for the kids falls to me. I feel like I am constantly going somewhere.

Earlier in the spring, we took the kids for eye exams and new glasses.

I was afraid Brady would get his and decide he absolutely hated them because they are very blue. I was also afraid of the teasing he might endure because they are so blue. Fortunately all I have heard about is the compliments he's received on them and so far they have lasted longer than the last pair of glasses he had knock on wood. What you don't see in these pictures is that I have also been given glasses for the first time in my life. Turns out my time on my computer has been affecting my eyes and left me with blurry vision especially when working. I don't believe there are any pictures with my glasses as of yet and don't expect there to be any time soon. Darn!

I could probably tell you mounds of stories about the kids and their softball days. Belle is moving between 1st and 2nd bases and loves both positions. Bryce usually plays 3rd and loves it as well. Brady ends up playing catcher or in the outfield since he is smaller and not as experienced on the larger field. Brady was ecstatic last week to get a "home run" last week. Because of many errors made by the other team, he was able to run each base before they stopped trying to tag him out. He rounded the gate grinning ear to ear and bouncing. For the first time all season, he finally felt big enough to run with the other kids.

The cats are growing like weeds. They absolutely love open windows, paper wads and chasing each other up and down the hallway.

I don't have any updated pictures of the dogs as of yet. That will be on my list of things to do for my next blog.

Things around the house hasn't changed much either. We don't get to church as often as we should. I have been kicking myself lately for this but I can't seem to get motivated. I can sit here all week long and think that I really need to get to the next service but Sunday rolls around and. Nothing. Don't know what it is that is holding me back. And it is totally me. Hubs can get up on Sunday morning and ask me if we are going and my response? A shrug. I just don't know. Just something that is really heavy on my heart and mind as of late and something I just can't seem to remedy no matter how hard I try. Something I've been trying to work on and will continue to work on.

Now I must finish some work I brought home from the office. Janjanmom, I am expecting you to call me out again if I haven't blogged again soon!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Various

I need more time in the day I think (proof would be that I started this particular entry over a week ago). Or at least I need more energy. And a better memory. I have been meaning to update more from my time off and it seems time keeps getting away from me so here is a very, very quick rundown.

For Christmas, Hubs bought me this:

And I love it! My Christmas photos, the critter photos and any of the recent kids photos were taken with this camera. I just wish I had more time to play with it. And that I could remember to take it on days I really intended on taking it!

For our anniversary/Christmas gift, he bought me this:

He knew that I had been looking for the last 5 years or so for the perfect (for me) set. While the ring he put on my finger 14 years ago will always be special to me, I wanted a set that I absolutely loved, one that I knew would be my final set. I found this one a little over a year ago and fell in love with it. I sat back and watch and waited, hoping that it would be brought out in a smaller version but it never was. He surprised me with it just before our anniversary. I was ecstatic. I've been wearing them 6 months now and they still catch me by surprise.

We have managed to cruise through the last couple of months fairly easily. Belle and Brady finished their basketball seasons. Unfortunately Belle didn't make the spring league for the middle school which was very disappointing. We have three weeks of school left and I will have two kids in junior high and one in sixth grade. Where does all this time go? And who decided it needed to move so fast? Bryce is 5'6" at 13 years old. Belle is 5'2" at 12. Both of them are now taller than I am. So. Un. Fair.

May is determined to keep us busy. We have a strings pizza party for Belle and Brady for practicing, a strings party for Belle for graduating out of the elementary school strings program, a trip to Holiday World for all three kids (on the same day wooohoooo) for their end of the year celebration, and a strings camp for Belle and Brady, which Hubs has agreed to chaperone.

I hate how much I haven't blogged over the last year. I feel like there is so much I'm going to forget by not writing it down and sharing. Hopefully that will change over the next few weeks, or at least that's my intention. Hopefully I will be back later this week with more pictures.