Small, but Cute (that's what she said)

*old post that never made it on the blog*
This was back in 2009 when we were house searching.
___________________________________________________________________________
So the other night, the kids and I met the realtor to look at the first house. I knew going in that it was an older home and that the house was going to be too small, but I didn't want to NOT see it.

I give the kids the low down on the expected behavior and what will not be tolerated. Ie; no touching other people's things, all questions will be answered but I needed to give as much attention to viewing the house and listening to the realtor as possible.

Both kids sign off on the rules; we pull up to the house.

Buggy cracks me up!

"Cute! Painting is peeling a little and we know, Mom, that YOU don't want to be painting another house anytime soon." She states from the back seat.

Smart daughter!

When we bought the house we are in now, I knew the minute I entered the house that it would be mine. *evil laugh* So I think I am hoping for that to happen to me again, but on a much smaller budget, 20-30 THOUSAND dollars less budget.

We walk up to the front door, all that ran through my mind is CUTE. It really was/is CUTE.

Buggy calls a room "hers", Bubba discusses the people's furniture and decorations, the realtor and I remain quiet.

It was a small (really small like my king size bed won't even fit in the room that was announced mine by Buggy), older home, lots of charm but also in need of updates.

As we were leaving to view the second house of the night, Buggy offers another (f-ing fantastic) observation.

"Hmmm, ok, sidewalks, nice block to walk and ride bikes."

Man, she's good. I told her so, too.

"Very good observations Buggy!"

She goes on, "One bathroom only ?!?! AAAANNNDDD it's upstairs, so if we are watching TV downstairs in the living room then we'd have to go all the way upstairs to go to the bathroom? Hmmm, yeah, I don't think so Mom. Well, let's keep our fingers crossed for the next house."

Her monologue went without breaths. I am really impressed with her thought process though.

Onto the next house...
stay tuned.

Let the giggling ensue...

Bubba -
After being woken up several times the other morning, he grouchily gets up and starts getting ready for school.  As I tap my foot by the front door, he says, "You're up and ready a lot better because you aren't working as hard as I am every night at football."

Bubba -
"Mom you only think about yourself."

*chokes on words*

I'd like to stop taking him to football, sitting there for 2 plus hours, giving kids water during breaks.  Etc.  I'd like to come home, make myself something to eat, only do my laundry and then sit and watch TV programs that I want to watch.  Show him how much I really think of only myself.

Brat.

Buggy -
On our way to softball practice:

"I really love softball this year Mom."
"That's awesome Buggy, I am glad you are enjoying it.  Why do you like it more this time around?"
"Less running."

After practice, the sweat is dripping off of buggy's forehead, she limping and gimping around, and just looking plain miserable.

"How was practice tonight?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
Giggling, "Why don't you want to talk about it?"
"We ran. A lot."
Giggling even more now, "OH Buggy, you jinxed yourself."

I just entered a giveaway @ Eden Fantasys.   Right after I did the last requirement for entry I got an email from Mr.FF.  It said, "what are youuuuu doing?"

I thought, shit, did it just post all over facebook that I just entered a giveaway for a sex toy?   It didn't, but I sure read the email in a tone of YOU'RE BUSTED.  lol.  Not that it's a secret obviously, I'm posting about it here.  It was just a funny coincidence. :o)

Wordless Wednesday - First day of school

5th grade

2nd grade

First day of school.

"I'm not gonna cry."  I told myself.

Well, self?  YOU ARE A LIAR.

I dropped Buggy off at her new school this morning.  Fifth grade. 

FIFTH grade. 

I hugged her tightly, told her how proud I am of her and wished her the best first day of school ever.

"Now, go before I cry."  I told her as my eyes starting tearing up and I walked away.

I could feel her eyes roll and the inhale as she held her breath hoping that her mother wouldn't sob in the middle of the gym.  I am sure she giggled and shook her head too, but I was too busy bolting out of there to look back.

Bubba just grabbed my hand and hustled out with me.  I could feel him staring up at me to see if I really was gonna let that tear fall.

By the time we got out to the van, I had sucked it all in, for the most part. 

I'm a cry baby. 

Plain and simple. 

I cry when I'm mad, I cry when I'm sad, I cry when I'm happy and I really cry looking at my babies growing up...I am so proud of them.  I am so very proud of them.

10 years old MIGHT be too young for Facebook, but not for spelling.

Buggy has a facebook page.  She posts.  A lot. 

My question.... CAN I PLEASE CORRECT HER ON HER SPELLING ERRORS???

It's not lazy text spellings...yet.  It's true misspelled words.  (Did I just misspell "misspelled")  meh.

*taps fingers on desk*

Here's what I'm talking about.

My status:  I'd love to see Jason Mraz...he sounds amazing on these live videos. ♥
Buggy:  OMG i love this song and that dude!!!! hey can i come with you if you do???????? it would be to much fun for anyone else so me it has to be.

I didn't answer.

So she posts this on my wall.
Buggy:  you know ill go to any consert with you !!!!


Here is what I wanted to respond with...
"Not until you learn how to spell CONCERT"

Instead I wrote, Yes, I know honey, you love CONCERTS.

Maybe a weekly spelling test...I'll collect all of the words she misspelled and quiz her every week.  Grammer and spelling are huge to me. 

Don't go getting out your red pen on this post, mmmk.

School's out. for. the. summaaaaa.

TODAY.

Today is the last day of school for my Buggy and Bubba...and for Onion and Burger.

LAST DAY of 1st grade, 4th grade, 7th grade and 2nd grade...holy cow that's a lot of grades.

Speaking of grades, the report cards come home with the kids today too.  I'm excited to see how they all did.  :)

SO, starting tomorrow the kids are OFFICIALLY on SUMMER BREAK.

Buggy will go to her Dad's for his half of the summer, our second year in a row with this new schedule.  This year it hasn't sent me into a fit of panic.

*pats self on back*

She is scheduled for her normal Karate classes two days a week and said she would like to try Fall Ball Softball again.  *woot*

Bubba is signed up for football camp.  His Dad signed him up for a White Sox baseball camp too, but it falls on the same week as his Jump Start Summer school program.  :(   Then there is finishing out the spring baseball games and then football starts at the beginning of August.

Lots going on.  Nothing new though.

We're a busy group (and this is just my schedule.  MR.FF's is just as bad, if not worse)

Anywho.

Time flies.

(first day photos)

I'm a day late.

For wordless Wednesday...but....we had family pictures done for this year. :)

Thank you to Studio Rachel Photography

Three Headed Chin Twins.  Er, Triplets?!?!

Yes, my 10 1/2 year old is almost as tall as me.  There should be a law.  Just sayin.

Remember last year's pictures?   I love them and I love this year's too.  :)  Buggy has changed.  Bubba and I look the sameish.  :)  Bubba's missing teeth this year.  He has 3 missing, not counting the 2 molars he had to have pulled...that's 5 (for you non adding fools) total missing from his mouth right now.

It's not WHAT you have in your life, but WHO you have in your life that counts...

Howdy - Part 2

So yesterday I told you about the place...it really was a nice place.

I'd like to get into a little bit of revelations that hit me this weekend.

You never know how old your child is until you see them through other's eyes...or observe them with their friends.   That could be a good or bad thing. 

I liked what I saw of Buggy this weekend.

She's goofy.  She's laid back.  She's loud (like her momma).  She's quiet.  She's a great blend of what I think of as a well rounded girl.

Funny thing as I was talking to another mom is I realized.  I am all those things too.  Maybe I was that way back then too, but I feel more strongly about it now.

This mom obsesses (her own words) about how her daughter is fitting in, how others treat her daughter and on and on.  She asked my opinion on the matter.  Did I see the other girls leaving her out or being mean to her?

Honestly, no.  I didn't see any abnormal girl interaction.  In fact one thing that I noticed with our group of girls is how UNCLICKY it seemed.  There were no consistent clicks between any of them.  You could tell which of the girls were a little closer, but they all seemed to hang out with each other very well.  It wasn't uncommon to see different girls grouping up throughout the trip.

I started to watch Buggy.  She doesn't come home and talk about any of her friends at school.  Sometimes I wonder if she has friends at all.  What I saw this weekend is that, she does indeed have friends.  However, she doesn't obsess over these friends.  She fit in nicely with everyone, being herself and having a good time.  She's so relaxed and not overly concerned with other people.

I told the other mom, "I am sure your daughter is fine...all kids need to find their niche and she is doing just fine.  I don't see any girls being mean to her or excluding her.  In fact, I love this group of girls, they all seem so friendly to each other and not too clicky."

She went on continuing to obsess and then even mentioned that she feels the same way with the other moms.  Source of her obsession with her own daughter.  Her own insecurities.  She's putting them onto her daughter.

I feel like I'm being looked at judgementally by some of the other moms, but you know what?  I don't care.  There was a saying that has stuck with me since I first heard it and it goes something like this...

When you are judging others you're really judging yourself.

Right?  Any time I find myself judging another it is usually due to my own insecurity.  It really helps me put into prospective my thoughts and quickly squash my judgements.

I am in a really good place with me as a person.  I like the person I see in Buggy.  I loved this part of the weekend.  Seeing her in action, so to speak.  I also liked that she was not shy about loving on her Mommy.  She was not disgusted by her Mom's actions.

There was one point that I was taken aback.  I sat down to eat.  She was on the other side of the table.  She leaned over to her friend and said, "Oh no, here comes my Mom and the embarrassment."

I know she saw the look on my face, she quickly said (out loud), "I'm just teasing Mom.  You don't embarrass me all the time."

I smiled.

I know.  Sometimes I do things to purposely embarrass her, I feel it my right as a Mom.  No?  As long as I'm not embarrassing her all the time, I'm good with that.

She did later apologize again.  I told her it was OK, she was there to enjoy her friends and me, she could do both and feel no guilt about it.  So she did.  So did I.



Now, don't get this too twisted.  There is ONE of her friends that we don't see often.  When Buggy is with THIS particular girl I do not like the person I see.  Next year these two will be at the same school.  My hope is that Buggy will gradually venture away from this particular girl.  *fingers crossed*  I chalk it up to a part of growing up.  My mom didn't like all of my friends or how I acted around those friends.  So turn around is fair play I guess. :)

Shew.  This was a long post.  Lets get to the pictures.  Shall we?


My Buggy girl...growing up.


Did I tell you about her donating 10 inches of her hair for locks for love?  She did.  Two weeks ago.  I love her hair like this.


Waiting and watching the horses come in for breakfast.  I love how the light is shining on her beautiful face.


Getting ready to ride a horse for the first time ever.  Bike helmet included. :)


She was so happy to be on that horse...she is NOT happy that I cut off the horses head in the picture.  Noted, but my focus was on HER face, not the horses.


Love her.


Maybe I'm partial...but this might be one of my favorites of the 300 pictures I took. :)  Make that 299, because obviously I didn't take this picture.

Far from Wordless

So, yesterday I meant to tell you all about my Dude Ranch experience, but I got wrapped up into a website and before I knew it the day had slipped away.  (Now today has slipped away as well, this is going to be a two or three part blog)

Curious the website?  Fro Knows Photo.

Anywho.

The Dude Ranch.

It was AH-MAZING on so many levels...

The first level:  The place. 
It took a good three hours to get to White Pines Ranch.  Three very flat landed hours.  Not much to see.  I rode with another mom that I had only met, er scratch that, I had only spoke with over the phone during cookie selling time.

She was very nice and I really had no problems riding with her and her daughter.  I think this was a revelation for me over the weekend that I will maybe get into later.  Anyway...the ride there was uneventful which is good.

We arrived at the destination and our two girls were uber excited that they were the first to arrive from our group.  It was like an episode of Big Brother where they only allow three guest into the house at a time and those people go running in to have their pick of beds.  I guess there are other reality shows like that as well, but for me to list them would just show what a nutjob I am for watching so many to know such details....

I've digressed.

The two girls run into the cabin and grab the most ideal bunk beds in their opinion.  Both girls threw their stuff onto the top bunks and started settling in, putting clothes in drawers, etc.

This was just the start of the many smiles I had at my daughter's excitement...again, more later on that.

The ranch really wasn't what I was expecting, but to be honest I don't know what I expected.  It's not that it under exceeded or over exceeded my expectations, it just was not what I expected I guess.   There were two big buildings.  Two levels to each building.  First level to one building was the eating area, game room and souvenir shop with offices and the other building had the barn on the first level.  On the second level were what they called dorms.

I would say, rough guesstimate was that each "dorm" held about 120 campers.  Our dorm held at least 40, each dorm had their own bathrooms with three showers, three hot showers and four toilet stalls.  Adequate for the most part.



The whole place was pretty clean, none of it gave me the heebee jeebees....so it gets a good rating on that aspect.

Let's face it, there's nothing ugly about horses, their pasture was gorgeous, the barns were clean and everyone that worked there was energetic and very well kept in their appearance.

Is that weird of me to say??   My uncle made a comment that the ranch he went to had people who looked like they were inbred.  I am not sure what an inbred person looks like, but I would go out on a limb to say that the people working at White Pines Ranch looked like "normal" well kept people to me.



We had about an hour before our orientation and dinner to explore a little and get settled in.  Buggy and I took our cameras around (me with my new one, her with my older one) a little after we had gotten our bunks set up just as we wanted them to be for bed that night.

I have uploaded my pictures, but have yet to get hers online...here's a few that I shot. :) 


I did have to brighten this one slightly in Picnik.  Here are the specs...for you photography people out there...any critiques feel free.  (f/4.0 1/320, iso100) 


No changes made to this one, but if I had it to shoot again, I wouldn't cut off the feet.


<3 I love this.
(F/2.8, 1/400, ISO100)


Wee bit Bright...(f/2.8, 1/500, iso100)

I moved her to the shadow...but i should have compensated with my exposure...FAIL...but I love the photo anyway...


(F/2.8, 1/500, ISO100)  -Not sure, should I have bumped up the ISO????

I will go into more tomorrow. I promise not to get wrapped up into anymore photography sites ...well, not until I'm done posting here. :)

(Here is what held me up today)

((Yes, I am aware that I've become totally obsessed with this photography thing...but it has challenged me.))

(((Another note...I went completely manual on the camera this weekend, only once did I flip it to Auto. YAY ME!!!)))

Music Monday...the after dude ranch song. ;)

Dude!

Tomorrow I am leaving for a Dude Ranch with Buggy and her girl scout troop.

I am really excited.

There is a strict no electronics policy.  NO ipods, NO DS's, NO computers and NO CELL PHONES.   Nilch, nada. 

I'm cool with that.  Buggy and I can really use this time together.  I think we're both stoked.  Even though there will be other moms there and other girls, it is just that...GIRLS ONLY.  :)

I don't consider myself a city person, nor do I consider myself a country girl.  I am not sure what I am considered other than civilized. 

My first question was, "will there be showers?"

I enjoy camping.  I enjoy hiking.  I enjoy being outdoors...I just like doing all of that after a shower. 

I also like to shower after enjoying all that.  Not so wrong is it?

By the way, yes there will be showers and I was enthusiastically told that they are HOT showers!  Bonus.

I am also excited to have all this outdoor time with my new "baby"...and can't wait to capture the girls enjoying themselves...along with the moms.  ESPECIALLY with it being Mother's Day weekend...I see a gift idea coming on for our Troop Leaders....mmmm. :)

YEEEEHAAAWWW...Ya'll. 

Wordless and You Capture

For You Capture - Outside



 


Wordless.

I don't claim to be the brightest bulb on the shelf

Sharpest crayon in the box...

However those sayings go.

I have blonde moments.

I have several blonde moments.

Today being one...did you realize that it's May 3rd? I did. What I didn't realize is that school will be out in ONE MONTH. Holy crap. One more month of having a 4th grader and a 1st grader.

One more month of my daughter's elementary school career. She moves up to the intermediate school next year...for 5th grade.

No wonder I have greys...I am going to be a mom of a 5th grader. HOLY COW.

Bubba moves on to 2nd grade. He has had ZERO trips to the principle this year...which means he can continue his elementary career at the current school. :)

Summer in one month also means high day care costs *gulp*.

Summer in one month means the morning whine of why they have to get up early still and why can't they stay home or why do I have to work.

*Sigh*

Remember when summer break was fun? Yeah. That was before being an adult....er...getting older...er....graduating from school.

Summer is in one month. I haven't scheduled ONE vacation this year. Not a single one.

*sigh*

Summer is one month. Yo.

Please remind me that summer is my favorite season...because right now...I'm not feeling the love.

I think my daughter is a hoarder...

I really do.

She doesn't mind living in a room that has stuff everywhere.  No matter how many organizational things I buy for her stuff, it never stays organized.  She has stuff, shoved everywhere.

Maybe she's a typical kid and when told to clean up her room she just shoves and shoves until it is unseen to the Mom's eye.

This past weekend I've had the spring cleaning bug hit me.  It started with my office at work, it carried over to the backyard this weekend and last night, it was time to tackle the kid's rooms.

"MOM! Will you help me with my room?" Buggy yelled from her cave.

A loud sigh from Bubba who was happily going through his stuff with me by his side.

"Yes, Buggy, I will help you, just one minute."  I called out from Bubba's cave.

Bubba's room isn't half as bad as Buggy's...and it's half the size.  He got the system down pretty quickly.  A pile of "don't know what to do with" stuff, a pile of "want to keep" and a box to fill of "give away" stuff.  He was on a roll.  SO, I left him to it continually praising how well he was doing.

I walk into Buggy's room to see her holding a small bag of stuff to give away.

"This is all I could find to give away."  She said, holding out the small bag.

"Well, that's a start babe.  Let's see what's in this closet."   I open the doors gingerly because I know it's going to avalanche out on to me.

Oh holy saves everything Buggy.   What am I going to do with her?

I think we found enough pencils to give one to every student in her school system and STILL have enough for her to start out the next three school years.  There were papers, some with drawings, some with nothing on them, they were shoved and crumpled and everywhere.

We found three things of deodorant.  I think instead of wearing it she just hides it.  We found about 20 ponytail holders.

The list is never ending.

We only put a dent into the cleaning...there is more to do, it might take all week.  If I don't return, please call the authorities.

St. Patrick's Day...gone

I celebrated St. Patrick's day like no other, I am sure.

It's all about the food and beer right?  For lunch I had Chinese.  Dinner I had tacos.  No beer to be had.

I really wanted a beer yesterday.  I didn't have any.  As I drove past the Irish-named bar in our town, I could smell the stench of it, I could hear the noise of bar patrons, my mouth salivated a little, my social bones ached a little.

Bubba asked if St. Patrick's day was HIS holiday.  To a seven year old, isn't everyday their holiday?  I mean, my attention sucking seven year old seems to think that everyday is his day to ruin run the roost.  It's his day and he'll cry if he wants to.

"Dad says I'm half Irish.  So St. Patrick's Day is my holiday." 

Ok.  Sure.  Have at it dude.  Party on Garth.

My Buggy girl in all her Italian coloring wore her "Kiss me I'm Irish" shirt to school.  I wonder if it brought her any luck.

Hope all of you, Irish or not, had a wonderful day...and a happy weekend, ya'll

Cookies have been picked up...now on to delivering ours...

WORDLESS Wednesday...

buried...

140 cases...we were shorted 2....good times.

Let's break it down.

*Does a busy dance*

The last report cards:  Both kids did GREAT.  As and Bs.  Awesomeness.
Our next ones will be on their way at the end of this month.

Funny story.  Kids and I were driving in the mini-mom-mobile.  We were talking about their grades.  Bubba got a B in "language".  I was talking out loud about what kind of homework comes home for "language" and wondering what he's missing to get a B.  Not that a B is bad, just trying to figure out how to make that B an A.  (It was his only B).

He looked at me with his biggest most beautiful blue eyes and said, "Mom, I haven't used any bad language...why did I get a B?" 

Buhahah.  Buggy and I had a great laugh about that one.

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences.
Buggy is doing great, awesome to have in class, very helpful and eager to learn.  *high fives my 4th grader*
She still struggles with remembering to bring home her student planner...and in my opinion keeping her stuff neat and tidy...crosses over into her room and hygiene as well.

Bubba academically is doing very well.  Right where he should be if not a little beyond.  He's still having issues with blurting out the answer in class and even though the answer is right he isn't raising his hand or allowing other students to shine.  He's very concerned with everyone else's business and has to be in control when it comes to group activities.  *whistles*  I think I might know where the control issue comes from....*whistles*.  NO PRINCIPAL CALLS TO DATE THIS SCHOOL YEAR.  For that, we are very very proud!!

Counseling:
Kids are still going.  Buggy loves it, Bubba is indifferent.  I think he likes it, but he can't SAAAYY he likes it.  *shakes head* Boys.
We are hoping to drop them both down to one visit a month.  We being the counselor and my pocketbook me.

That's that and that's that....I am very proud of the kids and their schooling so far this year. :)
*proud mom*

Wordless-PUMPKINS

others? CLICK HERE

LET'S GO CRAZY

Listen, I don't care who you are...
PRINCE is a pretty sexy singer...just sayin.

I remember my Mom LOVING Prince, or the artist formerly known as Prince (now I think he's some he/she symbol), then as he got a little more risque I remember my Mom saying, "What??? That's Prince???"  with a TSK sound following.  I knew though deep down, she still secretly loved him.

There was a time that he was around for a concert... I so wished I could have gotten tickets for her and I to go.  That would have been awesome. :)

So the Let's Go Crazy is fitting for this Music Monday because today (not much different from other days) I'm overwhelmed with schedules.  This schedule, that schedule, his schedule, ex's schedules.  I think I need to schedule a break.

However, I can't schedule a break, cause I don't have time for a break. :)

This is our last week of football and as much as I complain I'm going to miss it.

Bubba's team won this past weekend, so that was fun.  He was excited.  

Buggy had her first belt test for karate; she is now a yellow/white belt.  She was excited.

Both exes took their respective kids on Saturday night.  So Mr.FF and I were excited. ;)
Mr.FF gave me a "belt" test.

My camera battery died...so I didn't any pictures of any of it.  BOOOO.
My momma taught me right, I wouldn't document MY belt test in photographs anyway.

Today, 10/11, is my friend's daughter's birthday. 

Fourteen years ago, I was in the delivery room with my friend watching her daughter be born.  No worries, I stayed up by friend's head, I didn't scope out her woohaa.  I can vividly remember the day, I think I can remember it more clearly than the day of my own children's birth.

I also remember going home after her birth and crying for twenty minutes at how beautiful it all was.  I still thank my friend every year for allowing me to be a part of that day with her, her husband and her beautiful baby girl.

Blows me away it's been fourteen years ago, time really flies.  I am very thankful to be reminded every year just how long I have been friends with the people in my life.  Some longer than others, but all equally valued.  I love my friends! :)

So for a Monday, I'm kinda flying high right now;  remembering a great weekend, remembering a great birth fourteen years ago and feeling grateful for friends, family, whips, and busy schedules!

(HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO MY CANADIAN FRIENDS)