Bored... Gary has drill.

I'm sitting at home with the kids today. Gary has drill wheich means that I thankfully have the weekend off. I'm quite thrilled, don't get me wrong, I'm just also very bored. The weather is crappy, it can't decide if it wants to rain or not, so it's like the kids and I can go to the park or anything.

Micheal's doing a lot better with potty training today. He didn't have an accident yesterday, he just decided that underwear are evil and ran around naked all day. Today he's excited and happy about his underwear and he's told me twice that he had to go potty. And he just farted. He giggled because it's not as muffled without a diaper. Silly kid.

Kyle is being Kyle. He refuses to walk, but gladly crawls anywhere... And he's climbing! The kid climbed into a chair and attempted to climb the bookshelf last night. Thankfully I caught him right before he really got started. Why do I have a feeling that he's going to be the same daredevil that his brother has always been???

Other than that, there's not much to report. I went across the street last night and showed my wedding photography to my neighbors and they hired me to photograph their wedding in October. I have another one in August for a friend from work. I think I'm back to doing weddings now whether I want to or not.

Well, I'm going to get off here... Talk to you all later.

My day off...

Today starts my four day weekend! Nothing really planned. I'm bringing Micheal to school, coming back home and cleaning... Clean, clean, clean.Cleaning the kitchen, the living room, the boys' room, the play room, my bedroom, my bathroom, then doing laundry and dishes. I'm trying to find something that I'll want to cook tonight that's not very hard while I'm at it. Also need to do some school work. I'm going to try to complete most of next week's work while I'm home over the next few days.

Tomorrow starts me getting strict with Micheal's potty training. He's got to start going on the potty. We had hoped that he would be done with this by now, but he keeps having setbacks. I'm going to try putting him in underwear tomorrow when he gets home from school, and keep him in underwear throughout the weekend and see how it goes. It would be nice to have diapers be a thing of the past.

We went out with some Slavic officers last night. It was pretty cool, I enjoyed myself. I miss going out to dinner with people that Gary used to work with... It used to be a ball. They invited us to tag along again tonight, but I don't think we can find a sitter.

Well, I need to get going. This house obviously doesn't clean itself... Does anyone know when I can upgrade to one that does?

Micheal just did the cutest thing...

So, the boys are eating breakfast and I'm in the living room doing schoolwork. All of a sudden I hear, "Mom! MOM!!!!" and I look up and say "Yes Micheal?" to which he replies "Kyle want a nana..."

I say, "Does Kyle want a nana or do you?" and he looks at me, with a irritated face, and repeats "Kyle want a nana!"

I gave one to Micheal first, because I assumed he actually wanted it for him... I was wrong. "KYLE want a NANA!" is what he screamed at me next. So I gave it to Kyle, who was very happy to finally get it (he loves any food that is waved in front of his face), and they both say "Thank you."

That was my Mother's Day present from Micheal. A small conversation that I'm very thankful for.

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! 

Micheal's 3 Year Appointment...

He's doing great. He's in the 75th percentile for his height, 50th for his weight. He's back to gaining weight decently, thankfully. He's on track for everything except for his speech and Dr. Hoffman thinks that once he starts talking that he'll really blossom. He says that Micheal appears to be very intelligent and that as outgoing as he is, he'll do great once we figure out whats going on with the speech. I can't wait for that to happen.

Here's the only thing that bothers me... I thought he must have fell today at preschool. I called back up to ask them and they said no. I pointed out the spot that he has on his elbow to Dr. Hoffman (I thought it might be another rash since they said he hadn't fell) and he says it looks like a burn. So now I'm worried. He said it could be from friction, but it looks like it's from heat. I called the school back again, but they haven't returned my call. I'm more than a little concerned. What do you guys think it could be? When I started getting upset, Dr. Hoffman told me that it was more than likely a carpet burn and that they probably didn't notice it because Micheal didn't complain about it when it first happened.

Well, I need to get back to cleaning...

I'm back with pictures!

I figured out what the problem was... I have to load these one at at time, file sizes are too large.

Here we are going to the school:

Here he is at the school, waiting the other students to arrive:
Walking with his teacher to meet the other students:
Waiting for the bus with Lily, his friend from daycare:

With his little hands in his pockets:

Yay! He made it on! Here he is clapping:

He didn't cry until he realized that no one else was getting on the bus with him... He has done good since though, until his bus driver decided that she didn't need to pick him up yesterday. That was an ordeal that involved me calling and yelling at about 10 different people until I finally got the situation resolved. I don't think she'll be doing that again though!

I'm watching Grey's right now and crying like a baby! I love this show and I can't believe what they did... Izzie and Alex deserved to get married. Now I just want to know what happens with Meredith and Derrick.

On another note, I still have not received my grade for Environmental Science. I'm getting extremely nervous, but am still convinced that I will pass. I feel like I did pretty good, I just wish that she would post the grades so that I can move on...

Well, I'm going to get going now. Got a lot to do around here today.

Grades not posted...

I check every few hours to see if my final frades for my classes have posted. Nothing yet. I'm getting extremely frustrated. I'm hoping that I did great on my finals, but as time goes by, I can't help but to get nervous. I'm in my new classes and already turning in assignments, I'm doing everything I can to be sure to have at least a B when I get out of them.

Anyhow... Micheal did great for his first day of school yesterday. They bragged on how wonderful he did. He gets a paper sent home with him telling what he did for the day and all that good stuff. He went to the potty all by himself also. I thought that was amazing. We had his little party at daycare after his nap. That went really well. All the kids love him over there. He was getting hugs and they all told him how much they missed him. It was really sweet.

I almost forgot one of the coolest things about yesterday. I got a picnic table. I put the whole thing together all by myself. It was my project for while he was at school. I'll post a picture of it later. I need to put a finish on it at some point so that it doesn't rot in the yard.

Well, I need to go. Almost time to wake everyone up.

Happy Birthday Micheal!

Three years ago today one of the best things that ever happened to me came into this world. Micheal Lee Crull was born at 6:45 p.m., he was 21.5 inches long and 8 pounds and 1 ounce! I got up and went to the hospital at 5:00 that morning to be induced, only to be told to go home, that there was no room at the hospital. We went down and hung out around the hospital, walked around the block a few times, and when I walked back in, having contractions (which I had been having for two months, just not regularly) they finally admitted me. They kept me in an observation room for several hours, but they weren't happy with my contractions, so they decided to go ahead and start pitocin around 2:00 that afternoon. From there, I went through labor very fast. I was drug free for a long time, even with the pitocin... I was hoping for a drug free labor, but it didn't happen. At about 5:50, the nurse came in to check me, she announced that I was almost ready and that she was going to have the doctor come break my water in 5 minutes. As soon as she got out the door, my water broke. That next contraction was so painful that I begged for my epidural. The anaesthesiologist made it in at about 6:15... As soon as he left out, my midwife came in. She asked me how I was feeling now... I lifted my foot and announced that I could see my toes moving, but I couldn't feel them, she said that was a good thing and told me to let her know when I started feeling that urge... At 6:41 I knew what she was talking about, and at 6:45 Micheal was here (we'll leave out the part where around 6:43 I turned to ask Gary if he was okay, he was a little pale)...

Well, my baby turns three today. I can't believe that it's been three years already. We had his birthday party yesterday. He'll be starting school today, that's one thing I'm still not sure I'm ready for, but I'm going to try to do my best.

Here are a few photos of yesterday...

Me waking Micheal up through photography:

Micheal's "choo-choo" cake:
Enjoying his new basketball goal:
Blowing out the candle:
Yummy cake:
Introducing the Escalade:

Making their escape:
Well, I need to go... Gotta get the big kid up, then gotta get the actual kiddos up.

So tired...

I stayed out late with my neighbor last night. We were shopping, and we got a late start because she worked late. I didn't get home until almost midnight. I really want to go back to sleep... I did at least get everything for Micheal's birthday though, so that's the upside.

Psychology. That's what I'm going back to school for. Thanks Jen for the comment, I didn't realize that I had never said it. I want to be a school psychologist.

As far as my school goes, all I have to do today is touch up my papers and turn them in... I really hope I do well, I can't afford not to... I don't want to repeat any classes.

I got Micheal's cake before I left work yesterday... It looks great. I can't wait for him to see it. I also got the little basketball goal for him last night. It was the last one that the Avon Walmart had, and we didn't have any left in our store. I feel like there's something I forgot, but I hope not, because I do not intend to leave the house today.

Well, I've got to go... I'll post pictures of everything tonight.

Making a statement...

I'm a big believer in making a statement and standing by it. My newest that I'm trying to spread is on a green lifestyle. I've been doing my best to change, and I believe that I've been doing pretty good. It's been a long road and I still have a ways to go, but my family is getting there.

Right now I'm working on buying clothes made of bamboo fibers and organic cotton when our clothes need replacing. Well, I'm also buying us clothes that make our statement for us.

Check out Micheal and I:

Micheal loved his new outfit and wore it with pride today! Of course, I think his pride had more to do with the Sesame Street characters than with the statement he made wearing it. He'll understand one day though.

I'm going to be working on finals tonight... I want them to both be perfect before I turn them in. I want the best grade I can possibly get it...

Well, I need to go. Almost bath time for the kids...

Work today...

I always dread having more than one day off because it makes me really hate going back to work. I miss staying home with my kids. It just really isn't fair, I feel like I miss out on so much. I keep hoping that since I am revamping my resume that I'll find a better position somewhere else. Gary told me last night that he can't wait until I can get a degree and get a job in the field that I've been wanting to get into... He's really starting to back me up. Of course we were talking about bills and I was adding up how much time I have left until I graduate... That feels like forever whenever I do the math. I asked him if he realized just how much I'll be making when I get my Master's and later when I have my Ph.D. and he asked me if he would be a kept man... Yes, we have some crazy conversations...

Oh, I finally got another steam mop yesterday... I have to say that my floors definitely needed it. I out it together and went straight to work. I'm in love with it all over again!

After Gary got home, Micheal and I went to the park with Dorsann and Jake. Micheal loved it... He and Jake got to run and play for an hour. I also came to the realization that my son is a leader, so not a follower. He does his own thing and doesn't care what someone else is doing. He also is good at telling you no, you need to do it like this... 

Here are a few pics of the boys having fun...

Micheal stopping to say cheese:

Do it like this Jake:
Smile for the camera:
Two dirty and tired little boys heading home:
Well I've gotta run... Gonna get ready for work now...

Never been so happy...

I have never been so happy to see a zero balance! I paid off Kyle's surgery bill today, zero balance there, and then looked at my school invoice for next semester, and I now have a zero balance there! Woohoo!!! I am thrilled!

I spent the day cleaning the house and doing some minor yard work, what I do on most days off. The boys were at daycare, so I really did some deep cleaning. I also went to Costco and got Micheal a few outfits for school. I might just get him a few more next week too. They had some really cute clothes. I can't wait to post some pictures of him in his new clothes. Now he needs new shoes...

Well, we're about to go to the park to play... I will chat at you later.

Our evening...

Last night, after a long day of Micheal crying at the drop of a hat we decided to go for a ride. Kyle was over it before we got started, so he stayed home with his daddy instead. We decided that while we were at it we would go to the store and get his snacks for his preschool class. He had a lot of fun on our ride and loved picking his snacks to give to his class.

They both go back to daycare today... I'm going to Costco to get the rest of the stuff he needs for school. After that I'm just going to get everything done around the house that I can and maybe a little gardening... Although, right now I need to get all the dirt out from under my nails that I got from gardening yesterday.

Well, I'm off to do some schoolwork and drink some more coffee.

We're back...

Well, I'm definitely not impressed with the school. The principal doesn't know how to speak to anyone... And the office staff acted like they didn't know why I would be stopping in there instead of just finding my way to the class.

I went straight to gardening when I got home. So here are some pictures of all my hard work:

The front of the house

The flowers around the tree

The new flowers in the flower bed, and as you can see my hanging plant is still doing great

The boxwoods and my new marigolds

The marigolds around the vegetable garden to keep the bunnies out

And the side of the house that my neighbor did last year

Everything's coming in nicely... I'm quite happy with how everything is growing. At least something is going right today.

So, tell me what you think...

Going to the school today...

I get to go see Micheal's classroom today. I'm so nervous for the poor kiddo. I'm hoping that he loves it, but I'm just so scared... I don't want him riding a bus. I hate the idea of it. And riding the bus twenty minutes away from the house? I hate that even more... I'm just hoping that everything works out as well as it is supposed to, that he has a great classroom, he makes friends, and that it goes fine. I'm so not ready for my baby to be starting school.

Oh, we found out last night that apparently he has a nickel allergy. He has a sore on his stomach from his favorite pair of pants. Typically, his pull-ups cover where the button is, but he slept with them on one night and the pull-up wasn't all the way up, so the poor baby got a sore from them. The doctor told me that the best way to handle it for now is to put clear nail polish on the button on the inside of the jeans. And the spot on his foot? Could just be a reaction breaking out elsewhere on his body, but definitely not ringworm. I am very happy about that to say the least.

Well, I need to get going... I have to get some work done on my finals today. And, if it ever stops raining, I'm buying some marigolds to plant around the vegetable garden, gotta find some way to keep the rabbits out.

Grrr...

So Gary decided to pull a fast one on me. He set locks on the Dish so I couldn't watch anything! I called in this morning and explained that I had a teenaged babysitter that did it and the woman gladly helped me change it. Took all of five minutes. I've left it alone and now I'm going to wait and see how long it takes him to notice that his password has been changed. He can be quite the pain sometimes...

I'm going to work today, although I would love to call in. I just can't do that to Rae and Kandi. They don't deserve for me to call in today and leave them stranded.

Oh, we made Kyle walk yesterday! Gary held one hand and Micheal held the other and made him walk around the entire yard before letting him sit. He didn't even try to stop once. I'm convinced he can do it, he just doesn't really want to.

Well, I need to go... Gotta get a shower and still need to do a little schoolwork before leaving the house.

Job Fairs...

Job fairs are awful... I just spent three hours at one that I saw on the news. Me and 700 other people who were all there trying to to get just one of the 75 jobs available. It's frustrating. We all had our resumes printed, we were all dressed in our best clothes, and none of us got anything. Out of 25 resumes that I printed, I only gave out 3. Three employers were interested in contacting me at a later date, I partially think that is only because I was so persistent.

I'm slightly discouraged. I did get a website for almost every company that was represented though and I intend to post my resume to every one of them and send it in to any email addresses that I picked up today as well. I will get another job. I will not continue working at Walmart for the rest of my life.

On another note, my fourteen month old is learning the art of falling as I type this. He refuses to walk, although I have no doubt that he can when he's ready, so Gary and I keep standing him up in the center of the room where there's nothing he can hold on to. He stands until he realizes we're not holding, then he gracefully falls to the floor.

Well, I'm off to do some yardwork.

Oi vey...

I can hear the kids... They're awake and squawking and giggling. I'm afraid that they're concocting an evil plan against me... The door's cracked open and Micheal has not even attempted to come out of his room. Very wierd. Oh well, I'll let them play.

I called in today. Gary's not released to do anything, so I'm going to stay home and take care of the kids. Not something I necessarily wanted to do, something I had to do for my family. I could always call in tomorrow too and use a sick day. It's not like they could fire me right now, most of my points have already fallen off.

I'm finally working on my facebook page after being on there for forever... Gary joined yesterday while he was forced to lay around with nothing to do but play on the computer. He's doing things left and right and I keep getting messages from facebook saying that so-and-so has added me as a friend, Gary has updated this and that, and so on and so forth, so I got on there and started playing around with it. I'm adding pics, but nothing that all of you that read this haven't already seen. If you would like to check it out though, be my guest...

Well, I need to get going, the kids are going to attack soon, I can feel it! LOL...

Done with school...

For this week. I've got to get to work on my finals though. Fun for me... I do at least know what I intend to do for them, which makes things easier. I spoke with a few classmates who aren't even that far on theirs. I'm a little scared, I want to do well so badly and I'm worried that I won't. I've just been out of this for so long now that it's been a hard adjustment.

As for Micheal's decision day and how that went... I'm more that a little scared for that kid. He scored very low on a lot of the tests that they put him through. The good news that comes from that though is that he'll be starting school full time. The bad news is that he starts on his birthday... I have to leave my baby with complete strangers on his birthday. Of course full time for him is about two and a half hours. He'll be there in the morning until about lunch time.

After I left from that meeting, I went to get my military ID. I've been lazy and haven't gotten it after Gary's been in the Guard for two whole years... Now that I have that, I've at least been able to send it to my school to get my military discount. I have to say that it is definitely worth going through everything to get that ID... I'm saving $900!

Well, I need to go, I'm gonna get to work on those final projects.

Today

Micheal's decision day is today... I'm so nervous for the poor kid. I'm scared of what they'll have to say. I'm scared of losing my temper with these people if they try to push us into something that I know he doesn't need. I know after the assessment that they sent me that they're going to try to push for things that he doesn't actually need.

I wanted to show you guys a video that we did the other day... You can see here (for those of you who know him) how much better he's doing.

Please excuse the crappiness of the video... He wanted to take pictures instead.

I just hope this morning goes well... I'm a nervous wreck. Pray for him, please. I'm just going to make sure that he at least gets to go to the school that I want him at...

Well, I've got to go, got a lot of stuff to do before I get over there this morning...

So...

Here are some much needed photos...

Tonight my kids proved that they can make any food messy. Totino pizza rolls... All over their faces!

Micheal, with his cute, accomplished smile:

"I don't know what mess you're talking about mommy." is what that look says to me:

Here's me, that picture I promised you:

So here's the order of today's events:

1. Got hair done.

2. Picked Gary up.

3. Got rear-ended by complete and total idiot.

4. Gary (hopped up on Valium) let idiot go, making him an even bigger idiot.

5. Got to Gary's doctor's office, checked him in, and got his vasectomy!

6. Listened to him whine the rest of the day.

Yes, my beautiful van was rear-ended and Gary let the guy go because "his car was fine", never mind that my van is all scratched up and the bumper is dented, and oh yeah, I HIT MY HEAD! I have had the worst headache since... I just want to hurt him for letting the guy go. I got out of the van just in time to see the guy drive off. I was screaming at him to stop when Gary informed me that "Everything was fine, it didn't damage the guy's car." and all I could say was "BUT HE HIT ME!!!"

Well, I'm off to sulk about my van and watch Grey's Anatomy...