Welcome To Our Crazy Life....

Almost a year, really?

Wow. I haven't been to my blog in almost a year (tomorrow will be a year in fact). typepad has changed, the format has changed. I have changed. (and boy oh boy does my blog header need to be changed! Fall 2008 - REALLY?)

I miss writing. I miss documenting what is happening in our life. Things have been crazy, and it definately hasn't been the best weekend. I am doing my best to try and focus on the positive, to be thankful and greatful, I tell you. somedays it's hard.

I am loving facebook, it's new for me in the last year, and I've connected with so many friends, but what I don't like is that I can't recap everything in three sentences, nor do I want to. I can't always say on "facebook" how horrible of a day it's been, or celebrate every victory or accomplishment for our little family, there just aren't enough words, and honestly, not everyone cares.

I had originally started this blog to stay connected. Now I think the purpose of it will be to just records my private thoughts, whether anyone reads it or not doesn't matter anymore. Life is a series of struggles and accomplishments. I want to celebrate and grow from them both. I'm working really hard to live simply, and that by itself is difficult. Because I'm not a simple person, never have been. so..in bullet point, list style, here is my top 10 good/bad things from Father's day weekend:

1. The weather was terrible, and made everything seem so much worse.
2. I did not see my dad on Father's Day. That was unfortunate.
3. My husband may have the flu, he's really sick, and it ruined his day.
4. My mom's birthday didn't turn out the way I planned/thought it would.
5. It was nice to have some unscheduled time, we need to do that more often.
6. I'm dreading paying bills today that I've been puttin off. but I have to.
7. I was happy to take some special pictures of my mom to document her 59th birthday.
8. I am really looking forward to having tomorrow off of work.
9. I need to edit the rest of the play pictures, I need motivaton to do that, I don't have it today. I don't even know if I'll have it this week.
10. I need the sun. desperately.

Okay. well. baby steps. see you tomorrow. (by the way, it was neat to read what I had bullet pointed a year ago, diffrent thoughts, and as I read it, I remember all of it. that's the point right?) :)

Today...

• outside my window - downtown, office buildings, cloudy sky.
• I am thinking - that I'm all out of sync because I was late to work today
• I am thankful for - potlucks, delicious food at my finger tips!
• From the kitchen - went to the store this morning before work to get ingredients to make "the DIP" brought it work, and it was gone in half an hour.
• I am wearing - jeans and two t-shirts, and my blue keds
• I am creating - nervous energy. (caffeine?)
• I am going - to take the kids to dance class after work tonight.
• I am reading - The Power Of Now
• I am hoping - the kids will work out their differences regarding chores and one of them will clean up the cat puke!
• I am hearing - Beethoven's moonlight sonata  - first movement on my ipod.
• around the house - there are piles of things that I need to organize and go through, it's making me crazy.
• One of my Favorite things - sleeping in late on a work day. shhh!
• a few plans for the rest of the week - dance class for the kids, dance class for me, gymnastics for McKenna, softball three nights for Roy....business as usual.
• A picture to share: (I miss Las Vegas)

He......

 

1. Is growing up before my very eyes, and I'm in denial that he is almost a teenager.

2. Is super talented when it comes to building or drawing things, it just comes easy for him. always has.

3. Has an eye for photography, and has a great interest in it, I'm continously surprised by his perspective.

4. Can not remember to take his migraine pills, no matter how many times I tell him to do it.

5. Now has the same size feet as me.

6. only has 1.3 years left to wear braces. (braces that he couldn't wait to get!)

7. Loves to dance, and has talent for hip hop.

8. Is getting really good at naming older bands and songs, we have a game where I play oldies and ask him the artist and song. He's definately getting better.

9. Still loves The Beatles. so do I.

10. Has been in 3 plays now, and loves doing it.

11. Struggles with math, and has been seeing a tutor every week since last summer. it really helps.

12. Is the best in our house at Rock Band.

13. Is on the student coucil, for the second year in a row.

14. is frustrated sometimes that he's so short, even though he knows he takes after his dad and will be a late bloomer.

15. Has the most gorgeous blue eyes.

16. has been my sickest child of the three.

17. Is learning to be more responsible...to take on more...and to deal with life.

18. Can never find his cell phone, and wonders why I won't put him on my family plan.

19. has more clothes than I do.

20. has an imagination that would blow you away. I love him.

She..part 2

 

1. Has been weird about smiling for the camera lately.

2. Is still growing her hair out after getting it cut short on her birthday last May.

3. I still loving the color teal.

4. Has been really moody.

5. is outgrowing her clothes faster than I can buy them.

6. Is very sensitive to my mood, if I'm upset - she's upset.

7. is really a homebody, preferring to stay home rather than go out.

8. is the TV police in our house for appropriateness. LOL!

9. likes to see what I'm wearing in the mornings so she can dress like me.

10. can't wait to be able to fit into my shoes.

11. is outside playing basketball all by herself because her brother is too lazy to go out.

12. will say random things at random times that make no sense. 

13. is struggling to keep up with her brother in hip hop.

14. is doing really well in school, and loves going.

15. has a tender heart when it comes to animals. - even ones that aren't hers.

16. rolls her jeans up just under her knees and wears boots about 3 days a week.

17. is the most responsible of all the kids, if I ask her to do something, she'll do it.

18.  Has her second orthodontist appointment tomorrow. yikes!

19. loves to cook, and is a great prep chef! (although she would like a promotion!)

20. wont' go to bed unless she kisses me at least 3 times.

 

stay tuned...more to come this week! up next is Tyler!

She.....

   

1. Is still the most beautiful child I've ever seen.

2. Has really been testing me lately, especially with food, bedtime and clothes.

3. will steal my body heat when she is cold by snuggling into a 5 inch square on the couch next to me.

4. doesn't like potatoes unless they are french fries (is this even my kid?)

5. got in trouble at school this week.

6. Is brilliant when it comes to reading.

7. Hasn't lost a single tooth yet.

8. cries if you talk about her growing up. It really scares her, and she'll cover her ears.

9. Is almost as tall as Allison.

10. told me this week she wanted to quite gymnastics for ballet. uh...no, we already did ballet. gymnastics is a much better fit. She didn't want to quite after all.

11. told me I have a big booty today. :(

12. Knows more than most kids her age.

13. Tried to take a backpack full of my make up to school for show and tell last week, and had a major melt down when she got caught.

14. Is wierd about socks.

15. Is shy around older boys that she likes.

16. will only eat homemade jam by either Grandma Barb or Uncle Steve

17. her favorite drink is orange juice, she'll choose it over soda any day.

18. Loves to sing Mama Mia!

19. will try and mouth words and point at me when she's too shy to talk around strangers (I tell her I don't know sign language, but she doesn't stop, expecting me to read her mind)

20. needs a bandaid on any tiny little scratch.

 

I'll be posting about the family all week, so see you soon!

Anything Intersting?

I have been agonizing for weeks about what to post on my blog update...seems like I don't have too many intersting things to talk about? yet...I'm busy and gone all the time. our life is one big bag of craziness. I'm so lucky!

October was a huge month for us, I had my surgery, survived it, and am now 4 weeks post op. FINALLY feeling like myself. FINALLY able to get through the day without pain medicaiton...FINALLY wearing some of my clothes that I had stored. I'll post  a picture once I get one. funny how I'm never if rarely photographed...usually by my choice though. so i don't have any recent pictures of me to share, but trust me. they are smaller. (maybe not as small as I would have liked though)

I went back to work 1.5 weeks ago. the first week was really rough. I had to move desks, and that was not so good on my new boobs. quite painful for a couple of days actually. but I'm settled now, and our house is getting back into our new routine.

Halloween was lot of fun. Tyler and Allison went to a halloween party down the street and my brother and sister in law and our friends, brought over their kids to trick or treat our neighborhood.

Tyler and Roy went hunting over a weekend in Eastern Oregon with his family, I h anded my older camera over to Tyler who took the pictures in my absence. He did a great job!

School is going great for the kids, McKenna is a super-star when it comes to reading, it's like all of a sudden, she just got it. what a neat thing to see, and to listen to her reading whole books by herself! she's like a sponge!

Hmmm what else...what else...? Oh I finished editing both sets of senior pictures that I did, and they turned out magnificent...those girls were adorable!

The kids will start hip hop again this month, we've been off since the last compition in June, Cykiyah (their teacher) bought and has finally opened up her own dance studio, this open house is tonight, I can't wait to see it. I'm sad it's a little further than I wanted to drive two nights a week, but you can't have everything.

All three kids are in a play beginning Dec. 5th, so our weeks have been filled with play practice non-stop. They are in the Nutcracker. Tyler has a pretty big part as Frank. Allison is a candycane, and McKenna is Rose. adorable. the play will run for three weeks. ugh! Annie tryouts are coming up with Corbet Childrens theater, and Tyler is wanting to audition for The Tempest (shakespeare) at the end of December. it's been great to get to know the other parents and kids, all coming together from different areas and schools. so important. I'm not usually very social with people I don't know. it takes me a while to warm up...but I've met some great people this last year.

McKenna has switched gyms to Top Flyte Gymnastics and is doing awesome. she's almost ready to move to the level 4 team and once that happens we'll be traveling all over for meets. crazy. but she absolutely loves it right now.

School conferences are coming up in about a week, and the week of Thanksgiving we leave for Sunriver Oregon for a 5 day vacation with our friends and their kids. I can't wait, we had such a great time last year! and the kids love that we are going to the same house. see it here: Plover 2 the pool was a huge hit last year, and this year they will try their hand at indoor surfing!! yikes! We hope for snow, but you can never be sure, we may end up at the mountain again.

Okay..well that's what I have for now. if you stop by say HI! I need take some more pictures, I've been slacking!   

Color Combos Galore Challenge #92

Here is my entry for the color combos Challenge. the colors were Yellow and Grey. two colors I happen to really like together. This is a picture I took Of McKenna not too long ago mixing pancake batter for Roy. she just loves to cook!

August/September Update and other ramblings!

I received the following email from my awesome Grandpa today:

Really Jess it has been since July for an up date on you Blog/ Get with it girl.

                                                                                     Grandpa

Who wouldn't crack up at getting that from their granparent? He makes me laugh! But sadly, he's right, I've been so busy that my updates slipped again. BUT...the kids are in bed, I poured myself a much deserved glass of wine, I'm listening to the music on my scrap blog (my favorite tunes at the moment) and decided that 10:10 PM is NOT too late to sit down for a blog post. I have a reader! yay! let the updates begin!!

Recent Happenings:

1. I am returning to full time work on Monday after working part time for 4 years. and YES, I'm VERY VERY sad about it. But with the economy the way it is, and Roy's work slow, it's time. and thank goodness it's an option for me.

2. I'm having breast reduction surgery on October 17th, and I CAN'T WAIT! yes, I'm a little nervous, mostly only when I over think it, and start obsessing. but I know this is the best thing I can do for myself. I just want the whole surgery, putting me to sleep and chopping off part of my body to be overwith. Eww...but just think how great I'll look next summer!

3. Traffic is the bane of my existance. Seriously I have about 15 traffic pictures on my iphone right now. I take pictures of every accident that makes me late for work in the morning, and evil drivers who REFUSE to let me merge, I have to merge people, DEAL WITH IT!. but I decided that  a post of only traffic may bore you, so I'll spare you the details for a while longer.

4. Roy and Tyler left to go hunting in Eastern Oregon with his family tonight. they will be back on Sunday, so it's girls weekend at home. the girls are really excited sad that they have to go with me to get my hair done tomorrow. (because it takes 2 hours) so I promised them that we would meet up with grandma and great grandma and go see Beverly Hills Chiuaua. looks funny after all.

5. I did senior highschool picture photo shoots last weekend that went really well. I'm super happy with how they turned out. but when do I have time to edit them now?? seriously, a two day weekend is NOT enough people. we need at least a three day weekend every weekend, don't we?

  This is McKenna on the day of her gymnastics banquet, in which she received the award for most improved! yay! she's now on pre-team and can start competing when she's 7. she's doing awesome! working on those back hand springs!! yikes!

We got a new kitty in August. Her name is Cricket. and she's adorable, and rules the house. the dogs are afraid, they are very afraid!

Loving this picture of Allison right now. seriously, she's so cute! (she totally has my wide cheeked smile!)

  First day of 1st grade! she's so adorable I can hardly stand it!! look at that fashionista at work!! white cowboy boots and all. definately super model material!

First day of 4th grade!

my girl knows fashion! (iphone pic, sorry it's not fantastic!) this girl can totally rock the long fun socks. and side pony tail!

Mckenna and grandma on Labor Day weekend, we camped! woot woot! I also played around with my camera and caught the coolest shot of McKenna riding her quad around camp!

hmm, as I'm posting these I'm wondering where all the pictures of Tyler are?? seems he's been busy and off doing things so I haven't taken as many of him..but I have a few unedited ones! enjoy!

Hmm...what else to say? I guess I'll just have to keep you posted as the month goes on, and I'll be posting after my surgery to let you all know all is well. and of course I can't leave you without a final beautifully edited picture...so here is one from the photoshoot last weekend, this is Marissa, she's amazing!

Peace and love to all. miss you like crazy!

July Newsletter.

Okay. so....I think I'll switch to the first week of the month for the newsletter, as the 15th just took TOOOO long to get here! lots of stuff going on in July. Started with Roy's Birthday and our trip to the Oregon coast for 5 days over the 4th of July. We had a great time. Finally were able to take the kids to the Oregon Coast aquarium, they loved it. (it's smaller than I remembered?) and it wasn't the same without Keiko there. but the Jelly Fish were still a big highlight. We also took some time to go out on the dunes and ride the quads. although the kids weren't too into it this time, not like before, so Roy was a little upset that they didn't want to ride more than they did. I did take pics but used a disposible camera because of all the sand. We bought lots of fireworks and just when it finally got dark enough to let them off...it started raining, in typical oregon coast fashion. not a lot, but enough that I couldn't set up my tripod to get the fireworks pictures that I wanted, so it was a little disappointing.

We did have a great visit with Roy's parent's though, and it was good to be able to spend time with them, to just hang out. I hit the antique malls with mom and found some really great treasures, so that's always a plus. but somehow we always come home with WAY more than we went there with. go figure.

We spend a lot of our July at BBQ's. either at our house, roy's cousin Jon's house or Steve and Brooke's house. it didn't matter, it was the same everywhere..lot of food and drinks and late nights. some of the best parts of summer.

loving the sun-burned cheeks and light hair. definately tells of summer time to me. Also this month, I took my first trip ever the CHA (Chaft and Hobby Association trade show) and although I will talk lots more about this on my scrap blog, I had so much fun in Chicago. I survived alone. the flight, the shuttle, the hotels. never even got lost once! it was an experience to be sure, and although Chicago is lovely it doesn't even come close to the beauty of Oregon. not to mention the immense humidity there about put me over the edge. I suppose one gets acclimated to it. but uh..not in the 5 days I was there. but when it was thunder and lightening that was sure something to see. nothing like a mid-west thunder storm! (I was gonna post a picture from the plane, but realized they are all on my work computer.!!)

This month Tyler participated in a "play in a day" workshop. they performed The Princess Bride and Tyler was case at the prince. it was HILARIOUS. I didn't have enough time to go home and grab the camera to take pics, but it was nice to be able to just sit and enjoy the show. the kids did a great job, and tyler loved it! Also...this month marked Tyler's 12th Birthday. I can't believe that next year he will be officially a teenager. seriously. Where did the time go?  He likes to remind me constantly that he's a "tween" although I'm in total denial of that fact. His birthday was Beatles themed. How many 12 year old's do you know love The Beatles? the cake was incredible and the BBQ was rockin'. I burned 75 beatles songs onto CD's for his party. it was gorgeous that day, and I hope he had a blast!

This month was also the annual Sandy Mountain Festival, of course we went, even though it was hotter than shit. at least 100 degrees. we braved it though..and were happy to be there together.

I've been learning lots with photoshop over the last few months and having a great time editing my pictures. and since I posted one of my Sister in law Rachelle last month, I'll post one of my brother Matt this month. this photo is TOTALLY photoshopped (including taking grandma out of the background!), but I still like it, he's such a good- looking funny kid... we were CRACKING UP between outtakes for this. you should see the other pics! he's a dork.

What else can I say about July? we are back to dance, and McKenna has been moved to Pre- Team in gymnastics. PRE-TEAM! do you know how exciting this is for her? her next move is to the competitive team once she's old enough to compete. she's working really hard and it's paying off. she's a star at only 5 years old, it's crazy I tell you (can you see the smile on her face?).

Besides all the wonderful things July brought us, the kids are constantly testing me, and their boudaries, makes me crazy. I'm so READY for school to start. it can't come fast enough! I'm sure I'm missing tons of stuff...funny how when I decided to post once a month I found myself wanting to post all the time....so maybe check back in a week or so...you never know! CI AO!

June 2008 Newsletter...

June was a busy month for us. Not only did it mark the end of the school year, it also meant the beginning of summer vacation. A time when the kids are free to do as they please, and Roy and I get to go to work and bitch about the fact that we have to work on such a nice day! Kindergarten graduation was brief...and EARLY in the morning. But McKenna was a star. so proud of her....well...there is one little thing. the report card. Oh don't get me wrong, she's super smart, but each semester the teacher would write that McKenna needs to work on her "social Skills" , work on being nice to other students, obeying rules, and using kind words (she once told another student their clothes didn't match). despite my chuckling, I knew that the report card would say these things. Why? because she's the devil oh no. I mean. she's Roy.

June also meant super ultimate high gas prices, the likes from which I'd never seen...I thought it was bad early on, but as the month progressed it only continued to rise....to point where I actually have to think about whether or not I need that ice cream from dairy queen at 11:00 at night. seriously. it's bad. but I did manage to get a picture (for posterity of course) of the prices before they became so outrageous that I have a mini heart attacks now. (thanks!)

I think one of the major june highlights was Father's Day. Well I should say that Father's day ended up being a 2 day celebration (I wish someone would have told me sooner...like I don't know. on MOTHER'S DAY...) anywho..it just so happened that I was sick that particular weekend with laryngitis...not fun. no voice. not feeling good. but had the distinct duty of the celebratory duties..which included cleaning house, watching kids, making cakes...fishing. ALL DAY LONG, followed by BBQ and much beer drinking. I was exhausted so HAPPY that Roy had a good time. (since his birthday pretty much sucked - but more on that in the July newsletter). the kids had fun. woo hoo! (not the best photo, but they REFUSED to stand in the shade - whatever.)

The Day BEFORE Father's day we were host to my brother and his three kidlets. love having them over. but man..they wear me OUT. full of energy. but I was so thrilled to see this little beauty at my house.

Tyler had a BIG month, he got his BRACES ON!! finally, after 3 years of going to the orthodontist (who is a GREAT guy!) he was able to get his spacers off, and get the braces on. Tyler was so happy. I think he actually brushed his teeth maybe I don't know...eleven catrillion times the first day! haha! I love how they look on him, making his face look older, he's changing before my very eyes. he's simply an amazing kid.

June also marked my Sister In Laws Birthday. HAPPY B-DAY Rachelle! and let me tell ya, she had a whopper of a party. there were well over 50 people there, lots of fun, and even got to see an old friend from high school. totally unexpected because well...I'm 7 years older than her and Matt, so that was cool. Matt's old friends from school kept asking me if I remember them from when they were little. uh...I can't friggin remember the people I work with everyday sometimes. so that would be NO. but it was cool anyway.