OMG!

That's about all I can say these days. Well, maybe I have a few more words, but you don't really want to hear them right now.

After catching up on some of ya'lls blogs (finally), I've realized that I'm not the only one extra tired these days. And I don't mean sleepy type tired. Everything about my life is exhausting me to the point of crying...which I have done. From vomit trying to brush teeth, to really SICK AND TIRED of changing pull-ups, particularly poopy ones, to books being ruined, to markers being ruined, to being woken up at night, to boogery noses, etc., etc.

Here's the real deal...we really do have a lot of sweet days. And when my kids are sweet, they are really sweet. Take for example, the wonderful kisses (for no reason) that Benjamin just came to give me! My real struggle has been that I have not been holding on to God's grace and strength. And because days have been so crazy over the last month or more, I have not stayed in touch with the ones who really challenge me to seek the only One who can get me through this life. I've lost a lot of the 'challenge' (you know, the ones who ask the hard questions and don't just 'fluff' the conversations) in many of those friends, but it only takes one. (BTW, I just got a kiss from Ian too.) So, as I prayed the other day, I will praise Him for all His good gifts (for He knows exactly how good they are). Even when my days are tough, He will get my praise.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am NOT unhappy with my life. Yes, it does get hard to watch 'normal' families, but that doesn't mean I'm unhappy with my own life.

Okay, the next entry will catch up on all the Christmas joys, like listening to Avery tell me all about God's forgiveness!

Avery saying: Avery: "Mommy, how do you spell 'drum'?" Mommy: "You mean as in the instrument?" Avery: "No, I mean as in the word."

Another Tooth Bites the Dust

I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for one of Avery's teeth to come out because the replacement tooth has already come in behind it. It is so loose, I just want to 'pop' it out. But she will have nothing to do with it. It's practically just hanging there.

In the meantime, Ian is talking to me this morning and what do I notice? A tooth gone! We have yet to actually see one of Ian's teeth that has come out. All we see is a hole in his mouth. I didn't even know that particular tooth was loose! I've been watching another one that's loose.

I figure he either lost it in his bed or he swallowed it. Hmmmm, I think I'll just stick to searching his bed for it.

Looks Innocent, Right?

Ian looks innocent enough holding these wooden mallets, right?.
BUT....add in the words he is saying....., "Bennnnn....come here....NOW!" Not so innocent anymore!

Oh, She's Sooooo Me!

We've been working on getting Avery to stop sucking her finger. So a friend told me about this stuff called Mavala Stop. Goes on like fingernail polish, stinks to high heaven, and tastes worse than fingernail polish. The first time I put it on her, I took the time to try to explain it all to her as to why she needs to stop sucking her finger. She seemed to be okay with it. We even have the bribe going.....when she's stopped for a certain number of days then she gets to go to the store and pick out something she wants. Luckily, I'm catching her earlier than my sister, who just got her 8 year old to stop....but had to bribe her with an I-pod! Whew, I get out cheaper!

I put it on her and she calmly walks away. As she's walking I can hear her under her breath saying, "I'm NOT going to stop sucking my finger." All going okay for a few days, with only minor hissy fits. Then Jim catches her sucking her thumb! Oooh, she's a smart one! So, the next time I make sure to put it on all fingers and thumbs. She didn't like that at all. Cried and cried. I consoled and consoled.

Yesterday when I put it on, she got upset, but not too badly. Then she walked away. Then, she came back, walked past me, and smartly said, "I washed it ALL off. Hmph." NOT a smart thing to say! So I brought her back to me and put more on! Little did she know, you can't just wash or wipe the nasty stuff off. That's the beauty of it!

It's like one of those cartoons, where the character tries everything in their power to accomplish something, but it just doesn't work. I don't think she even realizes that she's doing fine not sucking her finger. She just keeps trying to outsmart me. She's funny to watch, but "OH, she's just like me!"

Bitter Sweet Field Trip

Well, I went to Ian's first field trip of the year. Ian had a great time. Mom had a difficult time. I was in tears before we left and almost left early. I felt like an idiot having the teachers try to console me. Will I ever get past all this? Okay, here's what happened.

First, it's so hard on my heart when I see the kids have difficulty with Ian. They tell the teacher every time he even touches them (and I caught one that told when Ian never even touched him). And when Ian gets a little (okay, a lot) loud, I can see some annoyance in their faces. Okay, now let me give the real story. I am WAY hyper-sensitive to all of it. Truth is, the kids weren't really that bad. But to me, that's what I see.

Second, I felt it was best if Ian didn't ride this wagon pulling tractor thing. No adults could go on it, and if Ian had an inkling to stand up, he could have easily fallen out of the moving vehicle. The risk wasn't worth it to me. Did Ian care? NO! He happily waved bye to the other kids. Me, however.....I hated it. I hated that I even had to think about any risks. I teared up a bit at this point, but managed to suck it up because they were going on a hayride right after (adults allowed).

Third, while the kids were on this ride, we thought Ian had a poopy. Due to a miscommunication, the school did not bring the pull-ups I packed in his backpack (the same backpack his sack lunch was packed in). Luckily, I had one in the van. The walk to the van was a nightmare. I couldn't get Ian to understand that he wasn't leaving, but we had to change him. He screamed, he got angry, and he plopped himself down several times. We get to the van, I took his pull-up off....it wasn't even dirty!!!! He must have just had gas. Now this meant: 1) no more pull-ups left cause I had to put the extra one on him after I ripped off the one he had on; 2) I put him through all that for no reason. I felt horrible. Now in hindsight, he was probably trying to tell me he wasn't dirty.

Fourth, because of that whole episode, Ian missed the actual hayride! Again, he didn't care. I don't think he even knew. But I did. So, as we stood there waiting for them to return, I choked back my tears and decided it was probably best for me to leave (I met the school bus there). When I tried to tell his teacher and the aides......the river flooded. I couldn't open my mouth without crying. I'm sure they thought I was a crazed parent. I told them Ian was doing great, but that my heart just couldn't handle it. They were so sweet, and I see the concern on their faces. Long story short, they talked me into staying. I'm glad I did. Ian really did do a great job and had great fun, and the other kids really did do great with him.

I just want to feel like a normal parent sometimes, instead of always worrying or getting upset over the 'missed' things, especially when it never seems to upset him. Argh!

Cute Stuff

Isn't he adorable! This is from his PPCD class. I'm not sure what the story is, but all the kids get to dress up like scarecrows. We have the same picture of Ian when he was Benjamin's age.















This was a sheet Ian did at school. The boy can write his name....pretty darn good too! I have to admit, this is something I would never have believed he'd be doing at this point. But, I also have not had very high expectations either. I suppose this is pretty normal for most of us during this journey. But as of late, I have learned to start raising the bar. So, when we do his homework, I really push him as far as he'll let me. I've been so proud of him. We got a note from his teacher last week that was soooo encouraging. She said that he reads all his sight words and that he's getting close to counting 5 objects one-to-one correspondence (touching each object when he counts it). My peacock feathers were quite proud!

Avery is doing great in school as well. I'm bummed that this private school only goes to kindergarten. I would love for them to add grades. She is really challenged and doing good meeting the challenge. Her writing is improving, she's trying to spell words on her own, and she does an awesome job at reading. I have also really enjoyed becoming good friends with a few of the moms from last year and this year. We've started meeting once a month for a "mom's night out". It's been great.

Thanks to great friends and family, I have been able to go to all three kids' first field trips this year. Makes for some really cute pics!

Ellie, the dog, is doing pretty well. Still in puppy stage. We went and had her spayed a week and a half ago. She developed this ping pong size lump on her belly. I knew a small lump was normal, but this seemed a bit large. So I took her in and they gave her some antibiotics for it and said it was more than likely due to over-activity. Bad parents! Well, come to find out, while I was gone for 4 days, Jim was making sure everyone, including the dog, was happy and well-exercised. Oops.

Okay, that's my update on things for the most part. Til next time....

Can He PLEASE Stay This Little?

"A clue! A clue!" "Wat dat?" "Where Ben? "There e is!" "I coming!" "Ellie, sit!" "I pooped." "Snack, pease." "Tank you, daddy." "I did it!" "Night,night." "No!" "Honey, you can't love a duck!" (this is a song they sing at school) "Open it pease." "Hi Avery!"

These are just a few of the fine phrases my little Benjamin says. And I wish I could put the voice sound on my blog. It is soooooo incredibly cute to hear him in his tiny little voice.

I have just been so blown away by how he has been able to communicate his wants and needs to us. While it's not always distinguishable, most of the time we can figure it out. At this age (3), Ian was only saying single words. I'm sure it has a lot to do with Ian was the first kid, Benjamin is the third...being able to listen to two siblings talk all the time.

I know they have to grow up...just life. But, oh, he's soooooo adorable just the way he is!

Everyone Should Have a Bethany in Their Life!

Where does the time go? It seems everytime I try to sit to catch this thing up, I get distracted and on to something else. Then, the next thing I know, what I had planned to write seems quite outdated. Oh well, that's life I suppose.

So, Jim and I had our 11 year anniversary on October 2. We had planned for a get-a-way night at a B&B that Jim found....he's a great planner. Long story short, the way we thought it would work out was not going to work out. We were hoping to start out early and not come home until evening on Saturday. Our sitters' plans had a different idea. So we needed additional back-up. So, after another failed attempt, I decided to call Bethany. Who is Bethany, you ask? Bethany is the only 14 year old we would ever let watch our children. She's not 14 anymore. She's now 2nd year in college. She is incredible with the kids and loves them sooooo much. She started babysitting for us when we just had Ian. She is creative, mature, responsible, loving, fun, and remembers all the 'extra' stuff for the kids (ie. pills, baths (even when not asked), bedtime routines, etc.). I never have to worry about whether or not something is getting done....yes, I still call - - - I AM a mom!

Anyway, she goes to college an hour and a half away. I called her up, told her our dilemma and without hesitation, she agreed to come up to watch the kids all day Saturday. So, now we have an overnight place for them (thank you, Grandma and Papa) and Saturday is taken care of.

Saturday morning comes. We finish breakfast (yummy), and get ready to head out for our fun for the day. As we were figuring out how long we had before we needed to head back, we started pondering the option of staying another night. Could we?....dare we?....ask Bethany to stay the night with the kids????? Yep. So, I called her, made our request, and again, without hesitation, she agreed! I started crying, and told her I wish I could get her to understand what a blessing this was to us. She said she loves the kids and since she came up just to watch them, she didn't make any other plans for the weekend.

There you have it. Everyone (especially families with special needs) should have a Bethany in their life! We love you dearly, young lady!

It's THAT Time of Year!

I meant to post this yesterday because yesterday was the official first day of fall!!! My favorite time of year...especially here in Texas. Now we haven't gotten a cool-down yet, but I hear it's coming. And I am sooooooo ready! How could you NOT like fall? You got football, better weather, beautiful trees (well, somewhere anyway), Ian's birthday, fall festivals, our anniversary (11 years this October). Did I mention football? Oh, yeah.

I'm hoping to get brave enough to take the kids to a pumpkin patch thing this year. I'll let ya know if I have a major break-through and decide to do it.

What is this Beautiful Picture?

This is one of THE most beautiful pictures residers of parts of Texas could ever see. DEAD FIRE ANTS! Sick, I know. This mound, which we have poisoned at least twice, came up looking like this after a day and a half of massive rain. Now, unfortunately there are two things we can be sure of. One, for each one of these dead ants there are at least a thousand more live ones seeking vengeance. Two, those lives ones are searching out a place in our backyard to reside. Horrible little creatures!

Introducing Ellie

This is Ellie. She is an 8 week old Labradoodle (mostly lab looking), and she's ours. What possesssed us to get a dog, you might ask...and many have asked. Well, a husband that caved and a friend who was packing her up to go before we had even decided....she's great that way.







We went to our friends' for dinner. That's Jennifer in the picture above. They're dog had 9 pups. Jim was, "no way are we coming home with a dog." I wanted one...mostly the thought of one. There are things about having a dog I just don't miss...mainly dog hair, vet bills, spending money, and figuring what to do with it when we go out of town. So, off we go, planning on coming home with the same number we left with.

Jim goes into the room to look at the pups and walks out with one in his hand. I knew we were in trouble at that point. He said he wasn't expecting any of the pups to look have the smooth hair of a lab. He doesn't like the way Labradoodles look with the wiry, curly hair. (Sorry, doodle owners). So, very quickly, my friend Jennifer starts packing up the dog food and her husband gives the dog her shot and de-worming thing. Whoa! Then came the real kicker. First, they said we could do a trial run. If after a week things just didn't work out, we bring her back. Second, when we go out of town, we take her there for them to take care of. Gee, what more could you ask....besides paying for vet bills. :)

Now, most of you don't the history of us and dogs. Before we had children, we got a dog. You know...the, 'having trouble having kids, so get a dog syndrome'. So, we spoil the dog for nearly 2 years. Then we begin having kids...one every other year. Long story short, Dante (the dog) did not like it. Then add the FX on top of it and it was a mix for disaster. Dante began loosing his hair, gaining a lot of weight, and peeing on the floor. In a nutshell, the vet said he was stressed. So, we gave him to a good family. No more dog. Never planned to get another dog. Hmmmm.

Well, all the way home, Ian and Avery were blurting out name ideas. Avery wants to name her every princess there is, and Ian...well, he just blurts out names. Avery's favorite was Cinderella. Ian's favorite was Jesus. It was quite cute. So, as we were going through all the video characters they know, we finally settled on Ellie (the name of the female mammoth on Ice Age 2).

She's doing great so far. The kids don't seem as interested in her as I thought they would. Avery likes her and will read to her. Ian's indifferent. Benjamin most of the time doesn't like her and will cry because she, of course, jumps and nips. Potty training, you ask? Well, I don't want to jinx it all (if you believe in that), but it's almost like she's already potty-trained. She's only had 1 small accident in the house. Otherwise, pees and poops outside....but despises the heat! Who can blame her? She has black fur!

So, we'll see in a week if we still have a dog.

Bad News, Really Bad News, More Bad News, Good News!

Bad News: My cell phone fell in the toilet. I quickly, without even thinking grabbed it, ripped the battery out, and began drying furiously. Yes, the white dot turned pink.

Really Bad News: It was AFTER I pee'd.

Really Really Bad News: Ian saw the whole thing and thought it was funny.....anyone besides me see him tossing a cell phone in the toilet anytime soon?

More Bad News: After realizing the phone wasn't coming back on, I called to file a claim with the phone insurance to get a replacement phone.....they say I don't have insurance on it! Argh! My mistake when I hooked up the information when we 1st got the phones. Must have overlooked the insurance part.

Good News: I TURNED ON MY PHONE AGAIN AND IT'S CURRENTLY WORKING!

Needles Update

Thanks for the responses from the help entry I posted. I actually ended up getting my answer from the doctor. Imagine that. I've had such not appealing luck with doctors, I almost just don't trust their 'opinions' anymore. However, a friend referred me to our new pedi and she's great...so far anyway. She's actually familiar with fragile X. She not only did not look at me weird when I told her that Benjamin had not any shots yet, she also wisely helped out with where to start. Basically she suggested to get the ones that are pertinent for today. For example...she says they don't see cases of Hib much these days, but do see Diptheria, Pertussis, Tetnus stuff. Therefore, skip the Hib for now and go for the DTaP. Okay, you get the point.

So, we pull up to the dr. office and I tell Avery (who has been a brave girl thus far) that she can take her bear in to help her feel better. She told me she didn't think that would make her feel better. I asked her what she thought would help. She says, "Mommy, the only thing that will help me feel better is if I don't get the shot at all." Smart one.

We get in there and she diplomatically tells me all the reasons Benjamin should go first. She had done so well....until....the nurse came in with the shots. Eyes get big and filled with tears and the pleading begins. After finally getting her on the table, she proceeds to hold her arm and scream and scream and beg and beg. Ultimately, the nurse and I won and she had 2 shots before she knew what hit her. I felt so badly for her, but she did eventually recover. This was her first time to get a shot in the arm. Typically, she had gotten them in the thigh and couldn't walk for the rest of the day (drama queen). When we got home, she told me she didn't want to walk. I told her she didn't get the shots in her leg so she would be fine to walk. She held out a limp arm and said, "But Mommy, when I walk, my arm moves." How could I argue that? By the end of the day, she was all better.

Benjamin, you ask? He was a trooper. Zero tears. Of course, he didn't know what was coming, so he was all relaxed and didn't tense his muscles. Hope he stays doing that well in the future!

So, we all recovered the whole immunization thing once again.....until next time....

Need Help Quick!

We are getting ready to start Benjamin's immunizations. We chose to wait until he would be entering the germ infested atmosphere of school. That time is about to start. He's 3. I believe that some of the earlier immunizations are dud now at his age. So, I'm looking for information on a schedule/immunizations to go by at this age. We opt not to do the MMR. The book I've read doesn't really give an alternative schedule this late, except for a few of the immunizations. If you have a good website to go to, a book, or a good email help, please reply back quickly. I have his appointment to go in this Friday. Yes, I'm a procrastinator. If I have to, I can cancel his until I get more information. Just thought I'd check with you all first. Thanks!

My Little Angel is 5!

Ok, now that we're back from vacation, I figured I post about Avery's bday party from the 10th before our vacation details.

Avery had a great time. This year, we decided to make it a 'kid friends' only party. So, she picked about 7 or so kids (and their parents) from school and then we had 'non-school' friends (and their parents). She's the only summer bday, so she gets the swim/cook-out party over at grandma and papa's. Everyone swimmed, ate burgers and hotdogs, and had loads of fun. And we got an extra surprise because I thought my family wasn't going to be able to make the trip. They called the night before while I was away making the cake to let me know they would be here, but Jim forgot to tell me. So, it was a nice surprise to me the day of the party.

The highlight of the party actually happened before the party. See, I've had all the kids' bday cakes made by a friend of mine (who does an incredible job!) or by me (who does a decent job). I was so disappointed in the cake I bought for Ian's first bday, I decided no more. Well, after 6 years of having all the cakes made, I decided maybe I would go ahead and just buy one this year for Avery. Then I decided I just couldn't do it. It's kinda become a tradition now. Therefore, I decided to make my first icecream cake.

I needed to make it over at my in-laws so that Avery wouldn't see it and so that it would already be in the freezer. I wish I could go into every single detail of that evening and the next day. Hilarious doesn't cover it. The cake was supposed to be a sandcastle icrecream cake. It ended up looking like a sandcastle AFTER the big wave hit it. My MIL was laughing so hard I thought we were going to have to take her to the hospital. Needless to say, we had tons of fun making it. And you know what?! It tasted awesome and Avery loved it!

Avery's 'big' gifts were her violin, by mom and dad, and purple dress to wear while 'playing' the violin, made by grandma. She was thoroughly excited and missed both her violin and her dress while we were on vacation.

Another birthday gone. Another wonderful year with her has passed so quickly. I love you, sweet Avery!

Avery loves being thrown in the water
The dog cage was a big hit for the kids too!

Avery and her cousin enjoying a ride on the alligator
Grillin' Papa

Avery in her purple dress ready to play her new violin
THE cake! Remind you of Amatyville Horror House?
This was an extra special gift from Grandma and Papa that arrived after we got home from vacation!!!! Was actually a gift for all the kids. Wahoo!!

Vacation Time - woo-hoo!

Literally on our way out the door for vacation in Colorado. Ready to get away from this heat for a while. Will check back when we get back. Have a great week all!

Did He REALLY Say That?

Yeah, so if any of you have kids like my oldest, you're probably broke from buying food. The boy literally eats more than I do. He'd eat an entire pizza if we let him. And 5 minutes after that pizza he'd say, "I'm hungry" or "guacamokie?"** This is no joke. Earlier on, people would say, well if he's hungry, he should eat. After all, look how tiny he is. Yeah, right. Let's just start all the bad over eating habits early just because the kid has no sense of fullness. Most who know us the best can now testify that, no, he shouldn't eat just cause he SAYS he's hungry.

Okay, so this morning I asked what they wanted for breakfast. And out of Ian's mouth (sheer accident, I'm sure) comes...are you ready for this..."I'm not hungry. I don't wanna eat." If I wouldn't have been sitting, I would have fallen. I literally went to feel his head to be sure there was no fever. Guess what I found out? The kid's got a great sense of humor! For as I'm walking away, he says, "Toast?"

**Guacamokie is Ian's guacamole...just in case you didn't get it.

Another knocked out tooth...is that really necessary?

Yes, he did it again! Benjamin was running with the football away from his brother. Being the careful boy his is not, he turned his head for a second. In that second, he managed to swerve his body too much to the right, smacking himself into the barstool. Now let me tell you, it just did not look like a very hard hit. He cried, I went over to console. Then Jim tells me there's a lot of blood. As we attempt to look at him, Jim says it's his lip that got busted. As I look a bit more, I notice the space where he knocked out his first tooth is bigger. Jim was in shock when I told him I think he knocked out another tooth. "NO WAY!" were his exact words.

Sure enough, once the blood cleared a bit and we managed to get Benjamin's hands out of his mouth for a few seconds, we could see the missing spot. I ran over to the barstool to look for the tooth. I found it a few feet from the scene of the accident. I found 2 pieces. I was confused however, because one looked like a whole tooth, the other looked like a piece, and I couldn't get them to go together. Of course, I panicked thinking he had also broken a piece off another tooth. After looking at the second piece, Jim informed me it was only a pebble. Whew! After feeling a bit silly, I was quite relieved.

The meltdown of the episode didn't last near as long as the first one. Does this mean he's getting used to it? No, no, no, no! It also didn't bleed as much or as long as the first time. And mommy didn't freak near as much as the first time.

So, his nickname lives on...BooBoo!

Catch Up Time

Summer is going pretty good so far. Ian is doing extended year and has 2 more weeks left. Since its from 8am-2:00pm, that leaves a lot of time spent with Avery and Ben together. They always play really well together and I think have enjoyed their time. But it's always nice to hear, "when will Ian be home?".

This past week, Avery did a Princess Ballerina day camp Monday-Thursday. She really enjoyed it and looked darn cute! They had a 30 second 'recital' the last day. Avery completely froze. Oh well. She was still cute.

We took Avery and Benjamin to a nearby mini-aquatic park. It's a great way to beat the 98 degree heat without having to endure the bigness of a water park. Of course, Benjamin waited that day to have his first poop until about 10 minutes after he'd been playing in the water. No biggy. Just changed and went on as usual. They've also been swimming in the little backyard pool. That's a nice easy way to beat the heat as well.

Of course, they've all been swimming at Grandma's a few times. And of course, I forgot to take pictures each time. I always like to get their 'first swim' of the summer. So, pics will say first swim, but it'll actually be later. Who'll know?!

We've gone to visit my family once since school's been out. My newest niece is just adorable.

Jim leaves for Chicago to visit his dad next week for a week. So, I'm planning my 'time alone' today at the pool. No kids, no noise, just me.

My niece on Jim's side left yesterday to live with her dad. It was a sad day. I won't go into how all worked out that way, but I'm sure if she's going to live with her dad, you can guess the jest of the reason why. I know it's absolutely the best thing for her. She's actually been living with Grandma and Papa for quite some time now, which has been great. But life was just too 'unknown' and topsy-turvy here. I know she would have rather stayed here and stayed living with them, but she needed to get away and start a new, stable life. We'll still see her when she comes back to visit, but it's just strange now to know that we won't see her as often. I'm just thankful for the closeness of our relationship. Rambling now.

I get a mom's night out tonight! So excited. These are some new mom friends that I don't get too see all at once too often, and they are so much fun. Looking forward to it.

I think that's about it.

Green Thumb Yet?

                                            Begonias, overtaken by Impatiens

                    Rose moss, verbena, lavender, rosemary, birdbath

                                          Pentas (planted pink and white)

                   Yea! Ripe! And tasty! Just picked another one today.

                                                     Dusty Miller and Verbena

                                                                 Avery's Daisies

Okay for those of you who are really good at the gardening thing, please don't laugh. I'm just getting into it and have been enjoying it, thanks to my MIL. I just decided to quit thinking so much about what to put where and with what, and just plant.

So, I'm the proud mother of 3 finally ripe tomatoes and plenty more growing. That's the extent of the veggies so far. Luckily, Ian's only picked and tossed one tomato over the fence.  I've got a bush bean plant started, but not sure what it's gonna do.  Not really even sure what one is.

Then I've got the decorative items. I'm one of those that sees it wilted or 'dead' blooms and thinks, 'That's it. I've killed another." MIL says, "no, they'll come back. Just keep watering as needed and watching." So, I do, and they bloom. Puts a smile on my face. Avery has a couple as well and she's very proud of them.

Goal for next year or later this year....pull the front bushes and plant veggies in back.

Know What Bugs Me?

Okay, I'm not a person that gets bothered by much. Well, the list grows a little the older I get, but that's beside the point. If I get bugged by something, I'm generally pretty quick at letting it go. A) because many of them I'm guilty of myself, and B) really, what good does it do to gripe and gripe about the same thing. Don't get me wrong, I have a subject or two that can get me going at the thought of it. However, that's not for today (or anyday on blog).

I'm a big fan of Craigslist. We've gotten many a good deals on it, and never been scammed. I'm pretty darn picky though. That helps. Okay, so there's this item we want to purchase. I mean REALLY want to purchase. That doesn't happen too often. Most of the time, I hesitate so much, it's either gone or I decide we don't need it. But not this one. I've emailed the person twice about it, left them my email address and phone number, told them I'd come get the item that day, blah, blah, blah. HAVEN'T HEARD A PEEP BACK! So, okay if they sold it....TAKE THE DUMB THING OFF THE FOR SALE POSTING FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Now, my husband, being the kind man he is, says they may be out of town. Okay, possibility. But seriously, I emailed them THE MORNING IT WAS POSTED. If you're not going to check your email or are not that serious about selling, DON'T POST. If you're serious about selling, but don't check your email, LEAVE A PHONE NUMBER. Are ya'll feeling my frustration? Okay, I'm done. Overall, it's a really, really, really, stupid thing (oops, we don't say that in our house :)) to get stuck on. So, I'm over it.

Year 5 Anniversary; Tooth Fairy Overrated

Well the time has come around again. The 12th will be the 5 year mark of our first of 3 diagnoses. It hits me differently every year. This year feels especially remarkable as I see how far Ian has come and how incredibly happy he is the majority of the time. I feel especially blessed as I realize that the only medication we have him on is clonodine, and at a very low dose (sometimes lower than we would like). Hearing about all the meds is one of the things that scared me the most about this diagnosis. I'm not saying that Ian will never need to be on anything 'heavier', but I am soooooo glad his quality of life is such that we have not felt the need to change things. So, Ian, I just want you to know how incredibly proud I am of you and how much I love you! You are my big boy! Now, could you work really, really hard on the potty training thing, PLEASE!

Okay, wait til you hear this. Avery lost her first tooth last week. We've never been big fans of the whole 'imaginary character' things...one being the tooth fairy. However, with Avery being the only one who will actually be interested in the whole thing, we decided to tell her that the tooth fairy is one of God's angels, and that when she leavese her tooth under the pillow, the 'angel' replaces it with gift from the God who formed her and created her teeth to fall out and grow another. Well, that night I had her tooth in a little box ready to put under her pillow. She just looked blankly at me and told me she didn't want it there. I explained that that is how the tooth fairy gets it and puts her surprise there. Again, weird look. Then, as she looks around her room, she tells me she doesn't want the tooth fairy to come. Hmmm, what do I do now? So, I tell her that if she doesn't want her to come, she won't, but she can't be mad in the morning. She told me she wouldn't be mad in the morning. So, I complied and took the tooth with me. Low and behold, I never heard another word about it! She said nothing about it in the morning, or any time since! What's up with that? I'm thinking it kinda freaked her out to think that 'someone' might come in her room while she's sleeping, although I told her she would never even know. That's my little angel!

Black Thumb Gardening

No, that's not my beautiful landscaping. Wish it was! Okay, I've been threatening for years to try out gardening and finally plant landscaping stuff. Now that I have a little time by myself before summer starts, I thought it'd be a great time to start. There are no pics, because I start out VERY small. It's kind of like me trying to add wall decor to my house. I'm too 'chicken' because I think, "What if I don't like it there? Now I've got a hole." Yep, that's my thinking. It's not really the small decor that worries me. It's the larger, sinker needed, type stuff. But I've finally concluded that I CAN cover the hole if needed.

Okay, how does that relate to my gardening phobia? Well, I think "What if it dies? How do I know what kind of soil or fertilizer to use, or which part of the house offers the right amount of sun during the day? How do I know what will grow well together?......" Thanks to my friend, Jill, who suggested I just go for it or I'll never start.....I did just that. I read a bit on-line and then just did it. I bought a potted tomato plant, and just a few flowers. I plan on a ground garden for veggies soon, but I have to wait until I can figure out how to keep the rodents/rabbits/other creatures of the night we have hanging around out of it. So, for now, I'm good with potted. I transplanted 2 of the flowers (verbena) into an area under a tree in our front yard; one of the begonias into a pot to use as a house plant; and then one begonia and 2 impatiens in an outdoor pot on our front porch. If anything dies? Okay, I just go buy more. I think I'm reaching a break-through!

I have also decided to really start using the tools I have....my mother-in-law and the internet. I have read so much on-line, I've decided to start a 'gardening' folder. Today, Avery and I are going to start a compost bin. Should be exciting! When I'm feeling more confident, I'll attach pictures.

Any suggestions out there.....I'm all ears!

Benjamin Turned 3!

Lego Block Cake

HOURS of fun on the new trampoline!

Cute, Rian!

Benjamin turned 3 years old this weekend! I can't believe it. We had a great bday party for him. I was pretty proud of how the cake(s) turned out, but they still didn't turn out as smooth looking as the lady who did it on the video...go figure! He had great fun on his 'big' birthday present. Don't tell him, but it's really for the whole family to enjoy...which we did. Oh, and don't you just love your self portrait mug shot, Rian!

Oh my gosh, I'm cute!

So, now that he's 3, that also means he started his PPCD class today. MY BABY IS IN SCHOOL! I really thought I would cry, but I didn't. I kept my mind focused on all the things I would get done in the 2 hours I have by myself 3 days week, until summer. He looked darn cute (and small) with his

backpack on!

Ready to learn with my teacher!

Let's Catch Up!

Been too long. Everytime I go to sit at the computer, I decide I'm too brain dead to try to put things into words. Not to mention, that on an open blog, one can really only include so many words. Remember that "big brother watching" thing. One day, maybe I'll do an 'invitation only' blog. Doubt it. Here goes my life thus far. Luckily, can't complain. God is still not only good, but faithful in the busy and crazy times.

I went on my semi-annual scrapbook retreat a couple weekends ago. BTW, I'm proud that this is one of my hobbies and know my children will sooooo appreciate and enjoy it as well in the future. I can't imagine not leaving them with something so concrete. Beats all the money in the world or any computer/disk or other techno form...IMO - which I am well aware is not asked for. (unless of course, that's the way you enjoy doing it or if busy days, busy kids, busy lives don't allow for the concrete stuff....totally understandable, no offending intended - after all, I only have 1st year for each kid) Okay, done with the rant. Anymore, the time away is not soley about getting books done (although we do work LATE into the night/early morning). It's become so much more of a ladies' social, strengthening, encouragement, just plain fun time! And they let me act like a kook(?) as much as I want. What more could you ask for? Well, this time, they outdid me. I don't know if you remember 'the stuffed pheasant' from the last several stays there. It's part of the decor in one of the rooms. Why it's part of the decor, I'll never figure out. Anyhoo, the joke between my grand friend and me is to hide the ugly bird in the other one's belongings. It shows up in the darndest places. This time, a few of the ladies decided to go on a walk. I asked them to take my camera to take some pics of the wildflower fields and whatever. My mistake. They took the 'whatever' to the max. They took the pheasant along for the walk. I've only included a small number of the large number of pics they took of the bird's adventure. I was laughing so hard when I saw the pics, I had tears.





While I was gone, Jim texted me that Ian lost a top front tooth. You all know that when Ian 'loses' a tooth, he literally 'loses' it. About 20 minutes later he texted again with a picture, revealing that he had by that time lost both top teeth! Ian told our friend that he swallowed them. Hmmmmm????
Benjamin had his ARD meeting with the school last week. It went fine. He just had his last session with ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) and will start in his PPCD class on Monday...the day after he turns 3. OMG! I will cry. He's my baby.....and quite the mamma's boy at that. I've also included a pic of yet another black eye. Yes, right before his bday party. No one's sure what happened. Avery told us she accidently fell on him with the chair. All we know is there was bleeding and crying. But, he recovered, as you can tell by the adorable smile.

Last Friday I had a procedure done at my GYN's office called an endometrial ablation. Read about it if you'd like. I'm sure most have heard of it. I'm hoping I get the results I'd like. It was not a big deal to get done. My wonderful MIL took me. They put an IV in to knock me out. Next thing I knew, I was awake, groggy, being given instructions, and heading home. I slept most of the day and took one pain med and ibruprofen for cramping all day. By the next day, I felt fine. By yesterday, I was running (in great weather BTW).

These 3 pics are the reason I should get mom of the year. :) These are 3 reward/extrensic motivators we use. The pizza is to work on toilet training with Ian. You know, to bribe him to stay dry and to pee and poop ON THE TOILET. When he fills up the pizza pie, he gets to order a pizza. Now, if he poops on the potty, we skip straight to ordering a pizza. The two charts are for Ian and Avery. When they do something 'above and beyond' to make us proud, they get a smiley face. If they get 3 by the end of the day, they get a treat. The little board maker cards are 'treasure box' cards. If they have at least one card left by the end of the day, they get to choose something from their treasure box. With all these, we still also use spankings when needed and time out. Life seems like one big game of reward/discipline.


The sandbox is compliments of my wonderful FIL. He built it for the kids! He's so awesome!
This is a random pic from Easter, just cause I like it.

Last thing. I went out running last night on my usual route. I noticed a bunch of emergency vehicles ahead of me in the neighborhood. I knew whatever it was, they weren't going to let me pass, so I changed routes. We watched the news and found out that a gang related shooting death took place.....20 minutes before I went out to run! Just the fact it happened in our neighborhood (actually about 1 mile away) was enough to freak me out. But then when I think I could have been running by as it happened really freaked me out. Jim is definitely getting strict on not letting me run later in the evenings.

Well, I hope you made it all the way through this. I know it was long. Hopefully I won't wait so long next time!