Monday, December 29, 2008

And so it begins...

I officially started to train for the half marathon I am running (hopefully the whole way) today. Boy am I out of shape, or in a round one as Scott would say. My training today way a two mile run, not bad. I didn't want to go out in the cold and didn't feel like going to the college and renewing my membership, so I used Mom's elliptical. After about 1/2 a mile I was ready to quit. But I didn't, I did the two miles and a little cool down. I think my heart rate was way to high when I'd measure it on the machine and prayed I wouldn't pass out and would just finish. After I finish a mile I started to feel good again, my muscles were warming up. We'll see if I can move tomorrow though. Hopefully Wednesday I will get my butt to the college and actually run, it's 2 miles again. Then we'll see how I'll do. For the next while I'll be writing a lot on my journey to the half marathon, What was I thinking?!?! Oh yeah, that's my life's motto.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas Eve

It is finally here and the kids could not be more excited. The only down fall is Harley is sick. What is up with the holidays and sickness this year, especially Harley (she is my sickly child this year). I am taking a break while a cake cooks and the rolls rise. I need to finish cleaning the house, Linda is coming and we can't wait. I want everything done so we can just enjoy the rest of the week, Scott doesn't have to go back in until Monday after he gets off today. The driveway needs a good shovel, it is packed with snow. It is fun having a white Christmas, but I a nervous for those who are traveling. Usually the snow has melted on the streets by now, but it is holding on strong. I have to go to the store still and am afraid fro myself and everyone else on the road for me driving. I can't wait for the night to be here. I love the food, the family and most of all the excitement of the kids. Well off to clean, cook and shovel the driveway.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Decorating Trains




Each year Mammy bakes trains and the kids get to decorate them, thus I get out of baking gingerbread houses. This year we waited for Mooch to be home to do it with them. The kids had a blast and made a mess. They love doing the trains and most of all overloading on the candy. As if it wasn't enough to overload there, the kids broke into the train for dessert. I hope they go to sleep soon and come down off the sugar high. It was a fun day for them and they love their time with Mammy. Thanks Mammy for the fun memories. We just wish all the cousins were here.

Here comes Santa




It has been awhile since we saw Santa, but I just wanted to post about it. We had a Children's Christmas Party at the church. There were stories with milk and cookies and then Santa came to visit the kids. It was a lot of fun and a success with the kids. They waited for the line to go down to see Santa, because I wouldn't stand in line for them while they played. Harley wants an American Girl doll, Samantha or Mia (they are being retired this year), and Noah wants a new Nintendo DS lite Pokemon version, the one he has is on the fritz. A few more days and we'll see if they were on the naughty or nice list. They really are excited for Christmas to come this year (it is starting to drive me a bit crazy and so I'm ready for it to be here too). I didn't get pics of the kids in their Sunday clothes this year, hopefully I can get it this next Sunday. If not we will live and life will go on. I just am not in the picture taking spirit right now.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

My 8

I've been tagged and need to do my list of 8's. So here it goes...

8 tv shows I enjoy watching
1. Survivor
2. The Mentalist
3. The New Adventures of Old Christine
4. The first 48
5. Criminal Minds
6. Crime 360
7. America's Next Top Model
8. CSI

8 things that happened yesterday
1. I started cleaning my house and still haven't finished
2. We went shopping for our items to donate to Childhaven
3. We ate dinner at Applebees
4. I dropped the kids off at school in my pj's
5. I worked out
6. I cleaned out the dresser next to Scott's side of the bed (and threw a bunch away, sshhhh)
7. Drank a Route 44 Diet DP with diet cherry, easy ice
8. started my week long laundry washing

8 things I'm looking forward to
1. Not stressing about being in shape to run the 1/2 marathon
2. Christmas break and hanging out with the kids
3. Summer, I hate this cold weather
4. My date to watch Mr. Jane tonight with Scott
5. A diet DP
6. Getting new running shoes and a gym membership
7. Losing weight
8. Having the school Christmas Parties over with


8 things I love (or tolerate) about winter
This is a stretch, but I'll try
1. The kids making snowmen
2. The memories of being a kids
3. Caramel Apple Cider
4. snuggling under a warm blanket
5. Sledding
6. Snow days
7. The magical feeling snow brings
8. When it's over


8 things on my wish list
1. To be the wife and mother my family deserves
2. To get my house cleaned and decluttered
3. To teach my kids the things they need to know
4. Become a better person
5. Learn patience
6. Make wiser choices
7. My husband and kids will know how much I love them
8. To be a positive impact on others lives

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

One of my trials/pay-backs in life

This week has been particularly trying with Noah. To say the least he is driving me nuts!! I just want to put him in bed about thirty minutes after picking him up from school and can't wait to get him there in the morning. How sad is that!?! Sometimes he is the sweetest little thing, but beware there are some horns holding up the halo at those times. When he is difficult, watch out. I just hate that I am not enjoying my short amount of time with him. I need to change my attitude, but every time I think I am it suddenly switches back to "just get to bed and leave me alone." I am sure he can hardly stand waiting for the holiday and I need to be more patient. But come on already. He does come up with some original excuses, I'll give him that. Like when he is not listening, "I think there is too much earwax in my ears. I can't hear what I'm supposed to do" and walking around hunched back for a good three hours, just to admit he's really not hurt (that's dedication). I know he comes by these traits naturally, I am his mom, but come on already. Hopefully Girls Night Out this week will help. I'm off to get the kids to bed and myself, more uncontrollable children to deal with subbing tomorrow (if only I had know he would be this difficult a month ago when I agreed to sub tomorrow, I would have said no).

Friday, December 5, 2008

Putting up the Christmas tree











We finally put up the tree this week. It was a lot of fun and I actually took pictures this year, another day I tend to brain fart about pictures. The kids need to clean some things while Scott was setting up the tree and fluffing it. Noah decided he would much rather fluff the tree and Harley didn't really want him helping pick up. Thus Noah went on and on about fluffing the tree. After awhile Scott was getting bugged by the tree fluffing comments and said that isn't what he calls fluffing. The kids rolled with laughter, thus my favorite pics of the night, the kids "Fluffing" their Christmas trees they put up in their room. Yes we do have a sick sense of humor around our house. It was a good night, the only downfall was the kids did not want to go to sleep because they were so wound up. But, it was the most fun decorating a tree yet.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Thanksgiving

Scott cooking
My paintball boys

I don't know why, but I don't particularly enjoy the holidays. Once they are here I guess I enjoy them. I just tend to work myself up about all I have to do with school parties, church parties, work parties, shopping, cleaning house, and a million other things there is to do. I was in an exceptionally bad mood this year heading up for Thanksgiving with the the family in Price. I just felt like there were still a million things to do and no time to unwind. I also hate driving. It makes me a nervous wreck, just ask poor Scott. They need to prescribe me a pill so I can chill out. Once we hit Price we all had a good time and I really don't know what I was stressed about. We had a great dinner on Thursday and a lot of relaxing. The little boys took the paintball guns out to shoot at tree, since the big boy didn't want to go out in the cold and rain. They were so cute. Noah was so excited to get to be included in the big boy stuff. They returned after using all the paintballs they were allowed and then hung out. Scott even attempted making his beloved Egg Nog Pie. He got it right the second try with a little help. Those were the only pictures I took of the weekend. I am lame. When it comes to Thanksgiving I vow each year to take pictures and fail to each year. There is something in my brain that just has a big huge fart and I forget to take pictures. I think it is all the dread of the holidays. We pretty much stayed up all night that night so we could hit the sales on Friday. After scoping out Walmart to figure out where they had the things everyone was needing, we headed home to get the kids to bed. By the time Noah fell asleep there really was no point of going to sleep, because Amber wanted to meet at 2:30 so we could be some of the first people in line. We gave her a hard time, but we showed up (Linda, Trent, Jeff and I). We got there and set up our stuff. Unfortunately, there were already two extremely annoying ladies already there who quickly informed us they had at least 20 more people coming that they saved places for. Then I meet some cool ladies behind us in line and tried to visit with them so the ladies up front wouldn't get on my nerves. Needless to say as the night wore on and the sleep deprivation set in I was getting extremely cranky and annoyed with these ladies. Then their annoying crew showed up and got even more obnoxious. I think they were all drunk, which is what I needed to be (actually they were sober and just acted like 40 year old high school girls). The more annoying they got the more mouthy I got. Lack of sleep is not good for me. Thankfully they only showed up maybe 30 mins before the store opened, but a lot of people were irritate that they cut, it bothered me they cut but their annoying high schoolness put me over the edge, with lack of sleep. Needless to say we got what people needed and didn't need and then headed of to check out a few more stores and got breakfast. I was pretty much useless after that for the rest of the trip, I just wanted to sleep. So that day Scott took the kids paintballing, they both got hit and Harley had the bruise to prove it. They had a blast. Then the stomach flu hit and that was about when it was time to head home, so Monday we recouped and got feeling better and it is back to life.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Our Final Day

Dessert







The Ferry

On the back of the Ferry









One of the camels





At last I have reached the last day of the trip. We head to Morocco, i believe Tangier. It is an early and long day. We meat for breakfast and get ready to head out. When we get to the lobby we see if there is more then one bus and make sure we are not with Miguel. To our surprise more then us ask to not be put with Miguel. We load the bus and head off to meet the ferry. Our guide this time is very nice, but I can't remember his name, I couldn't even the day of the trip. After about an hour drive we get to the ferry. We wait in line and get ready to load on the boat. It is about a 45 min ride across the Straight of Gibraltar and we reach Tangier. Off the Ferry and onto the bus for a tour around the town. First stop a short ride on a camel, if you want. It is literally a small circle, as small as the camel can make, and your off. It was a Euro to ride, a little over a dollar. Then on the bus and to walk through the town. We see a snake charmer and then he hits you up for money, in a real pushy manner. Then Scott paid another Euro to have them wrap a sedated cobra around his head. More walking and info on the city, their life and the important things. Then we reach the rug factory. This is the great shopping we have heard about?!? They take us to a room and give us a presentation on the rugs and whatever. I was busy watching people and getting a kick out of Ron Bell picking his nose, wishing I could snap a picture. They let us go and search the store for extremely over priced items, but I do manage to get a decent deal on an tradition outfit for Harley and a drum for Noah. Then it is off the the streets and back to the bus. The trip back to the ferry was eventful. The wolves attack and try to get you to buy their items from them for ridiculous prices and it is bargaining time, while rushing to the docks. It was extremely annoying and the merchandise was crap. It was a sweet relief to get to the ferry and no more people hounding you. The trip back was uneventful and then back on the bus. We still want to get a few more things, but it is getting late. We ask the guide if there is anywhere to shop that we can be dropped off at on the trip. He tells us and so we hop off and are hoping to get a few more things we weren't able to. Well the only place open was a Walmart type store and no restaurants. So we grab a cab back to the hotel. Talon, Annie, Scott and I decide to get some dinner. We have a delicious 5 course meal and enjoy every bit. Then it was off to finish packing and 2 hours sleep before we have to leave in the morning. The flight home was good, but long. No Pepe-la-pew. Mom did get held up in France for smuggling scissor, or really a hair clip and I had my bag searched twice, because I look dangerous. Then a long drive home. And that is the end to our great trip.