Bridal gowns and "Chuckie Cheeszit"

Read on to learn about these photos......

Well, I am officially drowning in my inability to say no. That's all I'll say about that.

I do have an update on my moms friend, Paula. The reports have come back and the news is not good. She has developed cancer in several main organs and they have not given her very long to live. Her only daughter is 8 months pregnant with her second son and of course, heart-broken.
My mom is just heart sick as well because this woman is a true friend to her and our family and they have seen their way through many rough times leaning on one another for support. Sometimes limping but never down because they both found the strength to forge ahead, many times together. Mis P is more like a sister and an Aunt to me. So for my family my mom has lost her father (my Pop), her husband (my Dad and soon one of her dearest friends, all-within 18 months. There are really no words that express the emotions of the last two years. "Turmoil"barely scratches the surface.

My prayer is that there is a sense of God's presence and His peace on EJ and Mis P and everyone involved. Please pray.

On a lighter note, Garrison had (by all accounts) a TERRIFIC day at school this week. We have been talking a lot about respect and following directions, two things essential for surviving that "life-journey" we call Kindergarden. Kamdyn is as busy as ever and a true charmer at school. I think her teacher wonders if she has an off/on switch somewhere; a la the energizer bunny!
(Right, MRS. Haaa-leee?)

My niece came over today and boy did they play. It was Kamdyns first dress-up play day and they made the MOST of it. Tonight, we went to "Chuckie's Cheezits" for pizza and games with "G-Joy" "Bampaw", "Aunt G", "Geg", "Ant T", "Bay-lee" and "Jat". Everyone had a great time.

What else? Well as usual I am working on PFTH and the Fall Fest in the sub-division. I am about to begin a sub job for a teacher who will be on maternity leave until Christmas. Thankfully Sean's project is beginning to slow down so I have him back around to help. Poor man! He is so tired! I'm glad it's slowing for him because he is exhausted and I know he misses the kids. They have missed him for sure.

Well here is another day coming to an end. I'm getting ready to start tonights work on a different project (not worth detailing) for PFTH. I need to send to proof to the client tomorrow evening. Up at the crack for a 2 year-old birthday brunch! Kamy is so excited about this she wouldn't even go to sleep. She even cried because the party wasn't tonight! Funny kid!

Goodnight all and to all goodnight!

Family Friend

Two days in a row! Imagine that. We just got some really bad news. A family friend who has been a friend for a lifetime has just been diagnosed with liver and pancreatic cancer. They will be performing a biopsy today to determine the stage of the cancer and next steps needed. They have told her to get things in her life in order and that is never a very positive way to begin any type of treatment. It is very serious and we need those prayers to flow heavenward ASAP. She has been such a good friend to my mother throughout the years and this sort of came out of no where. She had been feeling under the weather but didn't take it very seriously. Please pray!

Playing Catch-up

Things have been so crazy for the last week and a half it has been hard to find the time to add any new thoughts. Sean has been pulling major hours at his company and I've been doing double duty with the kids.

I have a whole new respect for single mothers and families where dads travel a lot.

My house has fallen into total disaray; not that it's ever very far from there on a normal basis. I've been working on the Fall Fest which is actually taking shape nicely due in part to canvasing the neighborhood and begging for assistance but also because a positive attitude truly is infectious. Everyone on the team has gotten as excited about it as I am and things are starting to happen! God at work through prayer!

The kids are doing okay. We are going through a tough time with Garrison. He's really acting out since Sean has been working so much. His school teacher is one of my dearest friends so we have terrific communication about his habits and attitude at school. He loves it once he's there I just have trouble motivating him. He's NOT a morning person. He also has a nasty habit of ignoring me and it MAKES ME CRAZY!!! Apparently, it's fairly normaly behavior out of a four year old, I'm trying to find the humor in it.

Kamdyn, on the other hand, is like a sunny light at 6:00 a.m. I can hear her on the monitor just happy to be awake. I wish she'd sleep a little longer but it helps get the morning going with much joy whet she is in a good mood. She pesters Garre until he is also in a good mood.

On the way to Mothers Day Out, she threw-up three times before we even got to the highway! I made the mistake of letting her have dairy before the drive. Kamdyn gets car sick and I know better but we were running late and it was a quick easy b-fast. SO, I have once again learned that lesson. Hopefullt for the last time!

Garrison is screaming, "THERE'S SOMETHING COMING OUT OF HER MOUTH!!! GROSS!!! THERE SHE GOES AGAIN!!!" Poor Kamy just sits there trying to figure out what is happening to her and I'm attempting to remain calm as I drive at break-neck speed back to the house to, no kidding, hose her off, the car seat, the seat belt, the floorboard and her shoes and socks. She had to have a full shower and hair wash before we could gat back on the road. Once there, and hour and 1/2 late, we all discovered that she was actually sick with a virus because she started throwing up again at lunch. Now she is running fever, and all the other gross things that go along with a stomach virus. Tomorrow is a day off from school and work. Laundry and lots of patience are on the agenda.

What else, I'm exhausted and ready to fall into bed everynight but other than that things are good. Nip/Tuck's new season begins tonight and I'm ashamed to admit it but I totally hooked on that show. It always makes me feel better about who I am and where my family is in life. Those characters are so messed up!

Have a good one!

Labor day Holidays

Sean and I met his parent half way on Saturday and gave Aunt G and "G-Joy" (as she has been renamed for the fourth time) the kids. On Saturday afternoon Sean and I got stuff done around the house and had a very uneventful day, sans Garre and Kamy.

Sunday, was early services at church and a supprise lunch at Olive Garden with just my husband and I! Wow! I'd almost forgotten what it was like to sit and look at just him. Then he let me, I'm embarrased to admit it, sleep all afternoon. I slept 4 hours! We went back to evening services and then dinner with so friends. We had a really enjoyable dinner laughing and talking.

Monday, Mom and I went shopping for a bit. The sales were just too good! I did buy a bombe front chest of drawers that is handpainted. It wound up being too big for a bedside table but I'm keeping it because I LOVE it!

The kids came home with Aunt G. about 3:00 and we had a great evening. See very normal stuff.

Than tuesday hit! With as much fury as a tornado, my kids began to disassemble the house. Bible study is at our house for the month of September and it's like everything I picked up they got out three more things. For example, while I was mopping, Garrison managed to find three highlighter pens and he and Kamdyn proceeded to COMPLETLY color the ottoman, than is made of velvet. Garrison came and got me saying, "Come see what Kamdyn had done!" She got in trouble (aka spanked and time-out) while he sat and watched, quietly. When I looked at him I noticed his hands and arms were also covered in pen and asked him to fess up. He was completly fine with letting his baby sister take the rap for the mess. He also got in big trouble. I totally lost my cool and sent them to their room while I cleaned up the mess. If you do not have a Little Green Machine, run, run, run as fast as you can to get one.

Wednesday was again uneventful, mercifully but today was different. I started carpooling with a friend to school and that was a lot of fun. Both kids had a decent time at school and tonight we bought Kamy her very own potty chair.

You would have thought Santa had come for a visit! I tried to convince her that this little potty stayed in the bathroom too but she wouldn't have any of that. Instead, she proceeded to strip, buck naked, and sit in front of the TV on her potty, announcing every few minutes. " Mommy, I potty in potty!" I managed to dress her, with much kicking and screaming (Kamy not me) only to find that she had torn off her pull-up lost her dress and was again buck naked on the potty in the den. She did actually use it one time and we followed the necessary cleaning protocal (Scalding water and Lysol.)

She actually wanted it in her room at bed time but I had to draw the line at that one. I am actually considering taking it to pre-school for her class room. Miss Holly if you are reading this we can talk about it next week! Ha Ha! Won't that be funny in your room?
I'll do all the cleaning of the "Kiddo-port-o-potty".

Later all!!!

Too much to title!

It has been a whole week because I've been running around crazy with the kids starting school, working again (albeit part time) sick husband and an emergency room trip just for good measure.

Also, I am not a great typist and I can not get the spell check to work so bear with me....

Let me begin by saying I have also been obsessivly watching the television for any information on the victims of the hurricane. Yesterday I packed up my minivan and drove to our church drop site. I spent the better part of three hours sorting and oranizing with some terrific people who like everyone, just want to do something. If you are reading this and have not given in some way, you really need to because it's the right thing to do.

Monday was great everyone started school and the kids met their new teachers. It was a great day overall, for mom and the kids. Daddy, AKA Sean, was sick as a dog. He did not work and basically laid in the bed all day. I was the sub for another teacher and got to meet her class. On of the litte boys in the class was obsessed with my, how do you say this, chest. He is only two, mind you, but it was still really strange. His little eyes were like a magnet when I had my jacket off and so I had to wear my jacket all day! In the 98 temperature! He wanted me to hold him so he could lay his hear down on me and he kept on trying to grab me. It was a very wierd thing. I even commented on it to the directors of the school and showed them what was happening. It became a really funny joke by the end of the day!

Tuesday was at home doing what I love best... HOUSE WORK. I am not a stellar house keeper. I have friends who actually like to clean. I however did not get that lucky; I lothe it.
I am more the whimsical artsy type who has other things on my mind than housework.
Sean went to the doctor and got his meds so he will be returning to work on Wednesday. Before he gets fired for missing too much work....

Wednesday, was spent in front of the TV with the kids watching this nightmare unfold in LA and MS. Garre and Kamy pretended the couch was a boat and the stashed stuffed animals all over the room and set about the task of rescuing the various and sundry Care Bears and Boohbah's scattered all over the room. Kamy just "ditto's" everything her big brother does so that went on for a good long time.

Thursday was school again and I really enjoy seeing all the kids and just being out of the house. Kamdyn played so hard at recess that she looked like she had not had a bath in over a month! She really enjoyed herself. She smelled like a sweaty puppy and had wood chips in every nook and crany on her body. Snot was smeared from ear to ear, in her hair and in her eyebrows! Her little cheeks were as red as a beet and she kept saying , " I want to go back out and play!!!" Garrison had a great (uneventful) day and loves his teacher

Thursday night I had my first Fall fest meeting at the community pool and we got down to business making plans. I only had 3 other people show up but I refuse to get discouraged!
I have big plans and, by golly, these people are going to help me!

Friday I spent gathering supplies for the Hurricane relief and at my moms house. About 4:00 when we were getting ready to leave and go home, Garre and Kamy were playing with the folding doors in my moms entry hall. I had told them to stop about 6 times when I heard a loud thump and crash. I came running around the corner and there lay Kamdyn on the floor UNDER THE DOOR! She was hit across the back, on her right elbow and on the back of her head. Garrison is hollering, "It was an accident! I'm really sorry, Kamdyn!" Kamy was crying. I scooped her up and she was holding her arm. She also had a nasty bump on the back of her head. She got really sleepy and was hard to wake up so off the the emergency room we went.
Four and a half hours, a CAT Scan and vision exam later we were at home. She is fine. Just a really nasty bump and badly bruised elbow.

Today we took Garre and Kamy to "Joy-Joy's" and "Bampaw's" Sean and came home to get somethings done before next week. I have committed to a Ladies Retreat in the Spring, Christmas at my house, Teaching October through December for a mom going on maternity leave, carpooling with Ashlyn's mommy (which Garrison is very happy!) and attempting to plan a garage sale in September, girls night out in October and oncve a moth trip to frisco the scrpbook with my best girlfriend!

More craziness to come....