it's over.........

All the preparations, all the decorating , the careful planning of the gift list and in one quick moment it seems to be all over. we have slowly been packing away the Christmas decorations and trying to bring ht house back to the before Christmas state. Not that I completely want it that way again........
I am not much for making new years resolutions or goals. I am not very goal oriented, well, com paired to my VERY goal/task oriented husband I am not. However, this year I would like to totally and completely organize my home. This is a large undertaking but I am up for it. I don't plan on doing this big master spread sheet or using the excel program. I plan on taking it one room at a time. Come spring we are having ourselves a MASSIVE yard sale!! All proceeds will be going to our Christmas trip for 08. Yes, we are already planning 08 and Christmas 09 is already int he planning stages as well.
For 08 we plan to fly and spend Christmas with my family in South Carolina and then fly to Vegas to spend New Years with my in laws. We are already excited!! For 09 we are going to spend Christmas in Disney World! Yeah!!!
So, lots of saving and planning. No, again, i am not task/goal oriented but I am a planner!!

Well, it's late and I am ready for bed.
More later!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Oh My ! It has been since the first of October since I have posted anything! I feel like such a slacker!!!! BUT.........lots has been going on. I went through all the steps this past summer to ensure my qualifications to become a substitute teacher and for awhile I wasn't getting any phone calls. Then...BOOM!!!....the phone doesn't stop ringing! I love it though! Never thought I would have so much fun. My younger two love seeing me at school and when I can, I take my lunch break when they have theirs.

Tomorrow is Christmas!! YEAH!!!! So exciting!! The kids are excited to. Daniel even thanked God tonight that santa was coming but thanked Him more for it being Jesus' birthday.
I am having issues with the whole santa thing and I want the kiddos to know the truth but.....they are almost there on their own anyway. Maybe when the topic comes up after Christmas I will feel out the right words to say. Next year we are looking at splitting Christmas between South Carolina and Vegas. This will be the first time we have done something like that. I am usually a BIG advocate for being home on Christmas but honestly with all the snow we have now I can totally see myself somewhere tropical. Feet in the sand, lights stung on a palm tree.........ahhhhhhhh.....

Well,I bascially just popped in to say "hi" and apologise for being gone so long. Since we are out of school for a bit, I will try to update and post some pics.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.........

crazy days..........

Can you believe it is October already????? WOW!!! this year is flying by!

The school routine is still in full swing, some days though I do forget and let the kiddos stay up much later then they should. Yes, it's shocking that my children don't report to me that it is past their bedtime and they should be sleeping.

Pictures...hm........where to begin........

Bo and Buddy waiting for me...yes, Bo still has the BIG bell around his neck so we know where he is.

In a previous post I shared about Daniel and his Jerry Bear. Well, here he is with Jerry bear. Someone gave my daughter 2 handmade cribs for dolls and Daniel confiscated one and put Jerry Bear in it and slept in my bed. Look close and you will see he is holding Jerry Bears hand.

apple picking again this year at our favorite local orchard that has the YUMMIEST ma and pop bakery/store!

Ok, so today I went to the Goodwill in another small town near here and LOOK what I found!!!

YEAH!!!! I love old finds and this was a treasure to me! The whole set for 8 was only $9!!! I also bought the planter bowl with the red on it for 99 cents. The digital doesn't do it justice for the color. Who cares! I love it !! It's a funky kind of vintage dishware that I am pleased as punch to have.

This is a picture of the corner of my downstairs bathroom. I have been wanting to paint it for some time because we hadn't done anything to it since we moved here several years ago. Look what I lucked upon at Home Depot on the oops shelf!! I also got a floor rug that has a cream base and this green and brown flecked throughout. The boys are super happy with the color since they are the primary users of this bathroom. I already have the material picked out for the valances. I am going to do that tomorrow.

I will post about our camping trip another day. I'm tired! And there are lots of pictures to post from that!

lots to report

So we have been busier then bees around here!! Our state hosted an air show this past weekend. Since our older boys are sea cadets, they worked the show. I volunteer on 2 boards so I also worked the show. It was fun, I like doing that kind of stuff.

Saturday was rainy and cold but hubby and I walked around and did what we could. Saturday hubby came later then we did and took the younger two and walked around with them while I did my volunteering.

We all had a great time but needless to say we are all so VERY tired! Non-stop action for 2 days! then right back into the school zone.

Here are some pictures :

We didn't get a picture of Zach working. There were so many people it was crazy!

Today we took our boat out to "test" it for camping this weekend. Pictures to come soon.

I wish I could have just one more day

These are pictures of my Uncle Jerry. He passed away March 6, 2006. Some days it's still hard.
The Christmas before he passed away he and my Aunt gave my two youngest Christmas bears. My youngest son named his "Jerry Bear" after Uncle Jerry. He clings to that bear and loves it with all his heart. The top picture is of him and Uncle Jerry when little man was, well little...over a year old. Today he was worried about a place on Jerry Bear and I told him we need to be super careful with JB because Uncle Jerry wasn't here anymore to buy a new one.
Then my little one said," Mom I wish I could have just one more day with Uncle Jerry." WOW!!! He is only 5 and he feels so much. I too wish I could have one more day. There is so much I want to ask him and learn from him. Really makes me appreciate the people in my life and how I want to know them, not just know about them. I wish I had this insight when I was younger. I would have loved to known my Father's parents better. There are so many things I would love to know.
If we could all just have one more day.........

Hey Aaron

It's your Birthday!!!!

Happy Birthday to one cool DUDE!!

We love you!

A week has gone by and

it feels like we are back in the same old routine of school. Almost anyway....the youngest will start full time next week so, for me, that will be another adjustment period. So far we are all doing well. Today was a little crazy with soccer, gymnastics and a youth skating activity. All starting within 30 mins of each other. Not to mention the meeting I had right before it all started. The rest of the week is pretty calm and next week too. Don't think there will be many more days like today.

I forgot to post the pic of the oldest on his first day of school....

Then on the weekend little man had his first ever soccer game and scored a goal! He was thrilled!

Lots of activity to be had around the house this fall.