HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!

So I have to post about all my wonderful birthday fun!  I considered doing a post where I tell all the wonderful things about me, like we've all done for our children and other loved ones, but I decided to save everyone, and just tell about what a great time I had.  

Before my birthday, our new Mac arrived and Brent (who is normally the best secret keeper ever!)  couldn't wait till my birthday to tell me, that for my birthday he got me a whole year of weekly one on on Mac support.  I get to go in and meet with someone in the store and they will help me with anything that I need help with.  Or just teach me new stuff.  They supposedly also have someone who knows Photo shop really well too.  But we'll see. (As a side note, I've been taking a Photo Shop course on line to learn how to enhance the photos that I have been taking)   Anyway, So on my actual birthday, Brent had the day off work, I went to the gym by my self to teach my class.  I didn't have to lug kids in and out of the building, that was nice.  Then I went straight from there to Massage Envy where I got a 90 min massage for $50!!!  After that WONDERFUL experience,  I've never had one that long before, it was really nice.  I ran over to the Mall for my first one on on at the Mac store.  I learned a few new things and I am really enjoying the iCal feature on my new computer.  I then went and had a nice lunch at Panera Bread. (My Favorite)  It was so nice to just sit there in the peace and quiet, and know that any whining kid around me was not my problem.  :-)  I had a yummy turkey panini and the Autumn Salad which had pears and dried cherries in it.  YUM!    I then went down to the Makeup store in the mall and had some guy help me pick out some new make up.  He dolled me all up with Bare Minerals, and I liked how it looked and felt, so I used some of my birthday money and got it.  They told me that they give 100% money back if you're not happy, and I am not too sure that I am happy.  It either brings out the wrinkles around my eyes, or I got sudden wrinkles around my eyes at the exact age of 32!!. This wouldn't surprise me as it seems that my metabolism  quit that day too!  Ahhh, I will be a sight to behold at church on Sunday.  :-)  

Anyway, Total tangent there, so after the makeup I decided that I wanted to get my hair done too, so I went to the mac store and used the handy dandy iPhone to get the phone number to the salon at the gym.  They had an appointment open in an hour or so, so I booked it and then ran over to the bank and Trader Jo's (I've never been in there cuz I wasn't curious enough to drag my kids in there, so I had to go and peek while I was alone)  Hum, being a non organic kinda gal, I wasn't wowed.  Then it was off  to my hair cut.  I want to grow it into a new style, and unfortunately it seems that I have to go back a bit before I can go forward, so I feel like my goal got moved farther away, but that's okay, it looks okay for today anyway.  :-)  I ran home after that to get Brent and the kids and we all went out to dinner. We had a nice dinner out and the kids were really good.  I love going out to dinner on my birthday, even with kids, because I don't lift a finger, I don't do potty trips, I don't cut meat, I don't put on bibs, nuthin'!  We came home and put the kids to bed, then Brent and I ate cake and watched a few shows on TV, then i did some of my photo shop lessons.  It was a fun night.  Ah, and then...... I love birthday weeks, the next day, Brent didn't work again....  he he, so I got to sleep in since I didn't on Wednesday.  Then my sweet friend Christina took my little ones for the day so that Brent and I could have a day together.  It was so nice (thanks Christina).  We went to Cheese Cake Factory and I had the Avocado Egg Rolls.  Everyone raves and raves over these, my review..... I wished that I was eating floutas the whole time. ;-(  Too squishy for my, bleck. Anyway, it was a nice lunch anyway.  Then Brent and I used the rest of our time to do Christmas shopping.  I had him help me with Alex.  The girls I can do, but Alex is hard for me.  I just really don't get boy toys at all. ;-(  Then we went back and picked up the kids from Christina and I did homework with the big kids while Brent disappeared.  ???  Anyway, then Annie and BJ came over and picked up the giant eye sore from our living room and took it away for BJ to fix.  (Sorry Annie, but I heard you set a departure date for it... good for you.)  Anyway, now I have room for my Christmas Tree.  :-) (Annie may not, but I do.... *snicker*)  Then at 6:30 I went to Le Madelines to meet up with some friends for a little "birthday party"  Tracy made me feel so special when she pulled me aside and planned this little tado....  What a sweet girl.  She and Mendy treated me to my birthday dinner and chocolate croissant.  Christina came and brought her Canadian neighbor Jenni, who I enjoyed visiting with a lot.  Lori Mathison, Jan Gartside and Cassandra Hancock also came.  It was such fun to visit with everyone and they all made me feel so loved.  Thank you to all of you.  Also Scarlet and Jenni, thank you so much for the gifts you are too sweet, I am so spoiled.  I have already enjoyed Jenni's efforts to make me fat, and I have yet to enjoy Scarlets recipes to make me healthy. :-)  (She got me the cook book that Jenni has been cooking from.  Now my kids will join her children in the experiment as my little lab rats.)  Then after some time, when we were just about to get up and leave Kathy Jarboe came in....  it was fun to see her, I guess something happened with a key mix up.  I was glad that she caught us.  Then at about 10 Christina, Jenni and I headed over to Target for one last hour of shopping where I bought 2 new tops.  SO CUTE.  It was such a fun birthday.  I came out of it feeling so loved and accepted and relaxed.  I didn't lift a finger for 2 days.... it was wonderful.  Then today I got to clean up the mess.  Brent kept a pretty good handle on things, but well..... you know how it is.   Then tonight when I took Liza to piano lessons, Nicole topped the whole evening off with some yummy chocolates for a birthday gift too.  So now,  I am going to leave my computer and my sink full o dishes and  I am going to watch survivor and eat treats..... We'll see how my non existent metabolism handles that one. :-)  

PS..  Chinook is doing really well at potty training.  He is down to 0-1 accidents a day and even asks to go outside sometimes.  He is just what I wanted, he sits on my lap when I am on the computer and does his job as my little buddy.  I absolutely love him.  What a doll.  

Okay that's enough blogging!

Working Together

I had to post today because I am so proud of my kids. It was such a beautiful day today, it must have gotten into the 70's. (which as a side note, is so wrong!!! I am suppose to be blowing the heat full blast in my car while I listen to Christmas tunes on the radio, not roll the window down!!) Anyway, we took advantage of the beautiful day and put the kids to work. They filled yard bags with leaves and pine needles for a really long time today. And they did it with a smile on their faces. I raked and Brent blew leaves (we have 7 trees on our property so there is a lot of work to do). By the time we were done, the back yard looked fabulous, the front yard, pretty good and the side yard had a whole new layer of bright yellow leaves. Our final count was 25 bags (big black ones) and a box of sticks. Crazy! Alex even went over and picked up needles piles in the neighbors yard. We worked so well together, it just made me so happy. It was a very positive experience that I hope the kids will remember as a happy family team work kind of time.
Alex has been saving every penny since he busted the Tidwells tail light on their suv and has managed to scrape together $16! Tonight we had a little lesson on the atonement and then talked about how we need to do all that we can, but sometimes we just can't do enough, and that is where the savior steps in and helps us. We related this to Alex and how he would be saving money for 2 years to come up with $200. We told him that he has worked hard, and done all he could and that we would relieve him of his burden. He seemed a bit reluctant, but eventually agreed to it. He is sure happy to have his debits payed off. He has worked hard and has sacrificed and I think he learned a valuable lesson. I am proud of him for working so hard, and for being so grown up about it when the girls were off spending money at the mall and he had none because all his money went to the "Jeri" envelope. Even tonight as the girls were spending, he saw a toy that is hard to find, and wanted it so badly, but after a little whine and a big gulp, he left it there, putting his trust in Santa this time. o<:{o> (it's a little Santa can you see him? )
Anyway, it was a good day, except that poor little Chinook had to go to the vet and is very sad/sleepy/in pain. From his vaccines and Rabies shots :-( Poor puppy , his little shoulder is so tender. :-(

Joining the MAC world

We got our mac yesterday.  Here I am up, likely till the wee hours of the morning trying to make up for a lot of lost time.  My puppy?  He is sleeping in his crate ( I am so thankful for crates).  The  new computer is conveniently located in the kitchen so that I can use it though out the day.  It does make the kitchen a little more crowded, but it is so nice!   Today Chinook (that is the dogs name ) had me outside a billion times begging him to go potty, and he wouldn't go.  We went all day w/o a poop in the house, but a few pee's.  He is locked in the kitchen so that he isn't ruining my carpet.  He had a moment today though.  The little guy actually asked me to take him outside and proceeded to produce for me!  Yeah, baby steps eh? Brent is a happy man today as he got his Rock Band X Box game.  He just had Jake Turpin over for a play date.  They seemed to have had fun.  I have so much to blog about.    Oh, I also re organized my play room, for those who have seen it, it was much in need of an over haul.  I spent a nice chunk of $$ at Ikea (which I am so thankful for Ikea and affordable furniture.)  I will have to see if i can post a picture of that progress too.  My kids absolutely love all the new play space, and yesterday when they went to Christina's she introduced them to the Gunny Sack monster.  This is a pillow case looking monster who lives in the closet and he loves to eat toys.  When he eats them, they are gone.  Alex was so interested in this monster..... (as a side note, the kid is so interested in monsters lately that he is Scooby Doo Crazy, and has asked for a Green Shirt and brown pants for Christmas..... yes folks that is what Shaggy wears.....LOL!!)  Anyway, so I told the kids that Miss Christina's Gunny Sack was having babies and I am going to get one for our basement.  Boy did they clean up tonight.  I threatened a similar thing last time I cleaned out the van, and the van has been relatively clean since.  Humm, funny, how we can pick things up when its put it away or loose it to the trash!   Why did I not do this before????  (I know why.. I can't bare to throw anything away!  All 6 of us are not fitting in this little 3 bdrm duplex much longer.  Some thing's gotta go, either the kids or some of the toys.)  

Another funny story....  we have a few things that the kids have said about Brent working that crack us up and this week Alex came up with a new one.  Brent has been working 12hr shift work this month, so sometimes he is 7a-7p and sometimes 7p-7a.  After a couple night shifts, Alex asked me "Mom is dad part Nocturnal?"  I had to chuckle, "Why do you ask that Alex?"  "Cuz he sometimes works in the night and sleeps in the day."  :-)  Once Tori asked Brent "Daddy, do you live in this house?" and before he could answer, she cut him off  "NO!  You live at the hospital."  And onetime after hearing me leave a message for Brent on his cell phone where I said "just calling to make sure you didn't fall asleep driving home and that your not dead somewhere."  she asked me "Mom is daddy dead?"  Poor kids, they miss their daddy.  

Fortunately this month has been so much better then last.  He is working about 4 12's per week which is SO much better then the October average of 85 hours a week.  (October was horrible and I never want to relive it.  we are just starting to come down off that horror!   I almost increased my meds after that month!  Yikes.  I guess that just goes to show that he must be doing something right when he is home.  Poor guy doesn't get enough credit.

Speaking of giving a guy credit, He gave me my birthday present early.... He got me weekly one on one mac lessons.  I am so excited to take them and learn how to run this sucker to it's fullest potential.   I also got Photo shop, I am excited to learn about that too.  I think I am going to need a cushier chair at this desk :-)  Any way, long enough post, I'm going to go and play with my new toy.  :-)  

In 15 minutes

Well well well.... what do you know, I am still alive. I haven't blogged in FOREVER!!! Today I got off the phone with Jeri saying that I needed to go and read with Alex. In the next 15 minutes, I received a phone call from a friend asking me to watch her little one on a day that I already had plans (so I felt bad because she never asks me for anything), Alex knocked a huge frame off the wall and broke it, Liza jumped around the kitchen instead of doing her home work, the dog pooped on the floor and I had to chase him down with Liza laughing hysterically at me, Katie woke up screaming, got up, was served food which she ate a bit of and then rejected the rest with a lot of screaming, and was back down whining at my legs, trying to climb back up inside the womb, and then received another phone call that included some scheduling conflicts that needed to be resolved. I didn't actually sit down to read with Alex until about 30-40 minutes after getting off the phone!! This is why I haven't blogged, my life seems to have been turned upside down. A lot like a new baby turns your life upside down. I feel like we threw in about a 1/2 of a baby. Not quite as crazy as a whole one, this little guy will sleep through the night and I can leave him here when I go shopping. ( I recommend this type of baby for those who are done having babies, it is rather nice to leave them home alone) The potty training, well, he is doing okay, I still don't trust him to tell me when he needs to go out, but I think he is getting there. He defiantly knows when he did something wrong. I have read up some of puppy training and I have a hard time with the concepts. The theory that I have a hard time with, is that they say that a puppy doesn't remember what they did 1 minute after they've done it. So you can't get mad at them for pooping in the house unless you catch them cuz they don't know what you're so mad about. However in the same book they try to tell me that if you take your dog outside and they don't produce with in 5 minuets to take them in and put them back in the crate and try again in 15 minutes. They claim that the dog will learn that when you take them out they need to go potty right away so that they don't go back in the crate. So lets get this straight, Poop exits the animals body on my floor, but he can't remember doing that, but somehow in this tiny little memory of his he is going to remember that last time (2 hours ago ) when I took him out and he didn't produce, I put him back in his crate! Okay either he is stupid or he's not which is it? I think like toddlers they are smarter then we give them credit for. I am not saying that he understands everything that he is being taught, but one thing is for sure, he knows that when I say the word "YUCKY!" he runs for his crate cuz he did it!! And he knows darn well he did! The key I think is getting this little guy to understand that he needs to tell me to take him outside. Then we'll be cruzin'. The kids are still loving him and think that he is great he is fitting in just wonderfully. He as already grown so much

On a totally different note... We have finally come over to the Mac world and will be receiving out new mac sometime this next week! We are so excited. I am a little intimidated too. The kids got their report cards and they both did quite well, I was pleased. The only bad comment was one about Liza doing better at he academics if she would stop visiting with her neighbors. Humm, Liza???? Visiting with her neighbors....... I can't imagine... nor do I have any idea where she would have gotten this trait from??? :-) I don't' think that we can change that much, but I still have to get on her case a bit for it. :-) Well, I have 4 loads of laundry to fold and it is midnight! I better get folding. :-)