Happiness

I used to wonder what would make me truly happy. I always thought money and love would do it. I still think money would help, but the love part, I got right. It's not necessarily the love of a man, although that helps too. The love I get from and give to my children makes me happy. It is amazing how little words can warm a heart. I can be totally angry with my children and my daughter will say, "are you angry with me mommy?" and I melt. She doesn't want to make me angry...right?!?! :)

Or we can be laying in bed (no longer mommy and daddy's bed, but their own beds- THANK GOD) talking and praying and they say the sweetest things. My son was sick last week and my daughter prayed..." thank you God for mommy and daddy, and thank you God for please making JJ better..." it was the sweetest thing. The love between the kids is amazing, too! My son was really sick last week (hmmmm have you heard that before???) and on Valentine's Day he bundled up his gameboy (he has a DS, too) and put all his games in it, brought it into his sister's room and gave it to her as a Valentine's gift. HOW SWEET IS THAT?!?!

I just have to keep reminding myself that this is what matters in life. The love we give and raising loving children...

On a side note, this morning the following conversation took place:

"Mommy, is dude a boy?" (Bella)

"Yes." (me)

"Hey, Dude, let's go downstairs." (Bella to JJ)

How freakin' cute was that?!!?!?! :)

Happy Hump Day

Snow days

So, it's been snowing a bit here in the Inland Northwest. This is the view outside of my school. Now, I don't want anyone becoming jealous of the LOVELY white stuff. July is not far away and we will have green grass and warm weather. (At least that is what I keep telling myself!!!) Today is Friday and it is the 2nd day this week that we have had school. Monday - no school due to weather, Tuesday - school, but such crappy conditions that it was cancelled for Wednesday before we even left the building, Wednesday - no school (but on a side note, I sprained my ankle doing stuff INSIDE my house), Thursday - no school, Friday - school, but it's snowing and crappy out. We have to make up 2 of the days that we have missed so far. Another storm is coming this weekend. OMG! The area officially recorded 40 inches in the month of January...23 of which came in the last 5 days. It is insane! I'm so glad that I don't live north of here...where the snowfall measures MUCH more than the "official" record.

Now, I'm not complaining, but I have to say, I see a tanning bed in my near future. I really need some warmth on my skin.

On a side note, my mom stayed the night on Wednesday night (refer to ankle issue in 1st paragraph) since my hubbers was out of town. We got up Thursday morning and had coffee and watched my neighbor fall down as he was shoveling snow. All I could do was laugh, but of course, as you can see by the photo, I had no real ground to stand on. I sprained my ankle INSIDE the night before. Anyhooooo, we were drinking coffee with our feet up on the coffee table and my dog, Tucker, thought he'd relax with us. It was worth a picture...don't you think?

What a freak of a dog...but I love him just the same.

Is January 2008 almost over...already???

October 1 was the last time I blogged. It feels like yesterday, but wow, it's been 3 1/2 months. Sorry Mia!!! I'll try to be better about this blogging thing. Idaho is such a fast-moving place to live - and I'm just going, going, going. ;)

Christmas and New Years happened. Now we are back at school. And it is COLD outside. Today, with the windchill, it is -3*. We have a beautiful blue sky, but man is it chilly! As a side note, I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. I'm no wuss when it comes to cold weather. I love winter activities...I ski, love hot drinks, you name it! But the negative degree weather is a killer on the energy level. I want to curl up in a blanket, under a comforter, and sleep. Is that a bad thing???? But no, we have to brave that darn weather and come to work.

The kids really like the weather, though. I'm not pushing them to play outside...they can play the wii inside. :) Both kids are doing indoor sports right now. My little princess is taking ballet and tap...and will have her first recital in March. I cannot wait for the recital!!! I'm so darn happy. JMan is doing indoor soccer and that is pretty cool, too! I enjoy watching him learn and get some one-on-one training. He improves so much during the indoor season. No recital, but it's pretty okay.

The school kids are feeling like caged animals. They want out. If it is sunny outside, they think they should be able to take the day off and play (or hunt, or whatever it is that makes them happy), if it is snowing outside (or raining) they think they should have the day off, because it's too "dangerous" to drive. I don't remember being like that in school...but who knows, maybe I was.

Now to the really BIG news...Def Leppard, Styx, and REO Speedwagon are coming to town. Well, not to my town, but to a town near me :) and I'm going. I cannot wait! Who doesn't love the 80's?????? (That was rhetorical!!!!) April 23rd can't get here soon enough for me... and I promise, Mia, that I will blog before then!

til next time...

The first of the month...

It's the first of the month and I'm already blogging...what the heck? It's Monday morning and I'm so darn tired, but hey, why not blog. I have work to do, but hey, writing here isn't a bad thing, is it?

Bellaboo caught her first fish this weekend. It was awesome. I'd have a picture to accompany this, but I didn't have my camera. My friend took a picture, though, so hopefully I'll have one soon. Said friend's daughter had to put the worms on the hooks (I don't mind taking fish off the hook, but worms are just GROSS!!) Bellaboo would have me cast for her and then she'd reel it in. She caught a little sunfish and her face lit up... "OOOOHHHHH Mommy! I have a fishy!" Very exciting!

The JMan had another great soccer game on Saturday. He didn't score, but his team played awesome! He's finally realized that he doesn't have to be the one to score...playing as a team is more important than being the ONE. It's taken 4 years, but whew! finally got that through his thick skull!

Hubbers was gone all weekend doing ski patrol training. I had the kids ALONE AGAIN. It was okay, though. We spent Saturday night at a friend's cabin (where bb caught her fish) and went to Silverwood and had the soccer game. Sunday I actually emptied 4 more boxes from the storage unit. Yea me! It's coming along. Still wondering when I'll actually be able to have an "open house" for people to come and see the new abode. Any suggestions on what I could do? I'd like to do it soon, but I'm still not totally unpacked. Plus I have NOTHING on the walls yet. UGH! I need help!

Internet Hell

So some people have been wondering (hi MIA) why I haven't been blogging lately. Well, here's my story...
First of all, the hubbers and I just purchased a new house. We didn't close until September 4th (the first day of school) so that was fun. Oh, did I mention that I'm a teacher???? Yeah, you can imagine the stress of closing, moving, packing, starting school for me, my 3rd grader, AND having a rambunctious 3yr old?!?!?! Okay. That being said.

My family moved us in on Thursday the 6th. Well, they moved our BIG stuff in. I still have 2 10x20 storage units to unpack. I've been slowly doing that while working, shuffling JJ to soccer practice, playing barbies and princess with Bellers, and doing housework. We are also in a neighborhood where people just DROP ON BY anytime. In a month that will be great. Right now it kind of sucks. I hate having a messy house or having myself in a tshirt and shorts (no bra cuz I'm at HOME and unpacking crapola) and having company come to the door.

Now to the part where I have NO internet at home. I tried (unsuccessfully) to change my highspeed internet service from my old home to my new home. I called a week ahead to have both my phone service and my dsl service changed. You'd think that was enough time. My phone service was changed 2 days late. That was fine with me. Who really cares when we all have cell phones?!?! My dsl service, not hooked up. So I called the 1800 number and was connected to the outsourced person (Kenny in India) who said that it hadn't been changed yet, but he would change it and it would be working in 24-48 hours. Okay. Fine. 48 hours later it still wasn't working. I called the 1800 number again and spoke with Jimmy (again in India - funny how they have VERY american sounding names). He said that it must be a problem with the line and can I troubleshoot with him. That sounded fun! So I said SURE, Jimmy, I'll trouble shoot with ya! We did everything. Then he said, well, we'll have to get a technician out there to fix your line. I set up a time for 4-8 the next evening. Guess what...NO ONE CAME!

I called the next morning (to get outstanding customer service - again from India) and was on hold for 30 minutes...I kid you not! SO, I got to work and called a 1800 sales number and spoke to an (okay are you sitting down now????) an AMERICAN! They gave me another number of - yet another AMERICAN and now, hopefully, by the 24th (yes the 24th) I'll have service. I love American companies. They are so good to us and provide us with such OUTSTANDING customer service. :(

There's my story.

Summer is OVER

I cannot believe that I only have 28 days left of summer vacation. Why is it that June drags on while July and August both fly by? Now, I realize August isn't even here yet, but in two short days it will be...then the count down will really be on!

This has been one HOT summer. We finally got A/C this year (thank GOD) and so I'm considerably less tan than in past years. I have spent a lot of time indoors. It's not all bad, though. I've painted part of the inside of my house...still have some left to do, have completely cleaned out and rearranged the little monster's rooms, and cleaned out my "office" which was NO small task.

John, and the kids and I have gone to Silverwood - and might I add the new additions to the waterpark are AWESOME!!!!!! - we've spent a week at Twin Lakes - and been to Eugene, Oregon for the birth of my nephew.

Oh, did I forget...John had his 20th high school reunion this summer. He graduated from Post Falls High School. I'll tell you, the 10 year was fun, but everyone was still in their "cliques" and I believe, trying to show what they have "accomplished" in the 10 years since graduation. The 20 year reunion ROCKED! Everyone seemed really enjoy themselves and just "be" themselves. It was really cool and now I'm looking forward to my 20 year reunion...which will NOT be for another couple of years. Thanks to all who planned the events. Friday night's boat cruise on the River Queen was great and the dinner at Templins on Saturday was splendid.

It's been a fun so far. What can we do for the next 28 days, though???????? Any suggestions...

My "Princess" Turned 3

Well, on Sunday, my baby turned 3. I can't believe it! We had her party on Saturday at my mom's house. Mom made the cake(s) and they turned out AWESOME (as you can see)!!! Each girl got her own princess, and then the rest of us got to eat from the castle. We actually had 5 little boys and only 3 girls. It didn't matter though. Mom gave Bella a Barbie and the Dancing Princess dancing mat and the boys danced on it as much as the girls. I didn't take pictures of it, though, as the dads wouldn't have appreciated it. I think it was cool, though. The boys had a blast!

The kids swam for a few hours and then they opened gifts, ate, played, opened gifts, played, opened gifts, played...you get the picture! We didn't get to bed until late, but who cares, she's 3 now! Only 15 more years to save for college. hahaha

At least I'm not prego and she's not poopin' in the cart at wally world, right Deb??? ;)