i'd find a drink that i like! i have discovered amaretto sours. debbie is a lady i babysit for, and she was also the bartender where we went last night (baby shower). she wanted to get me a drink, but, being the wuss that i am, i can't stand the taste of alcohol. so she thought about what i might like, and gave me an amaretto sour. it tasted like lemonade. very sweet lemonade. i LOVED it. so she ended up buying me 3. she has been trying to get me out on the town for a while now, and wanted to make sure i had a good time. i had a great time.
the shower was for another girl i babysit for. my friend lana, a girl she works with, and i got it together for her. cindy is great. she just had her 4th baby, and i get to watch her! yippee! i can't wait. she has a son that is alex's age, a daughter that's a year older than haley, and another daughter that's right between grace and josh. they weren't planning on having anymore kids after their third, and got rid of all their baby stuff. the baby is absolutely beautiful! a thick (and i mean no scalp showing thick) head of black hair, and a clear darker complexion. gorgeous!
so, other than the raging headache i have right now (not through alcohol, i had it before then), i am having a pretty great weekend. alex has a soccer game tonight, haley has a girl scout thing, and then we are playing cards tonight too.
the pig is doing pretty good. she's been eating well, and alex has been taking her outside alot and walking her around. i was worried that she'd try to run off, but we have more trouble getting her away from the basement door than trying to get her back in. she likes the basement. i think this may become a problem when she's 200+ pounds, but right now, it's ok.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
the expanding zoo
what house is a home without a pig!? not ours, at least not now. that's right everyone, we now have a little piglet. she's about 45 lbs of squealing fun! and in our basement no less! yes, your eyes are not deceiving you...this 45lb pig is in our basement. we thought the box we built for the dog and puppies would be perfect for her. we did not take into account the fact that pigs can jump. and they can jump pretty high. i have had to catch her 3 times in the hour i have been home. let me tell you, pigs don't really like to be picked up and put back in the box. she is now in the dog crate we brought her home in. she stands about 18 inches tall, this box is at least 24 to 30 inches tall, and she is jumping over the sides. i watched her. i was pretty amazed. i thought pigs were supposed to just eat, sleep, and poop. you know, like a newborn. oh no, i was misinformed! she is very active. she is also very curious. ok, let me describe her...she is small, she is black with white on her belly and feet, and she is adorable. she really is.
we are trying to come up with a name for her. i think i might put up a poll about what to name her. i won't promise we will use the one selected when talking directly to her, but i will use it when talking about our piggy adventures.
i had better get back to the kids and pig. i don't want any of them escaping!
we are trying to come up with a name for her. i think i might put up a poll about what to name her. i won't promise we will use the one selected when talking directly to her, but i will use it when talking about our piggy adventures.
i had better get back to the kids and pig. i don't want any of them escaping!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
american idol
ok, i guess i may have cheated a little by reading rachel's blog first, but she had most of the same comments i had. i, of course, am in need of a blogging for dummies book and will not add a bunch of pics like she does. last time i tried i had to have rachel fix my blog because it was all messed up!
so here we go...
ramiele: she was soooo off it was sad. and to say you are sick seems like a cop out because when she was talking she sounded completely fine. if you're going to say you're sick, at least sound hoarse when you talk to the judges. it plays on the audience's sympathy more. can i just say, this song is one of my favorites. i sing along to it (and did last night) and i sounded awful. i know this because i had a 4 year old's hand over my mouth most of the time.
jason castro: i love this kid. he was a beautiful child, and if i wasn't married and waaaayyy to old for him.....i could get myself in a lot of trouble, i will just be quiet now. anyway, i like him. the songs he has picked haven't blown me away (except for hallelujah) but i still like the kid.
on a more bizarre note, last week someone found my blog by google-ing "are jason castro and ramiele a couple". as sad as that makes me, i could see it. they seem like they have similar personalities.
sYESha: she has a great powerful voice. my hubby can't stand whitney houston, and thinks this chick is as good or better. me, i like whit, but i think this girl could be better. i think she is absolutely beautiful too. she has a dazzling smile. ok, i think that she could be in it for the long haul if she could connect with the audience more. i don't know why, but she doesn't have that "spark" some of the others have.
chikezie: i didn't like the song choice, or maybe it's just the arrangement. i was just starting to move over to the "i like chikezie" camp, but after last night, i moved myself right back where i was. i didn't care for his performance. not in the slightest.
broooke: the hubby and i couldn't believe this girl is only 24. not that she looks "old" but maybe more mature than that? when she smiles at least she does. when she's looking at the judges, she looks like a little kid. and her mom? i thought she was her sister! there is no way that lady is old enough to have a 24 year old kid! she sang another one of my absolute favorite songs that i like to sing along to. she did a good job, with the band. it would have been GREAT had she just kept it her and the piano.
micheal johns: i liked it. i also liked the beatles' songs he did too. i like mike, what can i say? not much else. i liked it, but i wasn't "in love" with it like the judges.
carly: i didn't care for her performance. it weirds me out with she moves like that...you know with the pelvic thrusts? ok, i spend way too much time watching kids shows...i just flashed on spongebob's bubble blowing technique...pelvic thrust wooooooooooooo. woooooooooo. step on your left foot don't forget it!.........back to carly. i wasn't that into her before, and i'm still not. i don't know, maybe it's because she looks like one of my sister in laws. whatever the reason, i didn't care for her last night.
david archuleta: he was and still is a cute baby. (he makes me want to bake cookies too, rachel. i think he just brings out that motherly instinct.) i didn't like the song. i think he needs to stop trying to sing these "older" songs. i don't mean like, "oh that song is old" more like "this song seems really mature, like some old man should be singing it". does that make sense?
kristy lee: ok, finally a song she didn't totally blow. she did a great job with it. she's just not one of these charismatic performers that can move around the stage. when she tries she looks awkward. i really like this song...pretty sad, but is this the first patriotic song a contestant has sung? she did a good job with it. i think it might save her this week.
david cook: i think one of the reasons i like him so much is i can understand the words when he sings. before he sang it, i think the only words i knew were billy jean is not my lover. she's just a girl that says that i am the one, but the kid is not my son. that was all i could get. granted i still sang along with it whenever it was on. will he be the first rocker to be the american idol? i don't know, mostly because this is the first year i have watched it all the way through. i have really enjoyed it this year though.
who will go home? i think it could be ramiele or chikezie. do you think that ramiele and jason castro can last if she goes home?
hahahaha...sorry i just had to throw that last one in there.
so here we go...
ramiele: she was soooo off it was sad. and to say you are sick seems like a cop out because when she was talking she sounded completely fine. if you're going to say you're sick, at least sound hoarse when you talk to the judges. it plays on the audience's sympathy more. can i just say, this song is one of my favorites. i sing along to it (and did last night) and i sounded awful. i know this because i had a 4 year old's hand over my mouth most of the time.
jason castro: i love this kid. he was a beautiful child, and if i wasn't married and waaaayyy to old for him.....i could get myself in a lot of trouble, i will just be quiet now. anyway, i like him. the songs he has picked haven't blown me away (except for hallelujah) but i still like the kid.
on a more bizarre note, last week someone found my blog by google-ing "are jason castro and ramiele a couple". as sad as that makes me, i could see it. they seem like they have similar personalities.
sYESha: she has a great powerful voice. my hubby can't stand whitney houston, and thinks this chick is as good or better. me, i like whit, but i think this girl could be better. i think she is absolutely beautiful too. she has a dazzling smile. ok, i think that she could be in it for the long haul if she could connect with the audience more. i don't know why, but she doesn't have that "spark" some of the others have.
chikezie: i didn't like the song choice, or maybe it's just the arrangement. i was just starting to move over to the "i like chikezie" camp, but after last night, i moved myself right back where i was. i didn't care for his performance. not in the slightest.
broooke: the hubby and i couldn't believe this girl is only 24. not that she looks "old" but maybe more mature than that? when she smiles at least she does. when she's looking at the judges, she looks like a little kid. and her mom? i thought she was her sister! there is no way that lady is old enough to have a 24 year old kid! she sang another one of my absolute favorite songs that i like to sing along to. she did a good job, with the band. it would have been GREAT had she just kept it her and the piano.
micheal johns: i liked it. i also liked the beatles' songs he did too. i like mike, what can i say? not much else. i liked it, but i wasn't "in love" with it like the judges.
carly: i didn't care for her performance. it weirds me out with she moves like that...you know with the pelvic thrusts? ok, i spend way too much time watching kids shows...i just flashed on spongebob's bubble blowing technique...pelvic thrust wooooooooooooo. woooooooooo. step on your left foot don't forget it!.........back to carly. i wasn't that into her before, and i'm still not. i don't know, maybe it's because she looks like one of my sister in laws. whatever the reason, i didn't care for her last night.
david archuleta: he was and still is a cute baby. (he makes me want to bake cookies too, rachel. i think he just brings out that motherly instinct.) i didn't like the song. i think he needs to stop trying to sing these "older" songs. i don't mean like, "oh that song is old" more like "this song seems really mature, like some old man should be singing it". does that make sense?
kristy lee: ok, finally a song she didn't totally blow. she did a great job with it. she's just not one of these charismatic performers that can move around the stage. when she tries she looks awkward. i really like this song...pretty sad, but is this the first patriotic song a contestant has sung? she did a good job with it. i think it might save her this week.
david cook: i think one of the reasons i like him so much is i can understand the words when he sings. before he sang it, i think the only words i knew were billy jean is not my lover. she's just a girl that says that i am the one, but the kid is not my son. that was all i could get. granted i still sang along with it whenever it was on. will he be the first rocker to be the american idol? i don't know, mostly because this is the first year i have watched it all the way through. i have really enjoyed it this year though.
who will go home? i think it could be ramiele or chikezie. do you think that ramiele and jason castro can last if she goes home?
hahahaha...sorry i just had to throw that last one in there.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
that new baby smell
i had a new baby start with me this week. she's a new year's eve baby. pretty complexion, chuuuuubbbby!, and so very smiley. i met her mom and grandma a few weeks ago, and then i met her daddy yesterday. they are a young couple, fresh out of high school, and remind me so much of jeff and i twelve years ago. i like working with younger parents. they need a little guidance and someone to listen. they are a little more "flaky" sometimes, but what teenager isn't? they seem like really nice kids, and very much in love...i love to see that. it's so rare to find young couples like them that survive.
i am trying to be a more patient and understanding parent, while at the same time more, uh, what's the word i'm looking for? not strict, or demanding, well....maybe a nicer word for strict...like consistent? i don't think i "demand" much from my kids, but i don't expect much either. i think i need to "expect" more of certain things like, helping out around the house, keeping their rooms clean, you know, stuff they should be doing. i don't set boundaries very well when it comes to that kind of stuff. i need to do better. i know i need to be more of a role model for my kids when it comes to responsibility, but it's really really tough. my bedroom is a total disaster. no, i mean it. it is. it's as bad or worse than alex's room, perhaps not as bad as the little guys' room (but that's just because i haven't been sneaking snacks in there), but it's worse than haley's room. that's horrible. i don't want to be a "do as i say not as i do" type of parent! i want genuine respect from my kids, not fear or apathy.
can you tell it's "that" time of the month? i feel like i rant about my parenting every time it hits me! or at least rant about something every time.
my kids started back to school today! hip hip HOORAY! on friday, the other kids start back at school. i'm glad i have a few more months of school before the kids are out for the summer. it gives me some time to prepare myself.
i am trying to be a more patient and understanding parent, while at the same time more, uh, what's the word i'm looking for? not strict, or demanding, well....maybe a nicer word for strict...like consistent? i don't think i "demand" much from my kids, but i don't expect much either. i think i need to "expect" more of certain things like, helping out around the house, keeping their rooms clean, you know, stuff they should be doing. i don't set boundaries very well when it comes to that kind of stuff. i need to do better. i know i need to be more of a role model for my kids when it comes to responsibility, but it's really really tough. my bedroom is a total disaster. no, i mean it. it is. it's as bad or worse than alex's room, perhaps not as bad as the little guys' room (but that's just because i haven't been sneaking snacks in there), but it's worse than haley's room. that's horrible. i don't want to be a "do as i say not as i do" type of parent! i want genuine respect from my kids, not fear or apathy.
can you tell it's "that" time of the month? i feel like i rant about my parenting every time it hits me! or at least rant about something every time.
my kids started back to school today! hip hip HOORAY! on friday, the other kids start back at school. i'm glad i have a few more months of school before the kids are out for the summer. it gives me some time to prepare myself.
Monday, March 24, 2008
miracle monday
another miracle monday here. well, maybe. i'm not sure if this is considered a "miracle" or just "right place at the right time".
yesterday was easter sunday. we had our morning egg hunt here at the house, then off to the grandma's houses. (i know i know, what about church? well we had a rough morning and i didn't make it to church) we got to my grandma's house and hung out, ate some really good food, and had another egg hunt. then we headed over to my in-laws' house. we got there and ate some more, visited with my nephew who had the accident (he's walking by himself now!!), and ate some more. as i am finishing my plate, my father in law says "the cat has something out there, looks like a baby squirrel". so me, being the animal lover i am, i head out the door to see if i can help the baby squirrel or whatever it is. well, it's not a squirrel, it's a baby kitten. a little, new born orange baby kitten, that was still attached to it's placenta. i picked it up, it was so very cold, and wrapped him up in my hands. as i turned to go into the house i saw another little kitten, this one was grey stripped and laying just as cold and still. i was hoping with them being newly born, they might just need to be warmed up some. i started to blow warm breath on them, and they moved just a little. that was all the sign i needed! i took them inside the house and wrapped them in paper towels, and cut the umbilical cord on the orange one. my niece and her boyfriend continued to warm them and rub them as i went outside to check for more kittens, or for their momma. my in laws have about a dozen or so cats so i wasn't sure which one was the mom, and i checked for more kittens but didn't find any signs. i came back inside, and found the gray striped kitten had perked up and was fluffy and moving around. the orange one had a wound on it's back that had started to bleed. i guess either the mom or another cat had bitten it. he held on for 2 hours, and then quietly slipped away. i held him the whole time. as rough a start as that poor kitty had, i wanted to make sure his last moments were filled with kindness. the gray stripped kitten started to meow and move around more, so we put it outside in a box to see if his mom would come back for him. she came and took him back to her little nest.
i think it would be considered a miracle. had God not put us in the right place at the right time, that both kittens would have died a very cold and lonely death. i know they are just cats, but God did put us here to be protectors of the less fortunate, didn't he?
yesterday was easter sunday. we had our morning egg hunt here at the house, then off to the grandma's houses. (i know i know, what about church? well we had a rough morning and i didn't make it to church) we got to my grandma's house and hung out, ate some really good food, and had another egg hunt. then we headed over to my in-laws' house. we got there and ate some more, visited with my nephew who had the accident (he's walking by himself now!!), and ate some more. as i am finishing my plate, my father in law says "the cat has something out there, looks like a baby squirrel". so me, being the animal lover i am, i head out the door to see if i can help the baby squirrel or whatever it is. well, it's not a squirrel, it's a baby kitten. a little, new born orange baby kitten, that was still attached to it's placenta. i picked it up, it was so very cold, and wrapped him up in my hands. as i turned to go into the house i saw another little kitten, this one was grey stripped and laying just as cold and still. i was hoping with them being newly born, they might just need to be warmed up some. i started to blow warm breath on them, and they moved just a little. that was all the sign i needed! i took them inside the house and wrapped them in paper towels, and cut the umbilical cord on the orange one. my niece and her boyfriend continued to warm them and rub them as i went outside to check for more kittens, or for their momma. my in laws have about a dozen or so cats so i wasn't sure which one was the mom, and i checked for more kittens but didn't find any signs. i came back inside, and found the gray striped kitten had perked up and was fluffy and moving around. the orange one had a wound on it's back that had started to bleed. i guess either the mom or another cat had bitten it. he held on for 2 hours, and then quietly slipped away. i held him the whole time. as rough a start as that poor kitty had, i wanted to make sure his last moments were filled with kindness. the gray stripped kitten started to meow and move around more, so we put it outside in a box to see if his mom would come back for him. she came and took him back to her little nest.
i think it would be considered a miracle. had God not put us in the right place at the right time, that both kittens would have died a very cold and lonely death. i know they are just cats, but God did put us here to be protectors of the less fortunate, didn't he?
Saturday, March 22, 2008
i have some funny little kids!
today, my husband was talking to grace about Jesus, zack was also listening.
G- yesterday was the day Jesus died on the cross. what's today?
J-yes, Jesus died on Good Friday. today he is in the tomb. tomorrow is Easter Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the dead.
Z- (looking a little confused) chuck e cheese died on the cross?
happy easter all!
G- yesterday was the day Jesus died on the cross. what's today?
J-yes, Jesus died on Good Friday. today he is in the tomb. tomorrow is Easter Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the dead.
Z- (looking a little confused) chuck e cheese died on the cross?
happy easter all!
Friday, March 21, 2008
sorry about being away so long! spring breakers have taken over my computer. the first couple of days were so nasty out (we got around 4 inches of rain and the pond is officially full! yea!) that the kids had to find stuff inside to do. so that means fighting over the computer. i only have had a few extra here and there this week, so i am not totally tired of kids yet.
today is Good Friday. this is the day Jesus died for us on the cross. for us, this week is the most important week in the year.
i am sorry i didn't comment on the american idol shows this week. i know that rachel has been waiting to see my tears on the screen about amanda not making it to the top 10. well, i don't know that it is worth crying over, i am a little sad that she left. i don't think this was the kind of contest that she fit into, and i think she knew that. in fact, i really think that's part of the reason she didn't smile much. that and the fact she was on the "vote for the worst" website. she wasn't the worst. i think that kristy lee's "blow you out of your socks" comment to simon is why she was able to hang in there. my husband cracked up when she said that! then i think she realized what she had said and turned a nice shade of red. i think she got to stay because people wanted to see what she might say next week. it certainly wasn't because they enjoyed the performances she puts on.
and what was with the 2 weeks of beatles? not that i don't like the beatles, but there are there not enough other songs out there? or was it because no one chose "yesterday" in the first week?
i don't know, but i sure hope they don't make that mistake again!
we went to see "horton hears a who" this week. it was pretty good. all my kids enjoyed it. that was pretty cool. the little guys were so engrossed in the movie, they didn't talk much, and that almost never happens! they did a good job with the casting, and i think it turned out pretty good.
we rented a few movies this week. my favorite, by far, was "enchanted". the story was cute, the casting was phenomenal! amy adams (i think) was the princess, and she did a great job. i totally bought her as a disney style princess. the mannerisms, the voice, everything! everyone else was good too, but man, she was awesome. and the songs! they were so freakin' cute! i am not a "princess" type of girl, but this movie was really that good. or at least i thought it was. my husband took grace to see it in the theater and he liked it, but didn't love it. he said this was the best casting job though...which was definitely true.
i am so looking forward to the candy on sunday. i have a confession. i don't like M&M's unless they have been microwaved first. this is totally weird, i know. if you try it, you won't go back. take a handful, microwave them on high for 30 to 60 seconds. the shells crack, and the chocolate inside gets all melty....mmmmmm! it works for those chocolate eggs too! i'm on my 2nd bag. terrible i know, but what can i do? they call my name!
today is Good Friday. this is the day Jesus died for us on the cross. for us, this week is the most important week in the year.
i am sorry i didn't comment on the american idol shows this week. i know that rachel has been waiting to see my tears on the screen about amanda not making it to the top 10. well, i don't know that it is worth crying over, i am a little sad that she left. i don't think this was the kind of contest that she fit into, and i think she knew that. in fact, i really think that's part of the reason she didn't smile much. that and the fact she was on the "vote for the worst" website. she wasn't the worst. i think that kristy lee's "blow you out of your socks" comment to simon is why she was able to hang in there. my husband cracked up when she said that! then i think she realized what she had said and turned a nice shade of red. i think she got to stay because people wanted to see what she might say next week. it certainly wasn't because they enjoyed the performances she puts on.
and what was with the 2 weeks of beatles? not that i don't like the beatles, but there are there not enough other songs out there? or was it because no one chose "yesterday" in the first week?
i don't know, but i sure hope they don't make that mistake again!
we went to see "horton hears a who" this week. it was pretty good. all my kids enjoyed it. that was pretty cool. the little guys were so engrossed in the movie, they didn't talk much, and that almost never happens! they did a good job with the casting, and i think it turned out pretty good.
we rented a few movies this week. my favorite, by far, was "enchanted". the story was cute, the casting was phenomenal! amy adams (i think) was the princess, and she did a great job. i totally bought her as a disney style princess. the mannerisms, the voice, everything! everyone else was good too, but man, she was awesome. and the songs! they were so freakin' cute! i am not a "princess" type of girl, but this movie was really that good. or at least i thought it was. my husband took grace to see it in the theater and he liked it, but didn't love it. he said this was the best casting job though...which was definitely true.
i am so looking forward to the candy on sunday. i have a confession. i don't like M&M's unless they have been microwaved first. this is totally weird, i know. if you try it, you won't go back. take a handful, microwave them on high for 30 to 60 seconds. the shells crack, and the chocolate inside gets all melty....mmmmmm! it works for those chocolate eggs too! i'm on my 2nd bag. terrible i know, but what can i do? they call my name!
Monday, March 17, 2008
the power of prayer
another miracle monday thanks to beth at http://beth-amomslife.blogspot.com/. she is truly an inspiration. anyone that has any miracles they can think of, post about it and link it to beth. there are some truly amazing stories there!
*warning, this post contains a bad word. if that offends, then this may not be the post for you!
i would like to tell you all about some friends of mine. kathy is a pe teacher. her husband dan is a great guy. they have 3 girls. one is a freshman in college, one is a senior in high school, and their youngest is in 3rd grade with my haley. as some of you who read my blog may know, dan was diagnosed as having ALS back in august. they decided to tell no one, not even their kids. at least not until after christmas. they lived with knowing he had a terminal disease, a horrible debilitating disease. after the start of the new year, they told family first, then friends. when asked by his twin brother if there was anything he could do, dan answered "make sure my girls don't marry assholes". he still had his sense of humor.
of course as soon as we all found out, the prayers started. we all prayed for, if not a total mistake, at least a misdiagnosis. dan started seeing doctors after telling everyone. he went to 3 or 4 different ones for different opinions.
why is this a miracle? after all the prayers, it turns out, he doesn't have ALS. he has parkinson's. while that isn't a great and wonderful thing, it is sooo much better than ALS and the 3 to 5 year life expectancy.
this man, through the grace of God, was given a reprieve. thanks to the many prayers of a loving community, he will get to stay around longer...if for nothing else than to make sure his girls don't marry assholes!
*warning, this post contains a bad word. if that offends, then this may not be the post for you!
i would like to tell you all about some friends of mine. kathy is a pe teacher. her husband dan is a great guy. they have 3 girls. one is a freshman in college, one is a senior in high school, and their youngest is in 3rd grade with my haley. as some of you who read my blog may know, dan was diagnosed as having ALS back in august. they decided to tell no one, not even their kids. at least not until after christmas. they lived with knowing he had a terminal disease, a horrible debilitating disease. after the start of the new year, they told family first, then friends. when asked by his twin brother if there was anything he could do, dan answered "make sure my girls don't marry assholes". he still had his sense of humor.
of course as soon as we all found out, the prayers started. we all prayed for, if not a total mistake, at least a misdiagnosis. dan started seeing doctors after telling everyone. he went to 3 or 4 different ones for different opinions.
why is this a miracle? after all the prayers, it turns out, he doesn't have ALS. he has parkinson's. while that isn't a great and wonderful thing, it is sooo much better than ALS and the 3 to 5 year life expectancy.
this man, through the grace of God, was given a reprieve. thanks to the many prayers of a loving community, he will get to stay around longer...if for nothing else than to make sure his girls don't marry assholes!
I WON! I WON I WON I WON!
whoooo hoooo! i never win anything, and yet i won a $10 gift certificate to claudiasimagination's etsy shop. i won #149 from the ultimate blog party! i chose the midsummer's night dream earrings. they are little dragonfly earrings and adorable. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5579967 i believe this should take you straight to her shop. she is one talented lady! thank you claudia!
ok, next in my line of updates is one of the families' that i watch just added to their family on saturday. baby natalie was born at 4:03 pm and was 7lb 8oz. i will hopefully get over there to see them this week. i love love love newborn babies. the size, the smell, the sounds. everything about them!
alex's team finally won an indoor soccer game. most of the teams they are playing are 12 year olds. now, the kids on alex's team are 10 and 11. so these teams they are playing are usually bigger. this past sunday, they played a team that was the same size as our boys, and they had a girl on the team. i would never say that girls can't play the same game as boys, but seriously! she wasn't really big, she was the same size as my boy. and the only thing i could think of, when i saw her out there was "please don't go by alex, he will lay you out!". and while he did pull back a little because she was a girl, he still plowed into her. it's not fair to the boys she plays against. they don't want to hurt a girl. it makes them think twice about what they are doing and they shouldn't do that in a game. they should be going for the ball and defending the goal. (i can't believe i'm saying that.) now, i wanted to play football when i was a highschooler. the boys i talked to thought it was a great idea...as long as i still had to shower and change with the team. yeah, like that would happen! but with football, you wear helmets and pads. you can't see the person you are tackling is a girl. therefore, you don't have to think "am i going to hurt her?"
ok, enough with the soapbox.
this week, my kids are on spring break. because of factors out of my contol, i will only be watching one family. these kids' don't start spring break until friday. then they are off the week after easter...when my kids are back at school. should be a fun filled 2 weeks.
happy st. patrick's day all!
ok, next in my line of updates is one of the families' that i watch just added to their family on saturday. baby natalie was born at 4:03 pm and was 7lb 8oz. i will hopefully get over there to see them this week. i love love love newborn babies. the size, the smell, the sounds. everything about them!
alex's team finally won an indoor soccer game. most of the teams they are playing are 12 year olds. now, the kids on alex's team are 10 and 11. so these teams they are playing are usually bigger. this past sunday, they played a team that was the same size as our boys, and they had a girl on the team. i would never say that girls can't play the same game as boys, but seriously! she wasn't really big, she was the same size as my boy. and the only thing i could think of, when i saw her out there was "please don't go by alex, he will lay you out!". and while he did pull back a little because she was a girl, he still plowed into her. it's not fair to the boys she plays against. they don't want to hurt a girl. it makes them think twice about what they are doing and they shouldn't do that in a game. they should be going for the ball and defending the goal. (i can't believe i'm saying that.) now, i wanted to play football when i was a highschooler. the boys i talked to thought it was a great idea...as long as i still had to shower and change with the team. yeah, like that would happen! but with football, you wear helmets and pads. you can't see the person you are tackling is a girl. therefore, you don't have to think "am i going to hurt her?"
ok, enough with the soapbox.
this week, my kids are on spring break. because of factors out of my contol, i will only be watching one family. these kids' don't start spring break until friday. then they are off the week after easter...when my kids are back at school. should be a fun filled 2 weeks.
happy st. patrick's day all!
Friday, March 14, 2008
how i named my blog
i saw someone else's post about how they named their blog, then a friend of mine renamed her blog (with the help of some bloggy friends) and it came to me...a post about how i came up with the name. the story may be long, and cover many years of my life, but i think it will be somewhat interesting. you may learn things you didn't know about me, and things you may have wished i kept a secret, but my history is part of me. it doesn't define me, but it shaped who i am and what i hold dear.
when i decided to start this blog, i tried to think of something witty to call it. being that i am not humorously inclined, i failed. we had just had a 10 year high school reunion, and i thought "hmmm, what did most people think when they saw me?". to understand where i am coming from, you must know how i was.
when i was 13, my parents went through a nasty divorce. my mom actually left my dad 3 weeks before my birthday. it was a pretty tough time for me. it left me a little unsure of myself. ok, who am i kidding, i was way unsure of myself. i was shy to begin with, but changing schools made it worse. i had a mom that thought school should teach her children to put condoms on bananas and that high school was for "experimenting". it didn't matter if that was drugs, or alcohol, or sex. i was always a good student. that never changed. even after i started smoking pot my sophmore year, or when i started doing some stronger drugs my junior year. i never tried meth, or coke or heroin. i did try pot, lsd, hash, well, and some pot laced with stronger stuff. i used them pretty regularly on weekends, and my junior year, when a friend had a car accident and died, i started using them more often. in fact, i smoked pot everyday from march through may. i couldn't handle not being stoned. it is pretty sad to think about how i felt so out of control. the summer between junior and senior year i met my hubby. we both had moderate drug issues. i decided, a month into senior year, i was going to get clean. no more drugs for me. well, i wasn't perfect, but i was doing better. it amazed me how blue the sky was and how green the grass was. i felt like a hazy mist had lifted from my eyes. i was totally clean by december.
now let me back up a little. when i met the hubby, we became "physical" within the first couple of weeks. i don't know how serious we were about our relationship. well, i know i wasn't all that serious. i was planning on going away to college. i didn't want some majorly serious relationship messing that up. he was a really nice guy, but he wasn't going anywhere. he was 19, he didn't go to college, and was working at a convenience store. so i was pretty guarded with my emotions. flash forward to december. in december, i missed my period. no big deal, i had friends who missed theirs pretty often. just because i was like clockwork all the time, didn't mean anything to me. then january came, and still no period. i decided to take a pregnancy test, just to show myself i wasn't pregnant. well, no such luck. i was. i was 17 years old, a senior in high school, and pregnant by a guy i had known for roughly 6 months. yeah, every parents' dream for their child. i had to tell my parents, my teachers, the school nurse, school administration, my friends, my boyfriend, his family, his friends...yeah, it still hurts to think about.
now, i still had several months left of school. i had decisions to make about the fate of my baby and myself. abortion was never a factor. i never believed in it, and getting pregnant at 17 didn't change that. adoption was a possibility, but i wasn't ready to look at that. i felt lost. not to mention the kids at school who said things like "you should give it up or have an abortion because you'd make a crappy mom". really positive and uplifting things like that. not all the kids, just a select few. a select few that i had been close to up until that moment...and then distanced myself from pretty quickly. i also had some shining angels that made it ok. my friends joe, molly, jeremy, and nike made me feel like i was the same person. they didn't treat me any differently.
now, here i am, 11+ years later, with 5 kids, a great husband, and a life i never would have thought possible. i went to college before and after alex was born, but it only lasted a semester. i wanted to focus on being a mom. my hubby asked me to marry him on my 18th birthday (30 days before the baby was born) and we were married the following may. life fell into place. i can honestly say, i haven't wanted to do any drugs since i gave them up. when i became a mom, all that was in my past. those wonderful friends fell away, but i still love each and every one of them for what they did for me. i don't think they even realized how much it meant to me.
and that is why i gave my blog this name...because "who'd of thought" my life would turn out like this!
when i decided to start this blog, i tried to think of something witty to call it. being that i am not humorously inclined, i failed. we had just had a 10 year high school reunion, and i thought "hmmm, what did most people think when they saw me?". to understand where i am coming from, you must know how i was.
when i was 13, my parents went through a nasty divorce. my mom actually left my dad 3 weeks before my birthday. it was a pretty tough time for me. it left me a little unsure of myself. ok, who am i kidding, i was way unsure of myself. i was shy to begin with, but changing schools made it worse. i had a mom that thought school should teach her children to put condoms on bananas and that high school was for "experimenting". it didn't matter if that was drugs, or alcohol, or sex. i was always a good student. that never changed. even after i started smoking pot my sophmore year, or when i started doing some stronger drugs my junior year. i never tried meth, or coke or heroin. i did try pot, lsd, hash, well, and some pot laced with stronger stuff. i used them pretty regularly on weekends, and my junior year, when a friend had a car accident and died, i started using them more often. in fact, i smoked pot everyday from march through may. i couldn't handle not being stoned. it is pretty sad to think about how i felt so out of control. the summer between junior and senior year i met my hubby. we both had moderate drug issues. i decided, a month into senior year, i was going to get clean. no more drugs for me. well, i wasn't perfect, but i was doing better. it amazed me how blue the sky was and how green the grass was. i felt like a hazy mist had lifted from my eyes. i was totally clean by december.
now let me back up a little. when i met the hubby, we became "physical" within the first couple of weeks. i don't know how serious we were about our relationship. well, i know i wasn't all that serious. i was planning on going away to college. i didn't want some majorly serious relationship messing that up. he was a really nice guy, but he wasn't going anywhere. he was 19, he didn't go to college, and was working at a convenience store. so i was pretty guarded with my emotions. flash forward to december. in december, i missed my period. no big deal, i had friends who missed theirs pretty often. just because i was like clockwork all the time, didn't mean anything to me. then january came, and still no period. i decided to take a pregnancy test, just to show myself i wasn't pregnant. well, no such luck. i was. i was 17 years old, a senior in high school, and pregnant by a guy i had known for roughly 6 months. yeah, every parents' dream for their child. i had to tell my parents, my teachers, the school nurse, school administration, my friends, my boyfriend, his family, his friends...yeah, it still hurts to think about.
now, i still had several months left of school. i had decisions to make about the fate of my baby and myself. abortion was never a factor. i never believed in it, and getting pregnant at 17 didn't change that. adoption was a possibility, but i wasn't ready to look at that. i felt lost. not to mention the kids at school who said things like "you should give it up or have an abortion because you'd make a crappy mom". really positive and uplifting things like that. not all the kids, just a select few. a select few that i had been close to up until that moment...and then distanced myself from pretty quickly. i also had some shining angels that made it ok. my friends joe, molly, jeremy, and nike made me feel like i was the same person. they didn't treat me any differently.
now, here i am, 11+ years later, with 5 kids, a great husband, and a life i never would have thought possible. i went to college before and after alex was born, but it only lasted a semester. i wanted to focus on being a mom. my hubby asked me to marry him on my 18th birthday (30 days before the baby was born) and we were married the following may. life fell into place. i can honestly say, i haven't wanted to do any drugs since i gave them up. when i became a mom, all that was in my past. those wonderful friends fell away, but i still love each and every one of them for what they did for me. i don't think they even realized how much it meant to me.
and that is why i gave my blog this name...because "who'd of thought" my life would turn out like this!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
this is so not fair!
all 5 kids have those thick dark eyelashes...just like their dad. why couldn't i get them too? is it too much to ask? i mean, i did give birth to all 5, i nursed all 5, i cook their meals, drive them to their sports practices, friends' houses, and oh so much more...is having some thick luscious eyelashes too much to ask for? i guess so. i guess getting my old metabolism and my flat stretch mark free belly back is not going to happen either.
i guess i can live with that.
i do need to lose some weight though. not for health or beauty reasons, but for the "youngest child uses my belly roll as a security blanket" reason. he has to rub my bare belly when he is near me. in fact he has even gotten to the point of pulling his shirt up and exposing my unsightly belly and laying tummy to tummy. this was so cute when i was nursing, but the kid is going on 3, and my belly is not something i want out there for the world to see. i don't know what to do. the hubby thinks it is not normal. then again, he thought nursing a baby was not "normal" either. i changed his tune on that one! so maybe if i lose the weight, get a flat (uh i should add an er to that) stomach, he won't be so interested in it.
ok, i want to give a shout out to hawaii, texas, missouri, north carolina, and new jersey! thanks for coming by regularly (or not so regularly) to see my little old blog! much appreciated!
and amanda, i would be down there in a second if i could! that is one of the places i want to see so badly!
thanks to all who comment, and those who don't.
i guess i can live with that.
i do need to lose some weight though. not for health or beauty reasons, but for the "youngest child uses my belly roll as a security blanket" reason. he has to rub my bare belly when he is near me. in fact he has even gotten to the point of pulling his shirt up and exposing my unsightly belly and laying tummy to tummy. this was so cute when i was nursing, but the kid is going on 3, and my belly is not something i want out there for the world to see. i don't know what to do. the hubby thinks it is not normal. then again, he thought nursing a baby was not "normal" either. i changed his tune on that one! so maybe if i lose the weight, get a flat (uh i should add an er to that) stomach, he won't be so interested in it.
ok, i want to give a shout out to hawaii, texas, missouri, north carolina, and new jersey! thanks for coming by regularly (or not so regularly) to see my little old blog! much appreciated!
and amanda, i would be down there in a second if i could! that is one of the places i want to see so badly!
thanks to all who comment, and those who don't.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
amy amy quite contrary
how does your garden grow?
well, by bitching and moaning until the hubby gets on the tractor and plows, that's how!
yeah, that pretty much sums up my approach to getting the hubby to do anything i want him to do. well, at least stuff he doesn't want to do. he and i had a nice lengthy conversation about my wanting a garden and chickens. he doesn't understand my need to have these things. yes, i would be growing my own food. this would cut our grocery bill down. but then again, it's work. he had to take care of this kind of stuff when he was a kid and doesn't want to deal with it again. i understand that. the thing is, i didn't have a veggie garden when i was a kid, or chickens. i begged and begged my parents for chickens when we lived in the country. i saved my own money for months, subscribed to different chicken hatchery newsletters, and even drew up my own plans for a coop (trying to impress my carpenter father! lol) all to no avail! why is it, as an adult, i still get screwed out of it?
ah, let it go...
ok, i still have some tricks up my sleeve. after all, easter is the holiday when people get things like baby chicks, and little ducklings as gifts for their kids. hahaha.
no i wouldn't really do that. the hubby would definitely not be too happy. that would make me not to happy. i just have to work on changing his mind.
ok, on to american idol. can i just say that i loved jason castro's performance? ok, i loved jason castro's performance. ramiele sang the song that my hubby and i danced to for our first song. i know, kind of a weird choice, but at the time it fit. so i will give her a pass tonight. she didn't do a bad job, just not an original performance. why oh why did kristy lee do that? it wasn't that it was a bad decision changing that song to country, because while it was definitely weird, it wasn't horrible. it was the way she performed on stage. she didn't connect at all. not only did her moves not fit the song or music at all, but her eyes were scared and not at all into selling the song. her performance was the worst of the night. that says a lot considering david hernandez's performance! he was horrible too! of course i don't really care for him anyway, so it's not a big let down for me. i loved chikezie's performance. he took that song to a place i never would have expected from him. totally loved it. amanda overmyer did good too. her performance was definitely not as big a show stopper as last week, she still did good. brooke white was not only awesome, but i loved the sign in the audience that her former employers were holding "we love brooke white, but miss our nanny!" and it had pics of the twins she had watched. loved it. carly's performance was great too. david cook totally rocked out loud! i love how he makes these songs his own. great job boy from missouri! syesha was ok for me. i didn't hate it, but i didn't love it either. what has happened to little davy archuleta? he wasn't bad, but he wasn't his "holy cow it this kid awesome or what?" self. i personally liked micheal johns' performance. (he actually looks a lot like my friend's hubby.)
now who will go home tonight? i have no clue. i really don't. i really hope it's not some of my faves but i don't vote (i know how horrible of me) so i don't feel like i can say if the "right" one is sent home tonight.
ok, rachel, your turn now. and anyone else that wants to chime in!
*i don't vote because by the time i actually get to watch the show, it's the morning after. just a tad too late to vote.
well, by bitching and moaning until the hubby gets on the tractor and plows, that's how!
yeah, that pretty much sums up my approach to getting the hubby to do anything i want him to do. well, at least stuff he doesn't want to do. he and i had a nice lengthy conversation about my wanting a garden and chickens. he doesn't understand my need to have these things. yes, i would be growing my own food. this would cut our grocery bill down. but then again, it's work. he had to take care of this kind of stuff when he was a kid and doesn't want to deal with it again. i understand that. the thing is, i didn't have a veggie garden when i was a kid, or chickens. i begged and begged my parents for chickens when we lived in the country. i saved my own money for months, subscribed to different chicken hatchery newsletters, and even drew up my own plans for a coop (trying to impress my carpenter father! lol) all to no avail! why is it, as an adult, i still get screwed out of it?
ah, let it go...
ok, i still have some tricks up my sleeve. after all, easter is the holiday when people get things like baby chicks, and little ducklings as gifts for their kids. hahaha.
no i wouldn't really do that. the hubby would definitely not be too happy. that would make me not to happy. i just have to work on changing his mind.
ok, on to american idol. can i just say that i loved jason castro's performance? ok, i loved jason castro's performance. ramiele sang the song that my hubby and i danced to for our first song. i know, kind of a weird choice, but at the time it fit. so i will give her a pass tonight. she didn't do a bad job, just not an original performance. why oh why did kristy lee do that? it wasn't that it was a bad decision changing that song to country, because while it was definitely weird, it wasn't horrible. it was the way she performed on stage. she didn't connect at all. not only did her moves not fit the song or music at all, but her eyes were scared and not at all into selling the song. her performance was the worst of the night. that says a lot considering david hernandez's performance! he was horrible too! of course i don't really care for him anyway, so it's not a big let down for me. i loved chikezie's performance. he took that song to a place i never would have expected from him. totally loved it. amanda overmyer did good too. her performance was definitely not as big a show stopper as last week, she still did good. brooke white was not only awesome, but i loved the sign in the audience that her former employers were holding "we love brooke white, but miss our nanny!" and it had pics of the twins she had watched. loved it. carly's performance was great too. david cook totally rocked out loud! i love how he makes these songs his own. great job boy from missouri! syesha was ok for me. i didn't hate it, but i didn't love it either. what has happened to little davy archuleta? he wasn't bad, but he wasn't his "holy cow it this kid awesome or what?" self. i personally liked micheal johns' performance. (he actually looks a lot like my friend's hubby.)
now who will go home tonight? i have no clue. i really don't. i really hope it's not some of my faves but i don't vote (i know how horrible of me) so i don't feel like i can say if the "right" one is sent home tonight.
ok, rachel, your turn now. and anyone else that wants to chime in!
*i don't vote because by the time i actually get to watch the show, it's the morning after. just a tad too late to vote.
Monday, March 10, 2008
chickens, and pigs and lambs, oh my!
that's right! spring is just around the corner! wooo hooo! i can't wait! i have been bugging the hubby about picking the spot for the garden, fixing the shed, and getting the place for the pig ready. poor guy, i don't think he realized that by marrying me he was getting himself into so much work! oh well, 11 years later, he should be used to it! the kids are so excited about the animals. alex has been bugging me for weeks about the pig. we are going this week to pick it out. haley's wanting to go see her lambs. they actually get 2 or 3, and then pick one to show, and lenny keeps the others. she gets to sell the lamb she picks to show at the fair. i don't know how they are going to do with selling the pig and lamb, but i guess we will see. alex hasn't even gotten the pig yet, and has already decided to show chickens ducks and maybe turkeys next year. why couldn't he have decided this when i tried to talk him into chickens when we started 4-H? *sigh* pigs are so much more work! my husband has actually acted somewhat excited about chickens. we were talking about letting them "free-range" during the day. he said something about building a movable cage for them...just so they aren't completely unprotected during the day. we aren't sure how all the cats out here would react to the chickens. i think if they are older, (the chickens) they could probably handle their own, but i would hate to chance it. plus there are some dogs around...so maybe that would be best. alex is really wanting some ducks. now that the pond is almost full, i think that it would be pretty cool to see some ducks or geese out there. i just don't want too many. last thing i want is kids slipping and sliding in duck/goose poop!
now that we are down to the 2 turtles, the 2 lizards, and the fish, i am really wanting to get some more animals. it just doesn't seem right to be called bauerzoo when i only have those pets, well and the kids. i think it would be good for all the kids here...mine and those i watch. making them earn their keep (lol). i know the older boys would love to help with the pig and chickens. they both live in subdivisions and can't have any type of farm creatures.
oh well, i had better get back to the kiddos!
oh yeah, this is a blogger that is giving away a $25 gift certificate to ideal poultry in cameron, texas (hello rachel?). click over there if you think you might be in need of some feathered friends! very very cool!
http://lifeinthelostworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/spring-blog-giveaway.html
now that we are down to the 2 turtles, the 2 lizards, and the fish, i am really wanting to get some more animals. it just doesn't seem right to be called bauerzoo when i only have those pets, well and the kids. i think it would be good for all the kids here...mine and those i watch. making them earn their keep (lol). i know the older boys would love to help with the pig and chickens. they both live in subdivisions and can't have any type of farm creatures.
oh well, i had better get back to the kiddos!
oh yeah, this is a blogger that is giving away a $25 gift certificate to ideal poultry in cameron, texas (hello rachel?). click over there if you think you might be in need of some feathered friends! very very cool!
http://lifeinthelostworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/spring-blog-giveaway.html
Saturday, March 8, 2008
blog party 2008! and my 100th post...
hello party people! my name is amy and welcome to my blog.
i don't have too many pictures, but my family is off to the right of your screen.
here are a few little facts about me...
1) for some reason i like to post in all lower case. i don't know why, but i am thinking laziness may play some part.
2) i am 29 years old, but i turn the big 3-0 in july.
3) i am a stay at home mom of 5 kids.
4) i have been married to my hubby for almost 11 years.
5) i babysit lots of kids.
6) i live by family, in fact, my husband's parents, 2 sisters, and 2 brothers live on our street. not to mention the 2 nieces and 2 nephews.
7) i am the oldest of 3...and the age difference between me and my youngest sib is 2 years and 8 mos.
8) i am allergic to cherries, montreal seasoning, and cocoa butter. oh yeah, and stress. it makes me break out in a rash if i get too stressed out.
9) i am the very proud owner of a 12 passenger van. i love this car. funny, i didn't learn how to drive until i was 18, and was scared to drive anything bigger than a geo prism.
10) i am not sure what else to say about me. but i didn't want to end it on a list of 9!
major players in my life are
jeff-my husband and father of our 5 kids. i met him the summer between my junior and senior years of highschool. i was 16, but he thought i was older (he was 19).
alex-my oldest son/child. he's 11 and thinks he's 20. he's a smart kid, and athletic too.
haley-my second oldest but oldest girl. she just turned 9 and is beautiful, smart, and athletic.
grace-middle child, and youngest girl. she just turned 6, and is the same as her sister...except she has blue eyes and her sister has hazel.
josh-boy number 2. he's smart, handsome and built like a linebacker. he just turned 4.
zack-the youngest, boy number 3. he's the only one that looks like my side of the family. he'll be 3 in july, and is potty trained, and has the vocab of a 6 year old.
i have been blessed with very smart, healthy and athletic children. they are really great kids, and i'm not just saying that because they're mine.
thanks for stopping by! leave a comment if you have time. i'd love to hear from you!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
American Idol
uh rachel, where are you? i have been waiting and watching for your american idol insights...only to be disappointed day after day. i guess i will have to give my thoughts on the matter...and wait for yours.
ok, i think the girls last night were awesome! well, except for kady malloy. i haven't really cared for her. i don't know why exactly, though i think it has mostly been the song choices she's made. she has a great voice. she also reminds me of my niece morgan...cute personality.
my absolute faves are amanda overmyer, asia'h epperson, brooke white, kristy lee cook, and syesha mercado. i know that's only 5, but these are seriously my favorite girls. i would by a cd today from amanda. that girl has a great voice. reminds me a little of janis joplin. i still love listenin' to janis. i like asia'h, and not just because she's from my state, or because of her tragic story. she has a great bubbly personality. a joy in her that shines thru. brooke is sweetness thru and thru. i don't think sugar would melt in her mouth! kristy lee is beautiful. i think if she made some better song choices (like last night) she could go far! syesha is a great singer too. and she's adorable!
as for kady, carly, and ramiele...well, i don't know why, but i just don't feel it for them. not that they don't have great voices, they all do. i just don't get some of the songs, and i don't have that emotional connection.
now on to the guys...daniel noriega gets on my nerves. i'm not sure what it is about him, i just can't stand him. i think it's the attitude, and the mannerisms, and the facial expressions. ok maybe it's everything but his voice. he has a great voice. he just seems like a diva. he also looks like one of my nieces...and she has some of the same facial expressions, but they are cute on her for some reason.
as for my favorite guys, they are david archuleta, david cook, jason castro, luke menard, and micheal johns. ok, david archuleta, does anyone not like this kid? great voice, great personality, great attitude. i would love to have this kid as a son. he is freakin' adorable. david cook, my other favorite rocker. i loved his rock version of a lionel richie song. totally inspired! jason castro is beautiful. he has that softness that made his last song really stand out. ok, his gorgeous eyes help him too. luke menard...uh, does he sing? i kind of forget everything but his hotness. (and he's actually old enough for me to say this without feeling like some perv!) micheal johns, he makes me nostalgic for my good ole days of listening to the doors. ok, ok, i don't really remember much of those days, they are kind of hazy. he could definitely go far!
i am sorry chikezie, daniel, and david hernandez. we just didn't make that connection. i don't know why (ok, i know why i don't like daniel and outlined it in the above paragraph) but i just don't like you guys. i couldn't even pick one of you to move on to the final 12. i really don't care which one of the 3 makes it. ok, that's a lie, i don't care as long as it isn't daniel. chikezie hasn't picked out songs that i want to listen to, and i don't think he has sung them very well. david hernandez is having a hard time with the song choices too. (the reasons i don't like him have nothing to do with him being a stripper at a gentleman's club) he seems like he just doesn't have the stage presence others have.
ok rachel, your turn.
and anyone else who wants to put in their opinions too!
ok, i think the girls last night were awesome! well, except for kady malloy. i haven't really cared for her. i don't know why exactly, though i think it has mostly been the song choices she's made. she has a great voice. she also reminds me of my niece morgan...cute personality.
my absolute faves are amanda overmyer, asia'h epperson, brooke white, kristy lee cook, and syesha mercado. i know that's only 5, but these are seriously my favorite girls. i would by a cd today from amanda. that girl has a great voice. reminds me a little of janis joplin. i still love listenin' to janis. i like asia'h, and not just because she's from my state, or because of her tragic story. she has a great bubbly personality. a joy in her that shines thru. brooke is sweetness thru and thru. i don't think sugar would melt in her mouth! kristy lee is beautiful. i think if she made some better song choices (like last night) she could go far! syesha is a great singer too. and she's adorable!
as for kady, carly, and ramiele...well, i don't know why, but i just don't feel it for them. not that they don't have great voices, they all do. i just don't get some of the songs, and i don't have that emotional connection.
now on to the guys...daniel noriega gets on my nerves. i'm not sure what it is about him, i just can't stand him. i think it's the attitude, and the mannerisms, and the facial expressions. ok maybe it's everything but his voice. he has a great voice. he just seems like a diva. he also looks like one of my nieces...and she has some of the same facial expressions, but they are cute on her for some reason.
as for my favorite guys, they are david archuleta, david cook, jason castro, luke menard, and micheal johns. ok, david archuleta, does anyone not like this kid? great voice, great personality, great attitude. i would love to have this kid as a son. he is freakin' adorable. david cook, my other favorite rocker. i loved his rock version of a lionel richie song. totally inspired! jason castro is beautiful. he has that softness that made his last song really stand out. ok, his gorgeous eyes help him too. luke menard...uh, does he sing? i kind of forget everything but his hotness. (and he's actually old enough for me to say this without feeling like some perv!) micheal johns, he makes me nostalgic for my good ole days of listening to the doors. ok, ok, i don't really remember much of those days, they are kind of hazy. he could definitely go far!
i am sorry chikezie, daniel, and david hernandez. we just didn't make that connection. i don't know why (ok, i know why i don't like daniel and outlined it in the above paragraph) but i just don't like you guys. i couldn't even pick one of you to move on to the final 12. i really don't care which one of the 3 makes it. ok, that's a lie, i don't care as long as it isn't daniel. chikezie hasn't picked out songs that i want to listen to, and i don't think he has sung them very well. david hernandez is having a hard time with the song choices too. (the reasons i don't like him have nothing to do with him being a stripper at a gentleman's club) he seems like he just doesn't have the stage presence others have.
ok rachel, your turn.
and anyone else who wants to put in their opinions too!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
today was a school day, and a snow day. my kids had school, and yet most of the local schools were closed. that means i only had 9 kids at my house, not the 14 or 17 i would normally have on a school day.
i'm sure people see those numbers and are thinking "how on earth do you actually take care of that many kids." well, most of these kids are 3rd grade and older. in fact, the ages are my five 11, 9, 6, 4, and 2. then family A is 11, 10, and 5 with a new baby that will be here in the next couple of weeks. family B is 12, 10, 8, and 4. family C is 11, 8, and 2. family D is 11, and 6. most of these kids are technically allowed to stay home alone. i have been very lucky with the families i watch. they are very good kids. they are all fairly well behaved (but they are kids! they have their moments) and polite. the parents are so very nice. i have no complaints when it comes to the quality of people i deal with. i am truly blessed with the kind of people in my life.
how do i feed them all? well, we eat in shifts usually. the youngers go first, and then the older kids. i am very strict on this...just ask my 11 yr old. he got in big trouble for eating ahead of the other kids and had to go help shovel snow for his grandparents. it may not sound like a big deal (and it wasn't) but when i have a large number of kids, i have to feed the little guys first or they may not get enough. those big kids can really put away some food! i only had 9 today, but i fixed 20 hotdogs, 3 boxes of mac and cheese, sliced 3 apples and peeled 4 oranges. i don't know if that sounds like much, but it was all gone by the end of lunch.
what do they do all day? well, hmmm, beside drive me completely crazy? really they are good kids. they may get on my nerves more when they are stuck in the house, but that would be the case with 1 kid or 17. when it's summer, we swim everyday. every single day. they are outside every single day. well, unless it's storming. but even those days, if we have any time at all that is clear, they are outside. snow days are a little tougher. they are usually stuck in the house those days. they play in the basement or upstairs. they play on the main level too. ok i guess you can't throw a stick without hitting a couple kids on snow days.
is it hard on my kids having to share me? it is. i won't lie. they do get jealous. but they also have friends to play with every day. i think they handle the sharing part pretty well. in fact, i don't think i have had any of the "it's mine" issues with my own kids. i have had the "she's my mommy, not yours" issues come up. but that was just because one of the little guys i watch started to call me mom. only because that's what he heard me being called all the time. we straightened it out, and he now calls me by my name, but he still calls my hubby dad. very funny when we see him out at school or church functions and he waves to him saying "dad". hubby finds it hilarious. i don't think his parents have realized what he's saying.
i do enjoy taking care of these kids. they are like family to me. i won't say i love them like my own kids. i do love them like they are my nieces and nephews though.
as much as i do love them, i will not be doing this forever. i am planning on going back to school after my youngest is in school. i may put it off long enough for the youngest kid i watch to get into school, but i don't know. i love taking care of kids. i also would like to have a real job someday. you know, with co-workers and adult conversation. that would be nice.
that can wait for now.
i'm sure people see those numbers and are thinking "how on earth do you actually take care of that many kids." well, most of these kids are 3rd grade and older. in fact, the ages are my five 11, 9, 6, 4, and 2. then family A is 11, 10, and 5 with a new baby that will be here in the next couple of weeks. family B is 12, 10, 8, and 4. family C is 11, 8, and 2. family D is 11, and 6. most of these kids are technically allowed to stay home alone. i have been very lucky with the families i watch. they are very good kids. they are all fairly well behaved (but they are kids! they have their moments) and polite. the parents are so very nice. i have no complaints when it comes to the quality of people i deal with. i am truly blessed with the kind of people in my life.
how do i feed them all? well, we eat in shifts usually. the youngers go first, and then the older kids. i am very strict on this...just ask my 11 yr old. he got in big trouble for eating ahead of the other kids and had to go help shovel snow for his grandparents. it may not sound like a big deal (and it wasn't) but when i have a large number of kids, i have to feed the little guys first or they may not get enough. those big kids can really put away some food! i only had 9 today, but i fixed 20 hotdogs, 3 boxes of mac and cheese, sliced 3 apples and peeled 4 oranges. i don't know if that sounds like much, but it was all gone by the end of lunch.
what do they do all day? well, hmmm, beside drive me completely crazy? really they are good kids. they may get on my nerves more when they are stuck in the house, but that would be the case with 1 kid or 17. when it's summer, we swim everyday. every single day. they are outside every single day. well, unless it's storming. but even those days, if we have any time at all that is clear, they are outside. snow days are a little tougher. they are usually stuck in the house those days. they play in the basement or upstairs. they play on the main level too. ok i guess you can't throw a stick without hitting a couple kids on snow days.
is it hard on my kids having to share me? it is. i won't lie. they do get jealous. but they also have friends to play with every day. i think they handle the sharing part pretty well. in fact, i don't think i have had any of the "it's mine" issues with my own kids. i have had the "she's my mommy, not yours" issues come up. but that was just because one of the little guys i watch started to call me mom. only because that's what he heard me being called all the time. we straightened it out, and he now calls me by my name, but he still calls my hubby dad. very funny when we see him out at school or church functions and he waves to him saying "dad". hubby finds it hilarious. i don't think his parents have realized what he's saying.
i do enjoy taking care of these kids. they are like family to me. i won't say i love them like my own kids. i do love them like they are my nieces and nephews though.
as much as i do love them, i will not be doing this forever. i am planning on going back to school after my youngest is in school. i may put it off long enough for the youngest kid i watch to get into school, but i don't know. i love taking care of kids. i also would like to have a real job someday. you know, with co-workers and adult conversation. that would be nice.
that can wait for now.
Monday, March 3, 2008
miracle
this is something that happened pretty recently. after reading about another car accident...i realized this was a miracle for sure. especially with the recent developments.
on december 23rd (my mother in law's birthday) of 2007, my nephew was driving too fast on a road and lost control of his car. he and his 2 friends were "hill hopping". upon landing, he lost control of his car and it rolled, slid and flew down the side of the hill hitting a tree 8 feet up. the boy in the backseat hadn't been wearing his seat belt. he was ejected and died. my nephew and his friend in the front passenger seat were wearing their seat belts. my nephew's seat broke, and it actually protected the boy in the passenger seat. he had a cut on the back of his head, and a bruised arm. my nephew had an open skull fracture, and broke his neck. his spine was only bruised, the actual vertebra were cracked. he was on a ventilator for several days because the bruising of his spinal column made it harder for him to breathe correctly. the doctors were sure how his brain would handle the trauma. he was an exceptionally brilliant kid.
he went back to school 2 weeks ago. his neck brace came off the same day he started back to school. he has no major brain damage, and tested higher than anyone ever has on the tests the neurologist gave him. we are so happy he is doing so well physically.
please pray for him to keep recovering emotionally.
on december 23rd (my mother in law's birthday) of 2007, my nephew was driving too fast on a road and lost control of his car. he and his 2 friends were "hill hopping". upon landing, he lost control of his car and it rolled, slid and flew down the side of the hill hitting a tree 8 feet up. the boy in the backseat hadn't been wearing his seat belt. he was ejected and died. my nephew and his friend in the front passenger seat were wearing their seat belts. my nephew's seat broke, and it actually protected the boy in the passenger seat. he had a cut on the back of his head, and a bruised arm. my nephew had an open skull fracture, and broke his neck. his spine was only bruised, the actual vertebra were cracked. he was on a ventilator for several days because the bruising of his spinal column made it harder for him to breathe correctly. the doctors were sure how his brain would handle the trauma. he was an exceptionally brilliant kid.
he went back to school 2 weeks ago. his neck brace came off the same day he started back to school. he has no major brain damage, and tested higher than anyone ever has on the tests the neurologist gave him. we are so happy he is doing so well physically.
please pray for him to keep recovering emotionally.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
what's going on...
today i saw a guy i used to work with as a teenager. jabari went to a neighboring high school. he and i are the same age. he is like 6 foot 4, and funny. he could make a crappy day turn into a riot. he was also hard working. he taught me how to make biscuts (we worked at hardee's) and how to work the "back line" after i made the jump from front line to back line. (that's fastfood speak for cashier to food maker) i loved working there. the guys were all fun. the girls never stayed long though. i think i may have been the only girl that worked there from the beginning to mid "96.
there were a few guys there that may have had a thing for me. only one i ever had a crush on. but i am a firm believer in the old saying "you don't poop where you eat".
the only problem i ever had...and this is why i quit working in the front...was men who would say inappropriate things to me. one example (and the last straw) was i was working the front line in the middle of a lunch rush. there were about 4 other girls/women working it with me. we were bagging and taking orders, and the place was packed. all of a sudden, i hear "hey blondie". well, there are like 2 other blonds (besides me) so i figure he's talking to someone else. "no, not you her." one of the girls taps me on my shoulder, and i turn around. "you have a nice ass". i am pretty sure i turned 8 shades of red. you see i was pregnant with my oldest at this time. i was mad. i stormed off the line towards the back yelling "i am not going back up there with a$$holes like that!" i know, i know, very unprofessional of me. but i was a 17 year old pregnant girl, and very hormonal. i think i even started to cry. one of the boys i worked with ( his name was jason, he went to school with us, short, shaved head, sister named casey that died) saw me crying and cheered me up. (something along the line of "i'll go kick his a$$ if you want me to")
i didn't realize i would be using such crude language in this post. sorry if i offend, but it is true to what i was like (and maybe still am a little).
anyway, jabari was so very funny. he was also a really great guy. hopefully i will see him again soon!
there were a few guys there that may have had a thing for me. only one i ever had a crush on. but i am a firm believer in the old saying "you don't poop where you eat".
the only problem i ever had...and this is why i quit working in the front...was men who would say inappropriate things to me. one example (and the last straw) was i was working the front line in the middle of a lunch rush. there were about 4 other girls/women working it with me. we were bagging and taking orders, and the place was packed. all of a sudden, i hear "hey blondie". well, there are like 2 other blonds (besides me) so i figure he's talking to someone else. "no, not you her." one of the girls taps me on my shoulder, and i turn around. "you have a nice ass". i am pretty sure i turned 8 shades of red. you see i was pregnant with my oldest at this time. i was mad. i stormed off the line towards the back yelling "i am not going back up there with a$$holes like that!" i know, i know, very unprofessional of me. but i was a 17 year old pregnant girl, and very hormonal. i think i even started to cry. one of the boys i worked with ( his name was jason, he went to school with us, short, shaved head, sister named casey that died) saw me crying and cheered me up. (something along the line of "i'll go kick his a$$ if you want me to")
i didn't realize i would be using such crude language in this post. sorry if i offend, but it is true to what i was like (and maybe still am a little).
anyway, jabari was so very funny. he was also a really great guy. hopefully i will see him again soon!
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