what's your excuse?

Yeah okay so sometime I'm moody, who isn't? This week has had it's up's and down's what else is new. So Caleb and Elora have these friends who are also sibblings and the boy is in Caleb's class and the girl is in Elora's Pre-k class...they used to live near us and now they don't but they visit the annoying neighbors across the street. No biggy right? Well W-R-O-N-G!!! I don't mind she comes by once maybe even twice during the week and asks if her kids can play with mine. No big deal. This past week I bit my tongue and I don't think that will EVER happen again. She asked once this week, the 2nd time she just knocked on my door and left the kids standing there, the 3rd time she didn't even come over with them and the kids just WALKED right into my house with out knocking (my door was unlocked cause my kids were playing out back), the 4th time yes I just wrote the 4th time did the same thing and then complained they were hungry and thirsty and tried to eat everything in site, then the 5th time oh yes it gets better this time (add the sarcastic tone) not only did their Mom not ask, they walked in and when I said they were OUTSIDE they still tried to come in and take toys OUT...then when I said NO they went outside, they were at my house for 5 hours count them 1-2-3-4-5 HOURS, then she picks them up takes them to a birthday party and then after the party is done SHE BRINGS THEM BACK TO MY HOUSE!!!! What do I look like a free babysitter to you? HELLO, not only do these children do not have manners, she sends them to my house hungry and often dirty, and she gets to be kid free for hours at a time shooting the shit with her friends smoking while PREGNANT!!!!! Can you tell Im soooooooooooooooooooo not happy bout this. Now thank goodness she didn't come over today or I was going to EXPLODE. If she was a friend I wouldn't mind so much but I am NOT her friend, I don't really even like her, and I feel very abused by her taking advantage of me. Well no more. I can gaurentee you tomorrow she will try and drop her kids off at my house and I am going to put my foot down so hard she will probably cry....

January is just wizzing on by...

January is certainly here and quickly bout to leave. Almost 1/2 way through January. The winter break was nice and was especially nice being home for a couple days in our own LARGE space. The kids were thrilled to be home, in their own rooms, playing with their friends and relaxing before school starts. The 2nd quarter is almost over and I can't wait to see if Caleb has made the A honor roll. The ceremony is on the 23rd of this month. Report cards should be coming out soon again. It's the usual routine here, every Tuesday we have Dance class for Elora, every other wednesday is early release day for the boys and every Thursday is Cub scouts. The boys are enjoying cub scouts more and more and think we will continue next school year as well. A four day weekend is coming up which the kids and I are looking forward to and our once a month date night for the kids is coming up too. Next weekend I am taking Andrew to go see "mall Cop", Caleb and Elora haven't decided what they want to do yet.

What no cookies?

Not even sure where to start...I got on the scale one morning and went oh "HELL NO". So, I got off my fanny and started walking around the housing and base. I take Ellie with me and she is tired and doesn't want to get up after were done lol. I started walking a week and a half before going on Christmas break. I walked a total of two weeks and got off track with the walking but will start back up tonight. I've been off for a week now. But I have managed to loose 13 pounds from watching what I ate, no sweets, and walking so it is working for me. I am so excited bout dropping this weight.

This is the year for me damn it!

No more excuses, no more putting it off, no more fat hanging out of my jeans (ewww I know). It is coming off and staying off. No it isn't a New Year resolution it is just a fact of life now. I've been this weight for too long and I'm not happy bout it. Now to post my weight on here is a BIG deal for me, no woman wants to own up to her weight, so this will hold me accountable. December I weighed my heaviest at 206.9 pounds yes the .9 drive me insane as well. I weighed in January 8th @ 193.0 I am going to try not to weigh in for 2 weeks at a time. Hoping to loose any where from 1-2 pounds a week so my next goal is for January 22nd to be 191-189...I haven't been in the 80's in a few years *yikes* I'm looking forward to loosing this weight, shopping for some new clothes and just being a healthier me, not only for myself but for my kids too.
My goal is to be in the 170's for my birthday. By the end of the summer I am looking forward to being close to my goal weight. My first goal is to get to 150 and to go from there.
So here is a picture of me at 193.0

Front view lol


Side view

It's Now 2009

Well it's a new year and hopefully a new start.
The time to reflect had come and gone right before the clock struck midnight and thrusting us freshly into a new year with new hopes, aspirations and dreams of things to come.
For the new year I wish all my friends and family the best of luck in whatever life brings them.
I have many things I hope for of course like everyone else but the things I wish to do most in 2009 is to see my Mom and visit friends in San Diego this summer, take my kids to Lego Land and see the expression on their faces when faced with something new and exciting, be more patient as a Mother and Wife, be a better friend, write more hand written letter's, remember every one's birthday to send a card to, let go of anger or resentment and move forward, take constructive criticism as just that and not a put down, be more open about myself and try to let people in. I'm sure there is more but those are just something of the things I hope to strive for in 2009.
Who know's what the year will bring for us. Hoping nothing but wonderful things for everyone.

Time to get to work...

That's right you read it right WORK...

Talk about being completely excited...Month's ago a friend mentioned a company called "West @ Home". Of course I was skeptical at first and looked it up online and she even said one of her friends worked for them for years. So I applied, couldn't hurt right? I would work from the privacy of my OWN office, on my computer, and using the phone. I would be contracted out to fortune 400 companies and do customer service basically. I get to select my OWN hours, not to mention I dont have to get out of my pajama's if I don't want to and when Elora starts Kindergarten it will be the PERFECT job for me.

I got the acceptance email Christmas morning and can't wait to get started. Back to some much desired extra cash and help build some in savings. Couldn't be happier about it!

Survival of the fitest...

::Whew::

As you can see we made it there and back in ONE piece. The drive to AR was a long and grueling 13 hr drive which let me tell you, you couldn't PAY me enough to live in Alabama...talk about BACK woods man...you can hear the song from deliverance in the background.

Our visit went fine.

The great grandparents ::LOVED:: seeing everyone and we are glad it made their time. We were there from December 20th until December 29th. The drive home was much better and a bit shorter since we didn't go through the long haul of Alabama...

We survived the cold temp that only occured ONE night which honestly was quite laughable. It got to 17 and then most of the time was in the mid 60's to low 70's talk about disappointment in the weather.

The kids were nice and happy. Santa brought them lots of toys and fun goodies to play with and keep them occupied while we were there. We also got to visit with a couple of Mark's high school buddies that we still keep in touch with which was really great and we thank them profusely for their hospitality.

I have TONS of pictures to go through and actually filled up my memory card and didn't bring the 4 G with me lol. I am currently going through 256 pictures and rotating and all that and will post some of Christmas day ect.

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas and have a happy and safe New Year!!

December is in the air

It is definately getting closer to Christmas and almost in a state of panic! Still haven't finished Christmas shopping, thank goodness my cards were made back in Oct or I would of said forget it and sent regular cards haha. Two more weeks and we're off to Arkansas (eek) to spend a week with Mark's Grandparents, the children's GREAT grandparents. This should be interesting to say the least. The last time we saw Papa was summer 2005 so it's been a while. We wanted to make sure we saw him in good spirits while there was still time left. This next week should breeze on by I know this past week sure did.

Did great on some Ebay listings, much better than I had originally anticipated. That will be a nice cushion for us on our trip and we are planning to go to Tampa when we get home. I am so excited about Tampa. We've never been there before and it will be our first time going to the Busch Gardens Africa there. We will take a few days and do Tampa for a day, drive into Orlando (think it is an hour away or less) check into our hotel, then go to Sea World and come home. Island Adventure which is the water park in Tampa isn't open right now which blows my mind being in Decemnber its 90's out there! Crazyness!

Next friday the kids have their "holiday dance" too cute. Both boys want to go so they are doing that. On the 9th Elora's class will be singing for the base during one of the holiday festivals. Thursday they took pictures with "Santa" at Elora's Ballet studio and those pictures will be in on the 16th.

The kids get out of school for winter break starting the 19th of December and we are leaving the 20th.

A bit of an update on school reports...Caleb made honor roll which we are extremely proud of him. He had 2 B+'s and an A and got awards for good citizenship and grades. Well we just got another progress report this past week for his 2nd 9 weeks and he has pulled one of his B+'s into an A!! He is on his way to making the straight A honor roll which we couldn't be any prouder of him! He is doing awesome! He is one of the best readers in her class and thriving on his learning enviroment. Andrew's first report card didn't do too well but he has brought his grades up and with help from Mom and Dad, his teacher and trying to get him more services on his IEP we are working on improving his grades and getting him the attention he needs.