Snips & Snails & Moyer Tales

Welcome, 2011

2011-01-02T09:10:00.002-05:00

Here we go again. Starting a fresh new page on a new calendar. Another year has somehow whizzed right by. Goodbye, 2010, I won't exactly miss you, you were pretty tough. I'm hopeful that 2011 will prove to be better.

I don't really make any resolutions for the new year. It's quite obvious that I can't stick with them. Just look at this blog, and you'll see. So, needless to say, I'm not resolving to do anything. I will just take things as they come and hopefully be better at managing my time to get them done. I will also shed a few pounds, but I'm not starting on one particular day. I'll be more aware of my portion sizes and squeeze in as much exercise as I possibly can.

I will blog in 2011, but I can't promise that I'll do it daily. I'd like to, yes, but it doesn't always happen for me. I've tried and failed at this many times, but looking at the bright side, I am here today! ;) It's a start (re-start?).

Garden progress

2010-08-14T15:46:00.001-04:00

I've decided to take a picture of the garden every week. I planted on Saturday, May 29th, so I'll take a pic every Saturday, if possible. I will keep coming back to this post and adding to it to hopefully watch it grow.

May 29, 2010 Planting day:

June 5, 2010 Week 1:

June 12, 2010 Week 2:

June 19, 2010 Week 3:

June 26, 2010- Week 4:

July 3, 2010 Week 5:

July 10, 2010 Week 6:

July 17, 2010 Week 7:

July 25, 2010 Week 8 (plus one day):

July 31, 2010 Week 9:

August 7, 2010 Week 10:

August 14, 2010 Week 11:

The Tale of "Jerry Garcia Mousie"

2010-07-18T22:38:00.004-04:00

It was a warm July day. Bradley, Corey, Collin, and I decided to take a dip in the pool. We were in the pool for some time, but not long enough to become "pruney". It was to be a quick dip before dinner.

Before long, I decided that we should all get out of the pool and dry off some before heading into the house. If there's one thing that really irritates me, it's having dripping wet kids dripping all over in the house. I also despise wet shorts or swim trunks on a pile in the bathroom. Eeewww!! I told the boys that we'd head up to the house (the pool is at the bottom of a huge hill in our back yard) and we'd just "hang out" for a few minutes before we'd head into the house so that we'd have some time to dry off.

As a rule, the last one out locks the gate and carries the key up to the garage. Today, it was Collin. Corey raced up the hill and ran straight into the house. (ugh) Collin, Bradley, and I took our time and Collin hung the key in the garage. Then, he ran up the steps and went into the house. Brad and I stayed in the garage where it wouldn't matter if the floor got wet.

As we stood there, I noticed something by Dennis air compressor. It was moving! Upon closer inspection (I'm so brave!), I noticed that it was a mouse. A tiny little mouse. A cute little mouse. A tiny, cute, OH MY!!!, it's a tiny, cute, SUFFERING mouse!! As we dripped, we watched the poor little thing struggling to catch his breath. His (every animal is a "he" unless it's a cat) little heart was just about pounding out of his body as he struggled to breath. The poor little thing....well, that's what I said, not Brad, he really didn't care.

We watched the little thing for a minute, at most, when Collin came back down and into the garage. He asked us what we were doing and we showed him the little mouse. He really didn't say too much, but was interested. The animal lover in me was coming out in full force. "Poor little thing" , "Maybe we should get "Dad" so he can end it's suffering", followed by a few more "awwwww's" and my sad face.

It was then, that Collin realized how much of a softy his mom really is. To make me feel better, my sweet little boy told me his thoughts....we should just go upstairs and I should try to forget what I saw. How sweet of my boy! He didn't want me to be sad. If only life were that simple...just walk away and forget.

I then found a dust pan and brush and decided to scoop the little mouse up and I grabbed a shovel to start digging a hole for his burial. I tried several times, in several spots, but I was having no luck. Do you know how hard it is to dig a hole, in rock, while wearing flip flops? The third spot was a little better, but I was still pretty much getting no where fast. :(

As I was trying to dig, we heard Dennis in the garage. He came out and asked us what on earth we were doing. Then, we explained everything and he went in to the garage to see for himself. I told him that he would have to help us out and that we had to end the little thing's suffering. To which he replied, "OK! Who wants to shoot it with the bb gun?" To my astonishment, my sweet little boy, Collin, was the first one to excitedly pipe up with, "I will, I will"!!!

I think my jaw hit the floor? This sweet little boy of mine, just minutes before, was feeling sad and trying to make me feel better, told me that I should just go upstairs and forget about it, was now VOLUNTEERING to be first in line at ending this poor little mousie's life!

After watching me struggle, Dennis laughed and took the shovel from me. He finished digging the little hole and gave me a hard time about having the hole dug before the mouse was even dead. He made a few other remarks, something on the order of me being nuts.

The three men (and I use that term lightly), Dennis, Bradley, and Collin headed into the garage......

I could hear the pumping of the bb gun...... I put my fingers in my ears and proceeded to "la la la" while staring up at the roof. I could faintly hear the excitement of the three of them followed by laughter. I took my fingers from my ears and asked if the "job" had been done. I got a, "No". Fingers back into my ears, continued to "la la la" until I heard a faint, "Alright Brad, you got 'em"!

Ugh.

I then heard the scrape of the dust pan on the floor and the three of them came out to the hole. Dennis flopped him in and I covered him up. They laughed as I said a few words and named my little "friend"....Jerry (as in Tom & Jerry) Garcia (because it goes well with Jerry ;) ) Mousie (perfect last name for a mouse! They continued to laugh at me while I told them how wrong it was of them to find joy in all of this.

Due to the "evidence" found, we did not have to perform an autopsy. No toxicology reports needed. It was determined that Jerry Garcia Mousie was poisoned. It was an assisted suicide....(Brad ultimately finished what the poison had started).

Poor little "Jerry Garcia Mousie". RIP little rodent.

"Said" poison block that "JGM" ingested.... (looks like he digested some of it too!)

The scene of the crime:

"JGM's" final resting place:

First Harvest of 2010

2010-07-12T23:40:00.003-04:00

The garden is doing suprisingly well, so far, this year. The compost and mushroom soil that we added before planting seems to be making a difference. The plants are looking pretty good and are much bigger than they were last year.

I'm still kind of "new" to gardening, and I still have a lot to learn. I'm not quite sure how to get rid of insects? They are wreaking havoc on the leaves of the plants, especially the bell peppers. We're trying "Sevin" and hoping it helps. Another thing, too, is the rabbits! I've been finding some nibble marks on some of the veggies and have seen rabbits in the garden. Ugh. Needless to say, we are looking for free or cheap fencing for next year....

Tonight, I had some cucumbers and zucchini that were ready to be picked. Mmmm!!

Collin was amazed by the size of the zucchini. He compared it to the height of his head. lol

Corey wanted a picture with the big zucchini too.

Missing Corey Meinhart

2010-06-25T16:01:00.006-04:00

Just as hard as it was to understand 15 years ago, I'm still unsure. On this day, back in 1995, Dennis's best friend, Corey Meinhart was killed in a motorcycle accident. I remember seeing the story air on the news, and even after the mention of his name, I thought I could wake up and find that it was all just a terrible dream.

This was supposed to be a happy time in my life. I recently found out that I was pregnant and I was to be experiencing joy. How could it be, that a little over a week after losing my cousin, another loss would cause even more suffering?

I met Dennis in July of 1991. Shortly there after, I met his friend, Corey. I knew from the first time talking to him, that he and I would get along great and I could certainly see why Dennis was so proud to call him his friend. Corey was the life of the party, spoke his mind, had a great taste in music, and knew how to have fun.

Dennis and I would go to "Bouncing Billiards", in Palmerton with Trevor (then almost 2 years old) and we would shoot pool. It could be just us for a little while and a few straglers here and there and then, the place would start jumping and once Corey got there, it was then time for the fun to begin! Trevor, as young as he was, idolized Corey. He would later make up stories about what him and Corey would do together. One time, Trevor told us that he and Corey "partied in the pits". (A place that Trevor had never been, but he recalled Corey's story about it.)

Corey was, simply put, AMAZING at shooting pool. He could run the table all night. He, most definately, mastered the skill. He couldn't be beat. He was humble, and never really bragged or thought anything of it. That's just how he was.

A short while later, Dennis, Trevor, and I moved out of Palmerton and into our first apartment in Weissport. We really enjoyed Corey's visits, which surprised us, since he wasn't "tied down" like Dennis had just become. ;) We had the most fun while living there, especially when Corey and friends would visit. I still enjoyed the "parties", even though I didn't drink (one of us had to be responsible). I loved just sitting back and listening to all of the stories being told. I can still hear in my head the way Corey would say a certain profanity and how he annunciated it. He "owned" those two words.

What I remember most about living there was how we knew when Corey was on his way. We could hear his stereo long before he'd even get into Weissport. He would be "up" on the 4-lane (248) and we'd know he'd soon be there. Corey really liked his music, and he liked it loud. lol He had even showed us how he had to keep tightening things on his car and adjusting mirrors from all of the bass coming out of his subs.

There were a few occassions, too, that we'd go to Corey's house. I can remember being afraid to knock on the door. "Dinch", Corey's dad, was a HUGE man (prison guard!) and was very intimidating....on the outside. We'd learn just how cool of a dad Corey had later. :) Dennis is probably still wondering how he got away with breaking the windchime on the front porch. haha

Another fond memory that I have is the time that a group of us got together at Corey's and then we all got into our cars and Corey led the way to some festival that he'd known about. I'm sure we're all still guessing how he'd ever heard of it in the first place. To this day, I'm sure I'd never be able to find it again. It was in the middle of nowhere.....up on a hill...with nothing else around it. It was almost as if we were part of a story in a really weird book? It was really creepy, to me, so Trevor and I stayed in the car. Our cars were the only ones there.

Not long after that, Dennis and I had moved out of that apartment and to a 1/2 double house "over town", in Lehighton. Corey stopped by only once or twice and we didn't see him as much. As it turned out, he found himself "tied down" with a girl. (Long, funny story behind that one.) :) Had we known then, that in just a short time later, he'd be gone, maybe we would've made a point to go down to Palmerton more?

In the early morning hours of June 25, 1995, Corey was on his motorcycle, on his way into Palmerton. He was at the intersection of Forest Inn Road and Stoney Ridge Road when he was struck by a motorist, driving a small Toyota pickup truck. I don't know the entire story, but I pray that he didn't see it coming, nor did he suffer. At 22 years young, a precious life was taken.

I remember going to his funeral and still being unable to believe it. He didn't have a scratch on him and to me, he just couldn't be gone. Dennis didn't want to stay and I remember not wanting to leave. It was so hard for Dennis and he has a different take on these things than I do. I can totally understand.

On January 4th, I had my baby. A boy. We had given the name, "Corey" some thought, but even the nurse agreed that our baby did "look" like a "Bradley" (the other name we had in mind).

Years later, on July 3, 2001 to be exact, we found out that we were to become the parents of twins. I had hoped to have at least one girl, but later found that I was carrying two boys. On the day I found out, it was decided that our "Baby A" would be named Corey. It's kind of funny, the way God works. The "irony" of it all is that our Corey does look the part and we're not sure if the name has anything to do with it, but from the time "our" Corey picked up a pool stick, he is just amazing. Just the other day, Bradley was ashamed to admit that he had been beaten in a game of pool by an 8 year old.

If Corey were here today, I'm sure he'd still be the life of every party, the joker, the prankster, the everything anyone would want in a friend and more. Though I only knew him a few short years, a big part of my heart still aches and misses him dearly. I'm sure he's up there, in heaven, running the table and I can't wait until the day that he sinks that 8 ball and beats me at the game...again. If you should make it to heaven before I do, please do me a favor and ask Corey how to catch a unique rabbit.......U-nique up on it! ;) (That was one of his favorites!) :)

15 Years....

2010-06-19T09:45:00.013-04:00

Fifteen years ago, on this day, I lost a piece of my heart. What's left of it still aches and I can't help but cry as I type this. I lost my cousin, my friend, my classmate, a person that was a part of my entire life. I lost Bobby.

I guess, no one can really know how a person feels. I think what adds to the pain is knowing that my Aunt Betty lost her son. My cousins lost their brother. My Aunts and Uncles lost their nephew. Bobby was loved by everyone.

I felt sort of out of place when I was there, at the hospital, moments after he had passed. I don't remember anymore who called to tell me, or how I had even gotten there. I remember wanting to be there for Aunt Betty and I wanted to see Bobby just one more time. This time, I'm sure he would understand my crying. I used to have to try soooo hard not to cry in front of him when I did go to visit him in the hospital. I think he understood just how hard that was for me. I was always the "over-emotional" one in the family. It didn't just bother me that he was in the hospital dying, it bothered me that he was in the hospital and not at home with his family. I told him that he could've been in there because of something as simple as a stubbed toe (of course, I know that's not a reason for hospitalization, just tried to make my point) and I would still cry. I never did like hospitals.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about Bobby. Little reminders of him pop into my head at various times of the day. I see anything with Spiderman on it, and he comes to mind. He had a pet spider and was nicknamed, "Spiderman" because of her. Even spiders in the house are given a second chance at life if we find them. It's because of Bobby that we capture them and release them outside rather than kill them.

When I bake molasses crumb cake or cupcakes, I think of him. I used to bake them for him. He loved them. I'm not sure what medication did it to him, but when he had trouble "going", I baked some for him and they helped him "go".

Butterflies. The day of Bobby's burial, there was a butterfly hovering around the pastor as he spoke. A few times, the pastor even waved his hand to get it to move. It fluttered around us all as we stood there. That little butterfly, to me, was Bobby. Hovering around us to let us know that he was in heaven and he was alright. He would never want us to be sad and I think he sent that butterfly to let us know. That little butterfly inspired me to write poems and has helped me as I later experienced more losses. It was included on my grandmother's funeral bulletin some years later.

I had also written a poem about spiders, just for Bobby. It was an honor when Aunt Betty (Bobby's mom) wanted it put on the back of his tombstone.

Today, so much has changed since Bobby had to go. I often wonder what he would think about how far the internet has come. He was one of the first to use the internet in our family. A far cry from what it is today. I'm sure he would have the latest video games too. He was the one that introduced us to Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo. We still have yet to conquer it and we miss his little secrets to get through some of the tough levels. He never did get to play DK2 or DK3.

I wonder, too, if Bobby got to meet Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead)? Bobby LOVED the Grateful Dead and just about 2 months after Bobby passed, so did Jerry. I like to think that they did meet.

This past Wednesday, I went to the CCEEC. Just like any other time that I walk through the front door, I have to somewhat "prepare" myself, but still, it hits me. A burst of emotion goes through me. The first thing you see when you walk through the front door is a plaque with Bobby's picture on it. He worked there for a bit before he got sick. "Hiking Bob" is what they called him. He loved the outdoors and wildlife.

Of course, too, I can't help but think of Bobby when I listen to Kenny Chesney. I doubt, at that time, that Bobby had even heard of him. Kenny's song, "Who You'd Be Today" says just about everthing that I think about and wonder about when I think of Bobby.

I can't pin-point just one thing or another that I miss about my cousin. I miss everything. I miss his jokes, playing cards with him, his intellegence, his funny stories, his smile. I miss his voice, his ways, his love that he had for all things. I miss everything about him.

I wonder what he would look like today? What would he be doing? What new things would bring him joy. What would he excell at? What kind of car would he drive? (I'd hope he would've switched over to being a Chevy man, rather than Dodge ;) and of course I would tease with him if he didn't.)

So, here I am today missing him just as much as I did back then. I am so grateful to have had him in my life as long as I did. I just wish he could've stayed longer and wouldn't have had to go through what he did to get to heaven. I'm not sure I could've handled it as well as he did, or could've put on a smile through the pain like he did to keep us from hurting for him. I know he wouldn't want us to be sad, but I'm sure he would've felt the same way about any of us if we had to endure what he did.

Dear Bobby,

I miss you. You were the first to learn of my pregnancy but you had to go before Bradley was born. (Yes, another boy.) I gave him the middle name, "Robert", for a few reasons, and you are one of them. Dennis and I tried for a girl and we had 2 more boys, twins. Trevor still remembers you, and Bradley, Corey and Collin never met you, but they "know" you. I tell them about you often. I'm sure they would've loved you just as much as you would've loved them.

I can't wait for the day that I will see you again. I can't wait to hear one of your jokes or to just reminisce with you. We've got so much catching up to do!

Until then, I keep you and your memories in my heart and I take comfort in knowing that you are suffering no more.

Your favorite cousin,

Tammy

Getting old?

2010-06-07T23:37:00.003-04:00

Back in March I turned 40. I don't "feel" 40....mentally, I feel it physically. As I sit here tonight, I just popped 2 Tylenols. My back and legs are killing me! For most people, what I did today is just a "walk in the park".

My day started off a little late. I just couldn't drag myself out of the bed this morning. I rushed the boys to get ready for school. Once they got on the bus, I watered the garden. Nothing major. It's just a pain in the rump that I have to go into the closet in the garage to turn the water on and I have to make sure to turn it off when I'm done.

Once that was done, I started on the laundry. There is so much piled up and I just don't want to do it. I'm telling you, my laundry room shrank! That has to be what happened, since we all have the same clothes that we've had and the laundry room just can't hold it all anymore!

After that I did *some* cleaning up...not much...well, not as much as I should have. I played Bingo on the computer and then sorted through some pics on my computer and started uploading to the school's website.

Before long, Dennis called. Lunchtime! The day was just flying by! That's when I started watching the clock. I have a bad habit of doing that and when I do it, I seem to get nothing done. They boys were dismissed from school at 12:30pm and my mind just isn't capable of figuring out what time they should arrive home.

So, instead of sitting in the house, I went outside. I checked the mail...nothing good. I started getting things ready (wheelbarrow, shovels, top soil, etc.) to do some planting and transplanting. I killed just enough time because before I knew it, the bus pulled up.

I gathered buckets from the basement and headed to the garden. I got this brainy idea and I guess time will tell if it will work or not. I was surprised by how many of the green beans actually came up in the garden. According to the seed packet, I am to thin them out. I can't see throwing anything away, so I decided I'd take the ones I pulled from the garden and plant them in buckets, giving me even more green beans. :) So, I now have a row and 7 buckets of green bean plants. I hope it works!

I was lucky to have a little helper with me as I worked. I can most times count on Collin to help me out. Many times, he helps without my asking. So, if he offers to help, I let him and I always thank him for his kindness. I loved, too, our little discussion as we worked together. He and I both agreed that it's silly to be inside of the house when the weather is so nice.

As we were working, Collin spotted a few butterflies (cabbage moths, actually). He asked if he could use my (old) camera to take a movie of them. I'm not sure that he got the footage he was looking for? I'll have to check the camera tomorrow. :)

About a week ago, my darling husband brought home 2 huge tractor tires. Why, you ask....because they were "free". I can't knock the man for wanting a good deal, but honestly, I really didn't see a need for them. lol Last week, when Ted (my brother) was here, Dennis talked him into taking one, so I just had one to deal with. When Dennis got home from work, I put him to work and had him cut the tire so that we could put it around a tree. I then hauled dirt to the tire and viola'! I had an instant flower bed. lol I put it around a tree in the back yard, by the boys' swingset. Added a little mulch...ok, A LOT of mulch, and some water, and now we hope that the animals don't eat the plants (I planted Cosmos). Did I mention that I had a helper? I did! Collin shoveled some dirt, pushed the wheelbarrow for me, and then helped water the plants. He's such a good boy! :)

Before long, it was time to head back up to the house. Time to water the garden and other flower beds. They really are looking good! Dennis and I are doing what we can with as little money as possible, and it's really starting to look nice! I haven't had flower beds in a few years. If I remember, I will post pics tomorrow. :)

As usual, we ate a late "quick supper" and I got the boys to bed. I'm not sure what happened to the in between time, but here I am, tired, achy, and ready for bed. I'm hoping that those two Tylenols will allow me to fall asleep. I have a few more plants to find homes for tomorrow, as well as a laundry room to find. I am hoping too, to get my rug shampooer out and clean the living room carpet. No pain, no gain......

Good night.

Sweet Summertime...well, sort of...

2010-06-07T10:27:00.002-04:00

While the calander doesn't have summer scheduled to arrive until June 2oth, in our minds, summer is upon us. Today, however, we are getting a little bit of a break from the heat and humidity. A relief from the days prior.

We've already been in the pool more times "this summer" than we were all of last summer. The water has reached 80 degrees and higher. The boys and I plan on enjoying every minute in the pool that we can and our hopes are to not stay up late at night in order to get up earlier in the morning so we can enjoy as much summer as possible.

Of course, we are also planning more "night swims". There's nothing more fun than swimming under the light of the moon and stars!

We understand, too, that we can't just spend all of our time in the pool. I planted the garden on the 29th of May. That will keep me busy as well. We can't forget grass cutting, either. The tractor is down so that means I will be doing a lot of mowing with the push mower. Ugh. Great exercise, yes, but in the heat and humidity it's hard to enjoy.

Dennis is hoping that we can take a day trip out near Reading, PA for pool supplies and possibly a stop at Roadside America. I'm hoping we can also throw in a trip to Delaware to spend some time with Dennis's dad and step-mom at the beach.

The boys are down to the final week of school. They'll be dismissing at 12:30pm today, tomorrow, and Wednesdy and then they go Thursday until 11:10am. Then, our summer vacation will "officially" begin. They'll return to school on August 25, 2010 as THIRD graders! (Where, oh where has the time gone??)

Our plans may fall short, as far as trips go, but one thing we can count on is that we are going to have fun! Have a great summer, everyone!

An update, I guess?

2010-03-12T19:02:00.006-05:00

While my last entry was in January, I can't say that I've been busy the entire time. I think I'm experiencing "Blogger's Block". Seems like no matter how hard I try, I just don't blog like I should. Ugh.

I hit a milestone in the time that I've been away.

I am now on my way...."over the hill".

I turned the "big 4-0" on March 4th. Thankfully, I'm taking on a young attitude about the whole thing. Leading up to this momentous day, I've been saying, "Fourty is the "new" twenty".

My mom surprised me with a strawberry-whipped cream cake from the bakery. Oh My!! It was soooo yummy!!!

I am happy to say that my attempt at weight loss is being successful. I am showing a loss at each weigh-in. It's so exciting! I did reach one of my goals, which was to quit drininking "regular" iced tea and make the switch to the diet version. If you know me, you know just how big of an accomplishment this is! Even after that delicious birthday cake, I am STILL losing weight!

I didn't stop just there....I am going to get in as much sunshine and exercise as possible. The warmer temperatures are already making this possible. I took a nice long walk this past Sunday, and instead of driving I walked to Wal-Mart yesterday.

Of course, I wasn't "alone" on my walk. I took my camera with me and snapped a few pics. I can't wait for summer to come so I can compare the pics. I love when everything is lush and green rather than the empty brown colors that I now see. No matter what the season, I really am blessed to live in such a beautiful area.

It wasn't planned, but on my Sunday walk, I saw the man that I see walking often. I'm sure we'll meet up again, and I'll get to know him a little better. He's the same man that would smile and wave as we drove past him in the car.

Well, one thing that hasn't changed....my kids. I am now listening to Trevor complain about the lag in his game on XBox because I am uploading pics. Grrrr!! I will end for now and I shall return! I have so much more to update!

Call it a resolution, if you'd like?

2010-01-14T09:16:00.003-05:00

I'm done apologizing for not blogging on a regular basis. I won't put myself down for it. I am a bad blogger. I have thoughts, daily, as to what I will blog about that day. Some days are more "blog worthy" than others, yet I still don't get here as I should. This is the last of excuses from me!

It's a struggle for me and I'm hoping to make better use of my time. I want to have more time for the things that I truly enjoy. I feel sometimes that I've been sucked into "nothingness". I will be turning 40 this March and I feel it is time. Time to "re-invent" myself....time to do the things I've been wanting to do but was too afraid to try....time to lose weight and take better care of myself....time to have fun and not feel guilty.....time to focus more on what matters most!

Welcome, 2010! This WILL be the year of all years! I'm ready!

Oh Man!

2009-09-17T11:32:00.004-04:00

Quote of the day: "I feel like a man", by Corey.

Collin was up late last night/very early this morning because he was not feeling well. He has a cough that kept him up most of the night and he was near vomitting. So, today when Collin asked to stay home, I let him.

It's still kind of weird when just one of the twins goes to school. It's most comparable to that feeling that you are just forgetting something. So, having just Corey this morning and because of the rain, I drove him down to the end of the driveway. He sat in the front seat, a place he has never been with the van in motion and that is when he said he felt like a man. I guess, to him, manhood begins when you can sit in the front seat. LOL Too cute.

"Tonight I Wanna Cry"....

2009-09-15T22:37:00.003-04:00

(by Keith Urban)

I'm not sure if it's a horomone imbalance or if it's because I'm having a hard time adjusting to the new schedule now that the boys are back to school? Maybe it's a combination of both? I'm exhausted and feel like dirt, unappreciated dirt, that is.

I have a husband that can't get socks from the laundry room on his own. A son that is soon going to be 20 years old and has no ambition. Another son, a teen (say no more?) that hates school, his only friend, homework, and everything else. I've got two 7 year olds that are demanding. And then, there's me. I take it all from each of them and wear my smile on top of my frown.

I do too much for too many. I have to put a new word into my vocabulary....."NO". It's hard for me and I've struggled with this for some time now. I'm a "Yes Woman" that hopes for the other party to change their mind so I can get out of it. Of course, though it's taken me so long, I now realize that once the YES is out, there is no changing it and I am stuck doing something I don't want to.

I was in Corey and Collin's room tonight, finally getting them to bed and as I was covering Corey I stepped on a toy and hurt my foot. Corey then said to me, "Mom, you should clean my room tomorrow". I told him I wouldn't do it for free, it would cost him 20 bucks! He said he didn't have 20 bucks so then I told him he and his brother would have to take on the job. I've cleaned their room for them more times than I'd like to admit. I have to put my foot down. They are old enough now to be responsible for their room and should have been for a long time.

Trevor just asked me a few minutes ago, to get the clippers and give him a haircut tonight.....It's almost 11PM!! When does my day end???

I received an e-mail from Brad's teacher a few days ago, stating that he isn't doing his homework. I asked him today, "Brad, do you have your homework done?".....Of course, the response was that he had left it in his locker. UGH!! Looks like I may be getting my punishment for that before you know it. He'll get an after school detention and guess who has to go and pick him up from the school??? (Don't think you'll even need a hint!)

Earlier, just before he went to bed, Dennis asked me if I did any laundry today. I did some, not a whole lot. He was looking for socks. I knew there was a basket in the laundry room with clean socks that I just didn't get sorted yet. For this one, I'll give you two guesses, but I'm sure you'll get it right in one....who do you think had to search for his socks? (Clue: He didn't......and it's the same person that has to help the boys with their homework and help them with their shower or bath.)

I could go on and on, but I will be nice and spare you. What I've typed thus far is only a smidgen of what's been going on around here. I've been wanting to update for a long time now and I just can't seem to fit it in.

Now that I have the song in my head and today I finally fixed my iPod, I think I'll go and listen to some Keith Urban.

2009-09-11T08:36:00.001-04:00

Not sure I like this or if I will even use this? I am blogging from my cell.

2009-09-11T08:33:00.001-04:00

Testing.......

"Days Go By"......

2009-08-03T14:00:00.004-04:00

("Days Go By", Keith Urban)

It's hard to believe that summer vacation iw winding down already, even though it feels like it's just begun. In just 30 days, Bradley will start his final year at the Middle School, and Corey and Collin will begin their 2nd grade adventure. I am hopeful that this year will be the best one yet! Brad will be at the top of the "food chain" and I am also hopeful that he will have a much better experience than he did last year.

I am excited to see how well Corey and Collin do being in the same classroom. Second grade was a memorable year for me, since my teacher was fabulous! I'm even more excited since Corey and Collin will have the very same teacher that I did, Mrs. Lewis! She is one of those teachers that is there because she loves teaching and not because "it's a job". I just know that my boys will love her as much as I do/have. I plan on being a parent volunteer and helping out at the school as much as possible.

I will be setting a few goals for myself, as well. I will try and use my Wii Fit every morning and make better use of my time this year. Normally, people start exercising on January 1st, as a resolution, but I've decided to start when they go back to school and I won't have to "fight" with them for my time to use the Wii. I will be real happy if I can shed a few pounds and will look forward to getting up each morning and seeing results! (fingers crossed! lol)

The biggest thing for me will be to conquer my cigarette addiction. It's a shameful, and not to mention, dangerously unhealthy, habit. Had I known then, that it would be this hard to quit, I would've never even tried it!

Another goal that I've failed at several times, is that I'd like to become a better blogger. So many of my friends have them and I just love to read them. I'd like mine to be caught up. It's fun to go back and read. I almost feel that I should document every moment because time is just whizzing right by. ****I'm heading in the right direction, already, with this...I've been writing before bed each night and I am typing this from my notebook right now! YAY!!

While I am sad to see summer drawing to an end, I am anxious to start a new school year and a new me, in a sense. Summer has always been my favorite season, the season where most memories are made and the most carefree. I will still have summer on my mind and body in the winter.......It's amazing how long I can hold on to a tan and tan lines! Haha!!

"Words I Coulndn't Say"......

2009-08-02T23:30:00.001-04:00

("Words I Couldn't Say", by Rascal Flatts. Song title fits, but not the song. lol)

I'm not sure what words I could use to describe today??? I'm sure there are a few "choice" words I could use, but I won't. (My mom could be reading this! ;) )

I've been really bummed out about my "new" computer not allowing Photoshop CS to install properly. I figured that since the computer is still "new" and not full yet, I'd do a restore and just start fresh.

In true "Tammy" fashion, things did not go as smoothly as anticipated. Trevor tired to help me for a bit, but his suggestions didn't work either. Yes, my computer restored to it's factory settings, but now I was having problems getting connected to the internet. To add even more confusion, I'd have a router to install and set up too so that the kids could use the internet on the laptop.

After many hours (I'm too embarrassed to give exact times) of frustration, I finally just decided to try a restore again, this time, unplugging everything and getting some of the miles of wires under control. I even moved a few things around on the desk.

Eventually, after a little shouting match of misunderstanding with Dennis, I got the monster working again! With a big sigh of relief, the laptop is connected too! Ahhhh!

If all goes well, (I can be hopeful, right?) I will try to install Photoshop. I can't help but fear the beast, so I am off to bed a little earlier than normal in hopes of having a clearer mind tomorrow. AND, if all goes better than expected, I will soon have scrapbook pages done, as well as many other Photoshop related projects.

Wish me luck and minimal screams! ;) *sigh*

Goodnight.

"Happy To Be Stuck With You"....

2009-07-31T21:09:00.002-04:00

(A song from the '80's by Huey Lewis & the News)

Ten years ago, on this day, I married my best friend. Ten years is a "milestone anniversary", but we've actually been together for 18 years now.

Neither of us is afraid to admit that our marriage has not exactly been a fariytale, and we both agree that nothing could ever come between us, ever. Over the years, we've learned a lot and gained a lot too. Yes, weight included! haha

I still get giddy and watch or listen for Dennis to get home from work. I do miss him while he's gone, but since having cell phones, he's sure to call me every day while on his lunch break. (I think he misses me, too!)

Dennis has the ability to make me laugh as well as cry. He has also learned how to deal with me at times when I couldn't understand myself.

Last year, he did something he doesn't like to openly admit to too many people. He took me to a Kenny Chesney concert, and we had a great time. As much as he dislikes them, he also goes to my family reunions and tries so hard not to show me how much he really doesn't want to be there. He does it for me. It isn't just a one-way street. I've made many sacrafices to make him happy too, but when I think about it, I probably haven't done near as much for him as he has for me. (Got to work on that!)

He's my mechanic, handyman, carpenter, "pool boy", landscaper, grounds keeper, bread winner, plumber, provider, best friend, comedian, teddy bear, partner in crime, love of my life, my better half (hey, Brad! A Keith Urban song there!), my knight in shining armor, etc.. etc. I could go on and on. All that, wrapped up into one big package.

I am so blessed beyond words, even when we have our "bad" days, deep down I still love him. We both agree, and just can't fathom the thought of us ever being apart. Coming from divorced parents, and knowing others that have gone through it, we will both do everything possible to stay together and there is nothing that would even make us want to part. We're in it for the long haul. :)

After 18 years together, 10 years married, and 4 children later, we still are in awe about how we feel about each other. We never imagined it could be this good and hasn't gone stale. There are always new adventures awaiting us and there's really nothing that we can't or haven't conquered on the way. I look forward to more "milestone" anniversaries and growing old with him. I love you with ALL of my heart, Dennis!

I love this pic of the two of us...we really do laugh a lot! :

Dennis STILL carries this pic of us in his wallet. It was taken about a month after we'd met:

"The Heat Is On"......

2009-07-30T23:05:00.000-04:00

(Had to do this for Brad. It's a Glenn Frey song.)

The past few days we've finally got a good taste of summer. We've been waiting for summer to arrive, since it had been so rainy and the temps had barely reached 80 degrees for so long.

Today, I think, has been the warmest. The heat with the high humidity made today just barely tolerable. Tomorrow, the weatherman is predicting rain. Great for the garden, but it won't help the tan!

This one's for you, Brad!

2009-07-28T23:32:00.000-04:00

Did you notice that the last 2 entries had no song titles?? Hahaha!!

Sleeping arrangements...

2009-07-28T23:29:00.001-04:00

The boys were pretty rough on the old beds that were given to us from Uncle Larry. One bed was broken beyond repair, thanks to my over-active and bouncy boys. My mom gave Brad a double bed and we decided to give Brad's old bed to Corey and Collin. They know the importance of this bed, since it is the very bed that their dad slept in when he was young. Collin knows this and was telling Corey all about everyone that has used that bed in our house. He knew that Brad had it just before they did, and Trevor had it before Brad. He told Corey that I slept in it before that and his dad slept in it first. (There we go again....I think they see us as siblings?? lol)

At first, they were pretty good with having the old "different" bed. They'd alternate each night until Corey decided they should sleep in it for a week at a time before they'd switch again. That was alright for a while, too, until they forgot what day of the week they'd started with.

Tonight, I got a bit frustrated by all of the bickering. Collin came to me asking if whoever cleaned the bed off (tons of stuffed animals!) to sleep in it should be "the one" that gets to sleep in it that night. I thought it sounded pretty fair, at first, until I asked who'd slept in it the night before....Collin did!

We were "brainstorming" how to solve this problem. Bunk beds were mentioned and I told them that bunk beds wouldn't change much because they would both want the top bunk and they'd fight over that. They each gave each other reasons as to why they should get the top bunk. Corey told of how he would not be afraid if the Johnson's made a zip-wire from the roof of their house to our pool, he would not be afraid of how high up it would be. Collin told Corey that he is not one bit scared of heights. It became a competition until Collin decided that 2 sets of bunk beds would solve the problem. He even showed me where the bunk beds would be positioned in their room.

So you see, my boys can fight over things that they don't even have. I'm not quite sure just how we'll fix this problem and I'm sure there will be many more fights over it until we figure it out.

Oh, and in case you were wondering who got "the" bed tonight.....it was Corey!

A twinism......

2009-07-28T23:20:00.001-04:00

I overheard a conversation between Corey and Collin tonight. Corey was asking Collin what would happen if one baby is born at 11pm and then the other at 1am? He didn't say it in so many words, but I think what he was getting at was, would they still be considered twins? They then began to talk about Dennis and me. I'm not sure if they see us as twins too, or maybe even siblings? lol Dennis and I are pretty close in age, born the same year and about 3 weeks apart. Because of the closeness in age, I think that is why they think we have to be somehow "related" to each other? I often wondered when they were so small what they'd think of them being twins or if it would even mean anything at all to them. It's quite obvious that they know that they are twins themselves and kind of neat that they talk about their "twin-ness".

"On the road again"........

2009-07-18T23:05:00.001-04:00

("On The Road Again, Willie Nelson)

A big "thanks" to Trevor's biological father for helping him out with some cash to purchase a "new to him" car. Trevor bought it from a friend and I called the car insurance the day before to get quotes to see if it would be better for him to stay under my insurance or if he should go on his own.

I was surprised, and it ended up being a win-win! YAY! Trevor's insurance will only cost him around $60/month (less than half of what he was paying before), and my premium will go down a little over $800!! Yippee!!

His car is a 1995 Cavalier and even though it's not in "show room" condition, it's the nicest car he's had yet. (Please pray that he takes care of this one, thanks!) Let's hope I won't have to play "taxi" anymore or be stuck here without a vehicle. :)

Here's his car:

Live those songs again.....

2009-06-30T12:18:00.005-04:00

("Live Those Songs Again", by Kenny Chesney)

So many songs have made an impact on me. Lately, my blog has been taken over by song titles, in a way (this post included!). lol Brad finds it annoying that he can say just about anything to me and I can relate it to a song. I've loved music of all types for as long as I can remember. I even had one of those little Fisher Price record players, then graduated to the Mickey Mouse record player that played real records and then I just continued from there.

Music has always been in my life. Some of my best memories of my dad were of him and his listening to music. We had a big console stereo in the living room (the one we didn't dare sit on the furniture) and he'd lie in front of it and just listen and even sing to the songs. He'd sometimes make his own 8-tracks and I remember that we were not allowed to make a sound and we had to be very still so the "quality" was not ruined. I'll never forget, and wish he still had the recording he made of me, on 8-track. I sang, "Dasher With The Light Upon His Tail", by Kitty Wells. I have that song in my collection today and when I hear it, it takes me back to that day I sang it when I was so young (5 or 6 maybe?). I remember, too, when I was a little older, that while mom and dad were at work, I'd sneak out dad's Billy Joel album ("Glass Houses") and crank the stereo and just sing, or my 12th birthday when my parents were freshly separated and dad got me the "Down Under" album by Men At Work. I still have the album and I'd be willing to bet that I still know all of the words by heart. When I still had a record player that worked, as I got older and newer songs came into my life, I'd get that album out on my birthday and play it. Sometimes, it would make me cry, but not always.

I also have vivid memories of riding the school bus and Mr. Long would allow Kerry Graver to play his portable 8-track player. Imagine, a whole bus full of grade-school kids, singing and stomping to Queen's "We Will Rock You". I can remember, too, that I enjoyed when it rained because we were allowed to bring records to school and listen to them in the classroom when we couldn't go out for recess. John Harvan and I shared a love of music and we became good friends because we shared the same interest in music.

It carried over into Jr. High when we'd have a dance and we were allowed to bring our records to school for that. I never once danced. I was always by the record player.

Of course, by now, everyone knows that I am a big Kenny Chesney fan. His song, "I Go Back", pretty much sums it all up. You hear a song and it takes you back to that moment. A song comes on the radio and you slip off, back to that time. If you've never heard it, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFK6QOAVNbQ

I think that's what originally drew me to Kenny. Most of his songs are like stories that are so easy to relate to and they're like stories put to music. Some of his songs remind me of different family members or friends or different times in my life. I have yet to hear one of his songs that I dislike. He is just amazing.

It's not just Kenny, though. There are so many artists from so many genres that I enjoy. I'll listen to just about anything. So many songs still put goosebumps on my arms when I hear them. My iPod contains quite a variety. Some are just strange, but then again, I'd bet if you looked at your friends and families' playlists, you may be surprised too!

My most recent iTunes purchase was 2 songs: "Then" by Brad Paisley (awesome song, makes me think of me and Dennis!) and "Rock Lobster" by the B-52's (a fun, and strange song).

My iPod contains (other than Kenny) some Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, Metallica, Salt N Pepa, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, Tom Petty, Kid Rock, Dierks Bentley, Crystal Gayle, Br5-49, Flo Rida, Blue Grass Hymns, and so much more. I won't even get into my Christmas collection...I have so so many of them!!

I like that I have so much variety in my taste of music. There are times that I just have to hear a song. It all depends on the mood I am in. I love that I can have it whenever I want it. (I swear, the iPod was the greatest invention)! It's hard for me to believe that there are people that really don't enjoy music. Some just don't. I often wonder, too, if maybe I like it a little too much? LOL

Almost Paradise.....

2009-06-29T23:58:00.008-04:00

I'm still going strong with song titles! Remember the duet, "Almost Paradise"? Mike Reno (from Loverboy) and Ann Wilson (from Heart). Very popular in the 1980's....

Anyway, I took the boys down to the backyard (I say "down" because you have to go down a BIG hill to get to it!) for some swimming. I wasn't feeling up to swimming, so I took a lounge chair, cell phone, camera, sun screen, bottled water, and a tablet & pen along. I kicked off my flip flops and settled into my lounge chair. After a little while, I decided to do some "old style" blogging........here is what I wrote:

"It's 3:53pm, to be exact. As I sit here on my lounge chair by the pool, my senses are arroused by the sights, sounds, and textures all around me.

Are you picturing serenity? Oh Puh-leeezzzz! Corey and Collin are splashing each other and fighting over a float. They both got one for Easter from their Memmy Hedmeck. They were told not to take them from the package until they were ready to be used. So, in short, Collin's float somehow survived.

Oh, the delightful sounds, Corey whining and Collin's "Mom! Wipe my eyes!" every 3 seconds or so. Corey will soon be swimming in his own tears and I'm wondering how long Collin will let this continue? I've already warned that too much fighting will warrant a "sit out" for a few minutes or the rest of the day if necessary.

Between screams, I aslso hear the wind blowing through the trees. There is a real nice breeze and it makes this spot, at least, more enjoyable.

Just minutes ago, I captured some of these delightful moments with my camera.....Ahhh.....the love.....

4:04pm and they are now giggling, and not surprising to me, sharing. Stay tuned for more fighting in, my guess...., 10 minutes or so.

Every once and a while, I hear the sounds of an ATV, but I hear the constant sound of heavy machinery from across the street. I'm not sure what is being done over there, we hear the sounds so often and slowly see progress. THe owner of the storage units built a big bridge and is preparing the land on the other side of it for something? More storage buildings, maybe?

Ok, I was wrong! 4:08pm and the fighting continues. I try so hard to enjoy myself that I have my eyes lying to me.......they see it as syncronized swimming. Until it looks like there is a shark in there, I'm just going to let them sort it out for themselves....for now.

4:13pm, final warning, both in agreement that they don't want to get out. They are playing a game, similar to "Marco Polo"......that was, until Corey got a mouthful of water, went to the side of the pool and dry-heaved. Upon hearing this, Collin joined in....neither could produce anything. By the time they got to the steps of the pool, to let me know that they are fine, 1 towel has blown into the water. Oh boy! Let's just see what happens when it's time to get out. Two boys and one towel.........I don't even want to think about it!

In just a little over an hour, Dennis will be home, the boys will be prunes (hopefully not wounded prunes) and I will be whipping something up for supper. Not even sure what yet? Until then, I am going to enjoy this lovely day, snap a few pics and let my mind carry me off to the peaceful place it should be. Ahhhhhh.......

As it turns out, within minutes of my putting the tablet and pen away, Dennis pulled into the driveway. I wasn't sure why he was home early? He went in the house and didn't come down to us like I'd thought he would. Corey and Collin were done swimming and we headed up to the house. No big ordeal over the one towel like I thought there'd be! We were heading up the basement steps when I heard the shower was on. It then clicked! Dennis had an appointment to have a wisdom tooth removed!!

Dennis went to the dentist and was back in no time. He ran to the store and I prepared a delicious meal of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese (from the box...blah!).

I was sooooo close to paradise today and I look forward to trying to find it again, tomorrow. Weather permitting, of course. *Sigh*

Last night.....

2009-06-24T21:36:00.003-04:00

Brad hates that I do this, but again, the title is not about the song by The Travelling Wilburys. I can pretty much take anything that he says and relate it to a song. Gift or nuissance, I'm not sure, but it's kind of fun for me.

So, speaking of last night, (my whole intent of this entry!).......It was 11pm or later, 11:30pm at the latest. I was at the computer enjoying the peace and quiet after a roller coaster day. I thought I heard something and when I looked behind me, there he was.

Corey.

He had such a look on his face and I wasn't prepared for what I was about to hear........

Corey: "Mom"

Me: (with a slight whisper) "What, Corey?"

Corey: "I can't sleep good. I need a Temprapedic Bed. It automatically adjusts to my size."

Me: (holding back the laughter) "Well, I'll have to see what we can do about it"

Corey: (walking away) "I can sleep in it for 90 days without paying for it and then if I want it we can buy it"

I couldn't help but laugh. I also wasn't sure that I should. I must be allowing too much tv time for him to be a walking infomercial. Yikes!

I'm hoping Corey gets some good sleep tonight, on his "regular" bed, and if he should happen to snore, I will probably recommend the "Breathe-Rite Strips". Oh, and I can't forget the "Sham-Wow" for the tv screen. It's a bit dirty. ;)

Yesterday......

2009-06-24T13:58:00.003-04:00

No, I don't mean the song by the Beatles. ;) What a day it was. So full of ups and downs. I guess I should be grateful that it wasn't just downs, that would've been horrible.

I started my day with an appointment. I had to go to the St. Luke's, Miner's Memorial Hospital in Coaldale for an ultrasound. I'm having "woman" problems right now and Dr. Miller wanted the test done to rule out or find the cause of it.

I had a "moment" while having the ultrasound done. I am quite emotional lately, and this didn't help. The U/S tech was so nice. We talked and that helped the time pass. As I was lying there with my full bladder, it took me back to the pregnant me. Remembering each pregnancy and the excitement of seeing the child growing inside of me on that little screen. That wasn't the case yesterday and it was just ackward. I told the tech that I wouldn't be looking at the screen because I am such a worry wart and I have no idea what I'm looking at and I don't want to have myself thinking that I am seeing something more than what is there. She thought that was a good idea, and even though she's not supposed to tell me, she let me know that I really shouldn't lose any sleep. ;)

We continued to talk, and I told her about my first ultrasound of my last pregnancy. I remember, on July 3, 2001, I had the ultrasound because Dr. Miller and I were concerned. This ultrasound was in Lehighton, and it was just as scary. I tried to see the screen, but it wasn't positioned so that I could see. The ultrasound seemed to be taking forever. I remember thinking that the tech was searching for a heartbeat and just couldn't find it. I waited, and waited until finally, she turned the screen my way and showed me the TWO tiny sacs. TWINS!! I cried! I laughed! I cried, and I laughed again. I couldn't wait to get out of there and tell EVERYONE! (Which is what I ended up doing!)

Ok, back to the ultrasound yesterday. Like I said previously, the tech really isn't supposed to tell me anything. She did tell me that my left ovary is up pretty high and that my (guys, turn your heads here..........) uterus is enlarged. Probably from the twin pregnancy? I will see Dr. Miller on Tuesday and we will discuss the results and where to go from here.

After my appointment, I went to pick up my boys. The youngest 3, anyway. I had dropped them off with their dad because he doesn't work all that far from the hospital. Dennis and I were both a little shocked that Brad wanted to go along, since he rarely wants to go anywhere. We're thinking maybe just knowing that Dad would be taking them to McDonald's for lunch was the reason, or maybe he is actually interested in what his dad does for a living? :) (Honestly, it could be both!)

I picked the boys up, and of course, they were quite dirty. They always get that way when they "hang with Dad". LOL We wanted to visit Memmy Hedmeck (Dennis' mom) while we were in the area, but unfortunately, she wasn't home. :( We found out when we got home that she stopped by our house while we were gone.

I wasn't sure what we were going to do last night. My nephew, Theodore, had a baseball game at 8pm. My brother, Ted, called and reminded me and that's when I decided I would go. I LOVE watching kids play baseball. Corey and Collin wanted to go along too, which was alright with me, especially since Dennis hasn't been feeling too good lately. The poor man is dealing with fatigue, backache, headache, and toothache all at the same time. He has a sick feeling in his stomach too. I feel so bad for him. :(

We were running just a little late, but we made it to the game. It really didn't matter that we were late, since the other team didn't make it on time and the game before took a bit longer. I chatted with my brother and my nephew while my boys kept pesting to go to the concession stand. This, after they had eaten several times before we even left the house. I think they just wanted the stuff because it was there. There is no way they could've been hungry and I eventually put my foot down and they stopped pesting.

Finally, the game started. Theo's team took the outfield. He was in right field and the boys thought they saw him playing other positions, but with so many boys in the same uniform, I guess it was hard for them to tell which one was him.

Since I am a facebook addict, I texted my status...a few times. Finally, there were three outs and Theo's team was up to bat. It ended up that the bases were loaded. Theo was up next. He was swinging the bat, warming up as he went towards the batter's box as I cheered him on. He was just about in position when the coach called for a time-out. I was dumbfounded. What??? The coach then had someone pinch-hit for Theo!! Pardon my "french", but WTF??? Theo was then put on the bench. :( My heart sank. You could see that Theo was upset and hurt. I was upset and hurt that they could do such a thing! My brother was fuming as well. Ironically, the boy that was to pinch-hit STRUCK OUT!!! Ok, this really ticked me off!!

My brother had enough. He went over to the dugout and asked Theo if he wanted to just leave. He didn't have to play for this team if this is how they were going to treat him. Ted asked the coach (a 19 year old) why he did that, to which his response was, "Theo doesn't perform". Ted then asked how much money they would be making if they won the game....with a cocky look and a smart mouth, the coach called my brother an idiot and told him that he knew they didn't get paid......EXACTLY!!! That's the point Ted was trying to make. IT'S JUST A GAME! It got a little heated and then finally, my brother walked away. He didn't need his son to hear anymore. The coach should have known better than to even say the things he did as my nephew sat there.

The game went on and on, with Theo's team falling further and further behind. The other team was going through their batting line-up again and again. Some boys even got to bat twice in one inning. Finally, after seeing his son on the bench for so long and the anger and frustration building up, Ted went over to the dugout one more time. He told Theo that he would have to go. He couldn't stand to see how they were treating Theo and he was going to make some phone calls to someone "higher up". He couldn't stick around because he was afraid of it getting too heated and he didn't want to cause trouble. Theo was ok with that, and my brother was on his way. As my brother walked away, the coach gave a big smile to his buddies, adding more salt to my wound. Theo's team would then take the outfield, and since my brother was gone, they put him back out onto the field. GRRRRRR!!!!! More salt!

Honestly, I am confused. I'm not sure what I should take from this experience. I know that some things never do change. I went through something similar when Trevor played ball. Baseball was his life. (His words!) He was mistreated and mis-coached (if that even is a word). It was because of his size. :( Eventually, Trevor did show them! The team rarely won a game, so the coach decided to have his own kind of fun and he let Trevor pitch, Trevor did pretty good! It eventually came to the point that when Trevor was up to bat, the other team's coach would tell the outfield to "back up". I am hoping that Theo gets the same chance one day and he really shows them what they've missed out on. He's a great kid, and a great ball player. I am very proud of him.

It's unfortunate that history does repeat itself. There will always be "those" coaches that play favorites and don't give others a chance. They are there to win, rather than teach the boys the fundamentals of the game and to make it a great experience, rather than destroy their self-esteem. It just breaks my heart. :(

I kept up with facebook while at the game and got many comments. When I got home, I hopped online to add to what had already had me fuming. I am so grateful for the friend that I have that offered their ears to me. One of my friends opened a chat box and we chatted some. I wasn't expecting to hear what she told me.....the class lists were posted at the elementary school. I was almost ready to tell her I had to go and I would've gone in the dark to look at the lists. I put in a request for my boys to be in the same class, and to have the teacher that I had in 2nd grade. Of course, I didn't want to cut my friend short (couldn't do that). The very next thing that she told me was that she saw my boys' names on the list........they are together.....AND.......in Mrs. Lewis' class!!! YAY!! My request was honored!!!

So many ups and downs in one day. I am so thankful for a happy ending. **By now, I'm sure anyone reading this is happy that I am finished......for now! ;)

Bad Habits......

2009-06-19T01:57:00.002-04:00

I am not a nail biter, never was. I do, however, have an addictive personality. I am addicted to Zimmie's Iced Tea (a drink that most of the "locals" are addicted to), cigarettes (shamefully), and late nights. I'm afraid that I am going to fall into this rut and not be able to get back out. I've been staying up way too late for way too many nights now. Funny thing is....I haven't had a daytime nap since I've been staying up so late. So weird. This morning I crawled out of bed at 10am, that's something I haven't done in a while either.

As I sit here, there are bingo numbers going by. I don't like this game (large frame), so I just waste some more time. I am playing Bingo on Dennis' Facebook account because, yes, I am addicted to Bingo too.

Thankfully, the kids are on summer break and for now I can get away with this. I will tell myself that I can gradually get back to a more normal schedule, but another of my bad habits is procrastination. (Just ask Dennis, he'll tell you!)

One of these days, I'll have myself on a better schedule, I hope.

I'd settle for a slow down.....

2009-06-17T09:58:00.003-04:00

I think everyone knows that I am a country music fan. "Slow Down" is a song by Dierks Bentley. The title of the song is more meaningful to me today than the actual lyrics. The song is about a woman leaving him and not even looking back. Oh, I could go on, but I just wanted to say that I am ready for things to settle down here at home, and in my own mind. I'm feeling like I'm in over my head lately.

I've taken on some bad habits, like staying up way to late at night. In the past few nights, my head hasn't hit the pillow until nearly 3am. A big "no-no"! I don't want to fall into that schedule but it looks like I'm heading in that direction. While the kids don't go back to school until Aug. 31st, I don't want to sleep their vacation away. I stay up late on the internet and then before I can actually go to sleep, I read. (I have to admit, I'm reading more and more books of late and so far, I've enjoyed most of them!)

I'm waking in the morning like I have in the past and it scares me. It is a bit hard to type this now because of how shaky my hands and body are. There is so much weighing on my mind that I'm afraid that I'll send myself backwards and I'm trying so hard to fight it. There are a few things going on with my family and my health that I am worried about and I should have some answers soon, so I'm hanging on to dates and once I get past them, I should be just fine. Depression and anxiety are a bad combination and even though I take medication, I still feel it's presence and when it builds up like it is now, I have to try to control it. It's not at all easy. I contimplate taking more meds, but being the pill hater that I am, I somehow manage to get through it without the pills. It's somewhat of a mind game and the "cheat" is staying positive. Let things happen as they will and don't worry about them until they actually happen. "Cross that bridge when you come to it", is the mentality that I have to keep. I'm trying.

I looked forward to the boys' last day of school and the start of summer vacation. I thought things would get easier, but that's not happening. Life is just whizzing right by and I'm finding myself too busy to do some of the things that I had hoped to have time for on a less hectic schedule. It's so strange. While no one really wants to get older, I'm finding myself not wanting to, simply because of how much faster it goes as I age. It's not just happening to me, but to everyone around me. It's like a race, and those that can handle it are in the front of the pack while I struggle to even keep up. I'm hopeful that I will find the way to be able to manage it all, I just need time to come up with a plan. *Sigh*

My Aunt Pat and I will never end a phone conversation on a bad or sad note, so I will do the same with this entry.....

I know that God is by my side through this. He's been sending me some signs and I am very aware of them. Again, country music fan here, there is a song by Travis Tritt that is a real pick-me-up. Yesterday, Dennis' car got him to work but wouldn't be able to bring him home without being fixed. As much as I didn't want to make that trip to pick him up from work and take him to the junk yard (I had things I wanted to do here at the house), I almost had no choice. As soon as the boys and I got into the van and buckled, I started the van and that Travis Tritt song had just started, "It's A Great Day To Be Alive". I hear that song and know that everything will be alright. Weird thing is.....I don't have that song on CD or even on my iPod. It just comes on the radio at just the right time. God is so great!

****I'm sure there will be days with Kenny Chesney refrences. LOL ( <------ HA! I at least got his name in this post!)

Going to the chapel.......

2009-06-02T08:48:00.006-04:00

I don't quite remember what day it was last week but I remember how serious Corey was when he asked me to talk with him in private. He had something very important to talk to me about and it was even more important that no one else hear our conversation. If you should happen to see Corey, please don't ask him about what I am about to post. He'll know that I let the "secret" out. Corey, if you are reading this I hope you appreciate the fact that I blogged this and you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed our conversation.....

Like I was saying, Corey needed to talk to me in private. We went into my bedroom and Corey was so happy when he closed the door and saw that my door has a lock (his doesn't). He locked the door and then sat on the bed with me. In his cutest little whispering voice, I wasn't sure what to expect, and then he layed it on me..... He's getting married and needs my help with the wedding plans!

His main concern was the cake. It had to have a boy and girl on the top, that is, until I explained to him that it didn't have to. His dad's and my cake had two hearts. I asked him if he remembered seeing pics of my wedding, and he did, but he didn't remember the cake. He did remember the picture of his dad with cake on his face, hanging on the living room wall. He needed to know what that was all about too.

Invitations...we'd have to first make a list of who would be coming. Food......we need food to feed everyone that comes! He was so serious and was so sweet as we discussed all of this.

He asked me if I knew who he was marrying. I guessed "Kristen", but I was wrong. She was last week's love. ;) LOL He is going to marry "Madeline"! Wanting to know more about his future wife, I asked an important question, "Does "Madeline" know that you two are getting married?" To which, I got the response, "Not yet". Hmmmm.....he didn't "pop the question yet"...... I kept up and asked, "Does "Madeline" know that you like her? Does she like you?" (hey, you never know?) His response was that she knows and she does like him back. Then, with a somewhat "grossed out" or angry tone, he told me, "She tried to kiss me on the lips!!!" I wasn't sure what to say, but I know that first grade is just a bit too young to be kissing a girl. I responded with an, "Oh no!" and said that they are too young for kissing! He said that he didn't like that and he would not kiss her. He also reminded me of what he had told me once before, "You can't get married until you are at least 18 and older than Trevor." I guess, then, that I no longer have to worry. Corey will never be older than Trevor. ;)

It wasn't long after our conversation that Collin figured out how to get in to my room. He went in Trevor's room and came through the unlocked bathroom door that is shared between the rooms. LOL Corey was a little upset and wanted to know if Collin heard anything. He didn't and they both went giggling off to the living room to get back to their video games.

So, I'm sorry to say, there will be no wedding this summer, no wedding reception (hey, who doesn't like a wedding reception? ;) ). Corey's got lots of time yet and I'm sure there will be many more girlfriends before we find out who the lucky girl will be that he spends the rest of recess, um, I mean, his life with.

Corey, I know that when the time does come, you will make a wonderful husband (and father) one day! You've got such a big heart that is just overflowing with love to share. I love you bunches!!

Mini Relay for Life

2009-05-21T08:43:00.018-04:00

K, 1st, & 2nd grade from Mahoning Elementary

It's called a "mini" relay because the kids were only there for part of the day, not the whole day. Kids from all schools in the district participated and it was nice to see some family members that attend different schools. Four laps around the track is equal to a mile. They were sure to walk the 4 laps.

Before the event started, Mrs. Garfield was surprised and honored by a local radio station as "Teacher of the Week". I was so happy and excited for her. She teaches the Life Skills class at Mahoning and I feel she should be honored for more than just a week. She has 10 children in her class with special needs and she is so kind and sweet and adores her students and it shows. Congrats to Mrs. Garfield!

I hope to have a link soon so that as many people as I can get can vote for her to win "Teacher of the Year" (I think, it all happened so fast!). I want to try and get as many votes as possible for her and would love to see her win that. With that, she will also win $1,000! :)

I was surprised and happy to see my cousin Jeff's wife, Jessica there. She drives a bus and transported kids to the track. :) It was so nice to talk with her for a bit.

There's not a whole lot more I can say, so I'll just add some pics and a few descriptions.....

Fourth Grade teacher, Mrs. Rupell's daughter, Breann, singing, "The Star Spangled Banner" before the event started. It gave me goosebumps! She has an amazing voice!

Cousin Brook's daughter, Emily.

Cousin Brook's son, Lucas.

Cousin, Jen's son, "Marky"

"Marky" with his classmates

Cousin Troy's son, Nathan

My neice, Alyssa's little sister, Miranda

My landlady's grandson, Dakota and his friend

Dakota

In no particular order........

****In Honor of: David Moyer****

The wind blew the poster and ripped it and I couldn't find the "sun" with Dennis' Uncle David's name on it. :(

He loves me....

2009-05-19T22:21:00.004-04:00

I'm sure Kenny would love me, if he knew me, but I'm talking about Dennis. Kenny put out another Greatest Hits CD today. Dennis claims it was the last one in the store. He could be right, Kenny Chesney is awesome, or....he could just say that to make me appreciate it more? LOL Either way, I'm glad I got it and most of all, I'm glad I have a husband that allows "another man" in my life. There is one new song on the CD and the rest are, well, great hits! ;)

Good Morning.....an update of sorts

2009-05-19T08:32:00.003-04:00

I'm not normally a "morning blogger" but it seems that I stay up way to late at night and I just never seem to get to it. I sent the boys off to school a bit ago and I'm going to try to update a bit.

The elementary school yearbook is finally done and out of my hands. I feel so free now. LOL I didn't have to do the entire thing this year (Thank You, Fenna!) but it was still more than I wanted to do. I just wasn't "into" it this year. Anyway, now I feel like I can get to the things I've been wanting to do without having a deadline hanging over me.

I've been feeling pretty good lately. I do have an addiction to facebook that I'm hoping will die down soon. Summer is coming and I'm not going to spend nearly as much time online. I am enjoying the re-connections that I'm making and am hoping to get together with some old friends soon. Maybe a picnic?

There is a down-side to re-connecting, too, and I can't help but think about it since I've heard what I heard. Twenty-some years ago is a long time ago, yet it still bugs me. I will not dwell on it. It's in the past and too late to correct it anyway. I heard about a rumor about me when I was in high school that was absolutely not true. I am shocked that people would even believe it or even have that impression of me. Oh well.

Dennis has been working a lot. There has been pretty much overtime lately, but I can see that it is catching up to him. He's always tired and who wouldn't be? He works 10 hour days and Saturdays. He has just Sunday off but with so much he wants done at the house or with cars or lawn equipment, he's just drained. :(

Trevor is without a car again. UGH! We don't like to call him a liar, but we're not too sure that we completely buy his story. Long story short, he took his car sideways and off of the road. We Thank God that he wasn't hurt. I'm not good with "mechanic lingo", but he cracked part of the axel and did damage to the frame. So, now, we play taxi to get him to work and back.

Bradley is doing a little better in school. He was having problems with being bullied. He lost weight and just doesn't care about anything anymore. It's heartbreaking. He's a great kid and very smart, but there is just something lost about him. He's dreading this Friday and wants me to let him stay home from school, but he's missed enough as it is. Friday is Maroon & White Day. They divide the school into 2 teams (maroon & white-school colors) and they compete in various events. He is not at all athletic and he's a big complainer. Exercise won't hurt him and I've told him to just do what he can and have fun with it. Laugh!

Corey is doing really well in school. He made "Student of the Month" for the month of May. I'm seeing a big improvement in his handwriting. He came home with a trophy and a medal yesterday. He now knows: how to count to 10 in Japanese, all 44 presidents (in order), all 50 States and their capitals. He learned all of this on top of his "regular" school work. I'm so proud of him! He's made so many friends in school. His best friend, however, is Collin, his brother! :)

Collin is doing great too! His handwriting still needs some work, though. Wow!! He writes like his dad and his brother Brad. lol He isn't the easiest to get up in the morning, but once he's up he's raring to go and like the Energizer Bunny, he keeps going and going. He's been getting better at getting his homework done in a timely manner. He lost a tooth this past Sunday and hoped the "Tooth Fairy" would give him $2 for it. Of course, the fairy did. He gave a dollar to his brother. Soooo sweet!

Last Thursday I chaperoned a field trip to the Philadelphia Zoo. I hope to get pics up from that. There really weren't too many pics. Not my "norm". lol It was quite hectic and I was too worried about the kids that I was responsible for. They went wild like the animals once we were there! lol The boys loved it!

Tomorrow, the boys will be walking in a "Mini Relay for Life". A few staff members in their school and in the district have dealt with cancer. Some won their battle and sadly, some lost. For $1 the boys could purchase a sun ("In Honor of") or moon("In Memory of") that will have the name of the person they are honoring in the walk.

They will be walking "In Memory of"

Memmy Frohnheiser (my grandmother, my mom's mom)
Bobby Stuckley (my cousin)
Grammy Edwards (Dennis' grandmother, his mom's mom)
"Dinch" Meinhart (family friend)
Rick Wentz (friend)
Judy Breiner (my mom's cousin, and a wonderful person)
Linda Hutnick (my step-mom's sister)

They will be walking "In Honor of"

Betty Stuckley (my aunt, and the woman I most admire)
Diane Moser (a good friend that loves the boys!)
Jerry Cawley (mom's bf, they adore him!)
Uncle Glenn (we're leaving it at that..he wants to keep it private)
David Moyer (Dennis' uncle, his dad's brother)

Of course, I plan on being there to take pics and to gleam with pride. :)

I hope to come back with more updates and Moyer Tales soon.....

I'd like to wish Corey Meinhart a Happy Birthday in heaven today. He would be 37. We named our Corey after him. He is missed so much by so many. He was Dennis' best friend and in the short time that I got to know him I could see why he was liked so much. He was so much fun and had an awesome attitude. I'm hoping that anyone reading this will listen to my plea. Remember to show respect to those who choose to drive a motorcycle. Corey was killed on June 25, 1995 when he was hit by a motorist that didn't pay attention to him. We love and miss you, Corey! Happy Birthday and keep them all laughing up there in heaven!

No Title Necessary........

2009-04-01T12:56:00.004-04:00

I've got so much going through my head today that I figured I'd come here and just see what happens. It may be a bit sporatic and unorganized, but if you know me, this is nothing new for me. My fingers are extremely "antsy" so I'm letting them loose!!

First off, I am thinking of my dear friend, Anissa today. Today is surgery day and she is having an Acoustic Neuroma removed. She's been in my thoughts and prayers daily, and if you are reading this and wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate prayers for her. Thanks!

Ok.

I was hoping to come up with something amazingly funny and really "out there" because today is "April Fool's Day". Nothing. Sorry. Everyday has an "April Fool" in it somewhere. It could be that one (or more) "duh" moment(s) or just events in a day that just seem so far off that I wonder if I'll just wake up from such a silly dream. One thing, though, that I am most grateful for is my sense of humor. I LOVE to laugh and make people laugh. Smiling is contagious and everyone should catch it!!

I think it was last week, maybe the week before, I'm not sure? Anyway, I was doing laundry. Surprise, surprise! lol If it's piled up enough, which it usually is, I try to separate the darks according to who they belong to. I had enough of Brad's to make a full load......I threw it in the washer along with the Downy Ball. Through the magic of this blog, I don't have to tell you all of the other things I did while it washed......Tah dah!......I was switching it over to the dryer when what to my wondering eyes did I find at the bottom of the washtub?......Money, nope...(Brad is tight with his money and doesn't carry it in his pockets. He'll never make me rich!) ......a pencil or pen with goopy ink?.....Nope.......I don't like to torture, so I'll just tell you. I found a ziploc bag! Oooohhh and it looked like there was something in it, but what? It had a little bit of a yellowish tinged liquid and some seeds or something in it. Upon closer inspection.....I discovered that it was the remains of pickles! Bread and Butter pickles, to be exact. Definately one of my strangest finds. I had to laugh and have to admit, I was a bit puzzled about that one! LOL

Later that day, when Brad came home from school, I asked him about the baggie. He confirmed that, yes, he did in fact have pickles in a baggie, in his pocket. Hmmm? Well, you know how it is, being a teen and going to school, study hall, hunger, etc. I don't remember when, but he said that the baggie did leak and he smelled like pickles for the rest of the school day. Thanks for letting me know, Brad, and I guess anyone could understand why I don't check pockets very often. Just imagine how I could've freaked out reaching into that! LOL

If you knew my Brad, you'd certainly understand. He has so many of my traits that I feel sorry for him, yet he's him and I love that about him too!

You'd think it would end there? No. Not in the Moyer house, and not with Brad living in it. He just totally cracks me up! We had another incident just days later with an even bigger Ziploc bag!

***Aunt Karen, I hope that you someday get to read this. You always tell me that I should write a book about how my life is. LOL I can just hear you chuckling at this and now wanting to encourage me to make a sitcom for tv! It's just too funny!**

Ok, where was I? Oh yes, the "bigger" ziploc. I was in the laundry room, of all places, this time folding some towels. Brad came to me from the dining room, carrying something to me. It resembled a large ziploc, but I was not at all sure of it's contents. It was filled with something of such a color that I don't think there's even a name for, and other familiar colors. It looked gushy and smooshy, disgusting, I guess you could say? He then asked me what he should do with it. Huh? I had to ask...."What is it Brad?"....to which he responded, "I wanted take something to school to eat with my lunch, but I forgot about it and it was in my book bag".....Ok.....I then asked, "What exactly did you take, Brad?".......he didn't remember, it was that long ago. He was already opening the bag trying to figure it out. Noooooooo!!!!!! "Don't open it Brad!!!" Too late. Oh My!!! It smelled pretty bad. I told him to quickly get it zipped shut and toss it in the trash! He did not act quickly and I could tell by the look on his face, there was more......He then asked me if he should dig the bowl and fork out of the bag? Eeeuuuwww!!! No, Brad, No. Just let it go.

I thought of two possibilities that day. #1.....That's probably where my "lost" silverware has gone, and #2.....That's where all of the ziploc's are going. Oh Brad!

It's just started raining here now. I just looked at the time, and it reminds me that I've got to get my shower. Before you know it, it will be time to pick the boys up from school and I don't like having to rush to get ready, so I'll be showered and ready early. I did enough cleaning for today, so I can shower without worrying about getting dirty again.

At 5pm the boys and I are going to GIANT with the rest of the Tiger Den. We will get a tour of the bakery. I've been told that it's actually lots of fun. We shall see.

I hope to be back later and will update on that, or maybe I'll have an "April Fool" to share?

"Someone is having a case of the Mondays!"

2009-03-30T21:28:00.005-04:00

I don't like Mondays. Ok, well, maybe I do, it just seems strange to me that if something weird is going to happen, it happens on a Monday. I think that Mondays exist so that I have a day to complain about.

Today is Monday. Need I say more? Well, yes, I guess I have to or you wouldn't understand what I'm talking about.

It started as a fairly "normal" day in the Moyer house. Having used up all of my snooze's I had to get out of bed. Brad was up and ready to go. We watched the morning news and weather and then he was off to school.

I had about 20 minutes before it would be time to wake Corey and Collin. I went to the laundry room and gathered their clothing that should have been put away yesterday. I watched some more news and some more weather, but don't quiz me on what I saw. I watch it and get nothing out of it. (This is every day of the week, not just Monday.)

I tried several times to wake the boys. Mondays are the hardest for me to get them up. I usually sing something silly to them to get them giggling and then, before long, they add to the silliness too. They're awake, and it works! ;)

Like any other day, I start off a sentence for them to finish (I do it at night, too). "Today is........" and they fill in the blanks. So, "Today is....Monday, Day 1 (school schedule), March 30th, etc., etc. ....and then I realized "Today is....Spring Picture Day!! Ack!!! I didn't plan out what they'd wear, I didn't get them haircuts like I had hoped to, and by this time we were running a little behind schedule!

The boys both chose stripped shirts. If we don't like the pictures, we don't have to buy them and we didn't have to put any money out up front, so I can deal with that. I told the boys we had to hurry. They came out to the dining room and made sure they had their backpacks loaded and lunch money for the week. (They even put a cute SpongeBob sticker on their envelopes for the lunch lady!) I told them it was time to brush their teeth and that they should brush them extra good today for their pitures. In true "Corey fashion", he pipes up with, "I don't have to brush my teeth. I'm not going to show them when I smile. Michael can smile without showing his teeth." Only Corey! Ugh.

They both went in the bathroom and really didn't take that long. I got my shoes on, since we were running out of time! We hurried out the door and down the driveway.

When we got to the end of the driveway, we noticed something on the road. A little possum (I'm pretty sure it's spelled with an "O", but I don't like it. lol My blog....my spelling rules!) We wanted to investigate, but didn't want to get too close. I remember Aunt Linda telling me about the one in her yard that she thought was dead, tongue sticking out and everything, that scurried away! So, we stayed in the yard, just behind the guardrail and we looked. It didn't look like it was breathing, but with the wind blowing it's hair, it was hard to tell. It didn't look squished, so we still weren't sure. Our investigation soon ended because the bus pulled up.

With the boys on their way to school, I got closer to the possum. The animal lover that I am, couldn't bear the thought of this poor thing being run over, over and over again. As I watched for cars and stood in the street over this little creature, I was sure he/she was dead. I headed back up the driveway, went into the garage, and got a shovel. Back down the driveway, into the street, and I slid the shovel under it. It didn't move, and it wasn't very "stiff". He/she was a fresh kill. It wasn't easy getting him/her onto my shovel and a truck drove by and slowed down. I could see that they were looking at me and I can only imagine what was going through their heads. LOL Possum on the shovel, I now had to decide what to do with it. I walked into the woods a bit and layed him/her down at the trunk of a small tree. I (honestly, I'm not joking) said a few words, "Rest in peace little guy, or girl", to be exact, and I headed back up to the house. I didn't put the shovel inside the garage because I figured Dennis might want to hose it off. It wasn't messy or anything, it's just the thought. Poor little thing must have died from internal injuries. There was so little blood.

By this time, it was probably close to 8:30 am. I was thinking I should probably go in for a shower, but decided that YoVille was more important. I was still mourning the loss of this little creature that I only knew for a short time and for none of his life.

Of course, YoVille turned into Bingo, and Bingo turned into other places on the internet. I would get my shower eventually. I called Lois to see how Miranda was doing. I learned the night before that she was in Lehigh Valley Hospital with 2nd degree burns. We chatted for a little bit and then I let her go so she could get back to the hospital.

I'm not sure what time I called, but then I got my daily call in to my mom. We speak to each other often on the phone. She cracks me up sometimes! LOL I get my great sense of humor from her, I'm sure. We were talking about Jon & Kate Plus Eight. I was on the couch, looking out of my front window. I'm not sure why, but I then looked down at my feet. I was wearing TWO DIFFERENT SHOES!!! Just then, my cell phone rang and I knew it was very close to noon. Dennis calls me every day on his lunch break. I had Mom on my left ear and Dennis on the right. I had to tell them both about my discovery. LOL All mom could do was laugh. I know that I probably got that trait from her too! LOL Dennis asked about Miranda, I told him and he said he'd talk to me when he got home. Mom and I talked a little longer and then she had to go since she wasn't getting anything done either.

I had several more phone calls, and then finally, around 1pm I was finally headed for the shower. The shower went well, without incident. Well, except for the fact that Trevor had taken a shower a little earlier and used MY favorite towel! LOL

I did a little picking up before it was time to get the boys from school. We got home and we took a walk down to the woods so they could see the possum. (I wouldn't allow them to go into the street to see it, especially since we weren't sure that it was dead.) Of course, Corey did an, "Awwww, poor little thing". Corey is my compassionate one. And Collin, well, he wanted to poke at it with a stick! ****Shiver**** We looked at it in amazement. It's feet almost looked like hands and it's tail looked like canvas or maybe a rope. Part of it was gone. Then, we saw something just under the tail a bit. OH MY GOSH!! It was a "mamma" and it had a baby sticking out!! I then got a stick and moved the tail a bit.........no. It was not a "mamma possum" at all. **clear throat** It was a little "boy possum".

The rest of the day went on pretty much the same as any other. Phone ringing almost non-stop, the boys fighting and trying to come up with excuses not to do their homework, and me trying to get supper done.

What a day.....What a MONDAY!!

Not following the rules......

2009-03-29T23:05:00.004-04:00

I'm breaking my own rule tonight. I've been trying to be in bed by 11pm. It's now 11:05 pm. I will pay for it in the morning and I will fight off a nap during the day, I'm sure. (Another new rule: NO NAPPING!)

I'm not the only one who has broken rules and had to suffer the consequences. Corey found out what it's like too. The school held a "school wide celebration" on Friday and he was not able to participate. He had 2 pink slips for bad behavior in the past few weeks. Two slips means no celebration.

I'll be the first to tell anyone that my kids are not angels. They don't always follow the rules no matter how blue in the face I get. I've been stressing to them from day 1, that bad behavior on the school bus or at school will not be tolerated. I was getting warnings from the bus driver about the boys and I've tried to correct that by not allowing them to ride the bus home in the afternoon. I think the almost hour long ride makes my boys antsy. We live 3 minutes from the school, yet my boys are the 2nd to last to get off of the bus. It's working out fine now, even though I'm not all that excited about having to go and get them every day.

One of Corey's pink slips was from a bad decision he'd made on the bus. He spit on a boy because the boy said he could run faster. Ugh. I questioned Corey about this and his response was, "It was just a little bit". UGH!! I explained that it didn't matter how much, it mattered that he did it. He was not thinking before acting!

The other pink slip was because of his behavior in the boys' bathroom. He was caught swinging on the stall door. Another case of not thinking before he acted. He knew it was wrong.

I understand school rules. I know that it is for the safety of the children and I know that proper behavior is expected. I am not against Corey's pink slips, although, it just about killed me to escort my crying son to the car on Friday afternoon. Everyone looked at him as he sobbed. I wanted to sob with him, even though I wanted him to learn his lesson too. It's so hard to see your child hurting so bad.

The school wide celebration was "game day". I volunteered to help with Bingo in the cafeteria. While some grades were playing Bingo, others were in classrooms playing the board games they'd brought to school. I think the salt in Corey's wound was that on Thursday (day before celebration) he wrote a letter to "Mom and Dad" asking if he could bring a board game to school. It was signed, "Love, Corey", and in his best handwriting. I'm pretty sure that the teacher had all of the students write a letter, but I don't think she'd realized that Corey was not participating in the celebration. It just wasn't like Corey to be in so much trouble and if either of the boys would be in trouble, we'd think it would be Collin. (He can be so devilish!)

So, here it is, now 11:24 pm. I'm still awake, but I know that I won't be as hurt as Corey was on Friday. Thankfully, there is one more school wide celebration this year. I'm sure Corey WILL be participating and hopefully, I'll be awake enough to volunteer my help.

Goodnight.

Interesting, to say the least.....

2009-03-19T21:55:00.002-04:00

Almost every time I talk to my Aunt Karen, she tells me that my life is interesting and how much she appreciates my sense of humor. I love to laugh and I think it's a very important part of my life. I'm not sure where I got my sense of humor from? Probably both sides of the family. I'm so grateful for that. A day without laughter is a day....well, I'm not sure how the rest goes but if I were to finish it, I'd have to say, A day without laughter is a day that my pants stay dry. (Definately get that from Mom's side of the family! ;) LOL)

Sometimes, it's one of those, "you had to be there" things, but the past few days I am laughing at (with) my kids.

For example, the other day we were driving in the van when Corey pipes up with, " I know where John the Maniac lives". W H A T???? Turns out, he meant "John Stafiniack (Stuh-fin-e-ack). John is in a higher grade than Corey and also a boy we know from scouts. Ok.....guess you had to be there.

Tonight, Bradley is researching subliminal messages. HUH? Some may call him strange, but I think it's kind of funny, but neat, the way his brain works. He's already wanting me to try and wake myself everyday at 3am to read posters on my walls (have to be white with black lettering he says). Sure Brad! LOL

And then there's Corey, again. LOL Today his main objective was to keep track of how many times each of us has passed gas. Yes, you did read that correctly. We had to let him know if it was loud, silent, and each and every one of them was to be counted.

By now, you are probably thinking that there is something wrong in my house. Maybe too many fumes off of the furnace? No. We watch, probably too much, television. Not long ago we watched, "Myth Busters". Corey was amused by one of the myths about flatulence. Each of the crew on the show recorded what they ate and what made them gassier. Beans were a proven gas giver. lol So, in his own way, Corey is doing some Myth Busting of his own. LOL Ok,....maybe you had to be here for this one too. LOL I have to add, though, just for future reading that Dennis passed the most gas today. *wink* (Let's hope he's done, I'm soon going to bed!)

Alright, while I'm still on the subject, I guess I should add, too, that it's not just my immediate family. Just last Saturday night I received a phone call from Aunt Linda (mom's sister). I was to complete the following...... "Beans, beans the magical fruit..the more you eat the more you toot.....________________________. I learned that there is more than one ending to that, depending on where you grew up, and sorry, Diane, but I have to say that I'm somewhat glad that I didn't grow up in Jim Thorpe! *wink* LOL Now that I think of it, my dad grew up in Jim Thorpe so I will have to ask him how he thinks it ends. I'm not sure that it will match Diane's version. LOL (Message to self, ask Diane to repeat her answer so it can be documented!)

If you are reading this and made any sense of it, that's great. If not, just have a good laugh because you are so confused. If you are a member of my mom's side of the family, feel free to pee your pants. I know I will.....laugh. :)

He can breathe.....

2009-03-18T20:23:00.007-04:00

Finally, after quite a few years of having a "mouth breather", Bradley had his adenoids removed today. We were to be at the hospital by 8:45am this morning and our timing was real good. We found a great parking spot and even better yet, as we were walking into the hospital we met up with Aunt Karen (dad's sister). She was going the same way we were, to the Short Procedure Unit (that's where she works. She schedules surgeries.).

Ted, if you are reading this, YES, Brad did wear his red "hoodie". LOL When we got to the SPU, Brad was given a room and instructed to put on a gown. He answered questions for the nurses and was excited about getting an IV put in. My son is strange. LOL I love him, regardless, but I do have to say that he is not like his mom when it comes to IV's and blood draws. (I always turn my head away and can't watch it being done!)

Dr. Wakstein came in and talked to us for a bit and it was soon time to head to the OR. I walked beside Brad's bed into the room where they prep you for the OR. We answered some questions for the anesthesiologist and Brad was starting to feel sleepy. He dozed off for a minute or two and woke up. Dr. Wakstein asked Brad if he knew what was going to be happening in a few short minutes, to which Brad replied, "an adenoidectomy" (the dr. and nurses found it amusing that he used that term lol). Dr. Wakstein then joked and told Brad that he thought he was giving him breast implants. Brad, half-asleep, gave a smile. Dr. W is a character! LOL He's very professional but has a sense of humor too!

It was time for me to go. Dr. W walked me to a little room that I could wait in until the surgery was done. Adenoid surgery was usually a 20 minute procedure. Not too bad. It felt much longer than that as I waited, and as hard as it was, I tried not to worry. (I worry all the time, especially about my boys!) Finally, Dr. W came to me and told me that everything went well. Brad was very swollen and the obstruction was quite large. He also has a bit of a sinus infection. Brad was still in recovery and I'd be able to go back to his room in the SPU soon.

I sat in that room for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Dr. W came and got me and told me a nurse was supposed to come and get me. They didn't know where I was. Dr. W and I chatted for a bit on the way back to Brad's room.

When I went into Brad's room, I was expecting to see a very groggy boy, but he wasn't. He looked good and was anxious to show me that he could breathe through his nose. He was in no pain. (Thank you, God.) Trevor was scheduled to work today, so he stopped up to see his brother before his shift started (so sweet!). Since Brad was doing so good, I asked Trevor to go with me over to Aunt Karen's office so I could have my pic taken with her. He snapped a pic, talked to Aunt Karen, walked me back over to Brad, and then went to work.

We had to wait for a while before they would release Brad. Brad and I chatted and giggled, stuff we normally do. lol He was ready to go home, but we couldn't leave because it was hospital policy. It was getting closer and closer to time to pick Corey and Collin up from school and I was starting to panic. My cell phone battery went dead because I was updating Dennis through texts. I couldn't call the school to have the boys ride the bus home, and I couldn't be sure that I'd be home in time to get them. I asked the nurse how long we'd be there and explained to her about the boys. She told me I should just go get them and Brad would be soon ready after my return. She said he was in good hands, and I didn't doubt that one bit. All of the nurses were so nice!

I raced out to the school, got the boys and went back to the hospital. Brad was getting dressed and no long after we were on our way. I couldn't wait to get home.

It's almost 9pm now, and Brad finally hung up the phone. He talked to his friend, Blake, from the time he got home until just a few minutes ago. He is in no pain and is feeling good. I, on the other hand, am worn out. lol I wish I could've came home and stayed here, but tonight Corey and Collin had scouts.

Now, I am home, will stay home and don't plan on leaving until tomorrow afternoon when I get the boys from school again. Whew!

Video Fun Starring Corey.....

2009-03-17T23:37:00.003-04:00

Corey's broadcast....Take 1

Corey...Take 2 (not much different from the first, but he insisted he do it again! lol)

Video Fun starring Collin.....

2009-03-17T22:51:00.005-04:00

Collin, inside a box. The box is supposed to be a television.

Collin.....Take 2......

Interview with Collin.....

2009-03-17T22:40:00.004-04:00

Collin, Age 7 (Asked these questions on February 27, 2009)

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Do your homework!
2. What makes mom happy?
when I do my homework or when I smile
3. What makes mom sad?
when I play video games and don't do my homework
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
when she makes diarhea jokes
5. What was your mom like as a child?
you had brown eyes and you liked to play games a lot
6. How old is your mom?
38
7. How tall is your mom?
don't know
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
clean, play games
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
go on the computer or do chores
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
when I say that someone's drowing in the middle of the lake you go to the middle and get them out
11. What is your mom really good at?
making colored cookies or cupcakes
12. What is your mom not very good at?
catching birds because you never do
13. What does your mom do for her job?
clean
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
pizza with chicken that has hot sauce
15. What makes Mommy proud of you?
when I get my homework done on time
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Bakugan
17. What do you and your mom do together?
playing bingo and scratching off a ticket on the computer
18. How are you and your mom the same?
both have brown eyes
19. How are you and your mom different?
one is bigger one is small or you could put the girl is big and the boy is small
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
because she lets me tickle her

Interview with Corey.......

2009-03-17T22:33:00.004-04:00

Corey, age 7 (Asked him these questions on February 27, 2009)

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Do you want to eat supper?
2. What makes mom happy?
when I help you do the dishes
3. What makes mom sad?
when we don't do our homework
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
say funny jokes
5. What was your mom like as a child?
what were you like?
6. How old is your mom?
38 (typed in by Corey)
7. How tall is your mom?
I don't know, how tall are you?
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
go on the computer
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
do chores
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
being funny
11. What is your mom really good at?
typing
12. What is your mom not very good at?
doing notes that are separated on guitar hero
13. What does your mom do for her job?
wash the dishes and clean
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
pork chops
15. What makes Mommy proud of you?
doing my homework
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Mary from Mary had a Little Lamb
17. What do you and your mom do together?
play Monopoly Jr.
18. How are you and your mom the same?
we both like to play games
19. How are you and your mom different?
one is a girl, one is a boy
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
cause you always smile at me

Interview with Bradley.......

2009-03-17T22:26:00.003-04:00

Bradley, age 13 (Asked him these questions on March 1, 2009)
1. What is something mom always says to you?
go to bed
2. What makes mom happy?
taking pictures
3. What makes mom sad?
everything
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
tell jokes
5. What was your mom like as a child?
I have no clue
6. How old is your mom?
39 (close, my birthday is on Wed.)
7. How tall is your mom?
a little taller than me
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
take pictures
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
how am I supposed to know if I'm not around?
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
photography
11. What is your mom really good at?
photography
12. What is your mom not very good at?
keeping songs out of her head
13. What does your mom do for her job?
housemother
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
shrimp
15. What makes Mommy proud of you?
my intelligence
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
no clue
17. What do you and your mom do together?
answer questions like these
18. How are you and your mom the same?
both have mustache and chin hair (thanks a million, Brad!)
19. How are you and your mom different?
my mom has more facial hair (I think a grounding is due! lol)
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
you do crap for me (nice, real nice Brad)

Interview with Trevor......

2009-03-17T22:11:00.005-04:00

Trevor, age 19 (I asked him these questions on March 7, 2009 as part of a note on Facebook.)

1. What is something mom always says to you?
be careful
2. What makes mom happy?
being careful
3. What makes mom sad?
not being careful (I see a pattern her, smart allec!)
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
telling me something stupid
5. What was your mom like as a child?
I don't know I wasn't there
6. How old is your mom?
39
7. How tall is your mom?
5' 9" (close, 5' 7")
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
facebook
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
I don't want to know
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
photography
11. What is your mom really good at?
photoshop
12. What is your mom not very good at?
fixing cars
13. What does your mom do for her job?
sits on her butt all day (Thank you, Trevor. Lovely, just lovely.)
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
haddock
15. What makes Mommy proud of you?
that I finally got my license
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Stimpy (??? oh geez, Trevor!)
17. What do you and your mom do together?
nothing
18. How are you and your mom the same?
we both like to listen to music and funny stuff
19. How are you and your mom different?
the kind of music we listen to
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
because she tells me she does

Happy Birthday to me.....

2009-03-04T23:23:00.002-05:00

Yes, today is my birthday. Do I have to tell you how young I am? Ok, I'm 39, but I don't feel 39. I'm not really sure how old I feel, I just know it's not 39. Confused? Age does funny things to you. *wink*

It's been quite the day, to say the least, but no real celebration. I'm ok with that. :) I'm hoping to talk Dennis into going out to eat this weekend. (I'm pretty good at getting what I want. lol) Tonight was just too busy.

I'm not sure what's going on, but I've been having many thoughts about many things lately. Today, "Big Rich" Ahner was on my mind. I'm not sure how many years it's been since his passing, but I know that he is missed. I think of him today, on my birthday, because of what he told me on the way to my sister and (now ex, and since passed away) brother-in-law's wedding reception. We got on the subject of birthdays and he asked me when mine was. I said, "March 4th", and he replied with, "that's a command". Huh? I didn't get it at first, until he spelled it out... March Forth. Of course, I thought that was neat, and have remembered that ever since (1991). Rest in peace, Rich.

My dad and brother were here for a little bit this afternoon. I was talking to my dad, not too long ago about pictures. I was telling Dennis about the awesome camaro dad had and how I remember when he brought it home. He made an amazing transformation! (Yes, my dad is THAT good with cars!) So, today he brought out a photo album and told me I could scan the pictures for myself.

The pictures aren't just of his camaro. There are other pics in there that really had the memories flooding back. Good memories. My dog and her puppies, the skinny and scrawny me (oh that was sooooo long ago! LOL), dad's gas station, and of course, his cars. I remember the '56 Chevy and when it got hit. Oh, dad was upset, to say the least. I'm hoping to get the pics scanned sometime tomorrow and I'll post some.

I just have to laugh at today. It was so funny that dad was here and wished my brother a belated birthday. Ted's birthday was Feb. 7th. I didn't have the heart to tell dad that today was my birthday. The poor guy has always had a hard time remembering birthdays. I'm not sure where I got it from, but birthdays seem to be one of the only things I can remember. LOL (I'm different, that's for sure.)

I texted my sister, Chrissy, today and found out that Glenn is recovering. The poor man is in pain, but he's alive. Thank you, God. ** I don't think I got to post that Glenn had open heart surgery yesterday. Had he not gone to the hospital when he did, he would not be with us today. He had 3 blockages, 80, 90, and 100% blockages. The boys and I have cards with well wishes to be mailed to him, but of course, Dennis misplaced the stamps he just bought last week. I'll be going to the post office tomorrow. (That way, after I buy more, we'll find the lost ones. lol) Glenn could be home as soon as Friday or Saturday. I am just amazed by all of it. That was a major surgery!

I'm just getting ready to head off to bed now. And, I have to laugh some more. The cats were so quiet up until just minutes ago. Now, they are batting noisy things around on the linoleum. Ha ha!! (I love them dearly, so they get away with just as much as the kids!)

Just in case you are not aware, tomorrow would be Andy Gibb's birthday. (More memories flashing back.) When I was young, he was my idol. One year, I even sent him a birthday card with a note saying that mine was so close to his. ROFLOL

And, keep in mind, and mark your calendar. The 26th of this month is Kenny Chesney's birthday! (I'm like a kid again!) (And, Lisa M., I remember that it is also your birthday that day! )

Well, I am calling it a day. I am very tired.

March certainly is coming in like a lion.....

2009-03-02T23:28:00.003-05:00

It's just been a weird sort of day for me today. Last night, we watched the school closings and delays scrolling across the bottom of the tv screen, hoping for at least a delay. NOTHING.

This morning, when we woke up, it was snowing and windy. The weatherman said the storm missed us. The snow got heavier and heavier. If you don't have snow where you live, I guess it would be hard for you to imagine. When I'd look out of my window, I just felt as if I were in a snowglobe. The snow didn't come straight down, due to the wind, I guess. It just kind of floated around and there was so much of it.

Bradley didn't want to go to school. Nothing unusual. He'd feel the same way if the sun was shining too bright. *wink* We were glued to the tv screen this morning, fingers crossed, but as the time got closer to leave, we knew there would be no delay or cancellation. Brad boarded the bus, and off he went.

About an hour later, Corey and Collin were to head off. Dennis stayed home today in anticipation of this "big storm", so I had him drive the boys to the end of the driveway. By this time, the snow was REALLY coming down! He took them down and told me that he was going to take a little ride to see how the roads were and he'd possibly go in to work anyway.

As the bus pulled up and my boys hopped out of Dennis' car, the bus driver opened his window. He told Dennis that the schools would be letting out early. HUH? Then WHY did they send them in the first place???? I should've just kept the boys home, but they really wanted to go. Today is Dr. Seuss's birthday and they have a celebration planned at school.

Dennis took a little ride and found that the highway was better than our road, but since the snow didn't seem to be letting up, he wasn't going to chance going to work. There are too many big hills on his way.

The boys all came home, safe and sound, and it almost instantly stopped snowing. The sun even came out. The wind didn't really die down and the snow on the ground was blowing everywhere. I feel so bad for those kids that had to walk to and from school today. It was bitterly cold out there!

Tomorrow, there is no snow in the forcast (thankfully), but the temps are going to really dip down. With the wind chill, it is supposed to feel like 10 below! Ugh!

I've been watching the tv screen for a while, and still no delay. Many other schools are having a delayed start tomorrow. Of course, by morning, things could change, at least I hope so, for the "walkers'" sakes.

I've had many thoughts cross my mind today. Some good, some bad. I'm experiencing technical difficulties with our new computer. I can't wait for a fresh start tomorrow. I'm hoping for a less stressful day and I'm keeping Glenn in my prayers as he goes in for open heart sugery in the morning. Chrissy is in my prayers too, as she has to try to slow down her workaholic husband. Love you, little sister! :)

A weird sort of day...

2009-02-22T22:50:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure how to describe the mood I'm in today. I'm sad, yet I'm happy. I'm hurting for those that are hurting around me, yet I'm glad that I am there to give comfort where it's needed.

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of my Nanny Highland's passing. I know she wouldn't want me to be sad, but I can't help but miss her so much. I am thankful for the memories I have, but sad that she didn't get to meet my twins. I know she would have adored them and they would have adored her. I tell them about her and I have pictures of her on my wall. My boys know that she is, "Nanny Highland" and I've told them so much about her.

I know Nanny wouldn't want me to be sad but I can't help but remember the night she had to go. I got the phone call that Nanny wasn't doing well and I got into my Honda and cried the whole way to the house. I was listening to a Dixie Chicks CD, wondering about what was to come that night, crying, not wanting to lose her but wanting her to be free of her ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). No more suffering. When I got to the house, she was already gone. The family sat there, together, mourning such a great loss. I don't think it really sunk in right away to Pappy or he was trying so hard to hide his sadness. It was an indescribable experience for me, having all of my aunts and uncles, my grandfather, and my dad all together, as a family, supporting each other in our sadness. The closeness, love, and comfort was sureal.

Reflecting on that night and seeing the difference in my family today is just heart wrenching. Seven years later, we had to say goodbye to Pappy Highland. He went to be with Nanny. It brings me to tears, today, that it is almost 3 years since his passing and the family couldn't be more divided. The house, that was once filled with love and the smell of Nanny's Sunday dinner now sits mostly empty. Just a few of Nanny and Pappy's possessions sit in piles on the floor. Waiting. Just thinking of it, is like mourning my losses all over again. You can't put a price on some things, no matter what their worth in money. Memories and things that Nanny and Pappy once had are now just sitting there all because the family is in disagreement. I don't like to choose sides and it's not my battle, but I can't help but be torn up inside just thinking how upsetting this would be to my grandparents.

I know I've been bad with keeping up, and I probably don't have many readers, but if there is anyone out there that's made it this far, please pray for my family. We need resolution. When the house does finally sell, we will be mourning another loss. I wish it wouldn't have to be dragged out like this, prolonging the pain.

Entertainment

2009-01-29T23:17:00.003-05:00

I was so entertained by the squirrels in my back yard today. There is an icy coating on top of the snow and the squirrels are not heavy enough to penetrate the ice. I counted about 8 of them out there at one time.

I didn't see the hole at first, but one of them must have dug to get at something underneath. (I throw bread and other goodies out there for them.) It was so cute to see them go into the hole and "disappear". lol

Alright, I agree with what you are thinking.....I really need to get a life! LOL

Here are some pics I took. Some are darker because of the shadow cast by the house. I didn't feel like brightening them up in Photo Shop. (Shame on me!)

Quote of the day.....

2009-01-27T23:09:00.000-05:00

Corey: "I love learning about Jesus".

*sigh* I love that he is learning so much at Good News Club and is so anxious to go.

A visit to the dentist

2009-01-27T23:00:00.000-05:00

I had an appointment at the dentist today. I drove there, even though it is within walking distance from my house. (Too cold or I would've walked!) I am thankful that my teeth are not nearly as bad as I thought. I do, however, need to go back next week. Not for fillings or drillings. I am getting an impression of my bottom teeth done. I've been wearing a night guard on my teeth to hopefully stop the grinding/clenching. My dentist wants me to wear a "good" one and I should wear it during the day AND at night. Unfortunately, our health insurance doesn't cover this. It will cost me $150. If it works, it will be money well spent. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Lessons.....

2009-01-23T22:38:00.002-05:00

This is not the first time that Dennis has fallen asleep sitting up. This is also not the first time that the boys piled things on him as he slept. You'd think by now he'd learn his lesson. I'm sure, once he sees this pic, he'll be more careful next time!

It seems like this past week was about lessons or learning new things.

I've learned that if you stay up late, you won't feel like waking early in the morning. (duh, you'd think I'd figured that one out by now.)

I've also learned that FaceBook is addicting and can make one stay up much later at night than they'd like to.

I'm hoping that Trevor has learned that when something just doesn't seem right about your car, you get it looked at. Dad is a "free" mechanic. Trevor neglected to say anything about his back tire not going forward. He drove the car, dragging that tire until it blew. He was without a car for 2 days until we could get it towed home and fixed. (It was the emergency brake that caused the problem).

Corey and Collin (and the rest of the tiger scouts!) have learned that scrapbooking is fun! We had a den meeting this past Wed. night and they really had fun! (So did I!)

Brad has learned patience. He had Dennis order him some things online and when we check the order status, it's on backorder. His things should be shipped by next Tues.

There are plenty more lessons to be learned, no matter what our age. I've had a few "duh" moments this past week and it makes me wonder why it has taken me so long to figure some things out that I should've already known. I think it is hereditary, since Brad usually seems to be in a world of his own as well. (poor kid doesn't know what he's in for if he turns out just like me. lol)

So, in this book of Moyer history, we have a few chapters. Who cares if they're not in order? We all know how to "dog ear" the pages! :)

WARNING: Disturbing photos in this post!

2009-01-16T23:23:00.003-05:00

I really think Bradley needs some help in the "orgnization" department! Holy Cow! He needed me to sign some papers for school, so he pulled his binder out of his backpack to retrieve the papers. My jaw still hurts from when it hit the table. I could not believe what I saw!

Maybe because I am female, or maybe it was the Trapper Keeper I had "back in the day", but I NEVER had a binder/notebook (whatever you'd like to call it) look like his. I can remember having a folder for each subject. Every paper in chronological order, and if I didn't like my handwriting on a paper, I'd re-write until it met my standards. (I always received compliments on my handwriting, although with the invention of the computer it's hard for me to prove it now. lol)

The kids are home from school until Tuesday, so this gives us (hopefully) enough time to sort through that beast. If I do not return, please come look for me in Brad's binder. (It just might swallow me up!) YIKES!!

I can honestly say that I've never seen anything like this before in my entire life. When I asked Brad about it, he told me that one of his teacher's took it to another teacher to show them as well. Oh my!

June 27th......

2009-01-13T23:07:00.002-05:00

I just heard it on the radio this morning!!! Kenny Chesney will be in Philadelphia on June 27, 2009. Do I have to tell you how badly I want to go? LOL I couldn't wait for Dennis to call me at lunchtime today (he calls me every day!). He's actually thinking about it!! I'm not too crazy about Miranda Lambert or Lady Antebellum but I have time to learn to deal with them until June. *wink* I requested that this time, if we do go, I want to be right up front! (I can dream, right?) Sigh.

Bruxism....

2009-01-12T23:34:00.002-05:00

I am a grinder/clencher. I never knew there was a term for that. I did a little research tonight because it's becoming a really bad problem for me. I grind/clench almost constantly. :(

I can't give the exact date that it started, or even know how long it's been since I started, but I do remember what caused me to start. All I remember is that I was very upset and didn't want to talk to anyone. I sat quietly and it just came naturally and I've been doing it ever since. (I do know that it is well over a year now.)

When I "catch" myself doing it, I try to stop myself, only to find that seconds later, I am doing it again. It's become a real problem and I will be making myself an appt. with the dentist when I take the boys there next Monday.

I sometimes wake in the morning with my jaw "locked". I get pains in my ears and head. It's not enjoyable in the least. At night, I lie in bed and try to relax my mouth. It's almost as though my tongue is too big for my mouth (funny, it never was before). I shove my tongue against the backs of my bottom teeth and it causes suction and then I grind, and grind, and grind some more. I want to stop, I've tried to stop, but nothing seems to be working.

If anyone has any suggestions at all, I'd really love to hear them. I did a little "research" tonight, and this is what I found:

"Everybody handles excess stress differently. Some people develop an ulcer, some people develop high blood pressure, and some people grind or clench their teeth.
Stress, it's now believed, is the major cause of grinding and clenching your teeth, say dental researchers. In the past, a malocclusion (the way your teeth fit together) got the blame, and dentists would grind the teeth down, trying to readjust the bite."

"The problem with bruxism, as the habit of grinding and clenching is called, is the wear and tear on your teeth. When you grind your teeth, you can wear away tooth enamel. This can lead to sensitive teeth and tooth decay, and it can also cause damage to expensive dental work. Finally, grinding taxes the muscles and joints of the temporomandibular (jaw). Prolonged grinding may damage the jaw joint enough to cause osteoarthritis as well as bone loss in periodontal (gum) disease, although it does not actually cause gum disease."

"Teeth-grinding is thought to be hereditary. It's also related to gender: Three times as many women as men grind their teeth. Bruxism is most common in those between 20 and 40 years of age."

Yes, that's me.....to a "T".

Seven.....

2009-01-11T23:13:00.004-05:00

Today, Corey and Collin turned seven. My "babies" are not "babies" anymore. It saddens me some but I can also remember a time when I was looking forward to them getting older. It was quite difficult when they were infants. It was tough, at times, when they were toddlers. Now, for me to say that they are seven just doesn't seem real. I won't lie, I miss my babies.

Here are 7 little facts about my boys:

Corey is:

compassionate
funny
always hungry
doing very well in school
a Cub Scout
creative
left-handed

Collin is:

daring
active
a Cub Scout
a little shy at times
doing well in school
funny
right-handed

For their birthday, they got to pick what they wanted for supper. It's funny just how alike, yet so different they can be. Corey chose Chicken Nuggets with cheese and Shells and Cheese. Collin chose Chicken Nuggets (plain), mashed potatoes, and corn. I also asked them what kind of cake they wanted. Corey chose Chocolate with peanutbutter icing, Collin chose Vanilla with peanutbutter icing.

Since their birthday fell on a Sunday this year, they will be taking cupcakes to school tomorrow. I needed 19 for Collin's class (that includes the teacher). Corey needed 20 but requested more. He wants to give cupcakes to the kids in the Life Skills class that come into his class from time to time. I love the fact that he thought of these children and how he sees them as equals. He doesn't treat them any differently, despite their disabilites. Some kids can be cruel, but not Corey. He's such a sweetheart!

Happy Birthday Corey and Collin! Remember, you will always be my babies! (Like it or not! *wink*)

Nicky's Out!!

2009-01-10T22:36:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure exactly what time the snow started, but it was snowing when I woke up and it continued throughout the day. Snow is so pretty to look at but since I've gotten older I really don't like to be out in it for long if I can help it. I just don't like the cold! Eeek!

One thing that hasn't changed is that I love to watch the snow and I get excited to see the snow. I tell the kids to look out the window like it's their first time seeing it. I've learned that this may just be hereditary. lol My grandparents (Mom's parents) used to get their kids to look out of the window to see the snow. For many years, I can remember that everytime it snowed, Pappy Frohnheiser or Aunt Linda, and then eventually my mom once I was out on my own, would call and say, "Nicky's out". It wasn't until about 2 months ago that I found out what they were actually saying.

When my mom and her siblings grew up, they had a dog, named, "Nicky". He went on to doggy heaven. When it would snow, my grandparents would tell their kids that "Nicky's out" to get their attention and to get them to look outside to be surprised by the snow.

To this day, I still receive phone calls and I've even made some calls to family to say that, "Nicky's out". I guess it's tradition or maybe just weird, I don't know. What I do know is that I love the opportunity it gives for me to call family members. It is also a reminder to me of my grandparents. It puts a smile on my face and a warm feeling in my heart.

I can't wait (ok, maybe I can) for my boys to go out on their own so I can call them and tell them that Nicky's out.

Better late than never.....Christmas Day 2008

2009-01-09T13:49:00.008-05:00

I won't make excuses, I wanted to post this sooner. It just didn't happen. Christmas 2008 will go down in Moyer history as one of the best Christmases ever! The boys were excited about all of the gifts they received and I was excited to see them that way. Christmas came so fast and I wish it could've lasted longer.

Santa was here!

Bradley trying to open his gift from Trevor.

(Trevor used lots of tape!)

Collin went for the big one first....

One to share!

Corey got a big truck too!

Another one to share....

Collin & his popcorn....

A gift for the whole family.

Trevor chose not to be in this pic.

I did get him playing with the family gift!

(Guitar Hero World Tour)

Every gift unwrapped....

Including Trevor's tires.

(Yes, we did get him tires. He needed them more than money in a card.)

Corey & Collin playing with the gift they got from Trevor.

Some assembly required!

A new recipe in order?

2009-01-09T11:30:00.003-05:00

I made several kinds of cookies for Christmas. I used a different recipe for the peanutbutter cookies and they weren't quite the same as others I've baked. It was obvious that the family thought the same, since they really haven't been eating them. I don't know the expiration date on Christmas cookies, so I figured rather than have them totally wasted I'd just toss them into the yard for the animals.

Well, let me tell you, they LOVE them! I've got so many birds and squirrels dining out there right now. LOL

I'm thinking next year, if I use that same recipe, I'll put some bird seed in them!

My brave boy

2009-01-06T22:29:00.006-05:00

Today Collin had to go to the hospital for tests to determine if he has reflux. He's been complaining that his stomach hurts quite often and at times he'd vomit. It would happen mostly in the morning and as soon as he'd say he was sick, he'd be absolutely fine the next.

We had a great nurse, her name was Donna. She told Collin everything that would happen during the test and even answered his questions about the big machines in the room. (He had an upper GI and a barrium swallow done.)

I was a bit worried that he would vomit from the barrium. It's chalky and thick and I've heard it doesn't taste good. Collin certainly proved me wrong. He took it like a champ! Donna had to leave and go to the OR, so another nurse, Heather, came in and she was just as nice. Collin even impressed the radiologist with how well he did. At times, they'd tell him to swallow, swallow, swallow like he was very thirsty. He did it! He was excited to see the black blobs on the screen which was his throat and stomach.

Collin couldn't have anything to eat or drink before the tests, so once it was done and he did so well, we went to the cafeteria at the hospital for some apple juice. We were hoping to see Aunt Chrissy there, but she had the day off. I showed him where Trevor works too. Trevor wasn't there yet, he'd get there at 11:30am. We saw Irene and she waved to us. (She's a nice lady!)

From there, we went to the gift shop where Collin requested 2 toy trucks. (One for his brother, of course). How could I say no? lol His next request was "the little gas station". Again, I bought some more junk (in 2's).

After spoiling him, I asked if he wanted to go to school. He decided he wanted to stay home. When we got home we found out that school was letting out early due to the icy weather coming. That sealed the deal! lol He couldn't wait for Corey to get home to tell him all about the tests and to show him the pics I took and to give him his prizes.

Here is my brave boy.

Donna explaining everything to Collin.

Collin wanted his picture taken to show everyone the big x-ray machine.

The lead wall that the radiologist stands behind (for his own safety).

The window that I watched from.

The tv screen that Collin could see where the barrium was going.

The barrium entering his stomach.

Collin after the tests. His lips are a chalky white from the barrium. (I love that after all of that he can still smile!)

A few hours after the tests were done, Dr. Ambani called us to let us know that the tests did not show reflux. The dr. thinks Collin's problem is due to him having a "nervous stomach" at times or that it is a psychological problem. I was hoping for answers, but relieved to know that my boy didn't have more serious problems with his stomach. We are giving him Children's Tums occassionally and we'll work on getting to the root of this problem.

Here I am again

2009-01-05T23:36:00.002-05:00

It's late and I should be in bed. I have my sleep schedule all out of whack due to the boys' Christmas vacation. (Bad mom!)

Today was a pretty normal day. The boys were excited to tell me all about their day at school and I could only wish that they would've shown the same kind of excitement about their homework.

Collin showed me his Penn State football cards, given to him from his principal. He had lunch with him today. Collin was student of the month last month but due to weather, etc. the luncheon had to be postponed to today. Big sigh, he wasn't in trouble. lol

The boys are now learning about penguins. I was amazed by how interested they seem to be about them. They gave me lots of info and told me of several kinds of penguins. Corey even quizzed me about them! :)

Well, that's all for today. I am very tired and have a busy day planned for tomorrow.

Busy, but not too busy to celebrate!

2009-01-04T23:22:00.004-05:00

Busy, busy day today! I really didn't get much of a chance to sit still. I woke early this morning in preparation for tomorrow. Back to school! (yay!) In between loads of laundry I took down my outside Christmas decorations, cleaned up (but didn't complete) Corey and Collin's beddroom, baked a birthday cake, and made a birthday dinner, gave the boys a bath, and picked up here and there. Whew! Tomorrow just might be a day off for me. *wink*

As I mentioned, I baked a birthday cake today. Today, my son, Bradley is officially a teen. He requested a chocolate cake with peanutbutter icing. Of course, I made the cake from scratch, a box mix just wouldn't taste the same. Bradley also got to choose whatever he wanted for supper. He chose haddock and baked potatoes.

I don't know where those 13 years have gone. I think back and remember how he used to enjoy singing and dancing to Barney. He wouldn't be caught dead watching that now. lol I worried about how he'd do when he first started school. He couldn't even hold a pencil, due to his elevated lead level from the house we lived in throughout my preganancy and until he was a yearr and a half old. It didn't take him long, and he showed us just what he could do. His penmanship hasn't changed much since that day. (Yikes, it's horrid!)

"Brad" is our "thinker". His wheels are always spinning. He thinks of things that I would never give any thought to. He is our "science boy" and really does well in that subject. You could ask him why the sky is blue and he'll tell you. lol I think the boy is brilliant. When he applies himself, he's a genius!

Brad is a Boy Scout and his plans are to go all the way and earn his Eagle Badge. I know he will succeed in that. He really enjoys scouts and has been in it from the start, as a Tiger Cub. He's looking forward to next year, when he's 14, so he can join a Venturing Crew. I'm so proud of him!

Now, when it comes to Bradley's temper....that's another story. He loves to pick fights with his younger brothers and will never let them get the best of him. No one can. He's got an answer for everything and he's always got to have the last word. He can be quite hard-headed.

Brad spends most of his time on the phone with his best friend, Blake. Those two can talk for hours. I'm glad he has such a great friend, since Brad hasn't really figured out just where he fits in. He is angered by classmates that get special treatment because of "who" they are. (I think that's his biggest peeve.)

Brad and I share a special bond. We really enjoy making parodies to songs, we love our times together, just the two of us, in the car. We are so goofy! lol We speak to each other using different accents. (Oh, we sound so bad, but laughing sounds the same in any language!)

There is so much more that I could go on and on about Brad. I love him dearly and miss the times when I could kiss all of his boo-boo's away. He won't allow me to do that anymore. I am not "allowed" to show him any kind of affection, especially in public. lol

It's getting late now and I am exhausted. I'm going to bed. Happy Birthday Bradley! I love you! (Ha! Now everyone knows!) May all of your birthday wishes come true!

Blabbering.....

2009-01-04T00:22:00.004-05:00

I am just getting ready to finally head to bed. I've wanted to blog at other times of the day, other than real late at night, but I've been busy today (again!).

I just looked at the clock. It's hard to believe that 13 years ago at this time (a little after midnight), I was in labor with Bradley. I was on my way to the hospital, if not there already (we had to stop at Mom's and drop Trevor off). My how time flies!

Today started off slow but then before long I was busy. I've been trying to keep up with the housework but it's nearly impossible. My boys are slobs. Seriously. It was a total pig sty in here. That is, until Dennis' dad called and said he'd be visiting. LOL I got it spruced up in here in a hurry!

I do have an excuse for some of the mess. I am finally going to have a dining room again! For quite a while it had been filled with small desks and a small table and chairs. It was mainly used for the computers and Corey and Collin's things.

We went to Ahner's Used Furniture just to check out what he had. We found an oak set that has only 4 chairs, but it was affordable. Dennis thinks that with a little TLC, we can make it look really good or like new. We have 2 extra chairs from previous kitchen sets, so we have enough. Not only that, did I mention, we have a dining room again? *wink* We can easily fit 2 more chairs at the dining room table. :)

We moved the hutch into the dining room, but there is lots more to be done. I don't have nice dishes to display so I am finding things here and there to put in it, without making it look cluttered. It's a work in progress. I'd also like to get a nice tablecloth for the table and we're hoping to paint walls real soon.

Tomorrow will not only be Bradley's birthday, but it will be laundry day too. (did you see me roll my eyes?) The boys go back to school on Monday so I don't want to be searching for socks and fighting to open my eyes at the same time. I know it will be rough getting up since we've been quite lax on the sleep schedule while on vacation.

I didn't forget, and I hope to post pics and such from the holidays. I've got to pull myself away from Facebook. I've become an addict! lol

Here we go again......

2009-01-02T23:14:00.002-05:00

Maybe it's because it's the start of the New Year? Another "new start". I've done it again. I've neglected this blog! (Shame on me!) With any luck at all, this new year and fresh start will make me a better blogger.

Today was a "normal" day in the Moyer household. Corey and Collin are our early risers. Brad woke up around 3pm (yes, that IS 3PM!) and Trevor woke up a little past 5pm! I believe they set some new records! I'm thinking they may be nocturnal? Ugh. This will be changing real soon since school starts back up on the 5th.

I did my usual and then some. I straightened up, did some dishes and I dismantled and put away the train and platform. This was no easy task since putting it away meant I had to empty the entire contents of the living room closet. We cannot store it in our damp basement and that was the only other place to put it. Thankfully, it all fit and it is safely stored until next year.

The "Birthday Season" is upon us. Bradley will be 13 on Sunday, and Corey and Collin will be 7 exactly a week later! So weird to think about. Where have my babies gone? :(

Today I received a phone call from the hospital. Collin is now scheduled for an Upper GI and a Barium Swallow on Jan. 6th. We suspect reflux. I will update as we learn more.

I am hoping to return here tomorrow and post some highlights from our holiday celebrations.

Good night.

Ho Hum

2008-10-21T22:45:00.004-04:00

I don't like that I don't get to blog very much lately. I get so tired at night (like now...ugh) and I mean to post more often, but I don't. I hope to do some updating soon.

Tonight, I will share a scrapbook page that I did a few weeks ago. I will update and post the credits soon. Somehow, I lost the paper that I wrote them on.

Credits: Template by Tami from TemplateScrapallye Spattered Stripes Background and Pitch That Sofa Background by Suzanne C. Walker (DSP) Font: Highland Perk

(BTW, my brother, Ted, and I are still very close but we don't run around in diapers anymore. lol) I love ya, Big Brother! :)

Marriage.....

2008-10-07T22:04:00.002-04:00

This morning, Corey and Collin were up early. I didn't have to wake them. (That's unusual!) I was doing my own thing, folding laundry, when Corey came into the laundry room with a question for me. He asked me how old I would be when he was 18. I'm not one for math, especially so early in the morning, so without much thought, I just told him 50. He was fine with that answer so we let it go at that. He then told me that Trevor is 18, so he's old enough to be married. He then walked into the kitchen to his brother.

Corey told Collin that Trevor is 18 and he's old enough to get married. Collin added that when Trevor was 17, he could have had a girlfriend and then marry her at 18. Corey agreed and then asked Collin if he would get married when he was 18. Collin said, "yes". Corey then asked him, "Who would you marry"? I couldn't wait to hear the answer, it was such a cute conversation. Collin responded with, "Mom". To which Corey replied, "You can't marry Mom! She'll be 5o!"

My sweet little boys are just too much. LOL I still laugh just thinking about it. They will make fine husbands one day, but let's not rush it! :)

A patriotic song with a little buzz....

2008-10-02T22:17:00.004-04:00

Just before his shower tonight, Collin was telling us that at school, every day, his class says The Pledge of Allegiance and then they sing a song. When he told us the title of the song we held in our laugh until he was down the hallway and we anxiously awaited his return so he could sing to us. What song did he sing?............

"My Country Tis A Bee"

It was the most beautiful rendition of "My Country Tis of Thee" that we've ever heard. (We also enjoyed the sweet land of liverty part!)

He's just so darn cute! :)

First Den Meeting as Tiger Cubs

2008-10-01T23:36:00.000-04:00

As the Akelas (parent partners) to our little Tiger Cubs, we wanted to make our Den meetings as interesting and as fun as possible for our boys. We don't want them to lose interest because if they do, a meeting can quickly get out of control. Keeping things on a 6-7 year old level and keeping 7 boys busy, so far, isn't all that bad.

The Tiger Cubs

front:Corey, Aiden,

back:Michael, Jack, John, Roger, and Collin

For our first meeting as Tigers, we worked on earning our "Let's Go Outdoors" Achievment. We took a hike around the golf course and identified a few trees and we collected some leaves to be used in a project when we got back to the church (our meeting place).

When we got back to the church, Michael's dad had a project ready for the boys. They made pine cone bird feeders. After that was all cleaned up, the boys did leaf rubbings and we put them in their scrapbooks. It was a full and fun meeting and all of the boys could not wait for the next meeting! Mission Accomplished!

Ready to make pine cone feeders

Collin

Corey

Collin working on his leaf rubbing.

Corey working on his leaf rubbing.

Leader Jim reviewing what we learned tonight.

Health Insurance, a complete turn around

2008-09-26T22:44:00.002-04:00

I can remember, about a year ago, when I was so desperate for Dennis to get health insurance through his employer. We needed it soooo bad. The insurance that he had prior to that, at another employer was expensive and not so great.

Fast forward to today. I am so thankful to have this health insurance. I've already enrolled in a depression management program and I am currently waiting for my enrollment to be completed for two other programs. I should soon receive my quitting smoking packet and information, and then I'll get my packet for losing weight. I'm excited about getting healthy and I'm so happy that this all has been offered to me for FREE!!!

Today, I was even more thrilled, really it doesn't take much, but I went to an Optomitrist for an eye exam and new glasses. I've been wearing my current glasses for a little more than 6 years now.

I called on Wednesday and got an appointment for this morning at 10:30am. I am happy to report that my eyes are good and healthy and my lenses haven't changed a whole lot (my right eye was worse). I picked out frames and ordered the scratch cover for the lenses. I should have my new specs in about 2 weeks or less. Are you ready to hear how much I had to put out of my pocket???? Ok, since I've rambled so much already, I won't make you guess.....it cost me just $20!! WOO HOOO!!

I'm sure I'll share a pic when I get them. :) I had no help in picking them out, so if I look like a dork it's because I've said, many, many times, that I am not good at making decisions. LOL

"See" you all soon! ;) (pun intended)

Substitue Teachers

2008-09-12T23:22:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure why, but today Corey and Collin each had a substitute teacher. Corey loved his substitute, Mrs. Geiser. I asked Collin what his substitute teacher's name was. He then told me that he couldn't remember her whole name. He only remembered her first name. I asked what that was, and he said, "Mrs.". LOL

A great read?

2008-09-10T22:01:00.003-04:00

Not really. It's not a real magazine. My friend, Lisa, made one of these magazine covers and I really enjoyed it (she has such an adorable baby girl). I thought it would be fun to make one of Brad and my dad. (Brad still talks about how awesome Pappy's car is!) lol

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

My two little Tiger Cubs

2008-09-08T22:14:00.001-04:00

Tonight I took the boys to register for Cub Scouts. They've enjoyed going to functions and events when their big brother Brad was a Cub. I enjoy scouting just as much as the boys do and I was looking forward to this day.

Needless to say, I am now glad that we are at home and registration night is done. I missed out on most of it.

First, the Cubmaster spoke to the parents all about the pack, den, etc. All stuff that I remembered from when Brad was a cub. Then, it was time for the parents of the new cubs to get together and decide who would lead, where and when we would meet, etc.

That's when things got just a bit hectic..........The boys were playing with the other new scouts. They are friends with all of them, since they all attend the same school. Corey came over to me with red cheeks from playing, but he was also holding his hand near his mouth. He told me he had to "throw up". YIKES!!! I held my hand under his mouth because I didn't want anything to get on the carpeted floor. We made it to the bathroom and I got him all cleaned up.

I headed back to the parents to try and catch up on the discussion that I'd missed and they were telling me what they talked about when Collin came running over to me. Collin's hand was at his face, too, but he didn't have to vomit. His nose was bleeding. As soon as one of the dads saw this, he almost turned as white as a ghost. (I'm guessing he can't handle the sight of blood?)

I took Collin to the bathroom and it seemed like his nose just didn't want to stop bleeding. I couldn't take him back out to the others until it was done bleeding, especially after seeing that poor man's face.

Finally, Collin's nose stopped bleeding and we went back, only to find that all of the parents that I was to talk with had already left. The Cubmaster was still there with her son and he was playing with Corey. I bought 2 Tiger Cub books and we headed home. I'd had more than enough for one night. *sigh*

The boys are so excited about the next meeting. I'm not sure that I am. LOL

Oh, I almost forgot! The boys did earn a "map & compass" belt loop tonight. They were so proud and excited to show me the maps they made.

Both boys with their maps, books, and belt loops.

Corey

Collin (blood stains and all!)

I need more scrapping time!

2008-08-11T22:40:00.003-04:00

"Big Brother Bradley"

Credits:

"B" Template by ? (sorry, it was a blog freebie)

Papers from Liz Thompson's "Catch A Wave Kit"

"Cool in the Pool"

Credits:

The Rings background paper from "The Blues Backpack" by Jamie Rousselle

green cord and tag from Liz Thompson's "Catch A Wave" kit

foot print on tag from "Feet and Hands" by Lindsay Jane Designs

Wordart from 1HourScrap

"Young Love"

Credits:

"The Heart's View Plopper" by Kerri Erickson

Tall double flower blog freebie by Tina Chambers

I'm trying to get back into digital scrapbooking. I'm not entirely pleased with the latest pages and could pick out what I don't like about each one. I've got to stop being such a perfectionist because it's slowing me down. I've got a 4th page that is nothing spectacular, yet it's taking me so long to complete it. I'll share it when I'm done. (Hopefully soon!)

"The best summer ever"......

2008-08-01T13:31:00.002-04:00

Corey really enjoyed the "night swim" and making S'mores over a fire tonight. He said this is the best summer ever. He can't wait to go back to school and tell his friends all about it.

The boys were swimming until it got dark out already, but tonight was different. Dennis put the tiki torches all around the pool. It wasn't real bright and the water almost looked black, yet the water is crystal clear. Corey and Collin couldn't wait to put their goggles on so they could go under the water to see how it looked at night. They quickly learned that they couldn't see and this fascinated them.

We looked up into the sky at the stars and it was so neat to them and to me too. I think what I enjoyed most was the sparkle in their eyes and the happiness on their faces. It was a "priceless" moment.

I tried taking some pictures of it all, but it is nearly impossible to get a good shot in the dark. I'm sure, even without the pictures, the memory would last a long, long time. We're already looking forward to doing it again.

On this day, 9 years ago....

2008-07-31T21:52:00.000-04:00

Dennis and I were married in our back yard. Nothing fancy or spectacular, but it just the way we wanted it. Simple and sweet.

We really didn't do anything to celebrate our 9th Anniversary, but we didn't have to. It was a wonderful day none the less. I'd be lying if I said it's been 9 years of wedded bliss, we've had some pretty rough times together, but nothing that would even come close to making us part. Divorce is not in our vocabulary and we'll take on anything that is thrown at us. We always get through it, together, as it should be.

I love you, Dennis, even more today than yesterday. I look forward to growing old with you and I cherish the memories we've made and the ones to come!

Privacy....

2008-07-30T22:54:00.002-04:00

It's not often, but every once and a while, I get out the Micro Machines for the boys to play with. We don't have them within their reach for fear of them losing them or not caring for them properly. They were given to us from Uncle Allen, and they were his when he was young.

Of course, it can never be peaceful around here. Corey and Collin bicker and fight and then minutes later they are best friends again. This last time that we had the Micro Machines out, they were at each other pretty bad....that is, until big brother Brad stepped in.

He was nice about it and explained to the boys that maybe, since they are twins, and are always together, they are getting tired of playing with each other. He went on to say that maybe they just needed a little privacy.

Corey then went into his room for his "privacy". I went into the bathroom and Collin followed me in. While in the bathroom, he told me how Corey needed his privacy, etc., etc. Not a whole minute passed before Collin went into his room and I overheard him asking his brother if he was done with his privacy and did he want to go play again. Of course, Corey was done and they went back out to the living room to play some more.

A few more "privacy breaks" later, they were done playing and moved on to something else. LOL

What we learned on our summer vacation.....

2008-07-30T22:37:00.007-04:00

The boys love having books read to them and it's just as fun for me to read them. A few nights ago, they picked, "Spider's Web". It's not a story, but a book that teaches all about how a garden spider spins her web, catches bugs, and wraps them up for later.

We made a discovery, not long after reading this book. There is a garden spider just outside their bedroom window (we haven't had their window open in a long time for fear of them falling out). If we put the lamp on at night, the bugs fly up to the window and at times, get caught in the web. We witnessed this several times and the boys just got a kick out of how everything that happened in the book happened with "our" spider too! Corey went on to explain about the "spinneretts", just as the book did. I actually kind of enjoyed it myself, but I got more joy out of knowing that my boys were paying attention and are learning even on their summer vacation. :)

Here is the book:

And here is "our" spider:

An unlucky beetle:

"Never Wanted Nothing More".....

2008-07-20T19:57:00.009-04:00

....That was just one of many songs that Kenny Chesney sang at the concert last night. I was in Heaven! I've wanted to see him for so long and back in April my dad and Marilyn bought two tickets for Dennis and I to go. Dennis is not a fan of country music, but I think he left there with a whole new perspective. :)

We left the house around 10am. The concert didn't start until 3:30pm, but we wanted to get there in plenty of time and to get a good parking spot and hopefully avoid the long lines. As we got closer and closer to the Lincoln Financial Field (where the Philadelphia Eagles play) I got more and more excited. My excitement faded just a bit when we had to pay $20 just to park the van. Ugh. I'm not sure I understand that. Just imagine the money they make just on parking. Holy Cow!!

We parked in lot E but then moved to D where Michelle and her sister-in-law were. (Michelle went to school with Dennis and is the secretary where he now works.) It was under a bridge so we were shaded from the sun. Still, it was hot and humid, in the 90's but it was better than being in the direct sun.

Michelle and her sister-in-law had tickets for the sand bar (the country version of a mosh pit) so they headed in around 2:30pm. Michelle promised to get me a good pic of Kenny if she could and she'd e-mail it to me later. I was turning a bit green with envy but at the same time, her tickets cost her A LOT more! I was just happy to be there and I took some mental notes from the advice that Michelle and her SIL gave me. (I was told I could get great deals on tickets if I join the KC fan club, but they told me that's not so).

Dennis and I headed into the stadium around 3:30pm. I was in awe by the whole thing and could feel the anticipation building as we entered the stadium. I was just a few hours away from Kenny!!!

Once inside, we decided to get my shirt first and then I'd change into it in a bathroom. I knew just what shirt I wanted. It was incredibly hot in the little shop where shirts, etc. were sold. The sweat just poured off of us. It felt hotter than a sauna, although I've never been in one. LOL They didn't have the shirt I wanted but they did have the hat. I was hoping to a shirt and a hat and I was going to get a different shirt until Dennis burst my bubble. He only had a little cash on him. The hat was $40 and he could get me a light up necklace but that was it. After it was all paid for, he burst my bubble again (in this case, a bubble could be burst twice). He had just enough money for the tolls on the Turnpike to get us back home (which, by the way was $3.25).
We then went up to our seats. We had tickets for section 224, row 8, seats 3 & 4. Wow! We were pretty high up. It wasn't nearly as bad as I'd thought it would be. I have a fear of heights and one time we were at an arena for a monster truck show and we were up high and you had a feeling of falling frontward. This was not the case. There was a glass wall-type thing getting in my way, but other than that, it wasn't that bad. It was actually kind of neat!
We sat in our seats and watched Gary Allen sing 2 songs. He has a few songs that I like, but it was hard to recognize them. When he left the stage, we left our seats to get out of the sun. We then went down to the 100 level and tried to think of how we'd be able to get at least a drink. We were both hungry since neither of us ate anything at all up to this point. The food and drink prices were outrageous, just as we suspected they'd be. I remembered that I had a few dollars on my debit card and we decided to give it a try. I got a bottle of water and Dennis got a soft pretzel.

Leann Rimes came on next. She was real spunky and put on a great show. Her voice is just beautiful. She hit some high notes and it gave me goose bumps! We were still on the 100 level and we walked over to a shady place to stand. It was then that I noticed the buses below. We could tell which ones were Kenny's. There were pirate flags in the front windows, but we figured it was probably his band's bus. He wouldn't be in something so obvious. There was another bus with "Kenny Chesney Poets and Pirates" on it real big. We knew he wasn't in that one either.

We went for another walk and by this time Sammy Hagar came on stage. We didn't like him in the '80's and we didn't like him now. The first song he sang was, "I Can't Drive 55". Blah. We went for another walk and ended up back over by the buses. It was then that I met up with a woman that we'd seen a few times. She was telling me that Kenny was in the white bus and he's been in and out a few times. One time, he went down onto the floor to buy a Corona, but was mobbed by the crowds. She got a picture of him. Well, that was all I needed to hear. The whole time Sammy Hagar was on, we stood there and watched Kenny's bus. I didn't want to leave that spot and chance missing Kenny. It was then that I saw Keith Urban. I was too slow with my camera and missed the shot, but it was so exciting to see him! I then hung my camera around my neck.

We watched as people went in and out of the bus. We knew there was something going on because there were golf carts parked just so and men on radios. Just like that, the door of the bus opened and I got my camera up to my eye and there he was! I didn't have time to really focus and I couldn't help but scream, "Kenny" when I saw him. I couldn't steady the camera real good and since there was another vehicle in the way, I just got a picture of his head. Still, I was very happy!

Keith Urban started singing and it was then that we went back to the spot we were at to watch Leann. Dennis and I both watched as people just wasted the water they bought. We were so parched. We were too exhausted to even think of climbing the many flights of stairs to get to our seats. Luckily, every time we came back to this spot, there was a place for us to stand.

I really enjoyed Keith Urban. He was great! He thanked the crowd for coming and paying the high gas prices to get there. He sounded so good and sang in such a way that you felt like you were in the front row. It's hard to explain and I did get more goose bumps on my arms! He was fantastic!
Dennis wanted to leave "our spot" to go and sit down, but knowing that Kenny was up next, I wasn't leaving! lol I was right behind the last row in the 100 section. I told him he could go and sit down, but I wasn't leaving there. He stayed.

(above and below pics are of our seats

from where we were standing)

A big curtain covered the stage with the whole Poets and Pirates thing on it. Then, it lifted. I was looking for Kenny but didn't see him. There were guys on the stage with some sort of cannon-type things shooting things (I'm assuming they were bunched up shirts) into the crowd. We were no where near close enough to catch any but I imagined how lucky the people that caught them were.

The anticipation and excitement was surreal. Then, he came out. I screamed at the top of my lungs like a teenager. LOL It was just an amazing and uncontrollable feeling. He started with "Summertime", which also happens to be my ringtone, by the way. :) I sang loud and proud to each and every song! It was just amazing! The goose bumps and chills up my spine were continuous! The other songs he sang were:

Young
Big Star
Beer In Mexico
Never Wanted Nothing More
When The Sun Goes Down
No Shoes, No Shirts, No Problems
Shift Work
Wild Ride
Got A Little Crazy
Island Boy
How Forever Feels
Don't Happen Twice
Back Where I Come From
Don't Blink
Live Those Songs Again
Keg In The Closet
I Go Back
Living In Fast Forward
Anything But Mine

"Anything But Mine" was the last song he sang, and by this time, Dennis wasn't looking so good. With each song before this one, he was asking me how much longer this would go on. I was feeling pretty ill myself and quite thirsty. We watched as quite a few other people were leaving too. We were right by the steps where we came in and as much as I didn't want to, I told Dennis it would be alright to leave. As we walked (almost ran) away from the stadium, I could still hear him singing and I was a little sad, but at the same time, Dennis was getting light-headed and I was just so thirsty too.

We got to the van and we each had keys in our hands ready to unlock the doors. We each guzzled down a bottle of water in seconds. We decided to leave the lot since we'd be beating the traffic. We both admitted that we were missing the boys too. More than likely, they'd be in bed before we'd get home. We drank water and iced tea almost one after the other for the whole ride home. We didn't listen to the radio, we just talked. I was surprised that despite being hungry and thirsty, Dennis actually made some nice remarks about this experience. He admitted that Kenny sounded great live. (I already knew that since I have his "Live" CD. lol) He even said he wouldn't mind doing it again and next time, we'd have more money with us! I'll take that as having another chance to see Kenny again! WooHoo!!

Remember when....part 4 (I found another notebook)

2008-07-10T21:50:00.005-04:00

I found another notebook, a steno notebook to be exact. Today, I will take you back to 2001-2002, when we found out we were pregnant with Corey and Collin and their birth story.

June 8, 2001 - We're pregnant!

July 3, 2001 - I had an ultrasound, due to some "spotting"....We're having TWINS!!

*It's hard to see baby "A" on top, baby "B" on bottom.

"A" is Corey, "B", Collin

Their birth story:

01/10/02
8:30am - non-stress test at Gnaden Huetten Hospital. I joked with the nurses that I couldn't go into labor that night because final episode of "Survivor 3" would be on that night, a special 2-hour episode from 8-10pm, ending with the million dollar winner. Could NOT miss that!

9:50pm - Lying on the couch, "Survivor" down to the final two, WATER BROKE! No labor pains. My mom got a "little" excited and woke Dennis after aproximately 5 minutes of sleep. Mom got me a change of clothes and whil Dennis was getting ready, I called Angie (Wentz) Eidem to tell her what happened.

10:30pm - got settled into a bed in "labor room". Had small contractions, but not too regular, was about 3 and a half centimeters.

01/11/02
6:00am - finally opened to 5cm, got shot in my back to ease labor pains. (Nurse called it an "intrathecal".

abt. 7am - open to 9 and a half centimeters, taken to delivery room

7:33am - Corey Evan was born, looked really good and cried right away. After Corey was born, Dr. Miller tired to reach in and turn Colin around (he was breech), but he would not turn, could not deliver breech. Colin's heart rate dropped below 60, and they rushed to give c-section. Dennis was "shoved" out of the delivery rom, I was "knocked out". I remember them putting mask on my face, a terrible feeling of being smothered and it didn't smell good.

7:55am - Colin was born, although I was unaware of it. :(

abt. 10am - was waking up in recovery room in a "daze", could not speak right away, heard nurses commenting on my episiotomy and my I.V. was a mess (right hand). When I could finally speak, I asked how Colin was and where Dennis was. I didn't really get answers right away, but then they said Colin was on oxygen and a heart monitor and should be o.k.

abt 10:30am - I was taken to my regular room in a lot of pain and complaining of terrible pain in my belly. Chrissy (my sister) was in my room when I got there. She gave me my glasses. Then, a nurse came back in to tell me that they had to take me back to the delivery room to repair my episiotomy. I learned later, that Dr. Miller never stitched it because of rushing to do the c-section. They told me it would not hurt, but it did. Also found out that c-section was an "up & down" cut and had to be that way because it was an emergency and that was the quickest way to get Colin out. C-section was stapled with 20 staples! OUCH!

abt 10:55am - I got to see Corey, but could not hold him. I was still too groggy. Colin had a feeding tube and heart monitor on, he was brought in later for me to see.

01/12/02
abt 2pm - Catheter was taken out and potossin was stopped. Being on the pitossin was like being in labor, even though I had already deliverd my boys. Not fun.

01/13/02
I.V. was taken out

01/14/02
2:00pm - I was discharged from the hospital, but the boys had to stay. We went back later that night for feeding.

At home, I cried like a baby when I saw the nursery at home. I was shocked to see what my mom, Dennis, Ted (my brother), Terry (Ted's wife), Chrissy (my sister), my dad, and Aunt Linda (my mom's sister) were up to while I was in the hospital. Ted and Terry bought 2 beautiful dressers, bedding for the cribs ("Blue Jean Teddy" print), and material for curtains that my mom made. Dad & Marilyn (his wife) bought me a new crib and so did Rich and Polly (Dennis' dad & step-mom) but it wasn't assembled yet, that would come later. Chrissy and Aunt Linda got sweater sets and Aunt Linda won 2 stuffed animals from a "claw" machine at Wal-Mart. Diane Moser (a friend and Chrissy's neighbor) got 2 blue buntings for the boys. It was awesome! I can never thank them enough! (I feel lke the luckiest person in the world!)

01/16/02
abt 9am - Dr. Ambani called and said we should be able to bring BOTH boys home sometime this morning after bili ruben results.

11:30am - Both boys can come home! Nurse called and said my "little giants" can come home!

*Collin on the left, Corey on the right*

*Collin*

*Corey*

*Collin on the left, Corey on the right*

*Not written down, but I remember- Uncle Bub was there when the boys were being discharged. The nurse, Patty, suggested that I spell "Colin" with a second "L". She said people would probably pronounce his name like "colon". I asked Dennis what he wanted to do, and as usual, he let it up to me. Uncle Bub agreed with the nurse, so I added the second "L". I really didn't care much about spelling at the time. I was just anxious to take my boys home.

?:??pm - Corey peed and got dad all wet. Dad's 1st "golden shower"!

01/17/02
11:00am - We went away for an appointment at W.I.C. It was a quiet trip in the car. Both boys were angels! The ladies at the W.I.C. office adored them and commented on how cute the boys are.

11:30am - We made it! We survived our first 24 hours at home. Corey and Collin are to be woken up every 3 hours for feeding. Both are drinking from 1 to 1 3/4 oz. of formula. Collin is the more sluggish eater and neither of the boys will eat as good for dad as they do for mom.

01/18/02
One week old today!

01/20/02
Baby shower! It was a total surprise! I thought my mom's friend was coming to see the boys and that was why she forced me into the shower. I was in Corey and Collin's room, hanging pictures on the walls and when I came out, everyone was in the living room and dining room. I was told that everyone met at Wal-Mart so they would get here at the same time. Chrissy put blue balloons on her car so everyone knew it was her. Those here were: my mom, Chrissy & Alyssa, Aunt Linda & Katie, Polly, Roxy, Ashlee, Amanda, Abbi, Steph & Josh, Raymond & Petey, Angie, Amber, & Sammy, Lois, Dad, Marilyn & Sammy, Uncle Leon & Aunt Pat, Sue & Betty, Aunt Betty & Savannah, Brook & Lucas.

*I didn't have this written down, but it's something I'll always remember. Marilyn (Dad's wife) had a heart attack at my shower. It was so scary. It seemed like it took forever for the ambulance to get here. She ended up having by-pass surgery and she felt that she ruined my shower. She didn't and we were all glad that she recovered.

01/22/02
Our first appointment with Dr. Ambani (pediatrician). Uncle Leon went along to help me. I got down to the last step out front and I fell with Corey. Luckily, I took the brunt of the fall and it was like nothing even happened. Corey never made a sound. Dr. Ambani weighed and measured. Corey: 5lbs. 8 oz. , 19 1/4 inches. Collin: 5lbs. 3oz., 18 1/4 inches.

Happiness

2008-07-06T22:42:00.002-04:00

I like laptops. I am now in my bedroom as I type this. It was just too darn hot in the dining room. Dennis has the air conditioner on in here and it feels nice.

Tonight I'm in a pretty good mood. A little bored, maybe, but happy. I like the way it feels and it's nice that family and friends are noticing the change in me. I've noticed it too, but I didn't realize that it would be so obvious to others.

Dennis and I cut Uncle Leon's grass tonight. Uncle Leon is to take it easy for a few weeks since having stents put in his heart. He had 2 blockages. It really feels good when he and Aunt Pat tell me that I look good and just seem so much happier. They've noticed. What they probably didn't realize is that my happiness is also because I was doing them a favor. I'm happiest when I can help, and so is Dennis.

Since I'm feeling kind of happy tonight (and maybe a little bored, too) I want to make a list of some of the "little" things and even the "big" things that make me happy.

Happiness is........(in no particular order, of course)

Hugs with that little extra squeeze
A good hair day
Having a mom that totally "gets" me
Dennis's change in mood lately (happiness is contagious!)
Taking Brad to Boy Scouts
Time to myself while Brad is at Scouts
Playing with Corey and Collin
Catching fireflies and then letting them go
My "wanna-be" garden
Swimming in the pool
Quiet times at night on the front steps
My Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins and the closeness we share
My friends that are always there for me
Flip flops
Kenny Chesney
My camera
Kind strangers, you know, the ones that smile and hold the door for you
Old photographs
Family get-togethers
My brother's jokes
Being with my sister
My nieces and nephews
Thinking about grandchildren (someday, let's not rush it!)
Honeysuckle
Rain drops
Kittens
Puppies
Summertime
My backyard and the animals that visit
Learning more about my family
Knowing that there is a God
My blog (I can ramble all I want! lol)
Memories
Clothing that still fits from season to season
Mowing grass
My iPod
Krispy Kremes
Butterflies
Aunt Betty's Sour Potato Soup
Decorating for the holidays
Bedtime stories
Laughing at the kids' jokes, even when they don't make any sense
Candle light
A new pair of shoes
Visiting family and friends
Giving up your space in line for the person with less items behind you
Letters, postcards, and cards
Accomplishments
The beach
Birds chirping
Garbonzo beans and French dressing
Old "home movies"
Warm apple pie ala mode
Singing in the car
Raisinettes
Camping
S'Mores!
Scrapbooking
Air conditioners
Learning something new

Oh, I could go on and on, but I will leave it at this tonight. I have a few other places I'd like to visit online tonight before I go to bed.

Enjoy!

The "Old Me"...part 1

2008-07-03T13:54:00.003-04:00

As you've noticed, I've been entering stories from some of the notebooks that I've written in. I'm calling this one part 1 because there could be more. I almost want to say, "unfortunately", I've found some from when I would write about myself, but I'm a "new me" and I can look back at this and see just how far I've come. I'm not sure when exactly I wrote this, but I can remember times that I'd just grab the nearest notebook and let the pen take over. I feel a bit sad for the "old me", but I'm so happy that I'm coming around!

Here goes:

It has to be a mental illness that I have. I need help, but I don't know where to get it. Our "quack", Dr. Durako doesn't seem to do much but at the same time I can't put all of the blame on him. I need meds, he gives me meds. I DON'T take the meds. I don't want to. The shame and embarrassment are holding me back.

I can't think straight, I have a hard time concentrating. I feel sometimes that the world is out to get me. I can't have total happiness, just partial happiness.

I am shaking inside, my palms are sweaty. I feel like I have a fever. My heart is broken, almost shattered.
too
What the h*ll happened to my life?? How can I possibly repair it? I don't want pills, I don't see how a pill could have such powers?

I am nothing, always have been and always will be. I do nothing. I say nothing. I sit back and let it all take over me. Why can't I be stronger?

I've done so much wrong that I can't make right. I can't change the past and I'm too stupid to try and change to better my future.

I have no friends.

I have no job.

I have no support at home.

I don't want pity. I want to feel important. I want to be happy with who I am, but I can't. Happiness is not allowed. I don't know how to be happy. I've screwed up so many things. How can I or why should I be happy when my own husband is tired of me? Why do I just sit here and wait for him to say we're done? Why can't I stand up to him and show him that what I do is not worthless? Why does he make me so afraid? I can't talk to him and if there's no communication, what's the point? I think he needs help too, but I couldn't tell him that. I don't know how to say it, or God forbid, it should come out of my mouth wrong. He might think I was trying to correct his faults. We all have faults, but his mind is telling him that the ones who love him most are the ones that are out to get him.

I don't feel at all like a woman. I don't look the part, either. I am fat and so unappealing. I can do something about it, but I don't. I like food too much, and bad foods at that. At my pity party I will tell everyone ho I wear hand-me-down bras. No, bras don't make you a woman, but I'd feel a little better having "my own". I don't even know how to shop for them. I don't know my size, but I know that it's something between a "Chrissy" and a "Linda". Oh, and if I talk to Dennis about this, he will get mad. He'd ask me, in a not-so-nice way, "Why don't you go and buy some then?" Like we have all kinds of money to go and do this. I feel a lot of guilt when I buy something for myself. I'm not the only one with needs in this house, and I certainly don't deserve, either.

I'm misunderstood.
It's all my fault.
I'm a disgrace.
I don't fit in.
I am fat.
I am ugly.
I can't let go.
I need a haircut.
I need a life.
I need strength.
I need people to see through my eyes what I see and to hear it how I do.
I need relief.
I need sleep.
I need to feel loved and appreciated.
I need to let go.
I need this to stop.
I need a bigger plate.
I feel trapped.
I feel fear.

Remember when...part 3

2008-07-03T13:29:00.003-04:00

12/09/04- "Buddies"
Today was kind of sweet. Corey and Collin watch "their" shows until 1pm. I get the tv from 1 to 2pm. At 2pm, it's back to being "theirs". We watch Teletubbies and then Boobah. As Teletubbies cam on, Collin went to the couch and sat down to watch. I don't even think a whole minute passed before he called out to Corey. "You sit here", as he patted his hand aside of himself on the couch. Corey eagerly ran over to the couch to sit aside of his "buddy".

Then, Collin said, "No, get closer". Corey did, and there they sat, so cute and so quiet. It's times like those that they just melt my heart! They definately do share a special bond that I don't think many others could say they've had with their siblings. The can sometimes, I say sometimes because they have their moments, too, be each other's best buddies!

? not sure of the date-
I found this written in one of my notebooks.
If I had a nickel for everytime.......

someone asked, "Are they twins?"
someone asked "Are they are identical"
someone would say, "double trouble"
someone would say, "are they yours"
someon would ask, "how do you tell them apart"
someone would say " boy are your hands full"
I'd have to say "no!" to them
they'd climb on something
I'd find a new brusie on their legs
they'd take their diapers off
someone would say, "I'm exhausted just watching you chase them around"
someone would ask, "Where are the boys?" (when I'm out alone)

Remember when...part 2

2008-07-03T13:07:00.002-04:00

2003/2004? Unsure of the date this started, but I recorded it on 07/19/04. "A Twin Thing?"
Not quite sure when it started, but it is a bit unusual. Corey and Collin have been eating at their own little table and feeding themselves for quite a while now. I give them each their plate or bowl of food and utensils and they start eating. About half-way through their meal, without saying a single word, they will both get up and switch places and just continue eating from the plate or bowl that is now in front of them.

07/18/04-"Beauty Marks"
I was holding Collin on the couch, in my lap. Corey was standing in front of us. Memmy Hedmeck was here. Corey started pointing at my arm saying, "boo-boos". Collin then investigated and said, "beauty marks"! I then asked Collin to show me his "beauty marks". He pointed to his boobies! Memmy laughed hysterically!

?/04- "Phone Conversations"
They boys love talking on their play phones. This is just one of many conversations they've had.
*before Daddy sold his truck the conversation went like this:
"Hello, Uncle Ted, Daddy's truck, yup, yup, bye"!
*after Daddy sold his truck and Uncle Ted bought a truck:
"Hello, Uncle Ted's truck, Daddy's car, yup, yup, bye"!

07/18/04- "Wasn't me"
It was morning and I heard Corey and Collin were awake. I quietly walked over to their (gated) doorway. They usually play with their toys in the morning. Their room was pretty messed up from all of the toys and clothing from their dressers that they threw around. I asked them, "Who made this mess?" Of course, Corey answered, "Braddy" (Bradley) did it!" (Already, at 2 1/2 years, it's not "their" fault.)

Remember when.... part 1

2008-07-03T12:43:00.003-04:00

I've been wanting to do this for sometime, and I'm not sure how it will work out. I have several sprial notebooks about the house with little tid-bits in them. I guess, sort of an attempt at journaling. Some things are just too funny and I don't want to forget and I figured if I put them on my blog I won't have to hunt through several notebooks to find them. They will be in this "vault".

Some I have exact dates, and some I do not. I cannot post them in order exactly since I am just finding some notebooks and putting them in here.

So, here we go......

06/04- "Rootbeer Barrels"
Bradley had a "stash" of rootbeer barrels in his backpack. Corey and Collin love going through Brad's backpack, so when they brought me a small broen rootbeer barrel I knew they were after the backpack again. I immediately told Brad to put his backpack away where Corey and Collin could not get into it.
A few hours later, I was sitting at the computer while Dennis ran to Wal-Mart for duct tape when Collin brought me another small piece of rootbeer barrel! I was just about ready to yell at Brad for not putting his backpack away, when, for some unknown reason, I decided to do a "sniff" test on the rootbeer barrel, only to find out that it was NOT a rootbeer barrel! Euuuwww!!
* Dennis had to run to Wal-Mart for duct tape because we were completely out of it. We use duct tape to keep their (C&C's) diapers on. (They can and WILL take them off when not taped!)

06/04- "Seatbelts"
I was getting a shower while ennis watched Corey and Collin so I could have a peaceful shower and because it's nearly impossible to watch them and shower at the same time.
Dennis had other things to do, so as soon as I was out of the shower, he brought them into the bedroom for me to watch them as I was getting dressed.
I was concealing myself as I dressed, and when I put my bra on they both saw it and said, "seatbelt".
A few days later, I was holding and playing with Collin on the couch. He grabbed my shirt and my bra strap stuck out. Again, he said, "seatbelt".
Kids are so funny!

06/30/04- "Looks like Daddy"
They came up with a new one today! We were lying on the floor (in hopes that they would take a nap) and then they pushed my bangs back and my forehead was showing. They thought this was funny and they called me, "Daddy". Now, when I tell them to make me look like Daddy, they push my bangs back!
*Daddy's hair has been thinning and receeding.

School Days

2008-06-06T10:52:00.000-04:00

Today was the last day of school. For Trevor, it was the VERY last, for Corey and Collin it was their last day of Kindergarten, and for Brad, his last day of 6th grade. I can't believe how quickly the time is flying right by, each year, speeding by faster and faster. I can't imagine the day that the youngest two finish High School. It's just so surreal.

Of course, I took the boys' pictures the first day of school, on August 27, 2007 so that I could have a comparison. For fun, Corey and Collin wore the same thing for the last day that they did for the first day.

August

June

The boys gave their teacher flowers for an end of the year "Thank You" gift and they gave their bus driver a gift certificate for 2 free car washes at a local car wash.

August

June

What you can't see in the pic is that Brad's voice is changing. lol

August

June

Congrats Trevor! Would've been nice if you could've shaved! ;) You know we still love you, hairy-faced or not! We're so proud of you!

Memorial Day Parade

2008-05-26T10:06:00.002-04:00

I'm so proud of my "Scout", Bradley. Today was the Memorial Day Parade, here, in Lehighton. He doesn't really like parading and complains that it hurts his feet. It's amazing how quickly his attitude changes when he is reminded of the soldiers that have fought and are fighting and how they have and are "marching" in much harsher conditions. Today, he was marching in their honor.

The parade makes two stops. One at the SS Peter & Paul Cemetery and it ends in the Gnaden Huetten/Lehighton Cemetary where they have a memorial service. I buy a Poppy every year and we get an American flag to wave as the paraders march into the cemetary. It's really moving, yet I enjoy it every year.

Just look at how much he has grown in just four years! The pic on the bottom is from when he was a Wolf Cub in 2004. He loves scouts just as much today as he did back then, and so do I! I couldn't be more proud!

Kindergarten Field Day

2008-05-23T21:12:00.002-04:00

Today was the 17th Annual Kindergarten Field Day at Corey & Collin's school. The boys and girls competed separately in a few different events. Collin came home today with five ribbons (3 second place and 2 third place), and Corey brought home two (a second place and a third place). It was so cute to watch. All of the kids had a great time and they were all rewarded for their good sportsmanship with a freeze pop. Here are just a few pics:

Sebastian and Corey in the Hula Hoop Race

Austin (he's so adorable!) in the Bean Bag Throw

All of the boys in the Ostrich Race

A nice "air" shot of C&C in the Frog Hop Race

Corey, Austin, and Collin

The whole class

The whole class making silly faces

Collin enjoying a freeze pop

Corey enjoying a freeze pop

9 months,0.3 miles, and 25 minutes later.....

2008-05-15T21:53:00.005-04:00

When I look back now, it doesn't seem like it was that long ago. So much has happened since then, yet time seems to be standing still. It shouldn't have taken so long. I am on my way, and today was a victory for me, in a way. It took 9 months and 0.3 miles, and all of about 25 minutes. Normally, I might feel shame, but I'm learning that it wouldn't be "normal" to feel that.

It was the third day of school when Brad went to Scouts that night and came out with his teeth in his hand. It was also the second to last day of us having health insurance because Dennis changed jobs. I was able to get him in to see the dentist that following day, but we couldn't get it fixed without the insurance.

From that day on, some really weird things happened to me. I never imagined I could feel like I did or that I could cry that much. I had a few panic attacks, went to the ER a few times, had all kinds of tests done, etc. I ruined Christmas, New Year's, and everyone's birthdays. I had not one piece of cake and I cried and apologized as I snapped pics of my boys' birthdays. I was a mess.

Dennis's insurance was supposed to start in October, or so we thought. He asked about it, and his employer said, November, which then changed to December. Dennis finally had insurance, but by that time, the dentist's office was closing for the holidays. Not only that, I still wasn't well enough to make appointments. I didn't know from one day to the next how I was going to feel. It really didn't matter, as it turns out, because the insurance changed as of January 1st!!! Ugh.

I had bloodwork done, more tests, lots of doctor visits, and eventually, at the end of February, beginning of March, my mom came to stay with us. She came to help me because by that time, I wasn't even able to get the boys onto the school bus. I didn't sleep well at night, I woke up with shaky knees, I felt heat in my arms and head. I was throwing up on a daily basis and had no appetite at all. I lost 18lbs in a short period of time.

It is only within the past few weeks that I've been feeling like I might be getting a little better. I've been alright to drive. I had a small panic attack at Brad's concert recently, but I made it through it. I've been well enough that I've been making appointments and plans like crazy!

Brad was hoping that last week he'd get his teeth fixed but because of his bleeding gums, the dentist just gave him a cleaning and told him to brush aggressively and come back in about 5 days. He (the dentist) didn't want the blood to stain the tooth material (I forget what he called it?).

So, after my long novel, here is Brad's before and after pics. I am smiling just as big as Brad is now. I'm so happy to see him so happy. He couldn't stop looking in the mirror.

Oh, and did I mention that the dentist is just 0.3 miles from our house (within walking distance!) and Brad's appointment was at 2:45pm and we were out of there by 3:05pm!! (Thank you, Dr. Sherry!!)

Before:

and after:

He is anxious to go to school tomorrow for all of his friends to see! He'll have to wait almost a week to show his fellow scouts. He's not sure that he'll be able to keep the nickname that they gave him......."Chip". LOL

Personality Quiz

2008-04-27T09:32:00.003-04:00

I was reading my friend Vicki's blog and she did this little quiz and I took it too. I'd have to say, it is pretty close to accurate for me. Click on the link below and see how accurate it is for you! :)

You Are An ISFP

The Artist

You are a gifted artist or musician (though your talents may be dormant right now).
You enjoy spending your free time in nature, and you are good with animals and children.
Simply put, you enjoy beauty in all its forms and live for the simple pleasures in life.
Gentle, sensitive, and compassionate - you are good at recognizing people's unspoken needs.

In love, you are quiet and sweet yet very passionate. You love easily.
You have an underlying love for all living things, and it's easy for you to accept someone into your heart.

At work, you do best in an unconventional position. You express yourself well and can work with almost anyone.
You would make a good veterinarian, pediatrician, or composer.

How you see yourself: Sympathetic, kind, and communicative

When other people don't get you, they see you as: Incompetent, insecure, and overly sensitive

What's" Your Personality Type?

Plant a tree and watch it grow.......

2008-04-26T20:16:00.015-04:00

Yesterday was Arbor Day and the boys brought home a little tree to plant. We didn't get to plant yesterday, so we planted them today. Hopefully these trees will grow and thrive with proper care from the boys. They really enjoyed planting them with a little help from Mom. :) Actually, I think I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than they did.

Here is Collin planting his tree:

It's not easy to see, but we hope to take a pic regularly so we can chart the growth of Collin's tree.

And Corey with his tree:

It's not very easy to see Corey's tree, either, but we'll take pics of his too.

Now that I think of it, it may not look like the trees are growing because my boys will be growing too. *sigh*

A little fieldtrip?

2008-04-23T22:07:00.002-04:00

There was no school today (Act 80 day), so Corey, Collin, Bradley, and I went to see Dennis at lunch time. I was more curious than any of them. The building was once a banquet hall/restaraunt before Dennis' boss bought it and turned it into "Hydra-Tech".

It really is a shame. It was such a beautiful place. The walls and trim are still somewhat nice (and PINK!) but now there are no fancy table linens. Just big ugly dirty machines and the scent of paint. Just weird.

After our visit was over we stopped at Dollar General and then went home to play outside. It's so nice to get out.

Tomorrow we are planning a visit to Mem & Jerry's house. :)

A little update...

2008-04-21T22:33:00.003-04:00

It's been forever and a day since my last entry. Ugh. I've been sort of sick and just not up to typing in all of my sadness. My last entry was in December, and that was one of the hardest times ever in my life. Not long after that, Dennis finally got health insurance and I was able to go to the doctor.

I made a few trips to the ER before and after insurance. Things were getting pretty scary for me. I didn't understand what or why I was feeling. Scary is one word to describe it. I could barely leave the couch and I'd cry and cry because of how afraid I was of the trembling that I was feeling inside.

I still wake every morning with the trembling or "shaky" knees. I just tell myself that it will pass and getting the boys ready for school sometimes keeps me busy enough to forget the shakiness for a little while.

I now see a therapist. Her name is Kim. I'm not sure that Kim is exactly helping, but at the same time, I don't want to rush my opinion. I had a session this morning and she suggested journaling. Journaling reminded me of this poor blog that I've neglected again. I hope to get better with keeping up and get better healthwise too. I'm getting there, it's just taking a lot longer than I'd imagined it would. I am also now reading "Feeling Good" by Dr. David Burns. Hopefully that will help!

I'm trying my hardest to be more positive, although at times that is very hard. It's hard some days to find happy people to surround yourself with. Dennis is miserable at his job, Trevor is angered by his work schedule, Brad hates homework, Corey and Collin don't want to come in from playing outside. It's always chaotic here.

Yesterday was a "milestone" for me. It's been 3 months since my last cigarette! I talk about it often and I'm sure some people are just sick of hearing me, but I don't think they understand just how hard it is to quit such a habit and I did it with no help. Cold Turkey!

I am happy today and hopeful. It will get better!

I hope to come back here more often and try to update as best I can. So much has been missed.

A great song!

2007-12-19T23:20:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big Carrie Underwood fan, but the words to her latest song really hit home for me. I've been doing so much worrying lately and I've got to stop. It's not healthy, and I've learned that so many times, I've worried for nothing because it works out in the end, anyway. *sigh*

****** So Small ******

What you got if you aint got love?
The kind that you just wanna give away
It's okay to open up
Go ahead and let the light shine through
I know it's hard on a rainy day
You wanna shut the world out
And just be left alone
Don't run out on your faith
Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searching for forever,
Is in your hands
When you figure out love is all that matters, after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small

It's so easy to get lost inside
A problem that seems so big, at the time
It's like a river that's so wide
It swallows you whole
While you're sittin round thinking about what you can't change
And worryin' about all the wrong things
Time's flying by, moving so fast
You better make it count, cause you can't get it back

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searchin for forever
Is in your hands
Oh, When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searchin for forever
Is in your hands
Oh, When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Oh it sure makes everything else
Seem so small

Visiting Santa

2007-12-15T22:31:00.000-05:00

Corey (left) & Collin (right)

Every year, around this time, we go to Weissport to see Santa and to let him know just what we'd like to see under our tree on Christmas morning. This is such a bittersweet thing for me. It's amazing how fast life seems to be flying by. I think back to when each of my boys was terrified to sit on this strange man's lap. I got to go through this at three different times in my life, when each of them was small.

Today, Corey and Collin gave no fuss and had no problem telling Santa what they wanted him to bring to them. They still have a bit of shyness to them when they speak, but they didn't need any coaxing to get on his lap. It saddens me that I won't have this for too much longer. They will revert back to the day that they didn't want to get on his lap, just as their big brother Brad did this year, and big brother Trevor did years before. Once you hit "that age", it's not "cool" to sit on his lap. I must admit though, even at my age, I would've like to sit on his lap and tell him my Christmas wishes. lol

Music to our ears....

2007-12-11T22:36:00.000-05:00

Corey, Collin, and I went to the Middle School to see the Christmas concert. Brad didn't join the band this year, but he did join the chorus. It was so nice and even nicer that Corey and Collin were very well behaved and enjoyed the concert.

I'm tired.....

2007-12-10T23:50:00.000-05:00

Yes, it is almost midnight, and I should be in bed. I'm tired, but not "sleepy". I am just tired of whatever it is that's going on in my body. My right side has a weird pain. It's not the kind of pain that strikes when I move a certain way, it's just a dull pain that is always there. I've been taking Ibuprofen like mad and I've tried muscle relaxers, but nothing takes it away. Ugh.

I'm tired, too, of waiting for health insurance. I'm guessing that any day now, we should get the cards in the mail, or at least some sort of documentation so that I can start making my appointments. I was hoping to be "all fixed up" by the holidays, but now I'm beginning to wonder if that will happen? What a great gift that would be!

I don't like to be such a complainer all the time. Complaining doesn't make it go away. That will be at the top of my resolution list this year.....to be more positive and complain less. I'm sure Dennis (and everyone else that knows me) will appreciate that. *Sigh*

Oh Christmas Tree

2007-12-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

We went to pick out our Christmas tree this morning. We had to go early because we didn't know when the freezing rain was to arrive.

Normally, Mem, Jerry, and Toby would go along and get their tree too, but because of the weather it was just Dennis, Corey, Collin, and I that went. It just wasn't the same. Dennis is the most impatient person I've ever known. Always in a hurry. Luckily, it didn't take us too long to find our tree.

One thing that didn't change was that we set out to get a smaller tree this year. Every year we end up cutting most of the tree to get it to fit in the stand, and in the house too. This year, just like any other year, we ended up with a 7 1/2 footer. lol I have to say, though, that this tree does seem a bit thinner than last year's.

Dennis cut the tree down in no time at all. The trunk was rather small and we are thankful since he didn't complain or do any swearing. ;)

The good, the bad, and the headless......

2007-11-28T22:03:00.000-05:00

Ahhh. The day is just about over. I was to be at Becky's for 10am for a haircut and perm (well, more like a trim). I got the boys on the bus and then did some cleaning up and Dennis was in bed. He went in late to work today because he didn't feel like he could drive to work being so tired. He's not sleeping well because his acid reflux is getting bad again. (He stayed home from work yesterday.)

Just as I was getting myself dressed and ready to go, Trevor called. He'd need a ride home from school at 9:15am. I'm pretty sure that I rolled my eyes as I told him I'd be there to pick him up. Just what I like, add some more to my "to do" list and give me something else to worry about. I never know what time to leave the house to get to Becky's because she is a bit of a distance from here. I don't like being late.

I picked him up and dropped him off at home and I was on my way. I was about 1 1/2 miles from the house when the little light on my gas guage lit up. The van is almost always on "E". Ugh. I only have enough money to pay to get my hair done and I thought about cancelling my appointment, but instead, I kept going. The way things have been going lately, I don't think running out of gas would've mattered.

I made it to Becky's, got my hair done, and got back into the van. Started her up, and sure enough, the light was still lit. (Guess I was hoping the van could run on the perm fumes from my hair?) I called Dennis to see if he was awake and ready to go to work, told him of my fuel situation and of course, his memory of the fuel guage was much different. He told me to call him if I ran out of gas. (That way he could run his gas out coming to get me and lose some more time from work.) I assured him of my faith in my van and my thoughts about a faulty guage and that I'd find a way home. No worries.

As I turned onto our road, I thanked God for getting me home.

I did some more cleaning up (it messes itself in here), had some lunch (left-overs) and then watched a bit of tv. Actually, I think I dozed off a bit. Then, my cell phone rang. It was Dennis. He called to make sure I made it home and to tell me that we will have health insurance as of Dec. 1st!! YAY!! A little better still, he was also given 2 personal days. He'll use one for yesterday and he'll use the other next month for us to do our Christmas shopping.

I started supper a bit early because Brad had scouts tonight. I was repulsed by the chicken legs, but I made them anyway. (Really, they are just disgusting!!!)

Soon after that, Corey and Collin came home from school. That's when my day really gets nuts. They get their folders out of their backpacks and then there are papers scattered from one end of the living room to the other. They then go to the kitchen and want to eat everything in sight, ignoring the smell of supper in the oven that's just about done.

We ate our supper and I started on the dishes right away. As I'm doing that, just like any other night, there is constant chaos. I have to settle some arguments and keep them from getting into things they're not supposed to be in. As I cleared the plates into the garbage can, I noticed "Blitzen" was in there and he was headless! (Mom gave me "shelf sitters" of the eight reindeer.) I did some investigating (Ok, Corey tattled on Collin) and found out that Collin broke him and didn't want to tell me, so he just threw him away. UGH! I asked where his head was (the reindeer's.... but now I'm wondering if I should've asked Collin the same about his head?) and he told me he threw that away too. It looked to me like a little glue and "Blitzen" would be alright. As disgusting as it was, I dug through the garbage and as I suspected, it was a nice clean, repairable break. How exciting it was for them to watch me dig and retrieve. So exciting, in fact, that they felt the need to inspect "Blitzen" some more. I told them not to touch it. I didn't need them to chip a piece off making it impossible to fix.

Do you think they listened to me? If you guessed, "YES", you couldn't be more wrong. I had my back to the kitchen table as I washed the dishes when I heard it hit the floor. A bit scared to turn around, I did, only to find that "Blitzen's" head was now missing an ear! UGH!! Just lovely. Now what? When Dennis got home, he didn't think it was as big a deal as I did. He just couldn't understand that there are 8 reindeer, not 7. Could you sing "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and skip a day??? I don't think so!

Finally, I calmed down some and decided I'd use a broom on the kitchen floor and then sift through the dirt pile and hope to find the ear. By this time, too, there was now a pile of "reindeer ear brown" colored cat food spilled on the floor. (Give you one...ok, TWO guesses who did it....)

I went to the laundry room (next to the kitchen) for the broom, and low and behold, there it was! "Blitzen's" ear! (I admit, I was surprised that the broom was there too. They like to play with that too.)

I did a little more cleaning up, and got library books loaded into the backpacks, discovered a roll of Windex-soaked paper towels, and zipped the vaccuum through the living room real quick because of the Rice Krispies explosion that must have happened while I was searching for a reindeer ear.

Now, here I am. It's a little after 11pm. I'm tired and have to go to bed. Tomorrow morning I have another appointment, but this time there is gas in the van. I'm hoping that makes the difference for tomorrow.

*Sigh*

Two Hour Delay

2007-11-19T21:46:00.000-05:00

The boys started school 2 hours later than usual today due to the snow. I didn't even have to wake Corey and Collin this morning, they woke on their own, earlier than a "normal" school day. lol Trevor and Brad were anxiously watching the school delays and closings scrolling across the tv screen, in hopes of the school closing.

It's snowing!

2007-11-18T19:02:00.001-05:00

Corey and Collin were beyond excited this morning when they woke up to see it snowing outside. Collin couldn't wait to wake us up and asked immediately if he could get his sled out.

It's been snowing all day, and we could get 5-7 inches of the white stuff, till all is said and done. It should end by 10am tomorrow morning. The bigger two are already placing bets as to if there will be a delay tomorrow. lol

If there's enough out there tomorrow after school, I might let them get their sleds out. For toinight, though, Corey and Collin were satisfied with just a little "taste".

Theft in a small town

2007-11-17T08:17:00.000-05:00

Trevor called me yesterday around 4:45pm from a friend's cell phone to tell me that someone stole his cell phone. I wasn't sure how that could happen because he normally has it in his pocket? He was upset and near tears as he was telling me how it happened. He gave me the names of the 4 boys involved and all I could do was roll my eyes. GRRR!! Through "association", I could get in touch with 3 of the 4 culprits. It's a small town, afterall. I was a bit confused and told him that I'd have to get his brothers ready and we'd pick him up and we'd go to the police station to report it stolen.

As I was finally ready to head out the door, I received a phone call from the police. As Trevor was waiting for me, a policeman drove by and Trevor flagged him down and told him what happened. The policeman took him to the station to get a statement. Just then, Dennis came in the door and I told him what happened and he headed for the station.

In the meantime, I made a few phone calls of my own. I was going to find out what happened to the phone. As I was doing this, Dennis would call me on my cell phone to tell me what was going on at the station. The police had 2 of the boys at the station and they were obviously lying and gave their (false) statements. They knew who had the phone, but they weren't giving that information. GRRRR!!! The police spent a lot of time with one of the boys, and in the end, I think he (Officer Solt) put a pretty big scare into the boy.

Around 7:30pm, Dennis and Trevor came home. Luckily, we are "pack rats" and save everything. Trevor gave Dennis the box that his phone came in and Dennis called the police with the numbers on the box. Dennis then went to go to AT&T (cingular?) to have the phone disabled, disconnected, or whatever the word is.

In the meantime, Trevor and I still did some investigating of our own. Through a few phone calls, and thanks to the scare the police put into one of the boys, we found out just who had the phone. We called the police with the new information that we had, and we were told that the police were aware of what was going on. Two of the boys went into the station to change their statements, and they were on their way to a 3rd boys house to get the phone.

Around 8:15pm, the policeman called me back. He had the phone in his custody, but the battery is missing. The thief took it out of the phone just to be a jerk. He said he threw it in his back yard. The thief is supposed to go to the station today to give his statement. (I'm not sure that he'll even show up. He has a warrant out for his arrest to begin with.)

As it turns out, too, the thief really is no stranger. His mom was married to my uncle, years ago. The thief is no stranger to the police, either, and had he told the truth from the start, it could've made things a lot easier.

We will be pressing charges.

I need something to calm me down

2007-08-26T22:41:00.000-04:00

Seriously. I think I should see a doctor. It would not be surprised if all of what's going on doesn't send me completely over the edge!! Just the thought of it all had me a sobbing mess today (and a little yesterday, too!).

Tomorrow is the first day of school. Trevor's "first day as a Senior in high school", Brad's "first day as a 6th grader", and Corey and Collin's "very first day of school". I'm tearing up as I type this! Yikes! I guess, I'm most nervous for Corey and Collin. Well, mostly Collin. He is the least mature. I can't help but place the blame on myself. I just can't let go. (He is the youngest, afterall!)

I'm hoping, that once they are in school for a time, I can look back at this post and laugh at how worried I am (was) for nothing. I'm hoping, in posts to come, that I can write about how great they are doing.

For now, these are my thoughts and/or concerns:

Collin is least mature. He doesn't like to color. He sometimes has a hard time staying on task. He can be quite shy. He speaks softly and quickly. He angers easily. He wants to do what he wants when he wants.

Corey is more outspoken. It's sometimes hard to keep him quiet. I really don't think he'll have a hard time in school. He is quick to learn and not afraid to try new things. He is the "papa bear" type that thinks he knows what's best for everyone around him. He likes to give orders.

I will be doing this all on my own tomorrow. Dennis is going to NJ with his job and won't be home until Tuesday night. Even though it is only an "overnight" thing, I don't like it.

I'm just not ready for all of this. I feel ill.