Pictures

I promised yesterday that I would put up some pictures so you aren't just reading silly words on this thing.  Here they are finally!

Yeah, so I forgot about some pictures that were still on my camera.  Here is Cael painting some Christmas presents. 

All the cousins took a bath together over Christmas break.  Well, not ALL of them.  You'll be happy to know that Curtis, Travis & Courtney DID NOT take a bath together!  ;)

We had some pretty beautiful days here - enough so that we've been able to play outside in light jackets!  I forget sometimes that it's January!

And, of course, there has been wrestling!  We've had 2 tournaments since Christmas break.  Last weekend was a 2 day so we got to stay in a hotel.  Cael was up until 11:00 Friday night!  We had a dual on Tuesday of this week so that was another late night.  Courtney has a JV tournament Friday night & a Varsity tournament Saturday.  Cael & I are sitting out for the JV on Friday.  It's in Holton & so is the Saturday tournament.  In case you don't know my history with the Holton tournament....every year I go to the JV on Friday.  I can get there in 60 degree weather & when I leave that night, just a few hours later, it will be snowing or icy!!!  EVERY year.  NEVER fails!  And we get home late & have to get up early Saturday to go to the same place.  So this year it was either skip it & go see Grammy & Papa or go & sleep in a hotel with money we don't have.  Pretty easy decision!  So while daddy is working hard we'll be eating!  I feel bad for skipping out but I think it's for the best.  Papa was gone last weekend & will be gone for the next 2 or 3 weekends coming up so he needs some Cael time.  And Cael's been asking about Papa's house.  Cael has been doing amazing at tournaments this year!  I was worried but he has surprised me.  He just plays with his race cars....all. day. long.

Courtney is heading home this afternoon to be with our friend Alex.  Alex's dad, Jim, passed away Sunday morning.  Jim was a very nice man who will be greatly missed.  Jim, Dixie & Alex were all involved in Courtney's proposal, we used to go out there & ride horses with him & Alex was in our wedding.  Praying that they will find comfort during this difficult time.

Week 3: Organize Pantry, Spices & Food

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I already finished week 3 of my 52 week challenge.  I'm pretty proud of how it turned out and now I just have the challenge of keeping it that way.  Hmmmm....  This week I have cleaned out our Tupperware drawer & cabinet and sorted through what had lids and what didn't, what I used and what I didn't.  I now have a big box of stuff that I have to figure out what to do with.  Take them to the DAV of Salvation Army?  Take them out to the trash?  Put them in storage - NO!  I think my husband was impressed by my efforts the last couple of weeks but he of course doesn't really show it.  I get an, "Oh.  Wow."  Not even an excited Oh!  Wow!  Just an Oh.  Wow.  Oh well. 

I'm excited about next week's challenge which is organizing the freezer & fridge.  I might even start on it early - that's how excited I am!  Yes, it is nice to be home & be able to do all of this & to be home with Mr. Boy.  Having said that I also must say that I miss having somewhere to go every day.  I miss teaching.  I miss my classroom.  I miss seeing people every day that were excited to see me.  I know things will get better with my little daycare & the kids will start coming - this week is just a frustrating one.  I have a little one that comes....sometimes.  He was here every day last week but I never knew what time he was coming.  This week he hasn't shown up at all yet!  On Monday he hadn't shown up by noon so I left to run errands.  At 1:15 I get a call saying he's almost to the house so I said I would rush home.  I rushed home and got a phone call at 1:45 saying he wasn't coming.  Yesterday I called him to see what time he would be coming so I could finish errands.  He said around noon....and never showed up.  Seriously?!  I need some serious parents who are going to come when they say they are.  I need some stability for my own sanity!  Cael needs friends to come play.  I am so scared about what this decision is going to do to him in the long run it makes me sick to my stomach!  Courtney tries to tell me that he will be fine and that everything will work out.  I hope he's right.  But anyway - enough complaining.  We had a wrestling meet last night & I met a wrestler's mom who has a daycare.  She took my name & number and said she would refer people to me.  I hope I get some calls....and soon!  I have a few pics of Cael from the weekend & Monday when it was so beautiful out that I will try to post this afternoon.  As for now - I'm off to play race cars with the most important person in this house.

2012

So we're off & running with 2012.  I have decided that I need to be more organized this year.  We also have to learn how to stretch a buck with the whole work situation.  I'm trying to heal from this whole thing & I'm making strides every day.  Now I know some people (Hi Uncle Curt!) won't be too excited about these posts because they aren't of Cael doing cute things but I'm doing them anyway!  We leave this afternoon for a 2 day wrestling tournament & I PROMISE to take pictures of Cael being his normal cute self.....with his fat busted lip.  I will post them soon! 

I'm participating in a 52 week organization challenge. 
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We're in week 2 & I'm pretty proud of myself!  I know, I know, 2 weeks is nothing!  But I'm proud of myself anyway!  The first week was to clean up your kitchen counters.  This is hard!!  I'm doing it but it's hard.  The counters get so cluttered....ON THEIR OWN!....every day.  But I'm working at it.  I try to clean them off every day.  This week is to clean up cabinets & drawers in the kitchen.  I feel like I've done GREAT with this one!  I have cleaned out & organized almost all of them and plan on finishing today.  I think Courtney's pretty happy with my progress on this week - even though he won't say anything.  I'm also proud to report that we have made great strides in not spending too much $$ this week.  We have eaten at home every day (this is huge for us!).  I'm even packing a cooler for this weekend.  I've done that for the last 3 tournaments so Cael & I don't spend much at the concession stands.  Tonight we'll probably eat out but hopefully we can keep the cost low.  Gas in the van is the kicker - and buying snacks to fill the cooler.  :(  Luckily that will even last us here at the house.  I need to make myself more accountable for what I'm doing with $$ & being organized.  I'm planning on writing on here each week how I'm doing with the challenge & $$ habits.  I'm scared to death of our "new lives" but I'm jumping in feet first.  I'm doing the best I can with how things are & I am pretty proud of myself.  I would love even just 2 more full time kids but I'm working with what I've got.

I've got a 6 month old for 4 hours every day and 2 1/2 year old that I've had every day since last Thursday.  The little baby is pretty easy - except for she doesn't want to be put down very much.  Cael is so helpful with her!  He likes to try to feed her!!  The little boy is doing better.  He's a month younger than Cael and doesn't speak.  Like not at all.  He says "no" ALOT and "dah" for everything that isn't no.  He spends the first 10 minutes or so (it was about an hour!) when his dad leaves screaming and then he's fine.  Every once in a while, out of nowhere, he's start screaming & crying.  We kind of ignore him and he stops.  It's been interesting to say the least!  I have a BABY baby starting in 2 weeks.  I believe he will be about 12 weeks old (maybe) and he'll be full time.  The funny part is I'm going to be watching a student I had for 2 years & his brother every once in a while and the boy from this year that I was sooooooooo "mean" to is going to start coming for a few hours each week too!  WHAT?!?!?!  Yep - I haven't gone in to much detail but the school said I was too "mean & strict" to 1 boy.  That's pretty funny because once I was out of there his behavior got so much worse that he was sent home, ON A DAILY BASIS!  I was the 1 adult there he trusted & when I left him he got worse.  Well since then his mom has pulled him from school to homeschool him!!!  We are friends on facebook & she came over the other night!  She wants to bring him & his brother over for a few hours each week.  Wow.  I'm so mean he wants to come to my house!  But anyway - whatever.

I know I'm rambling on and on - the point is I'm trying to be more frugal & organized and I'm going to write it all down for whoever is reading this silly little blog to keep me on my toes.  Don't get too excited!  bb  bbbb

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Cael whvfvfdcxnt wanted to say hello!  I hope your 2012 is off to a great start.