It's over...almost

IT WAS A GOOD CHRISTMAS!

Well, the gifts are opened, we have ate enough cookies to obtain a similar shape of Santa himself, and our tree is crispy enough to spontaniously combust at any moment. (this is not the combustable tree by the way--we had 2 trees this year.)

Since the big day Carsen and I have been working our hardest to catch up on lost sleep from the month of December seriously, he has been sleeping in until anywhere between 9:00 to the latest being 11:10 a.m. I don't know what we are going to do when school starts up again!

Griffen on the other hand is still running on the gift adrenaline rush and waking up early to come downstairs and open the boxes that I have told him have to wait until outside time.

Like this morning when I came downstairs to find the

MAKE YOUR OWN GIANT VOLCANO!!!!!

kit all set up on the dining room table....fortunately, I caught him prior to loading it with the

HOT LAVA!!!

This kit was a gift from my sister Brandy and her family. (standby for paybacks!!)

We did have a couple of proud moments this holiday season....the best was when Carsen asked what Jesus wanted for his birthday. (Whew, maybe they are learning the true reason for the season!) Another one was when they went up on stage during the Christmas service with all the other little church kids and sang a song for the congregation....right up until Carsen screws up his little face and covers both of his ears with his hand as if he is having to endure the worst sound he has ever heard. Luckily, Griffen was standing right next to him to silently, but forcefully let Carsen know that covering your ears while performing was not acceptable and that he should place both hands in his pockets for the rest of the song. I was holding my breath at that moment because normally when Griffen trys to force Carsen to do anything it turns into a full up brawl and all I could picture was the congregation looking at my kids brawling up on stage and thinking of the Herdmans from that book The Best Christmas Pagent Ever. To my amazement this did not happen and Carsen spent the rest of the song trying to follow along very nicely to "Do you hear what I hear?" Disasterous scene diverted...it really was a good Christmas! Hoping yours was just as wonderful!!

Pictures

These are the pictures to go with one of my previous posts. Carey you are not the only one..... enjoy..

Leaving Las Vegas

Well, we made it back all in one, exhausted piece! It was a decent trip to Vegas, saw good friends, stayed out until anywhere between 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. four nights in a row. Only lost a little money, shopped, ate, saw a comedy show, danced with a bad Santa..... that pretty much sums up the Vegas trip.

Now we are back and I am sssoooo behind on the whole Christmas thing. I even got up at 4:00 a.m. to make a blanket for Griffen because that is the only time (I thought) when he would not catch me making it. Well, I was wrong. There I was sitting on the living room floor tying fleece ends together to make a fringe on a star wars blanket and I hear a funny noise in the hallway. To be honest my pulse quickened a bit because nobody else in my house would be insane enough to be up at that time so I get that "theres someone in the house" creepy feeling and just stare in the direction of it (because I watch scary movies and you NEVER go towards the creepy sound) right up until Griffen rounds the corner and I have to jump up to prevent him from seeing what I am doing. I did manage to finish it and wrap it prior to going back to bed for a couple of precious hours of sleep before we headed off to Redding, CA for Griffen's eye dr. appointment and a little more Christmas shopping which turned up nothing so I am still on the search for a couple of gifts for the kids and Wes. Wish me luck!!!!

SANTA WHO???

On Sunday our base had the Children's Christmas party. The hanger is all decorated and we have craft tables, cookie decorating tables, and many games and fun things for the kiddies. Each year one of our pilots is chosen to fly to the North Pole and retrieve Santa for this special occasion. Well, this year it was our very own Pappy! So, we were out there waiting for the arrival (which I forgot my camera of course!) and all the kids are lined up watching and waiting and here comes the jet with Santa in the back seat and after the engines shut down you could hear various kids yelling "THERE'S SANTA!" very excitedly. All but one little blonde headed boy who was yelling "THAT'S MY DAD!!!!"

Now, Santa climbs out of the jet and the kids follow him right into the hanger so they can sit on his lap and whisper all their Christmas wishes in his ear. EXCEPT ONE....who steps up to the red line and waits for his daddy to meet him on the other side and they walk hand in hand into a totally different building together. (Heart melting sigh)

Then there is Griffen who ditches me as soon as we get there for his best friend and I managed to see him all of 2 times for the next 3 hours that we were there. I finally had to stick my cell phone in his pocket so I could easily track him down!

In case you are wondering I also did my part at the party. I worked at the craft table passing out bags with stickers for decorating. It is the second year that I have worked at that table and I am very happy there as opposed to the cookie decorating table.....for anyone who may not know I gross out VERY easily. So much so that even after Halloween I was cleaning off the front step from the candy that had been strewn out there and happened to pick up a tootsie roll that was still in the wrapper but had melted and oozed out onto my hand. I literally hurled. No matter how much I told myself that it was just melted chocolate it completely grossed me out! So, there is no way I am working the cookie decorating table....kids, frosting, licking of the frosting, smearing shared licked frosting on cookies for eating. No Thank You!

UUUGGGG!!!

Saturday night was our Christmas party so we got all dressed up and went out for the night. We started at the base for the annual dinner/dancing, then on to the officers club for further cocktails and fun. Then around midnight we made plans to meet some people down at the local dance club here. Yes, we actually have one. So, we catch our ride down there and get inside. Now, within about 10 minutes my husband has left me to my own devices and gone off to secure a drink when a very tall guy dressed in his Army uniform comes up to me and I quote says, "You are really hot for an older chick." ARE YOU BAGGING ME!! Now tell me how do you respond to a comment of this nature. Some have said it's a compliment, I say when in the hell did I become an older chick??!?!??

What Novembers Over!?!!?

Yikes, what happened. It was just Halloween and now the snow is falling, my gut is full of turkey and potatoes, our lights are up outside, the tree is up and ready to be glitzed out!

I have to apologize as it has been a little while since I have written anything here. Some of it is my fault but I being the average wife have to place some of the blame on my wonderful husband! Now don't get me wrong when he does stuff like I am about to explain it is intended to "improve" things, save money, better quality, etc. etc. etc... however his timing leaves a little to be desired! As we have already talked about it is that time of year and I am making a valiant effort to have all my elves in a row, do all the online shopping to take advantage of 'free shipping days' and be completely ready for Christmas prior to 14 Dec. when Wes and I leave for a 5 day trip to Las Vegas. (Now, I know you must be thinking who in their right mind goes to Las Vegas for a vacation the week prior to Christmas!!) Well, in our defense the dates were chosen for us as we are going to a graduation of a good friend down there. SO....that explains that, now back to the why I have been absent here and that is because Wes decided to change our whole network, cable, phonelines over to another company which then in turn caused us to have to order new modems (which took a week), spend more then a few hours reinstalling and re-entering the TIVO things and working out all the other bugs that come along with changing everything over. So that pretty much took up the rest of November now I am freaking out a little because I have very few days to shop, and I am hosting the annual MOMS Club ornament/cookie exchange. Then there are the holiday parties, book exchanges, Griffen and Carsen's school stuff and I have to find something to wear to everything!! OK, OK I know I am looking for sympathy and my guess is there is none to be had! So, my wish for each of us in these hectic days prior to Christmas is this.

I wish for time....time to smell the pine from your tree, time to catch snowflakes on your tongue, time to make a snowangel with a child, time to drive around looking at lights, time to help someone less fortunate, time for your family and for your friends, time to read the Christmas story to you kids, time to decorate cookies, just time...... Take the time, make the time whatever it takes to truely celebrate this wonderful season!

CARSEN TURNS 4!!

OK, I know this is my second entry for today but I couldn't let Carsen's big day go by without a story!

So, for those that don't know today Carsen turns 4 years old. Holy Buckets!!! How'd that happen? Anyway, it has been a day full of Carsen...he woke up to Griffen and I singing Happy Birthday, then off to school so "All my friends can tell me happy birthday" Then a little friend, Claire came with us after school today and all of us went out to Wes' work for a birthday lunch together where Carsen continued to let everyone know it was his birthday and where he started singing and dancing to..

"OH YEAH, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, OH YEAH, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!"

Which was funny in and of itself but he managed to make it even a bit more funnier when Claire started to sing with him. "OH YEAH, IT'S CARSENS BIRTHDAY..."

To which Carsen quickly informed her that she was not doing it correctly. She must sing AND dance...wiggle, wiggle, shaka, shaka, jump!

He also managed to escape any birthday spankings. Each time anyone would ask if they got to give him a birthday spank his reply was: "No but how about a hug?"

SMART KID!!

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

I have arrived at the point of parenting where what I am wearing is an embarrassment to my child! I volunteer at Griffen's school every Thursday. So this morning I am there from 8:45 until 11:20 a.m. and about half way into the morning I have already tested the kids for their reading, given the whole class a spelling test and helped them grade each others papers. Now, I am standing at the front of the class listening to the teacher explain the next project when I just happen to glance at Griffen and he is looking me over from head to toe with an expression like he just caught a whiff of a porta-potty and whispers to me. "WHY are you wearing THAT!" "I don't like it." and then he looks away.

I am speechless... IT'S NOT LIKE I AM DRESSED LIKE A HOOTCHI MAMA!! It's a long, denim skirt with a brown V neck sweater and mid-calf high boots. So there it is...according to my 8 year old I am not the cool, hip mom I thought I was!

Will somebody please tell me where my kids came from??

I just returned from the initial meeting with a lady at Klamath Developmental Youth Services which is where Griffen is being sent by his school for his "disruptive behavior" for some counselling. So, after telling the therapist all the "problems" that Griffen has she had to state an initial diagnosis. Her diagnosis (without meeting him yet) is that the kid is - just - to - freakin -bright! He wants to be a perfectionist, and is possibly obsessive until he completes whatever he is working on and it is perfect or he has decided he wants to move on. He likes to be in control. (YA THINK??!!) He also is asking questions that apparently developmentally most kids don't ask or even think about until the onset of the teen years! (YAHOOO FOR US!)

Now I can confirm this because Wes had to answer Griffen's questions about sex the other night. TALK ABOUT NOT BEING READY FOR THAT CONVERSATION!! We seriously thought it would be at least around 10ish! However, we have learned that if he is asking we better give him the correct answer or we will be getting a call from someone later on because he has asked/confronted them. Like 2 weeks ago when he asked me "Why don't some of the kids in my class celebrate birthdays or Christmas?" Now I think I've got this one handled, right. "Well son, some faiths just chose not to celebrate any holidays...etc.." There that should satisfy an 8 year old. Wrong again. He waits a week and confronts one of the boys mother at the school. Asks her to show him "Where it says in the Bible not to celebrate birthdays and oh, by the way, Christmas is a celebration of Jesus' birthday!" (Seriously, he said this.) So he wants her to prove to him where is says it is wrong. She refers him to his parents who as you know already failed miserably in answering that question to any level that he finds acceptable. And so we got the phone call.....again! Oh, back to the sex question..he got basic, straight answers and he still refuses to even say any of the words to include: hug, kiss, love..because they are just too gross for him to utter. I think we are safe there for a while!

Then there's Carsen who says to me today. "Why do I always go fart, fart? Maybe, I should be named Tooter McKay" SERIOUSLY! Where did they come from??

Holiday Tip

TIP OF THE DAY: The best way to get the house cleaned from top to bottom and ready for the quickly approaching "HOLY CRAP, IT'S ALREADY HERE!!" holiday season is to throw an all ages halloween party. Seriously!

Last night was our annual Halloween trick or treat party. Fun was had by all....and by this weekend I should have all the princess/fairy dust and tootsie roll out of the carpet. Or, I figure if I don't get all the dust out we can pretend that it is magic Santa dust and have a head start on the Christmas decorating. See, I'm always thinking ahead.

As you can see Wes and I do dress up....I'm sure you are familiar with the nursery rhyme...nuff said!

It's a flood!

Ok, I am seeing a theme of my life here in these pages. You would think that I would have more to write about then poop and the bathroom but, you would be wrong! So here I go with yet another bathroom story to enliven your day.

I was busy chatting with a friend on the phone this afternoon when Carsen yelled at me from the other room. Now knowing the tone of his voice it did not seem like an emergency and being on the phone I chose ignore the initial call. ---Along with the 2nd call--- that seemed a little more stressed but still not enough to get me off the couch. THEN...there came the blood curdling scream "MOOMMMM"... which vaulted me from my phone haze and I ran around the corner to be met with a torrent of water running down the hallway..Subconsciously I think I knew that it was probably toilet water because I hesitated for just a split second before plunging through the stream when I heard Carsen scream again. I get to the bathroom and see him pressed so far up against the wall to avoid the water (which he thinks is just pee) that he has almost levitating. A strange noise is coming out of him because to his horror he is wet from "pee" from about midshin down. To include his favorite "Joshy" sandals. Now thinking on my feet I quickly turn the valve off to stop the flow and grab my traumatized child from the bathroom where the water is deep and place him in the hallway where it is only shallow. He does his best to try and scale the side of me to avoid getting any further "pee" on himself. I finally get him to the dry island called the laundry room where he continues on in shock. The rest of the story consists of large beach towels and lots of disinfectant for us all! So this brings my total up to 3 bathroom stories in approximately a week. Maybe three's a charm...or maybe not....because after all tomorrow is another day.

Livin in a boys world

You know, you think that you have it all figured out with the first kid. You will have all the answers at the ready when asked etc.etc. ..right up until the 3 year old walks in on you in the bathroom and poses the question, "Where does your pee come from?" So with my tried and true stalling style I respond, "What do you mean?" He then continues with, "Does pee come from your willy?" I then explain that "Girls don't have willy's" Hoping that this will cover it and he will move onto something else but nooooo... he then says, "Does it come from your wiener?" OH GREAT!! Now I am laughing and still not really wanting to go into any details or teach him any new words because the only thing I can think of at that moment is that one movie with the little boy that stands up in class and says "Boys have a penis, girls have a vagina." fortunately, I dodged any further bullets by placing his Batman soup in front of him. Thank goodness I bought the batman soup and not just plain noodle soup!!

This is one of those days that remind me why I love Autumn so much. Warm days, kids in costumes at a pumpkin patch does it get any better then this??

Fashion statement or victim???

So how do you tell your 8 year old that what he has chosen to wear to school is...shall we say, not cool... without hurting his self esteem/feeling etc..? Today it was a camo sweatshirt with only one black glove on. When I asked if he wanted the other his reply was "No I don't need it." REALLY You don't need it? "No really I don't need it." OK! So off I send him on his way to the bus hoping that he does not spin around and moon walk to the corner. Up until now he has not cared about what he wears therefore I have picked out everything however those days seem to be coming to an end as he is now exerting his independence on the issue. His favorite things to wear seem to be camo and his favorite color is hunters orange. I think he gets his style from his dad! It took me about 7 years and some help from my friends to make Wes realize that his favorite shirt was not the fashion statement that he thought.

Breaking the ice...

Ok so this is it. I am a blogger now. So I am going to jump right in with a poop story since it happened while I was setting this thing up. My youngest Carsen calls to me from the bathroom where he had disappeared about 10 minutes before yelling "bathroom, bathroom, bathroom" now knowing how he likes his privacy in these matters and it is not unusual for him to be in there that long I had no worries right up until the point that he opens the door and says, "little help in here" Well, after I took a deep breath knowing that it was not going to be a pleasant sight to come upon I proceeded to the door. Well, he had made it to the toilet in time but had not left enough time to put the seat down before he sitting therefore it was brown, brown all around. And there he was with his little pant around his ankles the vanilla air freshener in one hand and his socks in the other. To his credit he was trying to clean everything up with these two items. When that was not working he wisely decided to call in back up. He told me that he couldn't get it clean but it "smells good" So it is situations like these that I am learning to "respond to the situation instead of react to the situation." (tip from a parenting lecture my husband and I attended last week.) Sure I had to scrub the whole bathroom and my child but on the bright side it gave me a story to break the ice and welcome you to a slice of my life.