Archive for ◊ June, 2007 ◊

16 Jun 2007 Father’s Day Meets BBQ!!
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Can you guess what we will be doing tomorrow for Father’s Day? Well, if you know us–you know my husband is a Chef with a BBQ company with a very well known name…Sweet **** Ray! This year in their Elk Grove Restaurant they had their first Mother’s Day Brunch. I thought it sounded a little strange as BBQ restaurants would not be my first thought for Mother’s Day. Well, not only did he/they do an amazing job with the menu and the set up–but they were swamped! So much so that he called and asked if it was ok if we didn’t come. I didn’t mind not going because it would be me alone with 4 kids–and a husband too busy to be able to spend time with. But then it also meant, I didn’t get to see my husband on Mother’s Day. After the dust of the Brunch settled–the ‘regular’ crowd moved in and they were on a waiting list until after 7pm. The only reason it slowed down after 7—they ran out of food! How amazing is that? They had a TON of food–but when you mix that with a TON of eaters–it goes quick!

Well, they kept the idea of a special Brunch type thing for Father’s Day–but to totally get away from the “Brunch” aspect and move it more into the “Manly World” of Father’s Day. What could be more manly–than a Pig Roast!! Men gathered around the spit roasting their kill of the day! Images of cavemen come to mind–that and the Tim Allen “Tool Time Testosterone Grunt”! So manly–so Father’s Day–so perfect! They are really the only restaurant doing something for Father’s Day–and they have over 300 reservations. At one day out–our reservation stands at Noon–but depending on how many more reservations come in over the next few hours–we may get bumped again!

p.s.: I have to give credit to the Salina High School Class of 1962 for the “Pig” graphic. All of the images I found for a Pig Roast–were just a little too ‘REAL’ for my taste!!

15 Jun 2007 A Little Catch Up!!
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Ok, you are just getting a post about my stuff! I know–isn’t that what all of my posts are about–but honestly–this post will most likely have no real theme or direction. I worked really hard in May and with this little computer alone I made $1800. Now I have to say–even working full time before I was married with kids–I’m not sure I ever made $1800 per month. But at the same time–I also suffered a little burn out. Plus, when you are constantly TRYING to think of things to blog about–you miss a lot of the stuff you wanted to blog about! It took nearly a week for me to write about my oldest son scoring in the top 99 percentile in the country in Math and Science. Only 1% of all third graders in the USA scored better than he did in Math and Science. I keep telling him that with his natural ‘genius’ he can be anything he wants to be. For so long he wanted to be an Astronaut–then a Scientist. Anything is possible with this boy–but at 9 years old–he’s got his heart set on the NBA!! I know, I know–I keep thinking of the line from “Pursuit Of Happyness” where Will Smith’s character tells his son not to listen to anyone who tells him he can’t do something. Jake doesn’t enjoy practicing–but he loves to play basketball–and like anything else–he’s a whiz at it. But without the practice–he will go nowhere! Also, there’s the fact that his parents aren’t the tallest of folks in the world-neither of us are over 6 feet–so I’m afraid he’s probably out on that side too. I’m just hoping that he’ll be able to use his skills to get on the Jr. High or High School basketball team. There is a certain automatic acceptance and popularity that comes with that-so for him-I think it would be great!

We are still looking for a house. I’ve blogged here and there about the home I had wanted and the problems with it–and now I have one that I drove by yesterday–and I’M ACHING for it!! Mind you–we haven’t been in it yet–and that may all change–but it is actually in an area I would want to live–and the school my kids would go to scores higher than the state average in Math and Reading. So it really looks like a great school. I need to have my husband start bringing home boxes from work. After I showed the kids the house yesterday-they wanted to come home and start packing! We are going to see it on Tuesday, unless I can talk my husband into Monday. I told him I’m ready to go camp out on the lawn and tell ‘buyers’ that there were terrible things in the house–like a Meth Lab in the basement–just to keep them away from MY house!!

On my treadmill, my goal is to walk to Utah. 1500 miles! I’ve gone 5 miles so far–I know–not great–but I’m working on setting up a routine–I walk for 10 minutes on one speed, bump it up to the next one for 10 minutes, bump it up to the next one for 5 minutes of “heart” work and then I drop it down to the second setting for a 5 minute cool down. It’s a 30 minute power walk–and although I would love to be able to walk longer–at the moment–it’s all I can do! In that 30 minutes it burns over 200 calories, and I get 1.5 miles under my belt. After the routine, comes the habit. Setting the goal is one thing, but to actually work on it until the habit is formed–is quite another. Two mornings ago I walked my routine as soon as I got home from taking the kids to school. Then yesterday was the $700 day at PPP, and I sat in front of the computer until I had to go pick the kids up. We went straight out for errands, and I got home just before 9 pm. So I put the kids to bed, turned on my new movie–and I walked. It may not have been at the same time of the day–but I was happy to get it in! I’m never the ‘follow through’ gal–and I hate that!

Yesterday was my sister in law’s birthday. She’s 34 years old-she posted about getting old but still feeling young. I know exactly what she means–I think we all do. I still feel like that shy girl in the corner, and in many ways I’m still that girl. We have lived in this house for almost 5 years. The longest we’ve ever lived as a married couple. And I know the neighbor 2 doors down really well, the children 2 doors down from her, the people between them only slightly–the next house just barely–and then the people at the end of the street a little better. Other than that–I don’t know a soul in this neighborhood. Growing up all of the people that went to my church lived on our street. You had neighbors that you knew from church and school and they were just a built in community. Here the next closest member of my church is 2 miles away! My kids have their friends, but I really only have the one–plus a couple of other nice friendly acquaintances. The one thing that is amazing–my Blakelynn was born when Jake was in Miss Linda’s pre-school class. She remembers when Blakelynn was born. This year, Blake was in Miss Linda’s class–and it was so fun to have a teacher that remembered you when you were born! Those are roots–but sadly–about the only ones that we have in this area. I’m just too freaking shy to relax and get to know people! Bad ME!!

12 Jun 2007 Summer So Far!!
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Wow, it feels like forever since I posted anything–a weekend is all, but it seems longer. The kids got out of school last Friday after 1 hour-and I had them the rest of the day. I was looking forward to keeping them home this summer. They have bikes, and a basketball hoop and friends–but let me tell you after 4 hours of “at home” time—I loaded them all up, and took them to sign the oldest three up for all day summer camp! They go M-F from 9 am until 3 pm. Yesterday was the first day. IT WAS WONDERFUL! They love camp, so they were fine. They got to go swimming at their favorite pool yesterday, and they are going again later this afternoon. I came home and got all of the laundry folded. Today the job is to throw out every toy in the toy room, and get the closets set back up. We had to put all four kids in the same bedroom, it’s the only one with an air conditioner…and we moved all of the dressers and shelves to the other bedroom. So it needs some TLC and once that’s done–I’ll move all of the laundry in and keep the door chain locked so that the 2 year old doesn’t ‘dirty’ all of the clean clothes!! After those two jobs are done–my house will look AMAZINGLY better!

11 Jun 2007 End Of The Year Traditions!! (repeat)
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It’s been awhile since I posted–CRAZY DAYS!! Summer break and all! I post this over at my Cheffin’ It blog–but thought I would add it here too, since I’m here more! So if it’s a repeat–sorry!!!

Every year at the beginning of the school year I take my kid’s picture out in front of the house. Then at the end of the year they wear the same shirt as the first day for their picture in front of the house. This way you can see the growth they’ve made in one year.
So here are this years pictures! I think it’s pretty obvious which of the two is the beginning of the year!

Grayson had some anxiety problems as the school year drew closer. He was a little intimidated by the thought of a new school and 1st grade-we had a couple of really sad attacks–but after the first day of school–the anxiety was a thing of the past. He loved school the entire year!

What handsome boys!

10 Jun 2007 End Of The Year Traditions!!
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Every year at the beginning of the school year I take my kids picture out in front of the house. Then at the end of the year they wear the same shirt as the first day for their picture in front of the house. This way you can see the growth they’ve made in one year.

So here are this years pictures! I think it’s pretty obvious which of the two is the beginning of the year!

Grayson had some anxiety problems as the school year drew closer. He was a little intimidated by the thought of a new school and 1st grade-we had a couple of really sad attacks–but after the first day of school–the anxiety was a thing of the past. He loved school the entire year!

What handsome boys!

07 Jun 2007 Movies!!
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We went to Target today and spent a fortune. I bought every child something fun to earn throughout the coming weeks. The boys both got video games, Blake got a coloring book and crayons, and Barrett got a Wiggles movie. He doesn’t have to earn his movie–it will hopefully keep him occupied while I work a little with the other kids.

I bought me the movie Music & Lyrics. I rented it last weekend from the kiosk at the grocery store–It really was a very cute movie-so I bought it! Give me a good romantic comedy anyday! I Tivo’d The Vacation the same day. It has Jude Law and Cameron Diaz in it–and it was great too. I will be purchasing the DVD for that one as well. There are so many right now that I want to see–I think Pay Per View is the way to go. Then I can watch the movies while I walk on the treadmill or straighten the house–it’s my favorite thing to do. Also, to fold clothes and watch a great movie is ideal in my mind as well!!

07 Jun 2007 NBA Finals!!
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Tonight the Finals begin for the NBA. It’s a school night, but my boys have BEGGED to stay up and watch it. They actually only have 1 hour of school tomorrow–so they should be fine-otherwise, I will Tivo it and they can watch it when they finish their 1 hour last day of school. We are voting for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Why?? Because the Spurs play dirty–and as much as I’m not a big Lebron James fan–my kids are–so that’s why! All three of my teams got out–Bulls to the Pistons, and the Jazz and the Suns both to the Spurs–so really there is nothing in it for me–except listening to the cheers and jeers of my 7 year old and my 9 year old!