15 Days of Christmas

Again it has been a while since I updated.. Somehow going to classes really took more time than I thought it would. This past term is just about over. I have to just do one more discussion board post about Reagan and Clinton.. and I'm done. I am very nervous to see what both teachers thought of my papers. We will see. It really is amazing how much extra time I have now that the classes are almost over. I have been able to do dishes, laundry, and clean everyday! Sad excuse for a vacation!

Sam's speech is AMAZING. We've been having fun with Christmas words, like "green tree," "wreath" and the like. He is just doing GREAT!!

We put up our tree.. which is really fun this year. No gates! There are tiny bulbs and magical lights, hot pink tinsel and a black bow or two.. kid ornaments and clear beads.. I love it!

The next step is getting the cookies and sweets done. I want to finish early this year and maybe get them out by this weekend or early next week. Russian Tea Cakes, Cocoa Crinkles (brownie like inside), Pecan Rum Clusters, Peanut Blossums with Snickers (Angel was on to something there), Coconut Cookies, Gingerbread People, Dinosaurs, and Elephants, and maybe some Cutouts.. Visions of Deliciousness Float in my Head!

Blue, Red, and Purple Ribbons!

Well the Grape has come and gone again this year. Too bad the weather kept promising to rain and kept the turn out less. Sam and Nathan decided to help me make some banana bread and carrot cake for the merchant's bake contest. I made some apple muffins (the apples somehow disappeared within the muffin.. hmm..) and my no-bake cookies. Sam won 2nd for his carrot cake and Nathan won 2nd for his banana bread! I did win a blue ribbon for the no bakes and lots of "purple" ribbons too. *smiles*
Next year we are going to try to enter more contests and win a couple more blue!
Today is another of the cold days. Can't wait for this weekend for it to pick up in temperature. burrr..
I am trying to get my house all cleaned up and organized for Friday. Sam's IEP meeting is going to be at my house, which means the principal of Austinburg Elem, the speach therapist, and his preschool teachers are all going to be in my house. I had the front lights installed yesterday, transfered flowers to the front yard, and mulched around everything. Now I have to work on the inside a little bit. And maybe bake something that morning so it smells wonderful.. and snacks help meetings go faster too.
Real Estate is going well with the new company, Miller Realty. Have had a little spat with one of the other realtors there. But I have a feeling she'll start doing things my way! She just needs to share!
I have a sale that should be going through by the end of the month and I am concentrating my efforts on referrals. That's right, everyone.. I NEED BUSINESS.

Disappearing VHS tapes...

We all remember VHS tapes.. right? They are BIG BLACK BOXES (retangles technically).. not so easy to lose.. right? Wrong. Somehow Sam and Nathan seemed to have lost one VHS case from a library (read super bulky) and a VHS (two different movies). I asked them to find them. Sam can find anything. He sees the one sugar ant crawling on the carpet. The kid is amazing at finding things. Can we find the VHS's? No. SO I even started looking, in earnest today. Dumped out every thing in their playroom.. nope. Under the couch, in the couch, chairs.. laundry that was folded and not put away yet.. wonder how long I can renew these tapes? Might be a good thing. Might make me re-organize/clean out some stuff.. Might.
I'm thinking about searching some more. I just don't understand where it went.

To Every Season*

Well I finally changed real estate companies two days ago. I had been waiting for a house I had listed in Perry to be closer to closing. I should have been able to switch in July.. but first they couldn't find the septic tank, or the well, and then the home inspection results came back (highest radon test EVER).. with shoddy electrical.. really thought the deal was going to not go through.. but they extended the date to this up coming Friday and it looks like it is going to close. Woo Hoo!! We will see..
In the mean time, I had a hunch that a client of mine was going to want to write an offer and I couldn't wait another 45 days to switch. So I drove up to Cleveland (car stalled twice on Superior Ave) and switched my license. Now I am negotiating that deal (where I had the hunch), and hopefully will get some listings and sell some too! Before I left I spoke with my sales manager and told him I have been trying REALLY HARD not to sell any real estate or list anything until the move, but it has been so hard to put everything off. .. he chuckled (as he thought that was crap) and said basically my paychecks would reflect that inactivity!
I am excited and nervous all at the same time! With the transition, there is a little confusioin.. but that will clear up soon!
I can't believe the Summer is almost over! Well Sam and Nathan really want to play outside before the big party, so I best take advantage of the beautiful morning!
*Turn, Turn, Turn*

Spider Cake Day!

Today is Sam's 4th birthday party day!! Ever since Nathan's birthday (where someone made him a lion cake, which he LOVED), Sam has wanted a spider cake. At least once a week since April, he has asked about his spider cake. I researched some spider cakes online and found some that "bleed"--so cool! Sam decided he wanted white cake with fudge frosting (and I filled it with some fudge pudding). I had extra batter so I made this little spider cupcakes.. it kind of looks like Halloween in my kitchen!
Luckily he wants pizza for the party (and it's at a park) so it should be really a laid back, easy party. I have to go to the store and pick up a couple things yet (extra napkins, balloons, cups, forks)--oh and since there's pudding in the cake I'm not doing icecream (even though I love icecream)! So much easier!
Some people can't make it to Sam's party so on his actual birthday, Monday, we are going to have a little birthday dinner. An idea I adopted from good friends of mine. They had to coach me a little about it! I was talking to my friend and told her I didn't know what I was going to make for the dinner, and she reminded me to ask the birthday boy (because it is HIS birthday dinner!). Good Call!

Shorts Parade

Not too much to report today.. We did go on a "Shorts Parade".. *Shorts Parade is a Sam idea: Wear shorts on your head (even Nathan's teddy bear participated), blow the train whistle, sing ("We built this City on Rock & Roll"), and march throughout the house.* It was probably the highlight of my evening!
I did decide to go with Miller Realty, as a trial. I have to wait a few weeks to wrap up another deal before I move, to keep my commission! Jerks were going to leave me with leaving me with about 0.4% commission... that's not so good! I'd much reather have my 1.25% thankyouverymuch!

Mid July 2008

Things have calmed down a bit.. Phew! Or at least it just feels like that. I still have price opinions due tomorrow, and two more tests this week with double the reading assignment, english homework, the annual Ashtabula Co. Board of Realtor's Picnic on Thursday, and the Ladies Golf Outing on Friday morning... I want to switch Real estate companies this week. And am working with three buyers right now. Septic inspections on the same day as the golf outing and meeting with another client.
I have some family pressure to ask my Uncle if he wants me to join up with the family real estate company.. but I doubt they want to get a website, or advertize, or hire someone to work the phones on the weekends, or do the things that most of the companies do now. I don't really feel like asking him to "update" their services in order for me to work there. It would be kind of nice, because not to many people really are working there. There is a secretary and my Uncle is in and out.. the old attorney has an office in there, and some auctioners are there.. but that's about it. I might be able to get a sweet office, but that has been offered at the other office I want to join with too. I really need to switch tomorrow or Thursday. I don't even know if my Uncle is a NAIDS broker (HUD authorized broker).. I guess I could use the broker's number in the Jefferson branch. I think it might be funny working for family anyway. I don't know. I guess it wouldn't hurt to talk with him, but I really don't want to insult him or the family company because they are behind in the times. It works for them currently.. it just wouldn't work for me right now.
Should be nice when I switch though, I'll get two new listings off the bat. A good start. Well, I'm off to go to a Broker's Open at a Lakefront property for lunch.. might even go back for dinner!

Bleach Plus Deer Blood Don't Mix

Fourth of July Weekend O8. Friday was calm, Liz came over and we had some food on the grill. Went over to her brother's new house, ate more food. Came home, listened to neighbors set off fireworks for a while. Comforted littles who woke up from all the racket!
Saturday, went fishing with my dad.. well Sam really was the one fishing (he caught 4 fish!), then we hung around the house for a while and then went to the park with Liz.
Sunday; cleaned up the house a little. Weeded the shade flower garden and planted some lavender. Got eaten up by bugs outside. Picked some berries and relaxed at the blue house some more. Went to the Berly's for dinner (wonderful!) and ate a delicious black raspberry yummy cobbler thing. Came home and wondered why my clean house smelled so bad. I mean it was BAD. I have the reed diffusers and scent this and scent that. I really can't stand stinky houses. I started smelling and looking around.. No diapers, not much in the trash can... go into the basement to find a jar for Sam's lightening bug.. and my goodness.. wtf?! I open the freezer to see if everything is frozen (about a week ago I thought I had left the freezer door open because some of the stuff became unfrozen). Nope.. everything is completely thawed out. Including the entire deer and the 5 gallon tub of ice cream in there. So I discovered that deer blood and ice cream (and a couple whole chickens and random animal parts) really can stink up a house. Two rolls of paper towels and a bunch of bleach later.. and all I can smell is the deer blood and bleach. Gross.

Update

Well in light of *forgetting I had a blog* until Gretchen mentioned she hasn't blogged in a longggg time.. I see it is time for a much needed update.
School started about two weeks ago, and I am holding a 92% in biology!! and another A in English. I caught this miserable, vomitous stomach bug from somewhere, I blame the daycare, (luckily my children don't have it too). I have gotten better to the point of being able to sit upright without getting sick. No solids, unfortunately.. Doctors specific orders: "No Steaks."
Luckily Melanie came to my rescue after the boys got into my yarn basket and completely intertwined themselves head to toe, together with yarn. Also they were so ensnarled with the furniture in three rooms that they could no longer move. All this was achieved in 20 minutes. I'm just glad I could find the scissors to cut them out!
Melanie had to go after feeding the boys dinner and helping dress them in their jams.
Sean decided to come over (after asking me why I bothered to call him when I was sick). Sam and Nathan decided they were hungry again. Sean got annoyed with me, asking if I had even fed them yet. Remember, this is the day I can't sit upright without vomiting or almost falling over.. as the nasty bruise on my hip can attest to my fall on the stairs. Second dinner done. I ask if he can wash their faces with soap and a *clean* wash rag.. he doesn't see why putting soap on a really dirty wash rag doesn't make it clean. I found him a clean rag and towel. I told Nathan to quit jumping on the recliner, Sean tells him to stop it, Nathan laughs and continues on. Sean gets mad and pulls on Nathan's ear so Nathan cries. Nathan gets mad at Sean and Sean says, "But your mom doesn't want you to jump on the chair, that's your mom's rule. I don't care, but your mom doesn't like that."
Finally bedtime. Sean reads some stories to Nathan. Liz calls and I thank her for checking on me, and that I'll survive! *smiles* Go to give Sam a kiss good night and Sean tells Sam I was, "too busy on the phone to read him a story, but *sigh* I (sean) guess I can do it."
These pricks should start a club.. "THE BEST DADS IN THE WORLD CLUB" and while they are at their "club meetings and club functions" the real dads will be home with their kids spending the time that goes by so very quickly with their amazing children.
Some people just don't get it. And they never will. It's a shame. I really hope that Nathan and Sam don't grow up to think that is the way a real "dad" acts.

"Happy"

I am in a slight state of shock. As you know, Sam has a speech imparement. Earlier this year he was assessed at having a 30% intelligibility (being able to be understood). He has started speech therapy (which was a long, complicated ordeal) and now can actually move his tongue (was not able to move tongue at all before.. not up.. not down.. not to either side) and is trying to say bigger words and communicate more. Tonight as I was tucking him into bed, he said something. He said he was happy. I actually guess and I guessed right! After almost 4 years, Sam has been able to tell me he is happy. He has made those sounds before, but I never would have guessed those sounds= "happy." When I guessed right his whole face lit up and he hugged me. I finally understood his basic happy emotion!

Taking the Plunge!

Well, I finally did it. I am going back to school! I will need to really apply myself this fall. I am going to take some easy summer classes that I need and then really jump in this fall. I want to finish these dumb classes at Lakeland quickly, so I can move onto Cleveland! I really don't know how I am going to take a bunch of classes, take care of the boys and pay my bills.. but where there's a will there must be a way. To make matters even more interesting I am tossing around the idea of going to Case Western Reserve for Medical School after Cleveland State. They say, Case says, that I can have a bachelor's in anything.. and some even think that's a benifit (helps with the diversity aspect of the classes).. Yet I am unsure about that. I think being a science major might help me greatly. Maybe just take a bunch of science classes and have Gretchen tutor me for the MCAT! Wow.. I am really getting ahead of myself! It's fun though! I love school and could go forever.. but I wonder if the drive/lack of money/missing the boys will get to me. Guess we will have to see! Wish me luck! Poor Gretchen.. she is going to regret the day she offered to help me with my science classes! *smiles*

Sam-ism's

Sam and Nathan are both so funny.. but Sam really tickled my funny bone tonight!
Lately he has been calling me slow. Mommy is just too slow going up the stairs (note: this is when I am carrying laundry baskets or helping Nathan up the stairs..). Tonight Sam picked out his bed time story and sloooooowly went up the stairs. I had to call him on it. I told him he was a slow poke. The reaction: "No, I'm a fast-poke, you the slow poke!" *smiles*
Later on he started chanting, "Me a fast poke, mom is a slow poke"! So funny!

More Stepping Stones Drama

So I'd better post, for fear of boring my poor friends too much!
I am really annoyed at Stepping Stones right now. Lately I have been picking up the boys early because I don't have much to do, Real Estate related (or I can have them along for what I do have to do) and don't want to have to drive back out to Madison.. and there is that pesky little fact that I want to be around my kids. I don't like Sam's teacher and I am getting sick of 'needing' to validate wanting to be with my kids.
The administrator and the teachers all give me the "look" when I pick them up early. I haven't worried about it too much. My daycare is paid up until 5pm each day and don't think they should care that much about it. I do get state assistance, and just had to get reevaluated this past month. They know my schedule and everything is fine.
As I picked up Sam today the one 'teacher' of his told me Sam was not nice to anyone today. I told her he is still not 100 percent recovered from scarlet fever.. at that point she tells me that he was crying for me all day and that it made sense. Now I am annoyed at the teacher for not telling me that.. I would like them to tell me when my kids miss me and would even like to talk to them on the phone if they are as upset as she made it out that Sam was. Next she tells me that all state funded clients need to have their "admisitrators" sign off on my work schedule each week. Probably would be a big deal if I had a normal schdule.. But with Real Estate sometimes (like today for example) someone calls up and asks to see a house or right an offer on the same day. Don't know how I am going to accomidate this damn daycare. I have been wanting to switch for a long time and this might have to be the final reason to make the switch..
off to dinner.. more in a bit

Let is Snow.. for now.

So I forgot how much fun sledding is! We went again.. this time with Lilly and Liz. Nathan isn't a big fan of the sled. He likes to try to sled down on his bottom(like a slide).. but he doesn't get very far! Sam kept going down with Lilly! They were so funny! They would run up and down the hill, drop the sleds half way up, fall giggling on each other! Somehow I also forgot how cold 31 degrees can be with the snow falling in your face.. I really need a hat!

I also have not figured out this Mac/PC thing. Even with blogging, I don't have all the options I normally have on my PC on the MAC. No Jabbering here. Might have to get the other instant thing or have Gretchen pull her hair out trying to figure out what the problem is *smiles*!

Boys Gallery

So I set up a blog to display the boys' pictures today. Don't know how often I'll post, seeing how I email the pictures, have them on facebook, and on myspace. That's a lot of posting. Whatever. This will be a very family neutral place to post. http://samnathan.blogger.com

We'll see how it works out! Getting ready to go on a showing. God Bless Liz! She's willing to come over and sit while the boys are sleeping so I can go do this before the blizzardy mess tomorrow!

Night~(Re)Cap

Thursday night. Time for a recap of the week already! Today was the Monthly Ashtabula County Board of Realtors meeting at the lodge. Last month we heard the people running for some public office all talking about weather or not they want to shut down the Geneva Lodge. At the meeting I asked our president if she had a spot for me somewhere, because I wanted to get more involved with Board of Realtors. Sure she said. Never heard from her. Even contacted the Vice-President and Past-President. Nothing. I speak with the Vice and Past on at least a weekly basis if not more. Slightly annoyed, but figured if they don't want a volunteer, I can volunteer elsewhere or join a different board (like Lake/Geauga). Today the president told me she been meaning to email me back, but has had a full inbox.. (don't know how she is doing much business if she can't email anyone..?..) so she has put me with the lady in charge of the cake toss. I tried to explain the cake toss to Liz last week.. it's something for hospice. we throw cakes at the Ashtabula Mall and somehow money comes from it. I asked Vicki, cake tosser chief, what she needed me to do. Thinking some cake baking was probably my job (good job for me!). No. She wants me to go around and get sponsors for the people getting cake hurtled at them. If there is one thing I really am not good at, really don't like to do.. fundraising. I told her I need information, like pamphlets, on hospice and what they use the money for and such. Someone over heard me and said, "What you want to parade a dying person around and ask for money?" Couldn't hurt. For some reason I was hoping to do something more real estate related over hospice related. Almost like I am a volunteer snob. Hm. Yep.

Got a new (to me) Mac Powerbook G4 and IPod Mini (6GB)! Still don't really know how to work them, but I'm slowly learning! Am getting the iPod down faster than the laptop. I love McLean. He is just the most generous gifter there is! Enough on that, because everyone who reads this has probably heard me rant and rave about the new electronics in my lives since the first box appeared on my door!

I also have been thinking that monthly a bunch of us are going to be getting together to cook/bake whatever (add alcohol) and just enjoy each other! Some have agreed to do it, I just have to get it set up. Easy enough.

Another deal dropped in mid-air today. The lending program this guy was qualified in was shut down in Ohio today. Am hoping someone buys one of my houses soon. Had a board of buyers filled up last month. One ended up being not qualified, another's lender told her to only work with a particular real estate agent (not really right), the rest dropped off the planet. This month, nothing except to keep trying with the fallen "buyers". It's really frustrating. I have houses listed for 17,900 (duplex) and a house that we are trying to drop down to 19,900. It's so ridiculous how low the prices are and they still aren't selling! That's Ashtabula for you! Thinking about switching offices, maybe companies. Since our old manager had to leave (health issues) our new manager and the economy has run us into the ground. We lost our advertising, our receptionists, and seem to pay more.

Mc left like over 700 songs on this thing.. Thriller.. This is GREAT!

Box of Surprises!!

I come home from work and there is a mysterious box on my front step. .. It's from a cousin in Malibu.. but that cousin doesn't live in Malibu.. hmmm.. well I get the boys inside and open 'er up.. and inside is a bunch of mac stuff. Curious, because I don't have a mac anything! Then I see an iPod and think well this must be all the stuff that goes with an iPod.. seems like an awful lot of stuff for that little music maker.. and it is missing some of the essentials (power cord stuff).

Then I check the mail. There is a slip that I need to pick up a package from the post office. Well, granted, my mind isn't always as sharp as it once was, but I am getting excited! Really excited!! I think my cousin is sending me his old Mac laptop!! I could be wrong, but after talking to the only other Mac user I know (Gretchen, of course!!), me thinks I am getting an upgrade!

I tried to call my generous gifter a couple times now.. but he is driving through the canyons of California. Caught him in the same spot twice! I will just have to go to the post office tomorrow and see if my suspision is right! I can't wait. Wish I could just go now, darnit! It would be so fun to play with right now! Wonder if I can go into work late (hit the post office first..)

!!!!!

Snip Snip

Well I finally did it. I cut Nathan's hair. His beautiful curls are now in a bag and he looks so different now. I had asked him, "Do you want me to cut your hair short or leave your beautiful hair alone?..." He wanted me to cut his hair. Half way through he told me to stop and they were his hairs. Unfortuanatly it was too late. So it's a little choppy right now in the back, but i will fix that when i have reinforcements! I admit I did cry a little when his beautiful curls came off. He does look different, but at least he has his chubby cheeks still. He's not a big boy.. yet.

Mixed Emotions

Something about this "holiday" has me seeing red half the time and floating the rest. It's been a whle since I've floated.. but i did have a good time today.

Started out with the boys getting to stay in from school today which was actually really nice. We broke out the smocks and easle and RED paint on Pink paper, of course. Nathan was really intense about it. It was really fun to paint with him. Sam colored all the hearts (some black, green, and pink wasn't dark enough of a color!). He gave all 8 of them to Pa! It was precious.

The boys got out every single toy they owned today. We had fun cleaning and playing with everything. It's funny how I had one of the best days I've had in a long time.. and to anyone else it must read as pure boredom! *Smiles* The day was filled with "Huggies" and Kisses and me calling Sam a sweatheart and him replying, "me no sweatheart, you sweatheart. Me Sam Miller, Sam".. followed by "Me need you" and more endearing statments from both. Nathan even attempted to say Thank You today ("ou" -after much prompting)!

Well I'm off to watch a movie and gush about the love stuff that I used to have on the big Hallmark Holiday!

Superhero Firemen

It has been one strange sickness or another here at the homestead. "Strange?" you ask.. yes! One little person will bring me home a sickness and they will get sick, very sick on a Friday night.. for example.. then they feel better the next day and a few days later I get sick. After about a day of feeling better (and the sicknesses last short periods of time with the children mind you), the other little person will bring a mutated form of the illness home to share with me some more. Damn those diseases.

In between the "every kind of stomach bug you can get" sicknesses, we have been up to a little liveliness! On last Saturday, I was officially losing my mind. Sam had been, refer to the Friday episode above.. okay.. so Saturday comes and Sam announces loud and clear that he is all better by 6:30 in the morning. I can not believe my ears and feel this is a very cruel punishment for being an attentive mother all through the night. Around 2pm I am ready for bedtime. The children did not take naps and had been up all night.. oh and at like 6:30 in the MORNING. For those of you who go with no sleep for days at a time.. well I don't work like that. For those of you who wake up early all week long.. agian, sorry but on Saturday I am ready to sleep until 7am. Yes, that 1/2 hour matters a lot to me! *smiles* 2:05Pm.. I have to do something or someone isn't going to make it until the real bedtime (at this point I'm looking at 5:30-6pm-ish).. Remember that it is the Winterfest festival in Geneva.. and it is a warm-ish (at least 40 degrees) day. We go to see the magic show. The boys don't get it and think the magician (Ronald McDonald) is "not-nice".. okay.. see my dad there, and he goes with us to get a cookie for the boys. Next I want to take them to the firestation. Backing up a bit, last week I watched Lilly and she and Sam decided they were firemen. Nathan even got to tag along! Lilly decided they were "Superheros".. Sam disagreed. "Firemen".. Then they compromised.. Superhero Firemen. What do Superhero firemen do, you ask.. from my observation.. a person collapsed on the floor got drug around by the firemen until they jumped up to all go fight a fire together! This repeated for a while, varying which person was being "saved".

Fast forward back to last Saturday afternoon, Sam and Nathan don't know what I am taking them to do. We walk into the firestation and there is a very nice fireman (he has actually helped me put in my car seats a couple times and came once when I called for an emergency) who puts a small REAL firecoat on Sam. Sam was unsure about this man who called himself a fireman at first. The coat started warming him up and then when he asked if they wanted to get into the fire truck and push all the buttons, turn on the lights, and generally play in the truck for a while.. well you'd think Sam hit the lottery! He was steering that thing and going to fight the fires in a HUGH truck. They both gave me a kiss and said good bye as the ventured off to save the world.

Sledding Possiblities

It is finally going to warm up enough that I think we can go sledding! I hear the temp is going to go up to almost freezing! How exciting! Right now it's snowing pretty good. Sledding was my dad's brillliant idea.. maybe Liz would want to come too! Might need a little extra help with the young one's first time sledding. Wow.. Sam is three and this is going to be his first time sledding. I guess my kids are kind of deprived!

I need to get them out and use up their energy.. during the wee morning hours Nathan pulled his trim off his door in his room. Nathan also just took apart one of my chairs. I need to run that child until he can't think about being destructive anymore. I understand it is just curiosity.. but goodness he gets into everything! *smiles*

Speaking of Nathan, he just climbed into my lap.. Currently rearranging my desk.. we are off to do an art project!

Market Reports and Mental Illness

So I don't really know where to start. I have decided that all who have mental illnesses need to stay away from me unless medicated (esp. those with Bi-Polar disorders). Guess what? Them there people are just crazy. I'm not trying to be a judgemental person or anything.. but if you be crazy.. I don't want anything to do with it.

okay, now that that is out of the way: I am bothered about the damn day/pre-school. Still. But can't seem to find somewhere else with a comparable program that is close by. So I am stuck. The boys like it just fine.. well until they get sick every other week if not more. Nathan was up so much last night, whimpering sort of and I asked him what was wrong.. "ME" (pounding chest) "ME" (pounding chest), "ME" (pounding chest).. :( ...

In the morning he started taking off his jams (pjs), mind you my house is not the warm enough in the winter that you just want to take off your clothes!, and I felt his head.. burning up. Temp 102.6. It's official, sick baby. No School. No officially going into work. time to shine as momma of sick babies.. very tired this morning.. didn't help.

*After yet another phone call* As stated earlier, please just leave me alone if you have mental issues! (skip over next paragraph if not wanting to read the venting!)

Okay so luckily I work part time as the secretary of that church.. if I worked anywhere else, I would have lost my job ~ again! So Nathan's father called (after he has been saying how he wants to prove that he can be a GREAT father and all this bullshit for the past week or so) and I told him Nathan was sick. He told me I had better keep giving Nathan Motrin (hmm.. I'm all out and the boys are in the tub and it is pretty damn cold outside). I told him I was out and maybe he should go pick some up. He starts telling me how Nathan has been sick for days (news to me) and I have been out and about all day (again, very interesting... seeing how that is not right either) and how could I have not picked up Motrin for Nathan. I tell him he is more than welcome to go get some on his way home from work. He tries to guilt me, some more, into packing up the now wet headed sick children (Sam's getting an intestinal funk as well) to take them to the store to buy Motrin.. nope not going for it. I tell him he can go get it himself or I'll have someone else do it for me. (Seeing how I kind of forgot about Motrin's magical powers!). After some unnecessary huffing/puffing, he says it will have to wait until he showers and eats and stuff (it takes him roughly 3 hours to get his boots off, shower, & eat). I told him to forget it. I'm getting the boys upstairs for early bedtime and Sean shows up with a 1/2 used bottle of Children's Motrin. Not really what I had in mind. Kind of wanted a new bottle of infant Motrin. I had just dosed him with Tylenol. Then he calls and tries to validate his point some more. ARGH.

okay enough of that.

I completely forgot about a market report I should have done earlier this week.. am trying to do it now, but can't concentrate. Finished up the other one this afternoon. Then, probably since I forgot about the one that is late, I agreed to take one that will actually pay me (in a month anyway).

Oh and I have a showing tomorrow morning around 10am. The other agent I had on call for a backup showing agent asked me yesterday if they were safe to make other plans.. I am just not a fan of virus's right now.

I can't believe I have wasted 2 hours trying to finish these things up, but I am so tired (the fact that my office light won't turn on isn't helping) I can't concentrate.

Good night!

All new and shiny

Well it's a new year! 2008. Figured I should write another post before it was too late into the year.

The boys had a grreat Christmas. Sam put out the cookies/milk for the big guy and Nathan put out the carrots for the reindeer.. When Sam woke up on Christmas morning he came into my room and asked where Santa was. Apparently he didn't quite understand that Santa would leave after bringing the presents. So we went down stairs to see if Santa had indeed thought the boys were good (mom not so sure). Sam didn't seem to see the new wagon or the easel set up in the living room.. forget the stockings (way above his eye level).. he went right for the cookies, milk, and reindeer. Nathan was quick to follow "Brother". "The REINDEER, MOM," Sam was very interested that the reindeer had come into our living room and eaten the carrots the boys laid out for them.. Then *gasp* the milk was gone as were most of the cookies.

After much encouraging the boys started to notice new presents under the tree and stockings full of goodies. The boys didn't want to get into anything, they wanted to eat. now. They wouldn't even let me take my stocking to the table to peak.. Knock, Knock Grandpa shows up. Oh he's excited too! He wants to see everything.. well everything he got them.. poor boys wanted to open some of Santa's presents and 'Pa made them put them back! After many hours (They were interested in the presents, but not in seeing what else they got) of opening and mom having to insist they keep opening presents we finished.

uh oh.. between the cinnamon buns covered in sugar icing, and the cookies and fudge that they kept managing to have in their hands, and the loads of presents.. the melt downs began. The boys didn't take a nap.. and luckily it was just about time to go to dinner at the wonderful Berly's!! I just love dinner there. I didn't even have to cook. Not that I was going to at that point anyway.. I don't know what it is yet, but when a three year old who says he wants something and then he doesn't and then he does (passionately mind you) and then he doesn't .. well makes me want to lock my self in my room and have a time out. At the Berlys he just is much better. He still has his moments and Nathan is deadly afraid of their dogs (he so wants to love them), but it is like a slice of heaven!

Come home and they fall asleep in the car. Wake up and into mom's bed for a movie.. They were asleep a couple hours later and what a wonderful Christmas it was.

For our New Year's Eve celebration.. I went out and bought cabbage (for good luck supposedly) and sparkling apple juice. Made cabbage and noodles and turkey kielbasa (i know you are supposed to eat pork and cabbage.. but maybe fake, healthier "pork"-turkey will count) . Really curious if eating this cabbage works (hope the turkey doesn't sabotage it..). Never tried it before.. somewhat interested in the superstition. Sam loved the noodles and made sure to pick around every single piece of cabbage there was on his plate.. Nathan just ate the kielbasa (and beans). I was not eating a whole head of cabbage myself (would have made for a foul start to my new year).

After dinner and around 7PM I put the boys in their pj's and we had a new year's toast! Very cute. Clanking glasses with "bubblie". Sam sipped some and shook all over.. yuck face.. "me no like".. Nathan.. "nononononono" spitting out.

I went to take it from them both.. nope Sam was determined to drink it all. Every sip was the same as the first and Nathan happily traded for a glass of milk (more cheers and clinking).

Happy New Year!