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!