MONSTER JAM!

So, Monster jam came to town, and anybody who knows my son knows that he LOVES everything trucks. Especially BIG trucks! He has a Grave Digger that he got for his birthday, and he LOVED seeing Grave Digger really race. This was a daddy and son event...not so much a mommy event. They had a blast! The next morning...Caleb kept telling me about how "a big wheel popped off and the truck kept going mommy!" Here are some pics!

To do kindersteps or Stay where we are?

Okay, so I am having a very hard time making a decision that I (luckily) don't have to make for awhile. Caleb is eligible next year to do kindersteps at our local school. What this means is that he will be going to school every day, for a "pre-kindergarten" program for half a day. The cost is free. The class size is between 20-25 and the teacher has an aide. HOWEVER, the kindergarten class the next year isn't so lucky...they have much higher numbers and no aide (or a shared aide). Having been a teacher this drives me crazy...

The other option is to leave him where he is at...I haven't spoken much about preschool on here...but it was a HUGE battle in the beginning of the year. I LOVE his school now, and so does he. It is a Christian private school that goes all the way up to 6th grade. Once he gets into Kindergarten, we can get his tuition reimbursed. But next year, he will be in their pre-k program, which is $225 a month (OUCH!!)

To most people, they see the dollar signs and say, is there even a choice? But, I know how much Caleb thrives on consistancy...he needs it. Once I put him at kindersteps at the local school next year, he will not want to transfer back to his old school. And what worries me isn't kindersteps, it is the following year of kindergarten. At his school now, there are 8 kids in the kindergarten, as opposed to upper 20's at the local school.

He keeps telling me he wants to go to kindersteps next year at the local school (which we walk by almost every day)...

So, take the poll...PLEASE...should I do kindersteps (free) or keep him where he is at next year and make the sacrifice.

Green Shoes

Abby has always been obsessed with shoes...from the time she was very little. There is one particular pair that we catch her wearing daily...Caleb's green crocks. After she lost them the other day, we decided it was time to get her her very own crocks, so that she would leave his alone. We ventured to the mall, where I tried my hardest to get her to try on pink or purple crocks. Well, needless to say, she screamed and pulled her foot back at every try. Then, I held up a small green pair, just like brother's, except smaller...and her face lit up. She got so excited and held out her little feet just waiting for her new glass slippers (okay, bright green crocks). Most people would ask what the big deal is…and it really isn’t a big deal. It is just that she has no hair…so she is called a “boy” almost daily by somebody. Bright green crocks are not going to help the matter…so I picked two little flowers to put on them and called them her “pretties” (which is what we call hair things—my hair things since she has no hair, and therefore no pretties).

The first thing she did this morning, was put her shoes on…over her footie jammies. I then picked out a green sweater and sparkly jeans to wear with her bright green crocks. At least I know she has one outfit that matches her new shoes (which I know she will be wearing every day for a long time).

Back to the grind...

I have officially been a stay at home mommy for two days now, going on my third! Daddy had 2.5 weeks off at Christmas time, so I got very use to having a second set of hands around. But, I did start to feel useless around the house. I can honestly say that I felt like I didn't really have a sense of purpose, because for me, it wasn't vacation, it was my daily life. So, although the last two days have been hard in some ways, I can honestly say I am in my element. We haven't gone anywhere because Caleb was so sick over the weekend, it has been raining, and is pretty cold. But, I have cleaned out almost every closet in the house...the pantry...done almost all the laundry in the house...given baths...fed the kids (several times a day, managed to keep my kitchen clean throughout the day...and still had time to play with the kiddos in between. I actually think I have been more productive now that daddy went back to work...maybe mentally I was on vacation too! Here are some pics of bathtime...I mean, how could I not enjoy this? (Until 4pm hits and I am trying to do dinner...and have two very crabby kids...every mom knows what I am talking about...4-6pm...the hardest time to be a stay at home mom.)

Happy New Year!!!

So, every year I make at least one resolution and break it...usually by mid-January...and that is why I am not up for resolutions. However, this year, I really do have some resolutions that I REALLY want to carry out. My number one resolution is to keep my mouth shut. Yes, you heard me...I want to talk less and listen more. I have always prided myself on being an open book...it means I am real around people. The problem is, as I get older, I am learning very quickly that there are things I don't want people to know. I actually had someone flip tables on me the other day, and spill some beans about me...exposing some of my secrets. I am so hurt by it, and now I have kind of a "mess" to clean up. BUT, with that being said, I have forgiven that person and it really has opened my eyes to the fact that sometimes a big mouth is not a good thing. In fact, I would venture to say most of the time a big mouth is not a good thing. I want to talk less, and listen more. I am asking God to teach me to be quiet. Sometimes, I just need to be quiet in social settings, or else I will say too much. I have been known to blurt out something I really feel, and it comes back to haunt me. Having the tables turned on me may have been the best thing to happen to me in a long time in order for me to really look at who I am and how people perceive me. I am not a mean person, and in fact, I show compassion to almost anybody I meet, but I realize this is hard to convey when I might say somthing rude or sarcastic because I feel the need to talk.

My less serious resolution is to grow out my hair for locks of love. I have this really thick and fast growing hair...I need ten inches to do it. So, I am going to grow it until next December (only getting trims) and then I will chop it off and donate it. I am trying to get a bunch of people to do it with me, but so far, I think I am the only one. It really is a great cause...these poor kids have no hair, and I can't imagine being a 13 year old girl without any hair. http://locksoflove.org

Then, of course, I am resolving to lose this belly fat...of course, who doesn't resolve that. I went to realage.com and found out that I am actually 27.4 years old. You have to put in all of your info and eating habits and exercise habits, and I found that I am actually 2 years younger than myself. That is great and all...but truthfully, I want to be 21 again. So, since I am turning 30 this year (yes 30) I want to be 21 on my 30th birthday. Go there and check it out! See how old you really are and challenge me to become younger than me! It could be fun!