A Post of Pictures

I figure it's been a while since I've posted pics of any kind, so I'll do that now. A couple of weeks ago, when Katy was last here, I asked Jason to take some pics of the kids for me. So he obliged me oh so willingly. Here are the ones that I like the best.

First up was Izzy. I figured we would do the guy who would lose patience first. He still has pretty much no hair. It does make him look more "baby-ish" which I thinks is o.k.





Now to try the four of them together, not as easy as it seems. Why can't they all be smiling and looking at the camera at the SAME TIME?







This was SUPPOSED to be JUST the girls, but Izzy needed to be in the pics too. You'll notice that he starts to have his tongue out quite a bit, that's because he thought that raspberries were FUN!





Izzy finally got tired and hopped on down, so I got a decent one of just the girls.



Here are both boys. AGAIN with the tongue. I found that either Izzy had his tongue out, or James' hand was in front of Izzy's face. Why can't they just cooperate????



All funny faces. These are the "olders" and it seems that getting a decent pic out of them on their own is as easy as it is with them as a group. What is it about a camera that makes them do this?













It seems like I've been in a picture taking mood as of late. On Friday night, before leaving for work, I asked Jason to take some pics of me. Yes, I ASKED. Huge shocker for me. Usually, I run from the camera like the Wicked Witch ran from water. I had put forth some effort in my appearence, and I was feeling pretty, oh so pretty, hehe, so I thought I would have the moment commemorated. Now I just need to tackle, I mean sit Jason down and do some of him. Oh yeah, remember that comment I JUST made about making faces to the camera? I think it's genetic, because looking at these, it's like watching a slide show of "The Goofy Faces of Jamie".















And I'm going to leave you all on that note. It's just after 1 AM here, so I'm wondering if I shouldn't pop out the ole contacts and head off to beddy bye. Have a happy night.

I really am trying to post more, Honest!

Can you say sick? We sure can. It's been a couple of weeks and I'm pretty sure we've all been sick for pretty much that ENTIRE time. While James and Jayden seem to have recovered well, Jason and I feel as miserable as ever. Poor Izzy still has green crap coming out of his nose. Although, Jayden and Izzy are declared relatively healthy after their checkups this past Monday.

Last week I was SO busy. Oh my word. On Tuesday it FINALLY died down a bit, with me just having to work. The laundry is finally looking like it hasn't been done in years, the living room is beginning to come together. I got the curtain rods for the girls' room, now if I could just find the motivation to go up there and finish the last little bit that needs to be done. I also need to make their curtains.

I am finding myself with very little motivation to do these things lately. Not sure what it is, I just don't have the ooomph to go do it. The stuff needs to be done, I know that, I just am lacking the fire under my ass to get it done.

On a different note, I'm pretty sure that I've finally gotten through to Jason about his need to go back to school. Of coarse he doesn't want to, no one does. His degree is in photography at the moment. Not much can be done with that kind of degree in this area, even during GOOD economic times. For me to pursue my degree, it would take us paying for daycare out of pocket, along with me no longer working. For Jason to pursue his degree, it would require me working a little less, and to not pay for daycare, and his financial aid would help offset the lost funds of me working.

Jason is always telling me that he wants to earn more. This makes total sense to me. I always ask in return "what do you want to do?" and he never knows. He honestly doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up. Jason has amazing artistic talent. However, he doesn't want to do graphic design, it is a bit repetitious. Oh, and he'd need a degree in that. Or illistration. There is no market for that really around here, and he'd need a degree in that as well. Right now, Jason is qualified to work in retail and in a metal fab shop. That's about it. There isn't much money to be made in either of those fields.

I think Jason would make an awesome art teacher. Either elementary or high school. Middle school would be ok, but definately not a first choice. Because he already has a Bachelor's degree, getting the Education add on wouldn't be nearly as time consuming as starting out fresh. We'll keep talking it over, however I think I have found a fire for under his butt finally.

Lately, we've been trying to give James back his video game privelages. It only works so well. It seems that whenever he has them taken away he does much better behavior wise than when he has them as an option. I'm not sure why that is as it would seem the opposite should be true. Go figure.

Izzy will be 2 at the end of March. It's amazing to realize that much time has gone by already. I love the little guy, but he's a terror! He's certainly finding his mischevious stride! Though the talking is a slow coming, like I've said before, I'm pretty convinced that the growth of his hair some how co-relates to the growth of his speech abilities!

Me, personally, I am finding myself just worn out and down. I'm so very tired as of late. Everyone being sick on top of the rather hectic schedule is just weighing on me. I know I should exercise, it would probably help, but remember that lack of fire under my butt, yep it goes for the exercise thing too, go figure. I think it's pretty impressive that I'm posting here! I think to myself during the day about things I'd like to blog about, but then I just don't do it. I usually just spend my time playing on Pogo of all things.

Michigan Flying Tree Frogs?

What are those? Michigan Flying Tree Whats? So Jason comes to me last night. He says "Dude, I know what I'm going to write a kids' book about! Michigan Flying Tree Frogs!" To which I OBVIOUSLY respond with "What the HELL are you talking about?"

"Ok, so when I was in college..."

Folks, keep in mind, any story that starts "Ok, when I was in college" involves my darling hubby previously stoned or drunk or both and the fact that he can remember anything at all is VERY impressive to me.

"Um, you actually remember when you were in college?"
"Yes, now let me continue! So, when I was in college, my buddy Jamie, he's a guy.."
"I know Jamie, you've talked about him before"
"He had this girlfriend and her family invited a bunch of us up to her family's cabin on Torch Lake..."
"Yeah, you've told me about Torch Lake before too. It was a huge party."
"That's the one. Anyway, the girlfriend, I can't remember her name now..." to which I give him the look of non-surprise at that tidbit "and it was either her or her family, not sure which..." again with the look of non-surprise from me "and they told me about Michigan Flying Tree Frogs."
"Ok, what the HELL are Michigan Flying Tree Frogs?"
"If you would stop interupting, I'd tell you. It's when you fart and you blame it on the frogs."
"What?"
"Yeah, it's when you cut a righteous nasty one and you blame it on the frogs man"

This last statement was done is Jason's "Surfer Dude" voice, think of the Sea Turtles from the movie "Finding Nemo". I'm convinced that he can do this voice so well because it's how he talked while he was in college, the ENTIRE 6 years he was there. Oh yeah, did I mention college was happy fun drunk stoned time for Jason? If only we could all of had that all expenses paid vacation on our parent's tab.

I've been known to "get down". Ok, not really. I am definately NOT the party girl. I've never seen the appeal of getting so you don't know who or what you are. Please explain to me that. I mean really. Ok, you forget life for a while, however when you come crashing back, not only is life still there you have a pounding headache and an upset stomach on top of it all.

I'm not saying I'm a tight old priss. I enjoy having fun, just not where I have to obliderate myself for it. I have a CSM at work who has a difficult time believing that I'm a year older than her. She tells me my whole outlook and attitude is just one of someone so much younger. I'm pretty sure it's a compliment, I think.

They (I still have yet to figure out who the infamous "they" is) say that children help you be young. Well I must be freaking 12! I enjoy playing with the kids. I'm a hard ass when I need to be, but I really like the fun stuff too. Crafts and sledding and goofing off. I am the QUEEN of goofing off, thank you very much.

I mean, sure, if I were more "adult" I'd keep a cleaner house. I wouldn't have so many issues with budgeting our money. I'd be "responsible" and yet oh so boring, at least in my mind. That's just not me, and thankfully Jason understands that. I think Jason's "party years" have kept him rather young as well. After all, he was raised by folks old enough to be his grandparents. And when you are raised by your "grandparents" you tend to come out "older". At least that is MY take on it all.

We have a nicely insulated attic now. I think it was a debacle, though it did get completed. The first blower died. The motor went toast, and it took the outlet that my washer and dryer plug in to with it. I really need that outlet. Dad said he'd come by and fix it for us, thankfully. They took that blower back and got another. The guys kept clogging that one up.

I had to call in to work. I kind of lied, but not really. I really do have 3 sick kids and a hubby with a sinus infection. I just forgot to mention that the hubby was in the attic putting in fresh insulation. My brother got here at 3, which was plenty of time for me to get to work, however I really don't think he would have wanted to watch the kids. Or get up in the attic and put down the insulation while Jason kept an eye on the kids. Dad was outside loading the hopper. Jack came up with the idea of slowly putting in the insulation. Amazingly, even though it seemed like it took longer to do it that way, the time save from trying to unclog the hose every 10 minutes evened it out.

At 7 they were DONE! There is now a noticeable difference when you go upstairs. Oh wait, there is no longer a noticeable temperature difference when you go upstairs. It used to be that you'd go up and the temp would drop about 5 or 7 degrees. Now it is the same as downstairs and I think that it will work it's way to warmer. I'm really hoping we start spending less on the energy bill.

The girls' room still isn't done. I've been slacking on that. Remember that childish youth of mine? It also makes me a HUGE procrasitnator. Katy Beth comes next weekend, I'd like to have the walls painted by then, and the curtains at least made if not hung. I orderd some really cute curtain rods for in there. I'm going to have Katy pick out the bedding for their room. I'm torn between two different styles, I just can't make up my mind. Jayden doesn't care either way. I figure if Katy makes the choice, it'll help her feel like she has some input in it all and it's really her room as well.

Right now I'm up in the air about something else too. I'm trying to decide if I want to write a letter to Vyky's dad. Just to ask how she is, see if maybe he'll send me a pic of her. I honestly don't think he'll respond in any way. I don't know if I have courage to write and mail the letter. We shall see.