Andrew received a phone call this morning the USMC granted him a waiver for his hearing and he's to report to be sworn in Jan 2. Unbelievable. I never thought this would really happen. I'm just in shock. - so many conflicting emotions. Pride, fear, missing him already, shock, you name it I'm feeling it. Wow what a big morning!

Christmas Eve

I'm way behind and hoping to get caught up over the winter break (yes Winter Break for Megan) Christmas Break at my school.
Tree is finally up - house is a disaster, no baking done and I still have shopping to do. Where did this year go?

Andrew retook the hearing test and the results were not promising. So it's back to a wait and see thing. The Audiologist was a witch - she kept saying - I can't believe the school allowed him to not have amplification. I finally said Hey I had to convince the last Audiologist to help us to get them to give him preferential seating and a 504. Believe me they never insisted on it. I also told her that I'd taken him to 4 different audiologists and gotten 4 different recommendations from the beginning.
Anyway at 40 decibels he got 44% correct at 60 decibels he got 97% correct. Most soft spoken women talk at 40 but most men talk at 60 and last I checked Marines were either yelling or using hand signals. However the concern is his losing hearing not the deficits he was born with. She did say he's a great candidate for genetic studies and his children will have about a 50% chance of inheriting this condition. There is also nothing to be done about it except hearing aids. Not the Christmas News Andrew wanted. Poor guy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well we are getting ready to head over to my in-laws for Turkey. Ralph's brother and family are here. Megan has already been on the phone talking poor Jamie's ear off she's so excited to go play with her. Have to finish slicing the fruit, making the dip, the deviled eggs, get everyone dressed, and not forget the Apples to Apples game for playing after dinner.

Hope all of my family back in Texas are having a good time and I know are eating well at Mike & Vikki's. I want to see my great niece and nephew! I mean I am chomping at the bit. Can't you guys find some excuse to come out here to visit and bring those babies with you?? We have the Texas Rangers right down the street -- literally!!!! Walking distance. We can go to the Grand Canyon - I promise not to let anyone jump in like Stacey tried to do when she was a toddler. Skiing is 2 hours away, New Age nutjobs and John McCain are nearby, stars and the best shopping outside of Rodeo Drive (not that I can afford to go look LOL) so come visit!!

USMC

OK it's been a long time since I posted. Since I last posted my son took his MAT test and scored so well he qualified for the nuclear submarine in the Navy. Except he's not going in the Navy he chose the Marines. Not what I would have chosen for him. We really pushed for the USAF but this is what he wants. We are so proud of him he's lost over 50 lbs. He's doing all he can to be ready to go to boot camp this summer. I still can't believe I signed for him to be able to join at 17. Of course he won't go until he's about 18 &1/2 but still.
Ralph is working all the time I mean 6 am until 9 or 10 pm every single day and this will continue for 2 more months. Actually 9 weeks. So the days I took off for my birthday and his birthday and our anniversary are wasted now. I'm hoping he'll be able to get away a little bit at least.
I'm home today from work with the stomach flu. Up all night and now I'm just wiped out. I couldn't lay down another minute though my back was hurting so much so here I am half laying and half sitting at the computer updating family about things they probably already know LOL

Got Megan's report card yesterday and she raised her math grade from a 60 to a 79 - woohoo I'm so proud of her. All her grades either stayed the same of improved and she got most improved in reading and third place in the Math challenge. Her reading was always great but they have a different system at her new school and it took her a bit to catch on so her grade the first 6 weeks didn't reflect her abilities. Now she's caught on and her grades are rising every week.
She also turned 7 Nov 2 and had a Build-A-Bear party and had a "blast" then we all trooped over to the new McDonald's for Happy Meals and time on the playground.

James is working and going to school, he even got his brother a job at the same pizza joint he works at so now they are working together.

October 7

Happy Birthday baby brother! Nothing much happening here. Same old same. Work work work. Bills bills bills bills yes there are more bills than works there. I'm looking forward to next week when we have fall break and no school on Monday or Tuesday.

Tolerance

At work the other day I was asking why everyone is always talking about tolerance. "He is intolerant." (insult) "She is tolerant." (compliment) "As a society we value tolerance" (the PC police I mean the news)

Think about the word. When a mother says to a child. "I will not tolerate that behavior any longer!" Was she enjoying tolerating it? Was she accepting of it? No she was gritting her teeth and hoping it would go away before she was reduced to punishing the child. Then there is the phrase "he or she has a high pain tolerance" No one ever says you have a high pleasure tolerance. Tolerance is a negative emotion. We should not be a tolerant society. A tolerant society is a resentful, angry, soon to explode society. What they mean is we should not judge anyone. We should have no standards or a collective standard which is established by a self appointed group in control of the media.
Sorry I disagree. We should not be tolerant. We should accept what we believe is right and oppose openly what we believe is wrong.

Be intolerant. Be accepting or welcoming. I welcome meeting new people. I accept different opinions. I won't tolerate some things though. I won't tolerate being told if I don't agree I do not have the right to an opinion. I won't tolerate anyone hurting my children. I would never tolerate adultery. From myself or my husband.

Every time they talk on TV about being tolerant I want to ask them if they would tolerate having a dictator who slaughters his people running their country, or tolerate a pedophile molesting their child? I have noticed that one thing the "tolerant" won't tolerate is the intolerant. Funny how it reminds me of the free speech police who oppose free speech. They want to talk about how their right is suppressed all the while if it were we'd not be hearing on CNN, MSNBC, Fox and the big 3 -- all while they try so hard to stop free speech they disagree with.

Oh the hypocricy the PC crowd.

I think we made the right decision

When Megan went to Ashton Ranch she she cried every day before school and getting her there was a real fight. She was lagging behind in math and socially too. Her reading remains above grade level.
She's been at Western Peaks for a week now and oh my the difference. She loves her teacher. She gets out at carpool happily and maturely. She no longer comes home crying that she has no friends. Oh the difference in her is remarkable.
I thought for sure moving her during the year would set her back but it didn't. One agonizing decision to made many more to make in the future.

Our other big decision was not letting Andrew graduate early and join the Army. We are making him wait a bit and finish with his class. Mean parents that we are. This was an easy decision.

This post is going to be very different from my other posts. Those who know me know I'm pretty hot about politics. I often disagree with most of them and never can understand why everyone doesn't agree with me. Yah yah I know dream on! This has really been on my mind since I read one of my favorite authors blogs. She is an ardent supporter of Obama. She feels he'll bring everyone together - after all the republicans are devisive and mean. Democrats aren't I guess. Michael Moore and Joe Biden are such inclusive positive people. As long as you don't disagree with them. I get confused when I hear how Republicans hate free speach and want to take it away from everyone yet the Dems are the ones trying to shut down talk radio. I see Democrats speaking and I'm able to hear them, protestors aren't being disruptive to the point of drowning them out, calling them vile names or comparing them to murderous dictators and Marxist leaders who rank up there in dispicability with their all time favorite Republican comparison Hitler.
I'm not opposed to Obama. I'm pretty against Biden. After all he committed a crime, not a major one (unless he was plagiarizing you) but as any college student knows plagiarism is a big deal as is lying on your resume (another one of his sins). Funny if my husband lied on his resume he'd get fired Biden got re-elected.

I'd love for everyone to hold hands and sing Kumbaya. I too look forward to a day when homosexuals can walk down the street without worrying about being hurt or insulted for their sexuality, for blacks and whites, Asians and everything in between to have no fear for their safety. But I'm realistic enough to know they will have their feelings hurt. We cannot legislate emotions or hatred out of society. My husband experiences hatred and discrimination every day because of his weight. I know I once lost a job because I wasn't pretty. Now I'm not claiming to be ugly I'm just regular. I'm not pretty and I'm ugly. I am short. Wonder how many normal or averaged sized people know that I was unable to join the US Marines, be a flight attendant. I am only by age (and weight :p ) exempt from having to be in a booster seat in some states!

I'm pretty middle of the road about most social issues. I'm against gay "marriage" and I'm for having the 2 step system many European countries use. I would like to see everyone choose to either A. get married in a church and or B. have a legal civil union preformed by the state. Two seperate events and churches can choose to to perform or not perform any ceremony for any reason they choose.

I'm against affirmative action. I have children in school and can tell you that the problems of my youth which were much less than my parents are even less now. But I believe AA succeeds not in lifting up some but in demeaning and pushing down others. Poor is poor. Bad school districts educate poorly all their students not just a particular minority. Early intervention is what is needed not waiting until the college level or adulthood to correct deficits in education, enviroment and outlook.

I don't think Obama possesses the experience necessary to address the majority of American's problems. He cites his drug use as evidence of his hard youth. Well I happen to know a lot of people who have faced the same demons from middle class, upper class and all races. Hisa is not unique. However he doesn't cite his attendence of an Ivy League school as evidence of his being just like you and I. An opportunity I'd never have received. Not unless I went on a combination of being Valedictorian of my HS class, near perfect SAT schore and an athlete. Well I wasn't and neither was Obama unless I missed something.

He is one of the greatest speakers I've ever heard. Period. I'm sure he's aware of the addage "Show me with whom you walk and I will know who you are." His walk with Rev. Wright gives me great pause as to his true desire to unite and not to divide. There is no way to attend sermons for 20 years or 10 or even 5 and not knwo this is a man whose church subscribes to Liberation Theology. Marxism disquised as religious doctrine with a huge dose of victim as justification of racism thrown in.

I've been wondering if after the choice of Biden, a very devisive politician, Ms. Brockmann still feels that Obama is the unifier she felt when she originally wrote her blog entry supporting him? I'm not a McCain fan. I'm not an Obama fan. I disagree with both on some fundamental issues.

Can you say illegial immigration? Collapsing healthcare systems in the southwest, overtaxed welfare systems, and drunk driving statistics (not to mentioned unliscened drivers) through the roof. As a family member of a victim of violent crime (my 82 year old aunt was raped and beaten and subsequently died because she was unable to move after her back was severely injured) perpetrated by a man who entered illegially I know for a fact not all people who enter are "simply trying to have a better life." I don't want to condemn them all either- I simply believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Prevent it.

So anyway there is my 2 cents worth - I'm not famous, I don't live in Hollywood - thus conferring me instant expert status. I'm one of those much derrided middle class, middle America pro- life, pro-choice (Yes I believe choosing life is a choice hence -- choosing life) proud supporter of the US Military, and I promise to support our president with every part of me no matter which nominee is elected.

IMO that is what we need to unify the country supporting the one who is elected regardless if we voted for him. Instead of working so hard to divide ourselves. I have my views. I respect Ms. Brockmann's, Mr. Obama's and any and all who return that same respect. I want to make clear if anyone else is a Suzanne Brockmann fan that I have the utmost respect for her opinion and feel she expressed it with total grace and respect to all. I have simply after time come to feel that Obama isn't going to unify as I too once thought he might not after hearing Rev. Wright, his choice of Biden and his responses to the Saddleback quasi-debate.

That's my opinion.

Now back to my normal posting.

Spellcheck isn't working so please forgive my mistakes and I totally suck as punctuation!

Megan Got In!

Western Peaks called today Megan has been accepted under Open Enrollment to their school. She was on a waiting list and we had hoped to hear this week but I wasn't expecting to hear today. I'm excited because this means she'll be attending school near my work and where Ralph will be working too. So even though it's not like her old school which is across the street (literally) She's gong to be closer to us while she's at school. Yipee!! The bad part is I really like her teacher this year. And she's made friends too. But I'm confident she'll make new friends and I just have to hope and pray her teacher will be as nice and sweet as Ms. Choy.

Got the news on the job

We heard last week about the promotion. I have been trying to come to terms with his not getting the promotion. He will be working at the club here but just not as GM. He will continue to do the job he's been doing. I'm way beyond disappointed. But I'm not privy to the whys and hows of coming to this decision. He was told they were only interviewing current GMs for the position however the man who got the position was a co-manager so we know that to not be true. I'm am so disappointed and in many respects angry when Ralph was such a great GM he even got Warehouse of the Year as GM yet none of that seems to matter to anyone. Boy it does suck to not be one of the young up and comers and instead he's now the middle aged guy struggling to get ahead. I'm hoping to come to terms with it soon. Now if I had my way he'd put in for a club somewhere new and get it then in 6 months to a year put in for a club here and come back as a GM.

Life moves fast sometimes

Ralph put in for the Sam's Club they are building here in Surprise. I so hope he gets the promotion. I think he deserves it.
Found out through knowing someone who knows someone that Megan is (crossed fingers) getting into the school I wanted her in. If so she'll be right there by me but we won't know until the 10th day of school.
Summer camp is over and we have one week of prep before my classes start.
Meg and Andrew start August 11.

Things seem to be moving very quickly.

part 2 because I'm a goof and can't figure this out

I had to split this into two posts because I can't seem to get them in the right order with the words. It makes me glump them all together (words) (pictures) can't do words picture words picture. I least I can't figure it out. So here is the whole room with the beat up old coffee table I got for a steal (42) and a close up of the material on the couch!

Our new look

Well I called the next day and the couches were gone. I resigned myself to it but came home on Wednesday and there they were sitting pretty as can be in my family room! Turns out my wonderfully generous in-laws got them for me for my birthday and for DH and I for Christmas. A nice combo present early :) Ralph and I went back and got the ugly coffee table that is as sturdy as one can be and brought it home to be primed and painted along with my end tables. Then I'll have a nice co-ordinated family room. Here are the new couches! This one is on the left wall and the one below is on the long wall.

Oh wow!

Only 48 hours?! Well lets see-- Ralph put gum out in the van and had put something that was supposed to stop oil leaks in the car and it did. As a result it had too much oil- got an oil change and it's running perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes!!!! WooHoo!

I found 2 couches for under 600.00 and a coffee table for 40 dollars. I'm so happy. The couches are Ethan Allan and are in perfect condition and beautiful. The coffee table in really torn up but its solid wood so I'm going to sand and paint it and it'll look perfect.

The last 48 hours have been really good!

Vacation - Day 2

OK got Meg's clothes boxed up. Well they are in a tub not boxed because I'm sure there is a piece here and there that was left out and I want to wait to make sure I have them all before I close it up and send it off.
I went through all my books. combined the paperback and the hard back books by author. Now what do I do with them all? I had the hard backs on the half wall but now that the hard and soft are combined I don't have enough room. I have to figure out what to do and then get it done quickly. I still have my closet to do which is a 2 day job - one 8 hour job if I really work.
Ralph went back to work; today his vacation came to an end.
Well off to figure out what to do about the books. If I could figure out what to do with the car I'd be thrilled. Everything that shouldn't leak does. It needs a new engine, thermostat, probably brakes too - again. This car goes through brakes like I go through soda pop.
OK off to deal with the books.

On Vacation

Well it's my first official day of vacation. My plans for today are to -- go through Meg's clothes and take out the ones that are too small for her. Box them up and get them ready to be shipped out. I'm going to send them to my sister Jody so she can hold them for Stacey to go through. Then Stacey can take what she doesn't want to once upon a child and keep whatever they give her. I can still write it off as a deduction (even though I never do I can). Phase two is similar. I'm going to go through all my clothes and anything I'm not wearing consistently goes as does most of my winter clothes. In the five years we've lived here I've not worn most of them. It never gets cold enough long enough to wear them. So they are just taking up room in my closet. Time to say goodbye to them. Project 3 is to clean up above the cabinets in the kitchen. Nasty job; but it needs to be done. Thankfully I still have some Murphy's oil soap as that is the only thing I've found it good for.

Yesterday we went and looked at couches. There is a consignment store not too far from here and they have model home furniture along with some really nice stuff and I found a couch I want. Its a sectional in a wheat colored chenille custom built. I like it because it's nice and neutral , not too big or too small and is a good transition piece. I've decided to take the advice of the "experts" and I went into my closet to see what color I wear the most. That was easy Red and tan. then I asked Ralph if he could wear any color he wanted what color would it be he said blue. I asked him what his favorite color for me was and he said red. So we are going to leave behind the dark browns and greens and move towards tans and reds with some blue thrown in. I found the lamps I want at Fry's marketplace (Fry's is Kroger's grocery of all things) They are red and white, I bought some red throw pillows at Target although I need more and plan to check out Pier One - If not I could make some, I need a new sewing machine but a basic one would work fine. I want to dye the curtains which are actually 6 white king sized flat sheets. I don't know what color to do them in though. Tan is obviously an option but I'm not gung ho on that. Red probably would work well and would be too much, blue is an option too but hey I'm open to suggestions. I can't get the couch right now of course but since my kaput van was just paid off and so is Meg's tuition that frees up a little bit of money soon. The couch may not be there then of course but I'll keep checking and I know there will be something that'll work. My couch is in very bad shape and needs to be replaced which ticks me off as much as I paid for it. Unless I can just pay outright for it I'm never buying such a thing again especially a new car. Nope rather buy a low mileage used one. I tell James that all the time. Look for a good used one don't buy anew one until you are over 25. Odds are too good he'll wreck it and he'd have a negative equity-- too risky. OK I've rambled on enough to postpone doing Meg's closet and drawers so off I go. Seriously. I'm going. Soon. Right after I play a few hands of Qwerty. (Scrabble on POGO.com)

Life is so hard some days

Life really can be a trial. Today is one really rotten crappy day. Found out the car is gonna be kaput soon and we can't afford a new one - just paid this one off; Like, just paid it off a week ago. I'm so tired of money problems. It seems like this cloud of bad luck simply follows us around. Every time I think we've gotten a little bit ahead nope we are two steps farther behind. Enough please. I've prayed and prayed, hoped and had faith but sheesh isn't it time to test someone else? I'm emotionally exhausted. I'm sick all the time and I know its stress. So is Ralph. The stress is literally killing him. I hope to have him around for 5 more years but it's no longer something I expect as due course. his kidneys, his BP, his weight, his back all combined to take a very heavy toll on him. Today was my last day at work before my vacation too. Happy bleeping vacation to me.

pictures from the party

James had his birthday party yesterday. It was a zombie themed party and he had a nice time. Afterwards they went and played laser tag then went swimming and hung out till about 3 am.

Oh my goodness one week and James will be 20. 20! I mean he's a grown up although some days I'm not ready for him to be. We have plans for his birthday but I can't say what they are yet.

Megan and I are going to go see Kung Fu Panda and Andrew is vegging out in his room. Ralph's at work.

Not much else happening (that I can talk about yet) but I'll update soon!

decided to post some pictures as I so rarely do. Not all of them are recent - try getting two teens to sit down at the same time to get a picture and if you can do it easily you should be president. Because world peace is a breeze. Andrew's picture is one he took of himself for his MySpace account - they all look alike - camera help up at an angle in the bathroom - sexy I guess if your 17 or 14.

OK Here is James this was taken at Christmas time. He looks the same now :)
















Andrew taking his picture in the bathroom. He's letting his hair grow out - we hate it so of course he loves it. It's his singular act of rebellion (so far.) We can live with that!
















Megan and friends with her teacher Mrs. Quijada at her school's 1st grade dance. Not much dancing was going on but lots of running around.
















I really like this picture because this is my family. We visited Garland and everyone was having a great time. Susan my ex-sister in law was there and with her my niece Amanda who I haven't seen in years (it's that trying to get teens still long enough thing again!) anyway we were playing Apples to Apples and having blast. I've been away from home for a very long time but I do enjoy getting back for a visit now and again. If only they would come visit me sometime--- hint hint!!!


I

Megan and her best friend Sara who lives next door. When we moved here Sara was a full head taller than Megan and is about 6-7 months older. Suddenly Megan is a half head taller than Sara. They had a slumber party where they were sound asleep 10 minutes into the movie Enchanted.

Megan lost her two front top teeth. I took this picture as soon as she got back from swimming and changed clothes so she's half wet and her hair is a mess but her teeth are gone and I think she looks so goofy/cute I had to share!

Full day

Oh my what a full day we had yesterday. We went and paid off our car. There went that stimulus package. Then we met with our new rental company. The owner changed management companies but ours didn't tell us and the new one sent us a very generic letter saying to send our payments to them. We, we were sending nay money anywhere until we found out what was going on. The old one finally returned our emails and calls on the 15th of the month and said that yes the other company was our new management company. So we went down there to explain and pay them. They understood and were very nice and gave us several maintenance request forms. So we can get our dishwasher replaced as its falling apart.
So having taken off most of the day from work to get these done we decided to get some other things done. Off we went to get Ralph some pants at the Big and Tall store which is on the other side of Phoenix from us and right by the new management company I mean literally across the street.
On the way home we stopped to put gas in the car and I went in to get a slushie - hey it's already hot outside! Coming out I opened the drivers door and reached in to get a Kleenex and throw it away in the trash can nearby and as I turned to throw it away I got hit by a car. Fell on top of the hood and kinda rolled/slid back down onto my feet. I was fine just embarrassed and have a little bruise on my knee and another big one on my shin. The man was in shock and I reassured him I was fine while Ralph kept standing there saying through gritted teeth. "Get in the car now." I couldn't figure out what his problem was but just as I got in the car 3 police cars pulled up next to and around me and ran past the car to arrest the drunk guy who was standing there weaving around. Turns out the cashier told Ralph that he'd been threatening people. Here I was totally oblivious and standing next to him thinking I hope he doesn't puke. He was doing that swaying in circles stand I've seen a few very drunk people do. (I'm proud to say not me as I've only been "drunk" once and even then I went home to read a book)
So anyway we get home- Megan immediately begins saying can we go to Payless so I can look at shoes. yes my daughter's treat is to go look at shoes and her greatest thrill is to get a pair. I'm telling you she's such a Lenington girl. Well while waiting for Ralph to get back from taking the car to the car wash James called. He'd gotten a cell phone. I was telling him that I wanted him to be careful and think long and hard about it as he has to sign a contract and pay regardless of anything else for at least a year. He told me not to worry as once he joins the Air force next week ------------------ Whoa~~~~~~~~~ back up there! When was this decided? When did he start thinking about that?? My baby-- OMG he has decided he wants to join the USAF and work as in the bomb unit detonating explosives. I mean he's always been attracted to this. He's talked off and on about joining the police force and working in it or the military for years but the last few years he's said again and again the military isn't for him. Now he's planning on joining.

I think I need a few days off to recover from Friday. BTW Andrew told us earlier in the week he's decided to join after graduation. He's leaning towards the Army and is working hard towards not just passing the physical fitness portion but exceeding the requirements by a big margin. He wants to work with computers and is drawn to special forces. Now he's aways said he was going to join since he was little. That was no surprise.

So there was my very full Friday.

2 babies in one day

I'm so excite that my niece Stephanie gave birth to a 7 lb 3 oz 18 inch baby girl names Avery Abigail Matthews -- Congrats to Stephanie and Rich!! And my nephew Robert and his wife Jessica gave birth to a baby boy 6. lb 8 oz. 20 in long and his name is Samuel Gray Lenington

What a big surprise!! Samuel arrived a month early but mom and baby are doing well now. And Avery arrived right on time and IMO she is simply taking after her aunt Kim in that she's umm challenged in the length/height department. I have to find out if Sam has a head full of hair but if he's like the rest of the Leningtons he'll have a ton at birth - unfortunately it'll be straight as a stick and baby fine. Maybe he can get lucky and get his mom's genes in that department!

Getting excited

Steph is in labor baby should be here tomorrow AM and Jessica's time is near. I'm worried and she's in my prayers as the baby isn't due for a month but Vikki went to see her and be with her and I know she'll be a great comfort.

Soon to be a great aunt times 2 adding 2 to the already 4 times at age 42 I've been made a great aunt.

CDA renewal

I need to start looking forward to renewing my CDA (professional accreditation) I need to take 3 hours more of college courses in continuing education and join a national organization like NAEYC National Association for the Education of Young Children which costs 90 to join. Then of course there is the fee to renew 50 and the cost of the book 13 plus the college course and it's fees. Over 100 I'm sure. It costs too much to make as little as I do.

Meg's out playing in the water, Andrew is playing Halo 3 with Danny and Pat, James and ralph are at work and I have a horrid cold that is just draining me of energy.
I'm going to do a little work for this next week (dinosaurs) then I'm going to fold laundry - oh the joys of housework.

Whew close one

I took a pregnancy test this morning and it was negative. I'm still worried and if I don't know it s a definite no by Sunday I'll retest. Scary huh?

I don't think any real people ever actually read this. LOL

OK Lets see. Ummm Megan is tired and cranky and fussing because Shayla is playing more with Sara than Megan when they are all three together. Par for the course when three kids play together. One is always left out.

Andrew is doing homework. James is out and about with friends. Ralph is at work. I'm goofing off instead of folding laundry or doing my prep for the next week.

Next week's theme is part two of growing- God gave us bodies and an earth to take care of so we want to eat healthy. Hey our Christian curriculum and our weekly themes are out of sync so I'm trying to join them. Last week was Earth Day and when we should have been doing taking care of the earth but it's scheduled for next week. April's theme is growing. First two weeks were plants. Now we are doing growing bodies. We did parts of our bodies last week now taking care of them this week. Can't wait for May! We are doing Farms, Dinosaurs, Teddy Bears, and Graduation. Of course I have to squeeze Mother's day in there too.

All my pre-k kids can spell their first names and one her first and middle, one her first and last and another is working on his last name. The ones with longer last names aren't quite there yet. But they are copying words to write letters. Like I love you, Happy Mother's Day, Happy Birthday, short letters. I have one three year old named Alexandria and she's called that - can't wait to teach her to spell her name. Poor thing.

I'm about to order some Avon from Trish's site and I need to get a replacement for my Pampered Chef salad dressing thingy.

We got a new garbage disposal today as the old one leaked. No more nasty stinky water under the sink!

That's it. Trish and Jessica if you are reading this let me know!

I had two spam comments so I deleted them and added the word verification so that only real people can post. Hope this keeps it from getting out of hand.

Now if only people I know would leave a comment ---- hint hint!!

I've been too busy checking Trish's to update mine!

OK Let's see -- got back from Dallas and cut my hair off. It looks better and I plan to let it grow out but now that the hair loss stopped and is filling back in it'll look better long than it did.

There is nothing going on. Seriously. Meg is fine - she took the Dibbles test it's a reading comprehension test and scored a 68 WPM when 20 is the standard for 1st grade. Her teacher said she took a leap too and it's probably closer to 85 now. She has never missed a word on the vocabulary reading tests. And can't comprehend math and numbers to save her life. Forget money too!
Andrew is doing well in school, chomping at the bit to get his drivers license and continuing to grow. James is working, staying clean, and has met a very pretty girl he's nuts over.

Ralph's back is still bad and he's really mad at the Dr. The spine Dr. told Ralph he didn't have a needle long enough to do the epidural right but he wasn't buying them either because Ralph was fat and he should instead charge Ralph 2 times for even attempting it. Of course it didn't work so now he's in a lot of pain again.

But work is going well for both of us.

We are boring.

I really wished I could have gone to Jessica's shower (my nephew Robert's wife) PS Jessica if you are reading this may I suggest the names Daniel and Ian?? My 2 favorites! And the book Beyond Jennifer and Jason (whatever the latest edition is) it gives the best advice about use of syllables, flow, siblings and their names, nicknames, everything. One of the things that was so frustrating to us naming Megan was our last name beginning with O and ending a name with a vowel it makes it run together. Like with Lenington if you end the first name with a L then it'll sound like one long name. Like say Phillip PhilLenington the L's run together. I wanted Gabriella for Megan but Gabby Oberdieck ends up wanting to be Gabby Obiedieck. So we needed a name with a consonants at the end of both the full and nickname. Thus Meg/Megan. Of course you Lenington's don't have the problem we have of having the name dick in your last name making names like Richard, and Nick, Maura out of the question (Maura Oberdieck would end up being More Dick) Anyway it is so much fun naming other people's babies as you don't have to worry keeping it-- they do!

OK That's it like I said I'm boring!

Super Bowl Sunday

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl. We are having family and friends over to watch. Now if we had been smart we'd have rented out the house for a couple of 1000. Alas we didn't think of it soon enough.
Andrew turned 17 this week too. Seems like yesterday when he was born and in 9 days it'll be our 22 anniversary. Doesn't seem possible.

Really looking forward to Matt and Trish's arrival here in Phoenix. They are meeting friends but I look forward to being with them a little bit at least.

Ralph went to the spine surgeon and they gave him an epidural so he's feeling much better. Last week the Dr. finally found the source of his pain. he has almost no disc left between his last two vertebra.

Well its off to clean house nwo that everyone is asleep and out of my hair so I can get work done!

Happy New Year

Tomorrow it's back to work! I am so not ready. I just am not in the mind to go back. We saw the lot where the Sam's club is being built. Ralph is really hopeful that he can get it. He'll be up for promotion to GM at the right time and he lives right here so no moving expenses. Yipee! The location is right near my work! We could lunch together :) And Meg would be at school right between us because if he gets it we are moving into the neighborhood right by my work. That way she'll be at the school next to me if we don't have her grade yet at our school.
Well its off to wash clothes for tomorrow and get my stuff to the car!