Wednesday, December 31, 2008

We had all the kids over to have pizza "bubbles" (soda) and lots of Wii music (on video camera) and the end with fireworks and off to bed at 8:15!!! The littlest four are asleep and Kaitlyn/Keirsten are watching New Years Eve with Miley. The kids each played their instruments; Kaitlyn-clarinet, Tressa; Guitar and the Wii microphone was burning up with Jordan singing along side the dancing girl Kayla. I got a lot of video tonight and the photos are the best from a "broken camera." I am able to continue to get them hit and miss. Tressa seemed to be camera shy tonight, no clear shots..sorry. I will get some good video out of her. She is very into singing and playing her guitar. She also did well with one slice and a can of green beans for her party choice food. She was right out there with the fireworks helping Michelle get them out to the big boys (starters) Gabrielle and Kenny. Keirsten kept things in line...lol

New Years Eve party kid style



































































HAVE A SAFE NEW YEARS EVE

A van full.....very tired kids....even tired (er) driver..LOL

Tears bring the tell tale sign it was time to head home.... Tired and cranky, Ms Mary, (Mayor Clayton's wife) makes it better.
We had a great day and in the end met up with a wonderful family we had known only through the Internet and now know face to face as our friends. Very rewarding day.



I will catch up again tomorrow. I have a house full on their way, Food, Fireworks and Bubbly ready for use.. Music is on, festive feelings inside and Wal Mart is preparing all the photos and hopefully short video's of our trip to Orlando. Enjoy your night safe please. A prayer for peace, prosperity and patience in 2009 for AMERICA!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Re-connecting to family

The Internet has it's pluses and it's negatives. I am in contact with family I would never be in contact with if it were not for the Internet; personal sites, myspace, facebook, blogging and emails. The flip side is raising teens with this finger tip communication when they have not the skill or restraints to have such easy access to spew their emotions. My 15 year old tends to take things out to the limits and some days beyond..With this access it has shown to be more than she is responsibly able to control when her emotions are altered... I know from the beginning of time teens have been this "emotional" although this access makes it more dangerous for people to say things they wouldn't say face to face...

The positive is I feel a connection to a couple nieces who have been reaching out. I am seeking to locate friends from High School to catch up before my 30 year reunion this summer so we can feel closeness when we meet. I have lost one of my dear high school friends, Cathy Maupin, this past year so this trip will have more than one emotional meeting for me. I am tossed if it should be a drive and take the children to experience my home town or alone (fly) to take care of me and my needs alone. Only time will answer these decisions.

I need to hop in the shower and move on with this day... we are heading out to check on Tressa's star later today.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

It seems like it was Thanksgiving just a day ago. December came and went so quickly for me. Now we head into the year 2009. Not possible. this is my year for forever "holding" of my age... not going into the black balloon era.


My mind/heart are very content at this point in my life. I have things in line with the budget, as budgets go these days. I am so settled in my space as a single women in single life. It appears to me my idea of a relationship is days past...I watched the Sound of Music tonight with the kids and it gives me goose bumps each time. It takes my mind back to falling asleep to hear Mario on ET yesterday say all men cheat and then went on to give rational reasons for why it is-- just the sign of the times. Three other men on the show agreed and brought out; in 2008 women cheat equal to men just have emotional hold on issues to their cheating than men who can cheat on their marriage and have no "feelings" it's just a thing....one guy said he did it when his wife was "nagging" OK this comes during a year I have listened to way too many relationship issues all negative so I celebrate my very calm, positive, full of love life with me myself and my children... Yeah me! LOL this may pass come Valentine's day, I have this blog highlighted to come back to when my mood slides....lol

2009, REALLY???
I do not make resolutions as I try to live my life every day the best I can be.

Two Thousand and Nine......WOW!


Glow in the dark puzzle



"Are you moving" my neighbor asked.

My next door neighbor came out of her house today to check to see if we are moving????

You see last Sunday I tore through the garage and threw out JUNK (lots) while going through Kory and Josh's left behind treasures. (junk they stored for years) I went through much of mine too but have tons more. The kids and I took out trash again...LOTS OF TRASH and I had some items the garbage men said were to big so they wouldn't take them last week..so I took a circular saw out to the side of the road and cut it all up into 4 ft pieces or less. I am sure the visual was enough to shock a few of my neighbors.... Well , I have no men here, now my sons are far away, so if it is to get done I have to do it... I did it. The pile is big, the house is coming together and we made progress.

Time to check on Tressa's Star again

We have decided to head out to check on Tressa's star (Orlando) This will land us in Give Kids the World theme park for a day. The kids LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. I hope to roll out first thing Tuesday morning. Monday is full of Doctors appointments. I think this will be great fun. The deciding factor is GAS PRICES LOWEST IN 5 YEARS!!! It was --do we go to the movies today for $80.00 or fill the van and get a hotel room in Orlando??? (discount hotels for GKTW families) Hands down the kids choose Orlando where they have a FREE MOVIE THEATER and FREE POPCORN!! and You know who is there .....eeeaks they get as excited as me..lol

Tuesday is horseback riding day so I am going to push to be up there by 10 am. Then it is Nick night for the kids to play with sponge bob at the night outside party. We can grab lunch Wed and head home... After tons of play time and endless carousal rides, putt putt, train rides, and a carriage ride upon a Real carriage with Real horse, swim in heated pools, play with motor boats and go fishing off the pier. I almost forgot the Castle playroom and TRESSA'S STAR ...when all that is done, we will come home for Ney Years Eve and Mom can meet up with some friends.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

I am feeling a little ditsy right now

I have a new cam-corder which is only months old. I tried to get it charged for the children's Christmas plays at their schools and could not locate the cord to charge the unit. I was very sad and looked up and down for the right cord. Today, I show Mandie my confusion as to why I have a cord that says JVC and the only item I know of that I have JVC is my recorders. This cord doesn't seem to fit anywhere. One old model which clearly this cord does not go to and this new one. (I have always had this cord/never lost) I was almost to the point of forcing this cord into the connection when Mandie says..... STOP MOM, that is the connection to attach it to your computer......look.... And YES SHE DOES..... lifts up a rubber cover to the outlet to put this same cord, I have had all along, into the unit to charge it....It is charging as I type this... I am sick....The tree is still up can we re-create Christmas morning...LOL Maybe this is my consolation to the fact my digital camera is slowly but surely loosing the lens for ever. I am taking pictures and 8 out of 10 are red with lines and two come out clear enough to keep.... It was dropped Christmas morning on the tile floor....

This too shall pass.......

Update on Grand Dad Doe Doe

He has emailed back and the birth sisters, who are very much a part of her life, and a piece of this memory in her life are included in these emails today. For their privacy and Tressa's I will let you know it is cute as can be, and I see it as Tressa in the lead recruiting the sisters as well....LOL . Out of respect it is private. They are having great clean wholesome fun with their Grand Dad!!!

HEY WHOLE WORLD, I have a Grand Dad Doe Doe




Important connections for young children

I want to share a part of Tressa's day yesterday. She has an open adoption as most of you know. It was her Birth Paternal Grandfather's Birthday . She wanted to make a card, take a picture and email it but that never happened because she also wanted to type an email which took ALL DAY because she didn't want mistakes (just perfect) is what she would say. She had to sing the song Happy Birthday completely to get one of the words typed... a visual for understanding the time this email took. It was pain staking long and I often hopped on to "fix" it for her.

A bit of history; Grand Dad named Tressa FireFly when she was a baby because we flew out to see them and he said she lit up his life when she arrived (airplane). She can put the room a glow with her presence in their lives.... Thus "FireFLy" and in response the grand kids call him Doe Doe (and he LOVES it)

Any way. He emailed back after she had fallen asleep and his response is EXACTLY the relationship they have. Fun, loving and so inviting for my young daughter to have with an older relative. This is very positive for young children, Her ability to be fun and loving back is what you will see from her photo response, This I encouraged so we didn't have to take another full day for an email...YIKES! She is a perfectionist (OCD) and if things are not right she doesn't care if it takes everyone and everything to make it right, she wants it her way.


From Tressa to Grand Dad:
Dear Grandpa Doe Doe, Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Doe Doe Happy Birthday to you! Doe Doe i am singing this to you Happy Birthday Doe Doe, have the happiest birthday, love Tressa and that's it period. My name is Tressa, your grand daughter. I tell everybody it is my grand Dad Doe Doe's birthday...

(she is laughing all the way/all day)

Reply:
Oh Tressa, Oh Tressa,
I should really scold you.
You tell all your friends
A tale that's not true
Oh yes, I'm your Granddad
Of that I am proud
But you must stop saying
And saying so loud
"My Grandpa is Doe Doe,
Doe Doe Doe Doe Doe"
I know you are fibbing
So you better stop that show!

(But I've very happy to have your birthday good wishes, even if you keep calling me "Doe Doe". which I'm
NOT!!!!!)

And I do love you,

Grandad (not Doe Doe)


___________
Tressa wakes and I tell her of this reply and she gets her silly defensive laugh ....and we build our attack back.... See photo.

Kids toys choices...

I will fill this blog in soon, I want to explain the many choices for toy ideas for each of the children because of their merging skills and ability to fit into general peer group settings..

I need to keep moving forward because the kids are here and until afternoon I am flying solo...must keep them busy. It was another 3 am start of my day..I am dying hre....LOL

Friday, December 26, 2008

A day of play




A gift from Mandie
THANK YOU!

IT'S NOT A DINOSAUR.....

It's a turtle!!!!! LOL this was so much fun!


As the story grows.....

Sometime in th early morning hours, Tressa and Kaitlyn got up to check on our egg. I got involved when their talking got louder and louder as their excitement builds. The two find (see photo.) They go into this long discussion with the end being.... Because Santa broke his leg this year (our Santa/Holiday party) his elf rode in the sleigh with him and the ELF DROPPED THE EGG. Because; now they know how the elf's make toys. They have called this their baby yellow dinosaur toy. It is continuing to grow... They are telling their siblings this elaborate story which gets bigger and more exciting each time it is told. The happenings in our home with Santa and his Elf's while dropping off our gifts is AMAZING. I am glad I was sleeping.....




Thursday, December 25, 2008

Mom, I think he's stuck....

Thank you for sharing a part of your holiday with our family. It is near 11 pm and only Kaitlyn and Jordan are at the table waiting for the egg to hatch. We have decided he needs rest to be here tomorrow so we are going to bed and will share more in the morning.

It has been a wonderful day, very relaxing with the focus on enjoying one another...No stress on cooking, we munched today and ate light. No company/guests to entertain... Just us, playing games, listening to music, making plans and sharing our imaginations...

We hope you found peace, joy and happiness on this special Birthday celebration. Bless you.

Huge hugs from all of us, to all of you! Good night.

He's coming out, he's coming out




NOTE: The noodle in the tank next to the egg...lol I told her we have to go to bed. She slipped a noodle into the water in case he gets hungry before we wake up. She wants to leave her DS light on so he can see in the night.... Keirsten has asked 100 times, mom there can't be anything "real" right... ?????

They say they can see a dinosaur baby


Kaitlyn is reading a book at the tables edge, the boys are all up on this,,,,wasn't a smart move to start a 12 hour project at noon...... Please hatch....I am tired and want to read my book.. They scream every few minutes as it flakes away a little more shell. They have some strong imaginations!!!

It is hatching....


A new "pet" A MUST READ!


Santa put this egg in the kids stocking, they read the directions and at noon we placed the egg in water to grow... They believe it is a Dinosaur egg and we will have a baby dinosaur tomorrow. The plan is to play with it untl next week then take it to Aunt Nancy's back yard!!!! LOL Farm Lauderdale, Florida (see previous photos)

We just returned home from taking Ayden back to his mom and IT HAS CRACKED... Unfortunately my camera which fixed itself for the days photos is acting up but I will post the upcoming photos. The kids can not leave the bowl's side...Jordan believes he has seen the baby Dinosaur lick his baby paw, Kaitlyn said she saw the baby Dinosaur move his little baby fingers by the little crack in the egg. Tressa heard it say "mama" and the excitement is growing.

There is no going to bed until this has been hatched....?? we will see, I will post the progress.

Boys and their toys, girls too..
















The day continues to be joyful

A cute moment. Keirsten is pretty much glued to her new PSP and has gotten on the Internet and playing games, watched a movie etc... Tressa is interested in it and has taken my digital recorder which is small and silver... and she is trying desperately to get it to go on the Internet or play a game and she has examined it completely to try and figure hoe to put a movie into i or a game card...LOL

I will post some cute pics. I am about to go get Ayden for a few hours so m time will be supervising a baby.... I am having a grand time watching the kids all playing endlessly with new toys. Thomas the train has new batteries and up and going as if it were all new (4 years ago for Christmas) Many toys where batteries ran out a few months go I left sit and today they are all alive.... A trick I did when the kids were small and I was in college.. Photos are great, they will never remember which is new and which has new batteries... Looks like a ""LOT"

Off to get lunch and over to pick up Ayden.

Keirsten Christmas morning
















Kaitlyn Christmas morning
















Steven Christmas morning
















Jordan Christmas morning