yams

This is Payton's preschool pic. I know I am her mom, but c'mon....have you SEEN a more beautiful kid? :P
The photographer that took the pic is also taking "snow" pictures of Payton & Ellie on the 6th. I cannot wait to see how they turn out.

I worked in Payton's class last Wednesday. The letter of the day was "Y". Everything they do centers around the letter and the sound that letter makes. Miss Melissa read a book to the class about a yak that had never tried yams. In the end he tried them and liked them. So then the kids were given the opportunity at snack time to try yams too. I was working in the other corner of the class with a small group, but I hear Payton squeal as she sits down at the snack table and sees a yam on her plate, "OH YES! I LOVE orange chicken!" Hahahaha, I think she was a little let down when she took a closer look.

your vehicle warranty is about to expire....

Have we all received these calls? We are on the "do not call" list, but I'm not sure how well it works. Tonight the caller id says "call center". Brad picks up.

A recording telling us that our vehicle warranty is dangerously close to expiring. (OH NO!)

Press 1 to speak to a representative.

He presses 1.

The rep asks for the vehicle vin number.

Brad says "Why don't YOU tell me which of my vehicle warranties is about to expire since you called me."

We don't have that information, sir.

Brad asks "Is this a scam?"

Uh, not that I am aware of sir.

"Not that you are AWARE of? Are you kidding me?" Brad laughs.

F&(@ you, go to hell! The rep yells.

Click.

I think it's a scam, how about you?

D-Day

Ryan is at mediation right now and I am nervous for him.

I know it's the hardest thing he's ever done. She's going out of her way to make this hell for him.

I wish I could handle it for him. He's sad. He's scared. He has Kloe to think about.

I am mostly angry. I could do some damage!

I hope he calls soon with some good news.

feeling wordy

So let's make a list.

1. Dreyer's Slow Churned Peppermint Ice Cream is about amazing. If you live in Bakersfield, you have tasted Dewar's Peppermint Ice Cream. Dreyer's is pretty much just as good. Seriously. Try it.

2. I leaned on the remote control and somehow made the picture switch to this little square rather than filling up the entire wide screen. I'm trying to watch the CMA's and everyone's heads are cut off. I can't get Brad to wake up and fix it for me. I love Taylor Swift. She's a doll.

3. I have been sucked (ha) into the Twilight craze. Wow. I thought I was probably too mature for teen lit (that's sarcasm friends) but it turns out I am not. Reading New Moon right now and I love it. The first hundred pages made me bawl. Like ugly bawl. The bawl that you do not want anyone else to see you do. Totally mature.

4. The girls got into a physical altercation tonight. Ellie threw a shoe at Payton. Payton got pissed and chucked it right back, hitting Ellie in the face and giving her a bloody nose. That was lovely. Had to make them kiss. I couldn't just punish Payton for drawing blood. If Ellie threw a shoe at me, I'd chuck it back at her too. ;)

5. My back is still hurting so bad. I know. Go to the doctor. I will. I can't hardly stand up straight anymore. Hunchback of Jersey Bounce Drive.

6. So Obama will be President in a few short months. Yeah for him. Boo for all of the forwarded bad taste emails. 4 more years of this crap?

7. Ryan and Kloe came to dinner tonight. Brad made beef and broccoli. It was good! I painted the girls toes and we played with Kloe. Now I am tired.

8. Santa is coming to our house on December 2nd!

9. Top Chef starts tonight!

10. Tonight there was a Celeb Gossip category on Jeopardy. I got every answer right. How embarrassing.

G'night sweethearts.

monday, monday

Monday is always a busy day. Payton had school pictures today. I am totally and completely jealous of my 4 year old. It is NO fair that she can walk into the girl's department at the store and pick out something and be completely confidant that it'll fit. There was a day that I could do that. I didn't appreciate it nearly enough. (And no, I don't tell her momma is too fat for her clothes....I keep that to myself. :P )

She looked so grown up. I hope the photographer got better pics of her I did!

Ellie was a nut all weekend, as usual. She asked to get her ears pierced at the mall yesterday, so we did! She didn't even cry! Payton opted out. Lol! Here she is showing them off last night. They look purple because of the pen they used to mark the location. I couldn't get it all off. Another funny pic Ellie took in the bath a few nights ago. Payton spent the night with her Mimi. Ellie and I had fun together.

Last week Payton had a field trip to the Fire Station. Leave it to my kid to thump the fireman on the head.

a bad case of the "wants"

So Christmas season is sneaking up on us and somehow the kids sense it. Every commercial is met with two little sing-songy voices "I want that MOM!" They want anything and everything. This includes birth control pills. Have you seen that cute commercial with the gals in their old-timey yellow bathing suits and caps singing "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...."(you know the rest.) Well, they want that. They don't know what "IT" is. I don't know what "IT" is. We are working on teaching the girls that there is more to Christmas than the Toys R Us catalog.

all quiet on the western front

It's 8 minutes 'till 9 and it is silent in our house. SILENT! "Silence is golden, duct tape is silver." LOL. One of my favorite quotes. Kids are asleep. Brad is gone fishing. Nothing is on tv. I want to get up and get a bowl of peppermint ice cream, but then my teeth will hurt. Too cold. :(

Today was exhausting. Joseph and Emily hung out with us while their mom and dad golfed. All of the kids were so good, but darn it they are loud! I guess that is why I am enjoying the silence now.

I am so tempted to start decorating for Christmas already. Brad would kill me. On Monday the community center is making reservations for Santa visits. It is first come, first serve, so I will have to remember to call early. Last year when Santa and Mrs. Claus knocked on our door, Payton went nuts. She STILL talks about that! Ellie was afraid of him. Who knows how she will react this year. Such a neat thing NOR does for kids though. It blows my mind that it is free! Nothing is free these days!

Well, I don't know what else to say....I am truly drained. Hope the girls sleep in tomorrow. Yeah right.

I know a girl.....

She puts the color inside my world....

There is nothing like being the mom of two little girls. Nothing.

*Man, I have had a lot of hair colors/lengths in the last 4 1/2 years.

oy, mi panza

As if it isn't enough that these damn cramps are about to kill me, I also have 3 humongous zits. Painful, deep -could be mistaken for a second nose- zits. What am I? 12? Watching America's Next Top Model isn't helping. Damn skinny young hooches.

The Bronco is gone. It was loaded up on a big truck and is on it's way to Delaware. Can you believe that? it still blows my mind that someone from Delaware bought it without ever even seeing it. I thought I would be happy to see it go, but it's a little sad. I know Brad was a little let-down, so maybe that's why I am sad. We sat out on the lawn and watched the men load it up on the double decker truck that will be taking it cross-country. The girls thought it was really neat.

Ellie is asleep. She's gone to bed really easily these past few nights. I think since I changed my attitude about bedtime, she did too. Mad props to my bud Elena for the pep talks about bedtime with spunky 2 year olds. She also recommended the book I just finished....How to Talk so Kids Will Listen & Listen so Kids Will Talk. (http://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Kids-Will-Listen/dp/0380811960). I really enjoyed the book. It seems so straight forward really. Brad and I are both trying to implement it. So far, so good.

Payton is watching Spongebob before bed. She went with Brad to his fishing club meeting tonight. She got to spin the raffle ticket spinning thing. Should have named her Vanna. She's tired. Me too.

This post is all over the place. The zit on my forehead is obstructing the blood flow to my brain. G'night, sleep tight.

lovebugs

halloween 2008

Brad had to dress up for school. He was Barney Rubble. He told me he couldn't "remember" which teacher was going to be Betty. Yeah right. I bet it was the cute one.

Payton and Ellie dressed up for school and daycare. I let Ellie wear Payton's old witch costume so she wouldn't mess up her new one.

Almost time to go beg strangers for candy! Estella came by to say hi.

Natalie the Pirate went trick or treating with us.......

Along with Dylan the Pirate.

Dylan is thinking "Argghhhh...wtf is Ellie wearing?"


I bought Hubba Bubba.

So now it is November. The month that we celebrate Thanksgiving and "eat the beast" as Payton puts it.

Today is Lori's 31st birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY. I've loved you forever. You are my bestest. "You get the world for your birthday, baby."

Julie's 31st birthday was 3 days ago. She is my other bestest. Love you dearly.

Man, all of my friends are old. :P

I voted today. It was quick and painless.

I'm listening to Christmas music already. I am in the spirit early this year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjK8PrvKlzM

This song makes me want to cry, but I keep listening to it.

All my love and prayers are still going out to Kimberly.