Independence Day

Well here we are again, another Independence day is upon us.  This year I am extremely grateful to all the men and women not at "home" celebrating with us.  Whether you agree on the war or not doesn't matter right now.  What matters are there are many many people right now, today, fighting to keep us save.

Last night a friends husband came home from overseas, after being gone for a while.  This morning I was able to see a glimpse of what their reunion was like.  I sat at my computer, on facebook, flipping through picture after picture of their reunion.  I couldn't stop the tears from falling.  I felt honored to be able to feel the emotion on each and picture.  I am so happy for them!

So this holiday weekend while you are celebrating with your friends/family, please take a moment to give thanks for everyone who has helped us reach this day yet again.  If you currently have a loved one away for our country from the bottom of my heart I Thank you and them for their service. <3

Holy CRAP!

I can't believe I haven't updated this since January!  Holy crap I am a horrible blogger!!!!

Ok then, how about some updates.  The kids are wonderful!  Marcus is just about completely potty trained.  Something we let him do on his own time frame, and because of that it has been amazingly easy.  He is also sleeping in a big boy bed, another thing made easy but us letting him do it when he was ready. 

Jay is wonderful!  Finished the 5th grade with wonderful grades.  August she starts the 6th grade, OMG I will have a middle schooler! Where in the world has the time gone?!?!!?!!? 

My sister graduated high school last month.  Such a wonderful and sad day.  I'm so proud of my siblings! 

My back pain is still there, and ridiculous!  I had steroid injections last month.  Yea they did not help at all.  In fact instead of a constant pressure in my back, I now have shooting nerve pain from time to time.  The nerve pain I never had until the injections.  @@ I have a follow up next week and hoping for good news.  I'm still struggling some days with my depression.  We just upped my meds, again, and for now that's helping.  I am also seeing a therapist, so hopefully I will completely pull out of this funk soon.  The one year anniversary of my grandfathers death is coming up soon.  I can't believe it's almost been a year.  There is not a day that I don't think about him, and miss him. 

I've also decided to share this blog on facebook, that means my family might read it.  Ohhhh guess I need to be careful for now on with what I post. ;-) 

I promise to try and keep this updated better for now on.

Resolutions

Now I'm not one to do New Years Resolutions because honestly I just never ever stick to them.  However there are some things I would like to change in my life for 2011.

1. Yes, like everyone else in the beginning of the new year I want to change my eating habits and lose weight
2. Have more patience with my children
3. Get my finance's better organized
4. Start running, I really really want to get up every morning before work and run.  I've never been much of a runner, however the last time I really put effort into exercising it made me feel so good.  The problem is that I would have to get up around 5am to go run.  At 5am it is still very dark outside, and my lovely father (who is a cop) has me scared senseless about being outside by myself in the dark.  UGH

 What are your resolutions?

Hello Again

Just a brief update.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years!  We sure did!  We left on Christmas Eve to go to my mom's (she lives 2 hours away).  We loaded up all the kids stuff from "Santa" and took it with us.  The kids were spoiled beyond belief and had a great time.  We stayed at mom's for 2 days before coming back home.

Currently M has bronchitis, and that just sucks!  Poor little Monkey.  Have a great weekend!

BRRRRRR

Well it's official winter is here.  We had snow on Thanksgiving and right now it's 28 degrees here in the miserable Midwest.  I'm cold!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We had a great day.  My mom's side of the family all met at my Aunt and Uncles house around 12.  Our first holiday without gramps was a little rough but we made it of course.  It was great to hang out with everyone all day.  I really <3 my family.

Marcus is going through a clothing/diaper's are optional phase.  It sucks!  Several times now I have gone to bed only to find him a) completely butt naked, b) no clothes but diaper still on, or c) playing in his own feces that is a now all over the place.  Toddlers are nasty!!!!!  I think  for Christmas I'm going to buy him one of those training seats that sits on the big toilet.  He has a real nice potty chair that makes noises, but honestly I think he's scared of it.  He knows when he has to pee/poop and will tell us but will not sit on the potty. *sigh*

Jaylin is doing great!  Counting down the days til Christmas and driving herself nuts trying to guess what her already wrapped gifts are.  Bhahaha I'm an evil mama.

Have a great day!

I hate this time of the year

Marcus is sick, AGAIN!  I swear it's been like a never ending battle the last 2 months.  Poor thing barely gets a week or two to re-coup before he is sick again.  The runny nose hasn't stopped in weeks, and his cough came back again yesterday.  We were up half the dang night coughing.  Some friends told me about giving him honey before bed to help with the coughing, so I'm gonna give that a try tonight.  Here's hoping!

Other then that the weekend was pretty uneventful, except I started my Christmas shopping and I'm about half way done.  WOOHOO!  Thursday we had conference with Jay's teacher and received her report card.  She did wonderful all of her grades were in the mid-upper 90's except for one, she got a 78% in social studies.  She doesn't care much for history, but no doubt she will be bringing it up.  I'm a very proud mama!

Wedding plans

Oh that's right after 11 years together Orlando and I are tying the knot.  He "finally" proposed to me back in February.  I started right away looking into planning, setting a date, picking colors, choosing MOH and bridesmaids.  It's been 9 months since he put a ring on it and I have done nothing.  We still don't have a date, I kinda have colors and flowers picked out, no venue, I haven't been dress shopping, NADA!  Looks like he'll get that long engagement he wanted.  LOL

So if you have any wedding tips I would love to hear them, this will be a big DIY wedding since we are not very financially blessed.  I'm going with some shade of blue for the colors, and I love love love Calla Lilies.  I also want a spring May/June wedding.  I had set a date for this May but it's my little sisters high school graduation and she was unsure (and still is) of graduation date.  I would hate to have scheduled my wedding for the same weekend as her graduation.