I fought the swing and it won

Jamison came home from preschool on Thursday looking like a cat beat him up.  But no he tried to jump out of the swing before it came to a complete stop. He face planted in the gravel underneath it.  He was hamming it up when I was taking pictures that night.  Looks like a little angel here and we so know that isn’t true.  We already had to call Santa once.  I also was ready to give him away a couple nights ago.  I know it is the nights he doesn’t have a nap but I have one so my patience shouldn’t be that short.  One thing I will be working on next year. 

10-10-10

We actually had a beautiful day where we didn’t have much on our schedule.  Family pictures at 5 but most of the day free.  After getting errands done like grocery shopping and breakfast at McDonalds we headed out to the in-laws homestead for a little recreational play.  Campbell and Brian rode motorcycles while Jamison swung in the swing.  Me I spent my time taking pictures of the cutest kids in the world.  And look at how Campbell looks on the motorcycle.  He doesn’t like to ride a regular bike and we can’t take the training wheels off that but he can move on the motorcycle and I bet if I would have been in the back of the track he was taking the little jumps too.  I loved the weather and we are so blessed to have 80s and 90s in October. 

Sept 30

Oh I am so beginning to hate Tuesdays and Thursdays. The good thing to look forward to is my main floor will be clean today. THANK YOU PATTY!! Why then do I hate Tuesdays and Thursday, because these are the days Jamison now goes to pre-school. These are the mornings that we have to make sure he eats more than two bites of breakfast at our house because he won’t have the chance to eat a second breakfast. These are the days I get to drag him into the classroom to see one little boy clinging to his dad’s neck with tears running down his face. Then we have another little boy screaming and crying that is trying to get out to catch up to the caregiver that dropped him off. These are the days that I now have him clinging to my leg or next telling me not to go that he will miss me that he doesn’t like pre-school as tears now run down his face. Ever day we go it gets worse but I keep hoping it will be better. I keep reminding my self that this is only the 5th day of pre-school. Then again, these are now the days that I am at work until 5:45 because I don’t get out of the school until 9:00. Today I sat him on the floor with a book and pillow in his lap (hoping this would give me a head start) as I ran out the door. I pulled the door shut on his tear soaked face and for the rest of the morning I hear the echo of “But I love my mama.” Yes, it breaks my heart. Yes, I want to cry and have a drink before I go into work. Yes, I want to ask the dad that has the same thing happen is it easier as a dad? If it is Brian is taking him on Tuesday you can believe it!

September 14

Jamison started preschool today. He is too little to go to school. I think I need to go get him back and just sit on the couch holding him! They can't grow up this fast!

Happy/ Sad Day

Today I am happy! Campbell is in Second grade and we are now back on the school schedule of being in bed by 9. I get 2 hours of peace. I get 2 hours to do what I want. I get 2 hours to talk to Brian without interruptions (if Brian stays awake that is). I get 2 hours to watch a movie if I want. I love the school schedule for this little break from being a mom at nights. I wonder what I will do at night.

Today I am sad! Campbell is in Second grade and we are now back on the school schedule of going into work at 9. Working 9 to 5:30 and being the only one in my department for the last hour of the day. Natalie has switched her schedule to part time. I'm Jealous and yes with a capital J! So today I am happy but sad too. I haven't decided which one will stick around the longest.

Monday Results

I know you guys have been on pins and needles to see how my unexpected day of leisure came out. What did I do you asked? First I did business. I took all our cans back, $15.15 for spending. Then I signed up for the sewing class I wanted to take. September 25 I am going to learn how to Free Motion Sew, I hope. Right now I am the only person that is registered so I hope they don’t cancel. There is a home Iowa game that weekend so I will need to find someone to watch the boys. Wonder what my mom is doing that weekend? I went and wandered Hobby Lobby after trying to have lunch with my husband, but he was busy. I had lunch outside and read a book while eating (Plan B). After lunch I had 3 hours before I had to go to the Chiropractor so I worked on Campbell’s quilt. I have all the rows done now I just have to sew them together. I won’t have the top done by his birthday but I should have it done by the beginning of September. Brian came home and we went out for supper at the Smoke Shack (new restaurant I can now take off my list). During supper he got a phone call (Surprise!) it was his parents and Jamison threw up twice so they are bringing the boys back to us. We then took a trip to Walmart to get our groceries that we hadn’t gotten during the weekend and went home to watch some TV without interruptions until the boys came back from Madison. I will take more days like this.

How did this happen?

On Friday I saw that Monday was still supposed to be gorgeous and took the day off. So I told Brian and the boys Friday night. Went on our happy way this weekend. Yesterday Brian says at lunch, "mom and dad are going to Madison tomorrow and taking Campbell." Lorraine says "we can take Jamison too if Campbell goes Jamison should too." Halloo, did I not say I have Monday off to spend with the boys. So here I sit with the boys on the way to Madison and me not knowing what to do first. Go out side and read? Actually get some work done? Play on my sewing machine (I do still have Campbell's quilt to finish.) or go bum around the craft shops. I went to exercise at 5:30 this morning so all are possibilities. And I might have a date night because they are staying over night. I told Brian to call me if he wants to do something and I will see if I am available. Now off to the adventures I can have. I'll let you know what I decide.

Celebrate Good Times

Jamison is officially fully potty trained!! And for the ones that are saying "He's four he should have been along time ago" I have to say "@# $@&^%!" Anyway he is night trained (way easy) and poo trained as of yesterday!! I am giving the last of my diapers away!

JULY 29

Happy Birthday Jamison, Sam and Eve. Four years ago I was sitting in the hospital waiting for Jamison to come into the world. How different our life would be if you weren’t here. Campbell still might not be riding a bike. I might be odd man out all the time. Now I have you to vote for spicy with me on occasion. We didn’t know your name but KAYAK was on the list because who knows you could have looked like a Kayak! You are some thing kid!

JULY 24

How am I going to entertain 20 people at our house? All the fun stuff is up at the cabin. Speaking of the cabin there was 4 more inches of rain last night. YIKES!! The Marina is flooded. Some of our neighbors have water in their cabins. The current is super strong and up the lake there is massive flooding. This looks like it is going to be a bigger clean up than the flood of 2008. The news says record flood stage!

Okay boys party without Brian we can handle. The kids will just mostly entertain themselves with something. Deep breath. . . we can get through this. We are having lunch meat sandwiches, fruit and chips for lunch (so we are hungry for cake). Received a text from Brian – the DNR boat just floated by, he got some video.

Time to open presents! Campbell got a new Star Wars Lego Set. Jamison got cars and a car wash. Two Water guns each, we will have fun trying those out.

Mom, Dad, Shawn, Dirk and Nathan went up to see the Lake while Andrea and I took the kids to play miniature golf. We had a great time at Lost Island but I have never seen a miniature golf course this busy in my life. Usually we are the only ones on them and this one had people on every other hole. Crazy!

Lake Delhi Dam just broke. Soon no more water in the lake just a 7 mile mud flat. Our water crafts are all still there but have some damage. Our retaining wall caved and we now have a foot wide fission in our yard. No lake for the foreseeable future, hmmm what are we going to do on the weekends?
Birthday party successful. Lake Delhi no more. Happy but sad day.

July 23

Happy (?) Birthday Brian! Okay I know you don’t really care if you celebrate or not and today was NOT a good day. You had to start the day fixing a flat tire on your truck. Then you found out that Oelwein received 10 inches of rain Thursday night and that was flooding Lake Delhi. After supper at Bishops you took my dad up to see what needed to be saved or could be. With strong currents and large branches floating you recommended that no party be held at the cabin. No sleep on this night. No not a happy birthday.

July 22

We just spent $200 on groceries for this weekend. Could have been a lot more but we already have a lot at the cabin. We should now have enough flotation devices for ever kid and half the adults that come this weekend. The boys didn't even complain about shopping because they new it was for the birthday bash.

Happy Birthday shout out to Janet and Kathleen. Hope it was a good one.

The Big Black Bus

Coming home for the Creating Keepsakes Convention we stopped in Ankeny for supper. After a very successful weekend we were happily tired and a little on the cash depleted side so we stopped at Burger King. Now don't get me wrong BK is one of my all time favorite places to eat but memories are being made here and BK is not the background you would first choose for those memories. Or so we thought. We are sitting down with our meals in a window booth when I see a big black bus pull up. Then about 30 guys getting out of the bus. Based on the black school bus with the tinted window my first thought is prison work release. No guards. My next thought is Bachelor party but seriously would you stop at BK for that? Again the memory thing. Then they are all pretty much wearing jeans and t-shirts or khakis and polos, work crew that is just starting? It is driving me crazy that I didn't ask. Rachael puts a remark similar to this on Facebook. "Heidi wanted to end our weekend partying with the guys on the big black bus but I said if we want to come back that might not be a good idea." Great laugh and a great memory so maybe we should picture some of those memories at fast food restaurants. Who knows maybe those guys in the big black bus already know that and were starting out the bachelor party there for that reason.

CK Convention - Des Moines

This was such a great weekend. I can't believe how much fun I had. Most of my classes were wonderful. I got to meet one of my favorite designers from Creating Keepsakes and my traveling companion was totally AWESOME. We stayed at the Embassy Suite where you get free breakfast and free HAPPY HOUR every day. The beds were so comfortable that if I wasn't so excited I could have slept until 8. But excited I was so I was up sometime after 5. Not sure when because the Alarm clocks at the Embassy Suite would be the only thing I complain about from this weekend. 1) We never figured out how to set the time so it was ahead by about an hour and a half. 2) The clock face didn't light up so you could not see it in the dark. Now I know what you are thinking - There is a button for setting the clock. If there was we did not find it. We pushed every indent and button there was. There was a button for Alarm set but no button that said clock or time.

But I digress, about the convention. If you are a scrapper or card maker you need to go to this next year. Yes they are coming to Des Moines again next year. You learn new techniques, you meet great people, you can shop in multiple stores all at one place. I got to start 2 great mini albums that I can't wait to finish. I did some layouts. I made some cards. I found out about some great products and got to see demos that helped me understand them better than if I would have just read about them in the magazine. I also receive lots of free stuff! I got the idea and product for the boys' birthday invitation which are now done and ready to mail. I could gush for hours on how great this was. So I want to thank Brian for not even hesitating about me going when I asked. It was a weekend he had to work and daycare was closed but him and the boys didn't even miss me they had so much to do. Thank you Rachael for going with me and if Kansas City was later I might have bugged you to sign up for that one too but I won't be ready for new techniques by October.

Happy May

So I was talking to Nicole this afternoon and I said I would update mine if she updated hers. She said she updated this morning. So here I am. May is the best month with my birthday and mother's day the boys have to be nice to me all month. It is also the busiest month for Brian. He is cleaning an apartment right now. AWWW. But it put a damper on Girl's night out since he called 6 times (not one message) to see when I was coming home. If you want me to call back on my cell phone leave a message. If I see a missed call I won't return it, I will just delete because if you didn't leave a message you just wanted to check on me.

Our cabin is now open for those of you with campers there are 3 camp sites with in 6 miles of our cabin so come on up and visit for a weekend. We thought it was open the last weekend in August but we had a water line burst so Brian had to run a new line. We thought they were drained but one wasn't.

Jamison is going to stay with my mom and dad for a week on Sunday. Everyday he has asked if we are going to Grandpa Peters today. But I hope he isn't tired the day we go because when he is tired he clings to me and he won't go. Then he will just have to stay with me one more week.

Not much more to say this time so I am signing off.

Feb 15

Disneyland here we come! Yes I wish we were going to Florida but the weather in Florida is icky right now. 75 degrees today in California I will take that. Have fun with the snow this week.

Feb 12

We just came home from the neighbor's and watching the Clone Wars. Laurie is leaving tomorrow morning at 3 to fly to Washington D.C. but she is organized enough to invite the neighborhood over for pizza and the Clone Wars. She is crazy! I leave in 3 days and I was thinking I should be home to do laundry tonight. Brian and I went out for drinks before, I think I was hoping that would take the edge off my panic. Laurie is going by herself and doesn't have to pack for 4 people but does she have to make it look so easy? She is like my SIL Roshonne who doesn't let things like that get to her. I think I am but I also think I have some outside influences that ask too many questions and get me over thinking things. That is the way it is because I was relaxed for the Superbowl party. WOW epithany time!

So I have one more day of work before we leave for Disneyland. I really don't think I will get much done at work that day. I might have to make it a half day so I don't drive myself nuts. Tomorrow I have to make a couple of phone calls to ask some questions and make reservations for the super shuttle. Wouldn't that be horrible if we got to LAX at 9:50 pm and couldn't get to our hotel. Now I have to finish some other things before I go. Oh here is a question I pose to you. If you went to Disneyland 4 years ago would you want to see yourself in all the pictures this year wearing the same coat you wore 4 years ago? Let me know but my answer is no!

Feb 9th

We went bowling with the Roses tonight. Brian and Jason bowled 5 games. Michelle and I bowled 3 and the kids bowled 1. So for us a family of 4 our night was only $13 for 3 hours of entertainment. Tuesday is buck night. Buck shoes and Buck games of bowling. So the men are pretty evenly matched. The kids rock with the bumpers. Jamison loves to bowl and he was second high at 76, Campbell was right behind him at 74. The last time we went bowling Jamison pulled out a 101.

But the reason I am documenting this day in the life is my pathetic attempt at bowling on this night. First game I beat Michelle by one point and we both made it over 100. Our second game Michelle beat me by 4 again both over 100. Our sad story is on the 3rd game. After the first 4 frames I had the high score of 6. Yes you read correctly 6. It shouldn't have even been this high but God was smiling on me and bounced my ball out of the gutter on two occasions to knock down the corner pin. So on this game Michelle trounced me I did not beat any of the children in scoring. I walked away with a score of 61. Just 1 more pin and I would have tied the lowest kids score but I could not pull it out. I even had a spare in the game. You guessed it I followed that with a gutter ball. Next time I am requesting bumpers too! I tried using a 10 lb ball then I went to an eight pound ball in the end to get that spare I used the 6 pound ball that Jamison had been throwing down the alley. I so hope I do better next time we go or they turn out the lights so I can say that it was one of the boys that had an off night.

Feb 8

Jamison's pictures turned out great. He is such a ham I knew they would. You can view them at Rachael's site. I love the orange hat one that is sideways. I now know why I have waited to take his pictures. He is growing up and I don't want to see it. The green shirt pictures make him look like a young man not my little boy. I know some things I want him to grow up on. No more diapers, I am so ready for no more diapers. The baby talk can go at any time too. The whining I would like to see go also. So yes, some areas I am ready for him to grow. But I don't want to see the hugs and kisses go. I don't want to lose the "But mommy I will miss you while you are at work" at least once a week. I like those things. Now I just have to DECIDE. Ugh too many choices and if I ask Brian he will not even like the one I LOVE.

We had our Second annual Superbowl party this year. We bought furniture the week before so almost all our neighbors would have a place to sit down by in the theater room. We watched it upstairs again this year. Toys downstairs = kids screaming and running around downstairs. Food upstairs = me upstairs. My team lost.

Last week I went to 3 Jazzercise classes. I only missed 1 5:30 a.m. class. I missed my class this morning due to headache but I did Wii fit. In the Reader's Digest it says that doing 30 min of Wii does count towards your 30/4 times week goal. Go me!

I have the pattern figured out for Campbell's quilt now I just have to find fabric. One month and I go to my quilt retreat. I can't wait. One week and I am off to 70 degree weather and a chance to see my man Mickey! I can't wait for that either.

Really a random view!

Wow have I missed things. I know what's new huh? Since I have missed updating things in my life here on my blog that is supposed to keep you updated it means you have missed them too.

I missed my 2 year anniversary of blogging. I started this on December 27, 2007 and I must say I did pretty good in the year 2008. I'm sure some of you beg to differ but I'm not listening to your opinion. I want to promise to do better for the year of 2010 but I really hate breaking promises so I am not going to make it. I can promise that I will update at least once a month.

I started doing Jazzercise. My class is at 5:30 a.m. Are you done laughing yet? Now stop it, I can get up if I have to. I don't talk to anyone at that time and I can go with out a shower which makes it a little easier. Besides for a week now I am wide a wake at 4:30 so I might as well get up instead of going back to sleep and being tired.

Jamison got his 31/2 year pictures taken yesterday. I haven't had professional pictures done since he was one. See blogging is not the only part of my life I put off. I also finished the quilt for his bed. It rocks if I do say so myself. I'm a little proud of it so if you come to my house you will get to see it.

I can't wait until February!!! We are going to Disneyland with my parents. Why Cali instead of Florida you ask? The main reason being it is a smaller park and perfect for a 3 year old. And the second reason is we can get a hotel room that is a block from the entrance and it perfect for a 3 year old that still needs naps. I actually found a direct flight for under $100 out there, so Brian was happy. But our trip home is going to take us from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. We are not going to be pleasant that day.

Christmas and New Years were good. The boys got to many toys of course but I have taken 2 trips to Goodwill already this year. I can't think of any thing else right now. I am still having problems uploading pictures on this newer computer so I will have to wait to see what I can do one of these days.