Snow Turkey

Kiddos and I played in the snow on Saturday!! Since it isn't Christmas yet we decided to make a snow turkey!!

The power of a stubborn Woman

The birch trees in Idaho Falls have been getting sick the last few years and one by one they die. Ours took it's last breath and slowly started looking like a scary dead tree. It lived right in the front yard and became a big eye sore. Oh I so hated seeing it. So I started calling to find out how to take care of the poor thing.

A few calls and I one estimate later I found out it would cost $300 + to cut down the tree!!

WHAT?!?!?!

I told Shan I would do it myself!!

Shan of course refused saying I could get hurt......

I didn't know how.......

and the big one!!!

I could hit the house, break a window etc.

Well, Shan went out of town and I went to work *giggle*

I had no ladder so I climbed the tree and would reach as high as I could and started sawing with my dead rusty blade. I would hide behind other branches and tucked my legs back when it was time for timber and only got a few bruises and scratches.

When I knew a branch would hit the house I tied dog leashes to the branch and then would tie that to a different tree in the yard so the branch would fall the way I wanted it to.

I would saw a little over 3/4 threw and then climb down grab the leash and pull in the right direction.

I got the craziest looks from neighbors and others passing.

Cars would slow and I had a real show going :o)

There were times my heart would pound and my body shake because of scary perches but I kept going.

I had one neighbor stop and say "I didn't know you knew how to do this" and I would respond with "I don't!!"

After 2 weeks I finally only had a stump and my little saw would not go all the way through it so I got my incredible neighbor over with his chain saw and the job was done!!

Cost?!?!

NOTHING!!

Gain?!?!?!?!

The right to say......

I AM WOMAN!!! HEAR ME ROAR!!!!

First day of School 2010

Belle 5th Grade Mrs. Beljeni

Xave 3rd Grade Mrs. Dodge

Dax 1st Grade Mrs. Biggs

Alissa Kindergarten Mrs. Moeller

Alissa wanted to be in the picture with the big kids and since she doesn't go til 12:00 I hadn't put her together yet :o)

Wow! My last child is in school!! I have very mixed emotions about this but she is so very ready!! She is a social butterfly and had the best pre-school teacher EVER!!

Can you say TOO MUCH?!?

I have no idea what the heck is wrong with me and what exactly I want in life. It seems I want more but then I want nothing at all. For example let's take today. And FYI I am blessed with female hormones out of whack right now too. I got a new puppy! Yes I already have a dog but I have been wanting something tiny to take care of and since having a baby would take a miracle or an indiscretion..... puppy it is. Plus Jett is such an incredible dog and he doesn't need to be watched 24/7 just walked and feed and cuddled. Anyway, today while trying to get the new puppy excited about peeing outside I have to use my extra happy voice. Well, Jett really LOVES my extra happy voice and knows it means something great. So I am telling Jagger (new puppy) "Let's go outside!!!" since he had been sniffing around and I could tell it meant potty time. So Jagger starts out the door. Then from down the hall at full speed here comes Jett and he blows through the kitchen and runs out the door stomping on Jagger on his way. Well, Jagger gets a paw hurt and he is scared to death so he runs the opposite direction back into the house. 2 seconds later there is a puddle on the floor that would have been outside if Jett wouldn't have come bounding. URG.... But this is NOT Jett's fault. Jett is not even a year yet himself. Things like this have been challenging. I try to play and tire out new puppy with play and of course that means you need to play with Jett too. It has been crazy fun trying to play hard tug-o-war on one arm and soft tug and shake with the other. I need to get some video of this!! Also with treat giving I have to make sure I make Jett do one of his tricks too so both get a treat and both earn it. Every time Jagger goes potty I reward him and then have to make sure I have Jett sit, lay down, shake, play dead etc. Potty training is also TONS of fun right now because it is FREEZING cold outside. You have to put on shoes and get your coat and get the puppy outside before he pees inside. They say to walk them out when you see them needing to go so they know which way to go to do it themselves. I REALLY doubt he could hold it while I am running around trying to get my coat on and find my shoes. There are times when I go out without shoes and coat and of course those are the time he decides to take FOREVER. Jett loves to come out and make him play with him while I am patiently waiting to get excited about yellow snow which is just lovely. You know how as a Mom and you take your kids to a pool and they don't know how to swim? You are constantly on guard making sure he or she doesn't drown. It is EXHAUSTING! I mean I have never needed a nap more then after just sitting pool side and just watching! So now take the feeling and multiply it by an entire day and see how you feel. I don't want pee or poo poo on the floor so it is a constant watch when he is not in his crate. I now look forward to crate time when I did when my kids were babies and they finally fall asleep. Jett always goes with me to pick up the kids from school. He was really excited and had to say hi to all of them one at a time. We start driving and he is making his rounds. He starts getting up into the front seat and one of his legs gets stuck. He is crying I don't know how to unstick him and I start shaking and pull off the road. Jett gets unstuck but now I am shaky and feeling sick because I have never heard Jett cry like that before. So did I really want all this responsibility?!?! I sure as heck thought I did and have been searching for that special poochy since April. What is wrong with me? lol I have tons of kids, a house to clean, meals to make, homework to help with, errands to run, kids to pick up, teeth to be brushed, bodies to be cleaned and I want to add not one but TWO dogs to the mix. I am so excited about all my kids being in school and all that I am going to be able to do or NOT do *wink* So why the heck am I adding more cute things to do??? I don't know what void I am trying to fill but I better figure it out soon before I fall over into a coma. Oh, a coma sounds just LOVELY!!!

Bad kitty or Bad Lissa?

Well, well, well...
Alissa has been wanting a Kitty for a long Long LONG time
We have said no and Shan continues to say no
But Poky had a half price adoption which was only 42.50 for
Adoption
Spay or Neuter
Microchip
Med Vet check
Rabies shot
Carrier
Collar
and a DVD on how to take care of your kitty

So Nice Silly Crazy Mommy bought a Kitty
Alissa held about four before she found this one
She didn't bite her ears like some of them
She didn't meow like crazy
She didn't claw her and struggle
She just curled up her in arms and purred
Aww...
Well, then the nice lady said you can't take her til we spay her
Big tears and the nice lady says you need time to get ready for kitty like
Buy her food and toys
Alissa says I already did!! So can I take her
Nice lady says Nope
More tears... Mean Lady lol

Two days later..

We brought home kitty and Mommy is having second thoughts
Kitty and Jett's first meeting did NOT go well
AND....
I just walked into the bedroom and this is almost four hrs after getting Kitty
And sniffed and said WHERE IS THE POOP?!?!
Lissa is looking at me wide eyed from the bed
I look and see poop on the bed
I see poop on the pillow
I see poop on another pillow
and another
I said Lissa how did this poop get all over
She looks at me pulls back her blanket and starts crying and says
"She even pooped on me and I don't like being dirty!"
(I have to admit that I did giggle here)
I say Oh Lissa take off your jammies and let me help you

I gather everything and then see a little poop on the floor
I pick up a towel by it and it is all over the towel and the floor
Hmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

I get the towel, jammies, 3 blankets and 3 pillows and head to the laundry room
I start first batch of poopy laundry and go back up stairs to start on the floor

So the question still is Bad Kitty or Bad Lissa????

I again ask Lissa
"How did this happen?"
"Well, the kitty got into the litter box house and I wanted to hold her so I took her out! And then she pooped on me."

OHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOO

I say Lissa when the kitty is in her litter box you don't take her out
Okay Mommy
*sniffle*
And Lissa next time there is an accident please just come and get Mommy and don't try to hide it and clean it up okay
Okay Mommy

I already wish I would have taken the No road. Oh, well
Keep Moving Forward!
Right?!?!

Bytheway

I would like to introduce

PRINCESS

What a grand opening!!

Bring in the Clowns

Belle's friend Emily had a birthday Sept 12
The theme was wear your Halloween costume
Belle wants to be a scary skeleton dude
Emily told her nothing scary Belle
So we decided on the clown outfit!

Belle had a great time with putting her hands into mooshy gooshy stuff
Going on a scavenger hunt
trick or treating for candy
and
telling Ghost stories!!

She is such a poser
She came up with all of these and more on her own!!
If she can get over her shyness I think she could be a fabulous actress!!

C is for Clown

Alissa's Teacher painted her face for C is for Clown day!!
Can I say again that she has an AMAZING teacher?!?!

Alissa can do the splits!!!
She can even get all the way straight!!
Next year when I am not paying for pre-school I want to get her into gymnastics or ballet.

Sleeping "pesky" Beauty

Okay so this is a very sweet picture...
BUT
The before hand wasn't so sweet
I was sooooooo tired
I had 30 min before the next thing I had to do and I wanted to sleep for just a minute. So I set my cell alarm for 30 min and...
Mom
Mom
MOM
"Can I sleep with you?"
"Yes just hold still and be quiet please"
I would fall asleep and then..
Tap
Tap
Tap
Mom
Mom
MOM
"What"
"I am tired too so can I sleep with you"
"Yes Lissa, but please don't wake Mommy up"
Out again for maybe 2 min
Tap
Tap
Tap
MOM
"I am sleeping with you"
URG!
"Alissa you are not being very nice to your Mommy"
I get up I go to the bathroom
I come out and this is what I found
But now there is no time for Mommy to sleep
YAWN