SuRviVaL...

I say this, because I know it is possible-to be a mom, be a full time + student, wife and everything else to everyone. It isn't to say that there isn't a price to pay-for instance, my sanity. :O)

I found out this morning that I got a B on my Abnormal Psychology test. It was a tough test. It was mainly multiple choice, which isn't hard, and there were 5-6 essay's on there, which I am fairly good at (because I like to write and talk, and am very verbal, can you guess?) but the hard part was two things actually...there were 11 people who were credited in some way with bringing about change in the way the mental health profession has been brought about. This spanned from the ancient greek time-middle ages and through recent years. ELEVEN PEOPLE! The thing that made it hard was that they all were humanitarians and they all did similar things, so how do you choose that in these answers? It left many questions with 2 possible answers, which is hard. I only missed 6. There were only two B's in the class, the rest were C's, D's and F's. There were around 13 people to that took the test. Anywho-THE FIRST TEST IS DOWN AND OUT! WAHOO! That is the hardest part. I plan (note: plan-to do something with intention) to take two quizes in my online health class tonight. This is not always easy when I assume I can do it when kids are in bed. One time I did it, Matthew was downstairs goofing around when we thought he was in bed sleeping and he UNPLUGGED MY MODEM AND ROUTER while I was taking an online test. That bites. Fortunately I spoke with my instructor and explained what happened and she made an exception and reset that test for me. I ended up with a 10/10!

So, the weather is GLORIOUS outside! I know I keep saying that on Face Book and on here, but it just IS! I am so not motivated to do anything physical, but I am motivated to cook something so I have a meatloaf and scalloped cheesy potatoes in the oven. My house smells sooooo yummy! Drop by if you are hungry!!! There MIGHT be brownies for dessert.

Callie-Lilly...and Random...

We had to let Miss Callie go to the farm. She was a little naughty. But we will always love her and we know that she will be happier being back out on a farm and not stuck inside all the time. Some of the things I really loved about Callie was that she was a beautiful cat, so long and lanky. She had the body of a siamese cat. She was also very quick and precise! She never missed a thing! We know that our family is really just a one-cat kind of family and though we will miss her a great deal, we still have our Bella.

The girlers were pretty sad that she had to leave, but they understood better than I thought they would. This was their last moments with her. She is going to be missed for sure.

Here is Madison laughing it up for me the other day. It is hilarious because up until now, she had a laugh quota for the day. Used to be that you could only get her to laugh once a day and that was it...now just threaten to tickle her and you cant get her to stop!

tEsTiNg...Is tHiS tHiNg On???

Today was my first test of the semester. It was my 8 am class (Abnormal Psychology). I know I passed it, but I am sure it is with a B or a C. There were 4 questions I was fairly unsure of...but I was not the only one who questioned some of the answers (could have been more than one answer on some..others I just didn't know). That is way too early of the day to test in anything!!!

I am addicted to Farmville on Facebook. That is about the only thing I like about it. I have found many of my school mates though, which was fun to see where they have been all this time. Anyway, its been a long week. Really has been productive, but I am tired... nonetheless

My dad seems to be feeling a little better, though we are still concerned about him. HANG IN THERE DAD! LOVE YOU!

UmMm...NoT sO gOoD...

Today has not been such a good day. First I find out that my dad had a stroke (although minor, but still) which is enough to stop the world for me, then one of my children comes up missing (again world stopping!!!) and now while working on laundry I find the cutest pair of capri pants that I just got and wore ONCE is ruined...Not so world stopping but hey, what is NEXT???

A DaY iN tHe LiFe Of..

my two year old.

Today we went to walmart to buy some kitty litter. Madison wouldn't nap, so we went ahead and went before we had to go to pick up brother from school. He gets out early, and then 45 minutes later we get Bethanie. So, I asked her to find some shoes. I was thinking about cute blue crocks or something easy. She comes out with the pinkest snow boots she could find (they are her sisters). Don't think for a second I could convince her that it was 95 degrees outside and she needed to wear something different. So, on to the store we go. While she was there, people told her how much they loved her shoes and how cute she was. I KNEW THAT! :OP Anyway, we went past the clothing isle and she says, "Mommy, buy me a cute shirt?" I soooooooo wanted to after that. It was so cute!

FuN TiMe...

I told you a while back that I look like my mother!

This proves it!

We posed for this picture, neither of us knowing what the other was doing.

We are so weird.

My family met at my parents house and he had a good ole' fashioned BBQ. We had a great time. Neighbor kids came by and played with our children which was nice too. Then it was quickly over and was time to come back home. We had a great time. Love you mom and dad!

StUdEnT AgAiN...

I started my classes today. Of course, I am currently taking TWO online classes (Elementary Algebra & Personal and Community Health) and I have already completed Western Civ. But the two classes I started were AT the college. The first one starts at 8 am and it is Abnormal Psychology. It is an upper level Psych class, and I think I am going to LOVE it. I really love the instructor that teaches these classes. She is wonderful! The other class I take at the college is called Marriage & Family. This is going to be a very interactive class. At some point, we will be paired up into groups of 3. In these groups, two will be the parents and the other will be a teenager. This is a 2 day long assignment. I am second to oldest in that class. I hope me and the other lady are the kids. BWAHAHAHA! Or, I kidded my husband and told him I was going to get married to an 18 year old college student. LOL! Oh the joys of teasing him to the point of insanity!

I do look forward to getting these classes under way and get finished. Jeff got his diploma in the mail today. I look for the day when I get mine....

1st DaY oF sChOoL...

The house was clean, all was quiet, just a small sweet sound of Madison singing to me all day...why then was I so sad?!? I missed my kidlets. I know it sounds crazy. The summer went by entirely too fast (not counting the last two weeks, which dragged on and on and on). Matthew started 5th grade (and transitioned to a different school). What a heart break! Two different schools for the kids...MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!! Bethanie started 2nd grade. She started to cry when I had to leave her class room. She was so nervous (don't get me wrong, she was way excited!!!) but she didn't want me to leave, either!

Madison thought she would get to go to school today too. She kept saying she was going to ride the school bus, got her bear backpack ready to go and she was set. I had to break it to her that she is only 2, and she cant go to school when she is two. :O(

bLoG bOoKs...

http://blog2print.sharedbook.com/blogworld/printmyblog/index.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=B2Ptest&afid=facebook
This website is really neat because you can create a book out of your blog! I think it is VERY inexpensive considering that it is basically turning your blog into a journal! I am going to try this on my recipe site, but first I want to add a few more recipes first.

LoL!

So, this afternoon, we took the kids and the dogs for a walk. It was not especially hot outside, and there was a slight breeze. Not so bad for mid August! Lady is our dog and she is such a happy and sweet little thing. She found a drain with some water in it and decided to lay down and have a soak while we all stood around her. Look at her just SMILE!!!! Awe, refreshing!!!

We were talking about getting ready and going to school on Monday. Madison said, "ME,TOO!" and she went and got her bear back pack and eye glasses and posed for her first day of school picture (SHE WISHES!!!). LOL!

I got all my books today for my classes. I am starting the two online classes this week. I am excited to get this thing over with!

ScHoOl SuPpLiEs...

Remember when all we had to do was buy our clothes for school? I don't remember ever having to get lists and lists of supplies like we do for the kids now. It is crazy the amount of things we have to get! I have to stock up because when the kids run out of something mid year-you pay 3 X the amount!!! It is fun putting them all together. Tomorrow I am taking Matthew to his new Middle School and get him set up in his locker. It will be the first time he has a locker!

CiNnAmOn RoLLL ReCiPe...

I am in need of a good cinnamon roll recipe. I want one that makes those big ooey-gooey fluffy ones. Does anyone have any good ones they have used? I just cant find the right one. Home made of course...

I made these last night and they were OK, but not as big

and fluffy as I wanted.

ShE's TwO...

Poor thing! She really does still need her naps. She was sitting in the breakfast room waiting for me to set supper down. I was still cooking. But she was watching TV and waiting so patiently. I looked at her not even 5 minutes later and saw her asleep!

I wish I could let her nap during the day. She will say, "I tidered, Mommy" and I say, "I know you are sweetie!" But if I let her nap, she will be up until 11:00 p.m. I cant let her stay up that late for my own sanity!!!!

FaLL SeMeStEr...aNd BeYoNd...

I met with my advisor today. Turns out, I DONT NEED TO TAKE ECON. :O) I cant tell you how happy I am to hear that. So I am dropping it and adding a different class. Here is what my Fall Semester looks like:

Western Civ I (Online/already completed) = 3 hours
Personal & Community Health (Online) =3 hours
Elementary Algebra (online) 3 hours (will not count towards graduation)
Abnormal Psychology (In class room) =3 hours
Marriage & Family (In class room) =3 hours
Physical Fitness (work out for 22 hours during semester) = 1 hour

all of this = 16 hours. It wont be so bad, one is completed.

This will leave me with like 9 hours left to graduate. Here is what my Spring Semester will look like:
Intermediate Algebra (online, so I can cry and be frustrated in private LOL!) = 3 hours
Early Childhood Development = 3 hours
Health & Nutrition for Young Children = 3 hours
and there is another one but I cant remember it off the top of my head. Hey, its been a long day. LOL!

tHiNniNg OuT...

No, not me silly. I wish! I am still stuck, in fact, I gained 5 lbs this past couple weeks. I have been a little full of anxiety and my kidlets (though they are just adorable) are driving me insane!!! School starts in a week and I think all of us are looking forward to it.

So, to keep busy, we have decided to get through our filthy basement! OK, so not ALL of it is like that, just two rooms. We have been so busy over the past couple of years raising children and going to school so things just get stuffed here and there, anywhere it will fit. We also have rarely sold or gotten rid of any of the kids' toys. So we are planning a yard sale next Saturday (you can come if you want!!!) and getting rid of at least half their toys. Sounds terrible, I know, but trust me....they wont be hurting for toys. Besides, Christmas is coming. :O)

I will be so glad to get rid of the clutter down there.

I have a weeks worth of work to get through so everything is ready for the yard sale and we are using the profits from it for Christmas savings... :O)

LaZy DaZe Of SuMmEr...

We are really enjoying our little Kitties. This is Bella (I am such the Twilight Addict, if it was a boy it would have been named Carlisle, LOL!) but she was the kitten we struggled with at first because she was so flighty and she scratched. Turned out, she is embarrassingly affectionate. She is so full of love! She is quite the butterball too. She LOVES Callie and they play very well together. Bella is taking a snooze on my lap. I had to keep holding her head or she would have fallen off me backwards.

MaJoR AnNoUnCeMeNt...

LOL! OK, so not so major to anyone here except for me, but I have to say, and LOUDLY, MY HUSBAND IS NOW OFFICIALLY A GRAD, NO MORE SCHOOL NO MORE BOOKS AND NO MORE TEACHERS DIRTY LOOKS! He "Graduated" in May, but he had to finish up 3 classes over the summer. Two of them were in July. He really had a time with working and taking two classes. He passed his final tonight in a very difficult class (Operations Management) and it was so difficult for him, but now he is done and he can move on with his life without classes to worry about getting to, homework to be finished, deadlines to meet.....He is also up for a management job at the hospital. If he gets it, he will be one of the top 7 people in the hospital. It is a big deal (and if anyone has a spare prayer laying around, feel free to use it for him/us). :O) Anyway, you are free to go back to your regularly scheduled lives. :OP Stormy

I cAn TeLL

I can tell that the kids are really getting bored with summer. School starts for them in just two weeks (from today) and I know they are looking forward to it! Mine is starting two days after theirs. It WILL be nice to get some regular routine started. We have been struggling to get them on a good bedtime routine. It is very necessary though to prepare them for when school starts. I know for Bethanie, at least, the first week of school is hard for her because she is exhausted.

I am not sure how Madison will do after such a fun summer with her sister to play with all day, every day. Maybe she will like the peace and quiet, who knows.

Our garden has not done so well. It is rather a disappointment, so I wont have hurt feelers if summer ends soon. It is not my favorite time of year. I love the fall and summer best. Summer in Kansas is hot and sticky-icky. But this summer hasn't been so bad, which is a good thing. We had very few sever storms come through, which is even better.

Today I met up with an old friend from my teenage past. She was at my wedding, and she talked about how she found some snap shots from the wedding. I told her it was 18 years yesterday and she just about fell over. Where did time go???

Over at Jens Life-One Smile At A Time, she posted this url: www.haloheaven.com for those who have little girls that love to play make believe! The prices are awesome! I am thinking about something for Halloween that the girls can do to match. They love matching. Also, they will both be in dance class this fall and they love wearing such frufru stuff!

My SwEeT hUsBaNd AnD I...

Celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary today! It is amazing that 18 years has passed by since I am not even thirty yet. That is just strange... Anyway, as usual, my parents didn't remember (Sheesh, I think that out of the 18 years, they probably remembered a total of 4 of our anniversaries). My dad remembered YESTERDAY but then forgot again. LOL!

But the day was great. We went to church and had a potluck after because a couple was getting baptised, and then after we cleaned up the building, we came back here and celebrated my mom's birthday as a family. Her birthday was last Sunday. Our house was FULL of family. It was awesome.

A little story about me and Jeff:

We met on a "blind date" when I was 15 years old. It was on his 19th birthday. The friend that introduced us was a mutual friend. Her name was Angie and she was a troubled young girl. I don't know how she met Jeff, but they knew each other for a while and she just KNEW we would be perfect for one another. She was right. We continued dating until I graduated High School. When I was a Senior in High School, I was planning my wedding. On August 2nd we married. That was 18 years ago and I cant figure out how that happened. We have three beautiful children, a home that I just love and family near by. What more could I ask for in life?

Jeff is a kind and gentle man who lives worthily to hold the Priesthood. How blessed we are for that! I cant imagine my life without him in it. He is a blessing to me and I love him so much!

WeStErN CiV. I...

I passed with an A! What a relief because I am absolutely ALLERGIC to history....and math. :O)

WiNniNg FoLLoWeR...

is LINDA JOY!!! Please email me your address and I will send you your $10 gift card!!! Thank you all for following my blog! It is fun seeing who comes here to read what has been on my mind and going on in my life! I hope you have fun coming here and I Hope you are all having a great summer!