I'm back!

Well....after a long hiatus, I'm back. I can give you a ton of excuses why I haven't blogged in so long. After looking at our pictures on the computer, we have been busy. That and the fact that my old computer crashed, or froze, or chose not to work anymore. It's still a good computer, and we need to take it into a computer guy to get all of my pictures off of it and take Microsoft Vista off of it and add Windows 7 on it. After getting and using the new computer (for 2 months now), I'm realizing that the old computer was mega slow, and I simply didn't have the patience to wait for the pictures to load onto blogger. Now, it's better and stronger and faster! Here are recent pics of he boys. They are getting big!

Mason got a new bike last week. Lee and I have never been the type of people to buy the boys bicycles for thier Birthdays or Christmas. Thier birthdays are in the winter, and it would KILL them to wait for a nice day to ride thier bikes. Mason out grew his bike, and needed a 20 inch. It was hard to find, but Lee found a few. Mason is super excited about his bike. He slept with the bike in his room the first night he got it.

This was the second year Mason made a Pinewood Derby Car. He wanted to paint it Camo. So, we did. Then Lee (The Dad) put on the wheels, etc. He did pretty well.

Mr. Mac. Mr. Big High Schooler/9th grader now. I guess this would be another reason why I haven't had time to blog. He needs to go places. It's always something. He has been going to early morning Seminary this year. He's enjoyed the teacher and what they are learning this year, it's Church History. He's all into that. He's also going on Trek next month. He's been busy with Schoolwork, Scouts, Scouting Fundraiser...it goes on. His Uncle Wes (Lee's youngest brother) wants Mac to spend the summer in Utah with him and his new wife, Kamisha and their little baby Ava. So, he's spending the month of July and part of August there. Then, he comes back for Football of course. Real High School Football, which practices are twice a day, everyday, until School starts. Mac is officially taller than me, and is as tall as Lee, and he is still growing. The picture was taken when he first got back from his Order of the Arrow "Ordeal". It's a big deal. He had to sleep outside (in March, in the rain). He couldn't talk for the duration that he was there (really). He had to fast (not eat), and do a service project at the Boy Scout Camp they were at. He did it, recieved it, and we couldn't be prouder. Now if only he can get working on his merit badges for Boy Scouts.

Goings On...

It's the middle of May, and I haven't really posted anything. We have been busy! Here are a few highlights of the month so far.

~Mac is almost as tall as me. He has about an inch and a half to go. No pics, because he doesn't want me too. Because he's a teenager.

~Mac "googled" himself....and found this blog.

~Lee has decided to take Mason on his 2 week trip in June. Tears have been shed (on my part) and a long talk with my sister followed....with more tears. She was sticking up and defending Lee, this was a first for her. I think the universe shifted a bit when she was talking because she kept saying "I can't believe I'm saying this" and then she said something in Lee's defense.

~I was not happy about Lee taking Mason on said trip because of his long, complicated, medical history. He still has to take medications, slather himself up with sunscreen, make sure he eats, and drinks enough, and other things that I won't post here. I have never been without Mason for longer than 3 days/nights. I have come to terms with all of this.

~I came to the realization that I'm a control freak with things that pertain to Mason. I don't want to be a control freak.

~I have been making a long list of things for me to do around the house while Lee and the boys are gone for 2 weeks. There will be lots of painting involved. Lee is a little nervous about my projects, as he should be.

~Mason has an appointment with his new Pediatrician tomorrow. He has had the same Pediatrician his whole life, on S. Whidbey. We will see how it goes. It's a woman, so this may not go over well with Mason.

~Lee has a tent thing that mounts on top of his vehicle. They are popular in Africa on Safari's and the Outback in Australia. Pictures will follow someday.

~I had a lovely Mother's Day weekend. I spent the Saturday before with Patty and Lee's sister Rebecca up north. Then Sunday was Church and a long Sunday drive around Bellevue. He showed me the "Beverly Hills" of Washington.

~I'm looking forward to SUMMER!

That is about it. A post without pictures, it's unusual for me.

Been a While

Yes, it's been a while. We went from not much going on too, and explosion of activities. Spring is here, which means Mac is getting busier with Scouts, School, and teenage life. Mason has been busy being Mason. Our Ward was split about a month ago, and I volunteered to continue doing Webelos until the "dust settled" a bit-so I've been busier than usual. I've also been going to Mason's School every single morning to help him sit and do his school work in the mornings. It was brought to my attention after his conference that something needed to be done about Mason not sitting, not doing his morning work, and being uncooperative. So I suggested that I come in to help out. The first few days were rough (on him). But yesterday, his teacher and I saw success. He sat down did his work, and went to his different learning stations, without being told! Lee is more involved in the Scouting program and in the Unit Committee Chair for our Troop, or Mac's Troop.

With the weather getting better, and school coming to a close (in June) things have been a little crazy, but in a good way. We continue to feel blessed and are grateful.

Not Much Going On...Again

I guess the time between Christmas and Spring is a slow time for us. We have been busy with the day to day, but there haven't been many pictures to be taken-or a need to take many pictures.
Mac has been Wrestling and he's really enjoyed it. He's made a few new friends, and over all, he's doing well. He has lost 4 pounds (not on purpose)-and seems pleased when he's lost weight. He had his IEP (Individual Education Plan) re-evaluated this year. 2 of his Teachers and the School Psycologist (the person who evaluates him) expressed to me what a good kid Mac is. They have been empressed with his school work, his work ethic, and how he tries really hard on his school work. He is well liked amongst his peers, and is a good example to others. While I was in the meeting, it was after school. One of the Science teachers were offering homemade cookies to us. He told us that they made the cookies for a experiment, but because the kids were misbehaving (badly) he decided NOT to let the kids in his class eat the cookies, so he was giving them away. After he left, the School Psycologist said "See! This is the stuff we have to deal with day in and day out. We have alot of kids around here who misbehave, but Mac is NOT one of those kids". As a parent, you always aren't sure how you are doing. So as long as Mac isn't being kicked out of school or worse, I guess we are doing alright.
Mason has a conference pretty soon....I bet you $1,000 dollars they are going to mention something about him not sitting in his seat. I'm at his school once a week volunteering, so I KNOW what goes on with him. I am grateful Mason doesn't have the learning issues Mac has. Mason has seemed to inherit Lee's smarts, I guess. Lee has always had a photographic memory, if he sees it once, he knows it. So with Mason...he doesn't like to "practice" reading, or practicing his sight words-because "I know it already!" With Mac, we had to practice and go over things over, and over again. Mason LOVES Math, and loves to count in 2's and 10's. I'm going to enroll him in swimming lessons this spring and summer. He has no interest in anything else. Mason is also getting ready for his baptizim at the end of the month. He is getting really excited about it-and so are we.

Goings On..

We have been busy, but not really busy like when it's Football Season. Mac has decided to Wrestle this year. I don't know anything about Wrestling except they wear a one piece unitard thing (singlet is the offical term used) and they wrestle on the ground or mats. I didn't know what the object of it was until another Mom told me. Then it became exciting for me-and Mac is pretty good at it. He has lost 3 pounds so far since it started (which is common for when he plays an organized sport). It's a School sport and when I went to the school to pay for his fee, I found out a very generous donor paid for the 8th Grade boys to Wrestle. I was blown away. I also found out that Wrestling here in Lake Stevens....very big deal around here. People move thier kids to Lake Stevens for the Wrestling program. I had no idea. Another thing that suprised me....there are girls that are Wrestling too. I was very suprised and we talked to Mac about it before he had his first match. He didn't like the idea of having to Wrestle a girl. At his first Tournament, there were 5 girls from different School Districts who are Wrestling. Not in Mac's weight class though...prayers answered. The other day, kids from South Whidbey came to the tournament. He was excited to see them and they were all "Hey Mac! Is this where you moved too? Is this your School?" Mac told me he remembered them but not thier names (he gets that from his Dad). Alot of the kids who Wrestled were kids that he played Football with when we lived on S. Whidbey. He's doing well in school, and loves his school, loves his classes and has a good group of friends.

Mason has been obsessed with words, and reading his sight words. He's still obsessed with number and math, but the reading is a great thing too. He doesn't think he needs to practice things over and over (like his Dad). I think he may have a photographic memory like Lee in the next few years. He gets frustrated with me when I tell him we need to practice, because he does'nt feel the need too and can't be bothered with it. Yeah, he is definately his father's son. He has been in Cub Scouts for the last 2 months and loves it. It took him a while to love the idea of wanting to go to Cub Scouts. Mason is also getting ready to be baptized next month. A very big deal for him.

Lee has still been working (another blessing). His company has been bouncing him around from different jobs, fixing other people's mistakes, finishing up small things on jobs, and fixing other people's mistakes. Things are slow right now, but they have lots for Lee to do. This is a case where skills are more important than education. There are many Supervisors who have been laid off and are at home because there is no work for them and they have no skills, but a college degree. Don't get me wrong, I think a college degree is very, very, important. Lee is a smart guy, but didn't like to be cooped up in a room (or different rooms) to learn. Then he decided if he couldn't be cooped up in a room to learn, he didn't want to be cooped up in an office all day. He loves what he does, and with all jobs, he does get mad and frustrated sometimes. Right now, we feel very blessed.

I am faced with a few decisions to make. I am feeling the need to go back to school. I'm still working out the how and whens. I know a person can take anything online, but I'm the type of person who needs "hands on" and I ask alot of questions. I'm still working it out, still thinking, still wondering how it's going to affect the boys-all 3 of them. Lee is suportive in everything I do. We have talked about it in detail, and he told me he would "step up" and help out more with the boys when he could or when needed.

That is about all. No pictures...I need to take more. Mac won't let me. Mason is a willing participant, Lee not so much.

Nothing Much Going On

A post...with no pictures. I have felt that I should post something, but not sure what. Football is over with for Mac, so I feel like we have gotten our lives back a bit. Catching up on alot of yard work...before it started raining so badly. Needing to get my hair done badly! That is on the list. Gearing up for the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving. Taking Mac shopping the day after Thanksgiving again, to buy jeans for waaaayyy cheap. We did this last year, and he was like a Zombie. "Hey Mac try this on. What do you think about this or that?" He had no opinons, so all was well. He was just a little slow...it was 5:00am after all.
Things will pick up sooner or later, and then I'll be blogging up a storm, gearing up for the holidays.

My New Love

Well...not literally. Lee will ALWAYS be my True Love (and I'm kind of stuck with him for time and all eternity)...Lee does many, many things, but he doesn't do laundry. I LOVE to do laundry, don't ask why. Since my Mom taught me to do laundry when I was in the 5th grade, I have loved to do my laundry. This machine has changed my life F O R E V E R!

My washing machine broke down a few weeks ago. It threw me into a tailspin. Our family goes into Defcon 5 when laundry isn't done for more than 4-5 days. I had been looking, asking friends, and doing my research on what my next machine would be. Right when I thought I had made my decsion, the machine wasn't big enough. So, I was back to square ONE. I looked, did my research on the internet, and had it nailed down between 2 washers and then I go to Sears of all places, and the sales guy tells me about this little beauty. He changed my mind and I went with this one. A Samsung. It's the right size, it has a timer (which has changed my life), it has it's own little water heater in it, a sanitation cycle, and it had everything I had dreamed and hoped for in a washer. Now...I need the matching dryer. It's 2-3 inches taller than our dryer, and it's driving Lee nuts.

Mason & Thomas the Tank Engine

Ever since Mason was 2-3 years old, he has been obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. We kept the Brio & Thomas Wood train track that Mac had and Mason played with it as soon as he could put the track together. He watched the Videos/DVD's that we had, he loved the books, etc. It always blew us away how when we went to a Toy Store and it showed ALL of the Thomas the Tank Engine trains with his friends-how Mason knew ALL of them by name before he could read. I would pick him up a train for him after he had shots from the doctor, a medical proceedure, or after a hospital stay. Promising him an "engine" at the end of something big was always good bribery or leverage to get him to cooperate with something. In April or May, I found out that Thomas was going to be a the Train Museum in Snoqualmie. I got us all tickets to go a few weeks ago. We didn't tell him what we were doing that day when he asked, until we were on our way there.

Mason w/ Thomas the Tank Engine. His face really lit up when we walked towards him.

Mason with Sir Topham Hat (yes, I know almost ALL of the characters).

Mason walking to board the train. This was Mason's 2nd train ride.

Mason with Gordon, Percy, and James.

They had a LEGO "Island of Sodor", that was really cool. He was very interested in this. He's really into LEGO's now.

Mason in front of this big old train. He loved looking at all of the older trains they had. For the Thomas Event, there were alot of toddlers ages 1-5 years of age. As we were there, I could see that Mason was having fun, but sort of growing out of the Thomas thing a bit. I couldn't believe the parents bringing their 1-2 year olds, I don't think I would have done it.

Mason on the train...he really loved it.

Mac and Dad enjoyed it too. Although, Mac told me that he sort of wished he would have stayed home. That's a teenager for you!

Afterwards, we went to Snoqualmie Falls. It was beautiful. It had been years (alot of years) since I had been there.

But I think I appreciate it more now, than I did almost 20 years ago.

Summertime!

STRAWBERRIES! To make......
STRAWBERRY JAM! And 2 Strawberry Rubarb Pies (in the freezer).

And....two very, very dirty little feet! These are Mason's feet, and no, he's not suntan-he was filthy!

Catching Up!

I honestly can't believe a month has flown by......and I'm behind on my blogging. The honest truth-it takes a while to download/upload pics for the blog. My patience isn't what it used to be a year ago. When I started blogging I thought this was a good way for our family members (mostly aunts and uncles that live on the east coast) to keep track of us. And...my Dad likes to read this blog too. My goal: to get my Dad blogging by the end of the summer. If I can convince him to get on facebook, I can get him blogging. I think it will be a challenge, but one that I'm willing to take on.

Some of my time was spending with Mac....getting him to do his homework. His grades were sliding...and I found this out through Skyward, a website the school uses to post grades. He has developed "test anxiety", something I really struggled with when I was his age, something my Dad and I think my Mom struggled with when they were in School (over 40 something years ago). I have never shared my test anxiety issues with Mac in fear that he would use it as an excuse to slack off. We will be working and addressing this issue over the summer. He's become a great kid. He is going to be busy working on Merit Badges for Scouts, Boy Scout Camp, other family camping trips, and Football that starts in August.

This is just random....Lee made this arched doorway-in our Family Room. It was still pretty cold outside and he couldn't make it in the garage. It's custom made, out of Fir. There is a piece of "art glass" that is being custom made for this-he's not making the glass of course. He did this for a client on Whidbey Island at a beach house. Pretty darn cool. Now if only I can get him to work on our house. Actually, that will be soon enough. We are discussing plans for our main floor. I use the word "discuss" loosely. I will just say...he has a VERY strong opinion of my Kitchen, and is arguing why I need more counter space. And I ask him- "why do you need a 2 car garage full of tools and stuff"? I would actually like to tear a big wall down. This topic-is another post all of it's own. Lee is done remodeling a bank and is now working regular hours. It really sucked that he was working at night. It's really nice to have him home in the evenings now.

Mr. Mason....my now 1st grader. He made it out of Kindergarten alive. Now we have to talk about going to school all day. This makes me a little nervous of course. I get concerned about if he's going to eat there or not. He will eat lunch at school, I just don't know if he's going to eat 1/2 a sandwich and then throw EVERYTHING else away. Mason is going to take swimming lessons this summer. We had some really nice hot weather earlier this month, and he voluntarily puts on sunscreen. And wears his hat. He doesn't want to get sunburned. He loves to be outside. LOVES IT.

This is my Dad with Mason. This was taken on June 11th, on my birthday. I share my birthday with his lovely wife, Audrey. She is my step-mom, and I really hate using the term "step" because it sounds so ugly. She's my other mom. Anyways, we went out to lunch together with her daughter Teresa and oldest granddaughter, Alexandra. I don't have any pics of the lunch (forgot my camera)-and, she doesn't like her picture posted all over the internet (sounds familar). My Dad was sweet enough to babysit Mason so I could go out to lunch with just the girls (thanks Dad!). Mason was really excited that Papa was going to babysit him. Just before I took this picture Mason told Papa "Now, look straight at the camera Papa", and my Dad told him "well if it's a good picture, maybe she will put it on her blog". So...here it is. And...this is why my Dad needs to start a blog. I really enjoy living fairly close to my Dad (about 20 minutes away). I think he likes it too, especially when I come over with freshly baked cookies.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

No, we haven't dropped off the face of the Earth. The last time I posted...I said it was slow around here. And..it kind of still is. But, we've been busy. The School year for the boys is coming to a close (3 weeks), and this week they have field trips-1 a piece. This School year has seemed long. I think it was the Winter that we had that made everything seem long. Here are a few things that have been going on around here.......

Mac with a BRAND NEW Motorycycle!! Joe's Sporting Goods is closing-and Mac sort of out grew his old bike. He has been growing (like most boys do)-it happens. Still not taller than me though! Lee couldn't resist buying this bike at Joe's on Sale. Lee now has a new slave to work for him (on his side jobs) and his name is Mac. He will be working this bike off for the rest of his life. But he's happy, it runs great, and he will have this bike forever. He will never outgrow it.

The sun has been out lately, and Mason's favorite past time is swinging on his Jungle Gym in the backyard. After school, he will come into the house, and then go outside to the back and just swing. He gets really high. Almost too high for my liking. I was disappointed that Mason didn't use his Play Gym too much last year. I think he will be making up for it this year.

Lee had been working on a beach house on Whidbey Island on the weekends. It started out with a couple of new doors, and to fix a leaking problem. THEN....as things work out, the job turned into something bigger, and before we knew it, Lee was resideing most of the back side of the house, facing the beach. So, he spent many weekends there. We showed up for a couple of weekends. I helped him paint a few walls in the master bedroom and master bath. It was just the two of us, in one room for an hour or so..painting. It was nice to work and talk without all of the interruptions. He is still remodeling the bank for Bayley-working from 6:00pm until he gets done. Sometimes it's 3:00am and other times it's 5:30am. But he did suprise me by coming home around 11:00pm It was a pleasant suprise.

Mason spent a day with Lee on the beach. There are several "forts" built out of driftwood that other people have built and played in. Lee said he was on the beach ALL DAY playing in the forts. And never went into the water...it was too cold for that. He is really good about letting me apply sunscreen to him now, and wears his brimmed hat most of the time. He has had the top of his ears sunburned many times-blistering each time. It's usually because he won't let me do the sunscreen & hat thing. He has gotten smart about it now. Thank Heavens!

And this is what happens when teenage boys won't smile nice for thier Mama's. I gave him 3 chances. Teenage Boy + Blog = YOU BETTER SMILE NICE FOR THE CAMERA!

Another Post of "Not Much Going On"

It's been over a week since I've last posted anything. Truthfully, there isn't much to say...which isn't bad necessarily. Here are just a few things bouncing around in my head (which can be a scary place to be)....

-Lee working from 6:00pm-3:00am This really sucks. The good thing for him, he comes home, takes a shower and manages to fall asleep right away. The bad part..me keeping quiet in the house WHILE he is sleeping, from the time I am awake until he wakes up. Our house is a Tri-Level, which means, there are 3 levels. Somehow with all of these levels, we can hear EVERYTHING that goes on in the entire house from our bedroom. He wakes up around noon or so. No house cleaning for me.

-No cleaning house while Lee is asleep For all of those who know me REALLY well, yes, this is a problem. I am someone who likes to start her day waking up, taking a shower, getting the kids off to school, and then clean. I'm having issues with this being that I have to be quiet during my whole morning, and early afternoon. Laundry is also something that can't be done, because I have a buzzer that goes off when the washer is done. No, there is no turn off switch, and Lee doesn't want to mess around with the wiring on the washer. So, I'm having issues getting motivated in the middle of the afternoon to clean house.

-Our house has been a bit messy Yes, this is a problem for me, because a clean house keeps my small anxiety issues in check and..I'm a happier person when the house is clean.

-Hope's Allergies I have allergies. I have had them since I was in the 5th Grade. I remember it like it was yesterday. The lawn was just mowed, I was doing cartwheels on the grass, my eyes itched, I itched them, one of my eyes nearly swelled shut. I am now an adult, same problem, only with sneezing, and other stuff. I don't like taking allergy medicines because I get forgetful. Amongst other things. Think dumb blonde syndrome.

Raising a Teenage Boy Enough Said. I love my boys. I love my boys.

7 year old on steroids because of his asthma Again, no comment. I love him, and happy he is who he is. I just wish he could be himself without being angry (side effect from steroid inhalers).

Netflix Love, Love, LOVE Netflix. Lee signed us up. Lee has no time to choose movies for us to watch. Delegated this to his wife. Ha! Ha! Ha! 2 Chick flicks came in one week!! Yay ME!

Being Married for 18 Years You would think this would be at the top of my list. It will be in a few days. May 4th to be exact. I will post something special for this on Monday-if my scanner will cooperate with me. 18 years kind of goes by fast, but if you look back on your married 18 year life together, it kind of isn't.

This Swine Flu Thing Am I nervous about it, Yes!! Do I want to place my family in a plastic bubble until this passes, Absolutely! Will I? No. Raising a child (Mason), who doesn't have a Spleen (something very important for our immune systems), scares the living crap (yes, I said crap) out of me. I've been reading about the symptoms of the Swine Flu, and the funny thing about it...Mac had almost every single symptom when he had the flu in March. And it was just the flu.

Well, that's about all. I have no pictures for you because I pushed a button on my camera when I was in Yakima. It's taking really bad pictures, but I am messing around with the camera, and I think I found my problem. So, I haven't been taking pictures. The sun has been out lately, which in the Puget Sound area, is really, really, good.

Wanting to blog, but not much to write about.

Can you believe it? I'm almost speachless because there hasn't been much to write about. My Dad called me the other day wondering why I haven't been writing on here. Well Dad, because there isn't much going on this last month. So here is what's going on now and in the last month.

-Today, and all weekend...Mac (my well child) is pretty sick. He has a fever, and it's been getting high (103.something) and then low (99.something) This kid NEVER gets sick. He's really good about being "quarantined" to his room, from the rest of us, especially Mason. Last week Lee and I discovered that Mac is officially a teenager. I know I have said this before, he turned 13 in November-but his behaivors didn't change much, until last week. His grade in science had started to decline, and he was missing several assignments. Because our school district is on Skyward-I can check these things online (Yay!). And because I can check these things online-I saw what he wasn't doing in Science and e-mailed the teacher immediately and scheduled a meeting with her. Mac was there with us, and we got to the bottom of his problem. He wasn't trying hard enough, and....hold on to your seats folks! He's been very chatty with his friends at his table. So, his teacher allowed Mac to turn his assignments in, and...we moved him to another table. A table with girls. Oddly enough, one of his friends was missing the same exact assignments (because of the chatting) and was getting the same grade as Mac. As soon as Mac raises his grade, he will be able to sit with his friends again. In all honesty..I was also a student that couldn't sit with her friends because I was too chatty (the shock of it all!). I'm sorry to say that Mac inherited the gift of gab from yours truly.

- Mason has been doing well in School. He has issues with sitting down & not raising his hand to answer a question (he just blurts it out). He loves School. I'm not going to say "Mason hasn't been to sick this year", because I don't want to jinx myself with an older sick kid and all. Mason has an extended Spring Break because he is in 1/2 day Kindergarten and it's Confrence Week this week which means...no school for Mason on 1/2 days. So, I'll have to get creative this week. Maybe we will pop in and see Papa Dawson on one of those days. (I'll be getting a phone call in 5-4-3-2-1) Mason and I are going to Whidbey Island tomorrow to measure something for Lee at a Beach House he is replaceing doors for. Riding the Ferry is always a fun thing to do.

- Lee is busy working. Thankful for that. We know and have heard of people getting layed off in all industries. The company he is working for had a big meeting, and they don't want to lay anyone off. They are also not hiring anyone either. Lee has been working at a grade school remodel job this winter, as an expensive Carpenter. He will be Superising a small Key Bank remodel-where he might have to work nights (that is the way most Bank remodels are). When he is done with that (and it goes well), he will be on another Bank remodel job. He also continues to do "side" work with Andersen windows, and other small stuff. We pray of course, that the economy will turn around, and that our friends who aren't working will find jobs.

-I am looking into going back to school and/or going back to work. It will be a huge adjustment for our family. Mac was really young when I was working and doesn't remember be working. Mason has never known me to work outside of the home. Mason is a big homebody. When he comes home from school, he refuses to go anywhere with me. When I was working before, I worked retail with all of the crazy hours that comes with retail. The last year I worked, I was working in the Stock Room. It was great working Monday thru Friday and my hours being 6:00am-3:00pm. But it was tiring. I'm not looking into going back to retail-so I'm weighing out my options.

Well, that is it for now. Spring Break is coming and we will be spending some of it in Yakima-hopefully where the sun is shining and it is warmer. I am so SICK of winter. I'm ready for spring and summer! Going to Yakima for Spring Break has been a tradition with us. It's when Snoqualmie Pass has thawed out a little, and we get to visit friends and family. Mac has his Science Project to do and finish during the break, so we will spend part of our week at home until he's finished with it (it's due the Tuesday after he gets back from Spring Break).

Resolutions for 2009

Yes, we are almost 10 days into this month, and I am just now getting to talking about making New Years Resolutions. Or I can call this "setting myself up for failure". I think I would like to re-name Resolutions and call them Goals For Myself, because really, that's what they are right?

This year started out with having a head cold, taking decongestants (the good ones from behind the Pharmacy counter), and having the worse sinus pain I have had since 1994 (yes, I remember the year). My family has also been afflicted with the same cold...Lee has said several times how he just wants TO DIE! He doesn't do sick well. Mac just suffers quietly, until he has had to blow his nose-and Mason has told me "my nose is very broken Mom". I am better, Mac is feeling better, Mason is on the mend, and I stopped asking Lee-but he hasn't told me lately that he wants to die, so that's a good sign. What a great start to 2009.

Lee's new Goals, usually don't start until after his birthday-which is the 13th of this month. He will be hitting the BIG 4-0. But that deserves a different post altogether. Lee has told me that he wants to change his eating habits (again), and has given me a menu of a few things. I pack him a breakfast of something he can eat in the truck with a hot beverage of either hot spiced apple cider (instant), hot cocoa, or his instant Korean tea (I'm not sure what it is). I also pack him a lunch with snacks. I do this LOVINGLY EVERY morning at 5:00am. The only times I didn't get up was when I was really sick a couple of times this year. I have managed to go back to bed and sleep for another hour and a half before Mac wakes up for school.

My new Goals don't start until Lee's start, because my new Goals also have to do with changing our way of eating. Lee feels the need to binge before his birthday, and then he's ready to "change". Changing our way of eating is difficult with kids. Lee and I want to lose weight, Mac's weight is fine the way it is and Mason needs to gain weight.

My friend at 32 Flavors posted her Resolutions, and I could have copied and pasted her's onto my blog. But I needed to tweak mine a bit.

1. No computer before the kids are in school. Unless it's vitally important.
2. Get up before 6:50am on school days.
3. Be in bed before or no later than 11:00pm.
4. Lose Weight.
5. Work Out. Eat Better. No Coke. (I've only had 2 Cokes since Christmas!) Drink More Water.
6. Post pic of myself on Blog and Facebook. (I'm vain-what can I say?)
7. Get my hair done more than twice a year.
8. Become more organized. Keep my part of the Office clean.

I think that is it. I have until January 13th to add more if I want. Does anyone else make yearly Goals for themselves?

Post #40

Wow! Here I was going to write stuff about what we've been up to this last week, and low and behold-I read that this would be Post #40. When I started this blog, is was November or December of last year. I was in our rental house on South Whidbey, surrounded by boxes, and I believe it was past midnight-so I had no business being on the computer. We were literally about to move, I was in the process of packing, cleaning, finishing up with Mac's Football (I was Team Mom amongst other things), found a house, signing papers and basically running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. What possesed me to start a blog was beyond me. I didn't have a digital camera to download pics of my family (yes, a pic of me is missing-I know), I didn't have anything profound to write about. I decided it would be like a Scrapbook for our family, and to stay close to friends & family members who live far away-or not so far away. I didn't tell anyone about the blog for several months, because I really wasn't doing anything with it. It was just out there in internet land-simply existing.
With help from my friend Becky from The Cornwalls-she tagged me, and that's all it took for me to get hooked. Armed with a Digital Camera and stuff that is in my head (this can be a scarry place to be), my family are the primary targets for who knows what, and them wondering "is this going to end up on the blog"? Mac now says "is this going to be on your blog"? or "look out! Mom's got the camera out and you will end up on the blog"! I took a picture of my Dad at Halloween, and he is suprised that his picture hasn't ended up on my blog yet (he did ask).
I have surfed the internet and there are hundreds of blogs with different subjects. I worked retail for 11 years-and have 11 years of interesting tales to tell. The thought of starting a blog with my stories has crossed my mind. Working high end retail brings in people from all walks of life. I recently told a friend of mine about a time when a drug addict who was a size 2 was trying to return some bras she had stolen. The bras were a size 44 DDD and she was a size 32 A. If anyone is interested in the story.....let me know.

We Voted!

Lee and I are absentee voters. Actually, I think our whole county is. I started voting absentee after I had Mac. I had him on a Monday, we were voting for something (not a presidential year) on Tuesday, and I was still in the hospital with Mac on voting day. It bugged me that I couldn't vote because of circumstances out of my control.
It's been nice to be able to sit down, look things over, and be able to think about what you are voting for.
Lee and I sat down, discussed initiatives and people and filled out our ballots. I then took them to an official drop off place-where we can drop off our ballots, instead of mailing them through the Post Office.
I can't wait for this election year to be over. I think I'm looking forward to it more than most years. I'm so sick and tired of watching T.V. and seeing negative ads. I am thankful more than ever for our DVR-so we can bypass that stuff. I'm not going to get political or push my views onto anyone. I am grateful that I can vote, I am grateful that Lee and I share the same views and that we are not a "house divided", and that my voice will be heard through the voting process.

Highlights of the Weekend

Mac had a Football game on Saturday. They won 20-6. Was the team happy? Yes! They have played 3 games, and this was game #4. They lost the first 3 games by 1-2 points, the last few minutes of the last quarter. It was also thier Coach's Birthday-what a great present.

Mason lost his first tooth Saturday afternoon. When it was first loose, he told me we needed to go see his dentist to make sure this whole losing teeth thing was okay. I explained a million times to him that everything was okay, and that a bigger tooth was coming. He has been sick with a bad cough and a fever for the last week. This was as good as this picture was going to get. We forgot to put the tooth under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy to come-so we did this Sunday night. He got a $1 bill. He was very excited. And being that he was sick and not feeling well.........

Mason and I decided to take a trip to Childrens Hospital Sunday morning. He was wheezing pretty bad. I was giving him breathing treatments at home, but it wasn't working.

They took a chest X-Ray of him and his lungs were clear, compared to the last chest X-Ray he had in 2006. There were 4 girls in Radiology-and he talked to all of them. He was VERY cooperative with them, and they felt because he was so good (and because they liked his Red hair) that he deserved a toy, he chose a Nerf Football. The 4 Girls also let Mason look at his "Scarry Bones" (Skelelton) on the computer screen. That was one of the highlights of his day. Everything on his X-Ray looked great, he just sounded like crap. Yes, I am using a bad word again. I think being that I haven't really slept in 5-6 nights, I'm entitled to use some bad language and drink as much Coke as I want.

More Highlights with out the pics....

-Dad came home Friday afternoon from Montana!

-Mac went on a Camp out with his Boy Scout troop Friday night before his Saturday game.

-Dad and Mac went Dirt Biking with Uncle Calvin and Wes. Enough said.
-I baked Cookies and Rolls Sunday afternoon after Mason and I got home from our "field trip".

Bedsheets, Facebook, and my Boy Scout.

So, I don't have a camera yet. However. At Lee's request, he was wondering when I was going to buy new sheets. We have one set for our bed, because our mattress is one of those pillow top type mattresses. It's actually a double pillow top one on each side of the mattress (bottom and top). The last time I bought sheets for the bed was when we first got it. I had to think really hard on that one. I remember Lee and the boys were in the car waiting for me, and then it dawned on me. The reason they were in the car waiting for me was.....because Mason was still on oxygen, and in those days-it took a good 10 minutes to get him out of the car with his "equipment". I had it down to 5 minutes or less actually. But that is neither here not there. It had been 6 YEARS since I bought bed linens for our bed. 6 years ago, I only had 3 choices, because they didn't make very many sets of sheets for the "thicker" beds. Now, the world is your oyster-if you go to Bed, Bath and Beyond. I just needed to narrow it down to thread counts. I'll spare you on all of the details. But they were pricey. Hence the reason why, I haven't bought bed sheets in 6 years. I buy pillowcases once a year, but not the sheets. I guess I am sharing all of this because, I can't believe it has been 6 years since I last got sheets for our bed. Time goes by so fast, and it blows me away.

I joined Facebook a few months ago. Since then, people I graduated High School with, attended Church with, and other people who have come out from the woodwork have found me or-the other way around. When you log on to Facebook, it tells you who is "on line". Low and behold, yesterday 2 of my siblings were online at the same time as me. It freaked me out a little, but I thought is was funny. Facebook is a blast, and I recommend it to everyone.

Mac came home from Scout Camp Saturday night. I was so happy to see him. So was his brother. He got the Care Package I sent him. And I got the letter he sent us....today. I don't have to ask Mac if he's happy to be home, he says it often. He had a really good time at Camp and got alot accomplished in a week.

In Search of a New Camera, a Visit, and Donuts.

In my search of a new camera, I went to Best Buy yesterday-JUST TO LOOK. Mason came with me, so I didn't get a lot of "looking" done. There were almost 100 different choices (okay more like 50), my head started to spin, and I got overwhelmed. I narrowed it down to two different ones-one of them is a Canon and the other I think is a Sony. I saw all of the cute pink, purple, and blue camera's, and it came down to how I really don't care what color it is, as long as it's easy for me to use. I need easy in my dyslexic life. I also need it bigger than my cell phone. I would lose one of those cute little mini ones.
I went to go visit An Ordinary Mom's Lucy and see little Eli. He is so beautiful! And a good little baby. I got to hold him for a long time, and he slept and we visited. I used to live near Lucy and I have recently realized how much I miss her and my friends in Seattle. I enjoyed our visit, I ran an errand for her and took Keri with me, and Mason. Keri is about the same age as Mason, and was a wonderful influence on him. Lucy also showed me her camera, and told me why she likes her's. It kind of looked like the one I want to get.
And, no trip to Seattle is complete without stopping at the local neighborhood Krispy Creme's. We lived 3 minutes from this place for 2 years, and if I didn't have "something" somewhat ready by 8:00 on a Saturday morning for breakfast, Lee would get the boys in the car and go to Krispy Creme's for donuts and chocolate milk. It amazes me how much Mason remembers about living there. He was so young, but he always remembers where we are in Seattle, and that we need to stop for donuts. We went through the drive thru (a mommy's best friend) and I ordered 3 different donuts-and I went to open the box up (because Mason was foaming at the mouth) and his plain donuts were not there. Out of an order of 8 donuts total-6 of them were not right. So I go in there, and tell the Manager- in a nice way- what donuts we ordered (I brought in the box). He gave me the donuts I was missing (and didn't order) and made me keep the mistakes-because they just THROW THEM AWAY. So, I ended up with more donuts than I wanted. I'm sure Lee won't have a problem with it.
Mac has also been gone this week, and someone misses his big brother very much. His parents miss his guts too.

Gas Prices 20 Years Ago

I thought I would share this little tidbit of information. My 20 year High School reunion is coming up next month. I was going through some stuff, and found this little book that I apparently filled out. It was a book about my Senior year of high school. It has things like the price of jeans (Guess Brand Jeans were $45-$50), a gallon of milk (I don't like milk, so I didn't fill it out). I did fill out the price of gas. 20 years ago this summer, gas was .87-.96 cents a gallon!! Just thought I would share.