Week In Pictures ~ Week 1

January 1st

Three of my New Years Boys

January 2nd

Kaedyn and Nathan in the bathtub with their star fountains 

January 3rd

Kaedyn (in the distance) being naughty - not wanting to go in the house.  Did I mention, it's RAINING??? 

 He's telling me "NO!" and yelling at me ...  I have a video of it. 

January 4th

Nathan and Kaedyn under the umbrella ...

the street sewer access bubbling over with the rain ... 

and then some leaves outside of class ...

January 5th
If it FITS ........ It SHIPS!!!  Now, just figure out where Nathan wants to go!?!!? 

 

January 6th
Some photos for my photography assignment .... 

Fish at the doctors office 

 My books <3

 Marnie sleeping....

January 7th

More Marnie .... even puppies need pillows ...

College Woes ...

Reading something that doesn't interest me is sooooooooooooooo hard.   I am taking two classes where there is a lot of reading going on.  My Creative Writing class and my Human Relations class.  My Creative Writing class is in the classroom and the Human Relations one is online.

I was working on my posting for the online class today - got it all done.  I'm thinking.......

WHEW!  I'm sooooooooo on top of things!  I can get my reading done for my Creative Writing class tomorrow and .... wala!  Homework done!

EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ....  WRONG!

We had run out of ink in my printer and I finally got a chance to print off the syllabus until today.  I got all my binders from last quarter emptied into a bigger binder and tabbed for classes, and I got all my current classes organized in the binders.  Oh and I fixed both my broken binders with duct tape!  That's right........ duct it or buck it! (interchange the b with an f if you are so inclined.)  ....

So I'm responding to stuff (or going to - and I now realize I forgot to do my replies - CRAP) ...  and I get a reply from one girl who I replied to asking me if I knew how to email the instructor for the drop box assignment ....  I'm thinking.......

What drop box assignment???? 

Then I find out ..... yep - gotta read 2 chapters and write a 5 page assignment .........   It's a little after 7pm and it's due at 11:45 ..... I'm suppose to read 50 pages and write at least 5 pages of a set up I've never done before....... ::: slams head ::: 

I love it when this stuff happens.  What a wonderful start for this class.  I did email the instructor....

From: ANNISSA R
Subject: I apologize
To: Prof J.Y.

I didn't get a chance to print off the syllabus until today (had run out of ink).  Home situation isn't ideal right now, my husband recently lost the ability to walk and I'm taking care of our four kids and him because he can't do much, stressing about everything.  But I'm determined to continue with my classes and be successful. 

I just realized we had the written assignment (I thought it was just the forum postings).  I just wanted to let you know that I am aware of the mistake and I hope I'll be able to resolve it.  I apologize for not being on top of things, especially since I actually thought I was. 

Thanks for you time
Annissa

Soooooooooooooooo ... wish me luck trying to bring myself out of this hole I dug myself into the first week of school... 

Happy Birthday Sweet 16!!

So Calahan turned 16 yesterday.

.................. I feel old!

I was 18 when I got pregnant with him (engaged, but 18) ....  and 19 when I had him.  It wasn't an easy pregnancy, it started off with a miscarriage and then we realized it had been twins when I found out a few weeks later I was still pregnant.  Then, a few weeks later, I had another threatened miscarriage when I was doubled over in pain.  Luckily, the kid has always been a stubborn child.  He totally missed his Christmas Day due date and needed an eviction notice to leave my body!  Only, I went in for induction and didn't actually get any pitocin.  Labor started shortly after I got there.  13 hours later, I was holding my long skinny baby in my arms..... I remember my mother-in-law asking me if I would do it again.... I said, "not today, maybe tomorrow"  LOL...

Yesterday ..... the first person I instantly feel in love with .....  turned 16.  It's been 16 years since I was given the greatest day of my life .... the day I became a mom.

I wrote something on my facebook about him being my "trial and error" child.   He took that slightly offensive.  HA HA...  in a joking way.

I asked Calahan what he wanted for dinner - he said Steak.  We made steak, baked potatoes with all the fixings, corn.... and all he had was ... steak.  He says "This is pretty filling" and didn't bother with the rest.

 His cake....

 Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen!!!

I love you Calahan!  We may butt heads because of our your teenage know-it-all attitude, but you are a great kid and we appreciate all you do (except failing classes!) - especially right now with Dennis sick.  I love the compassion you have for animals and art.  You are a great big brother (most the time) .... and you are an amazing friend.  You are going to be a wonderful young man.  I think you will be amazing at whatever you apply your mind to - HOWEVER .... you need to apply your mind!  Cuz you are smart!  I think you would be a good mechanic if that's what you want to do - but just because it was a dream of your dad, doesn't mean it needs to be your dream.  You have such a passion for art and video games, I think you should maybe go though route.  We'll support you in whatever you choose to do.   You are growing up so fast!  I long for the days where I was able to hold you in my arms and not have to LOOK UP at you. 

Happy Sweet 16!!

It all started with a kiss ...  and I ended up like THIS!

Yep..... there I am ...  just-about-due ... just after getting sent home from the hospital...  (notice the hospital bracelet on my wrist?)  ...  I was .... miserable....   but in the end of it I got an amazing kid.

That little thing grew into .......

I have written about Calahan's pregnancy and birth stories a few times, instead of adding ANOTHER blog saying the same thing - only each one has different details and pictures.....  I thought I would share a list of blogs.  So if you want to check them out - feel free to.

They Call Me Mom ~ Calahan
INFERTILITY ~ My Journey to My Children
To Be... The Mom of a 14 Year Old
15 ....  He's Turning 15 ... 

And here is a link to Calahan's Pregnancy & Birth Story from my other blog....

(Pictures to be added tomorrow!)

Wordless Wednesday: A Little Rain...

College -> Bring it On!

Well......... in honor of returning to college today ... and my new classes .........

3 of 366 .... check!

Epic Fall .... I mean Fail ...

Dennis cracks me up.  We amuse each other - it's what we do.  Instead of dragging each other down in life, we tend to lift each other up and keep each other laughing.

In case you are late to the party - my husband lost the ability to walk without assistance prior to Thanksgiving.

Last night ..... he and I are laying in bed watching TV.  All of a sudden out of no where, he jumps over me to leave the room and all I know is when I looked up, he was on the floor.

I couldn't help it...... I started laughing so hard I almost cried.

He of course is looking at me like I just sat on his favorite dog....

I said "Did you suddenly forget you couldn't walk?"

He says ........ "Wishful thinking?"

So I continue to laugh like a crazy lady, I simply can't stop.... all I can see is him leaping over me and ...thump...  looking at him sitting against the dresser.

"With a wife like you, who needs enemies?" 

He gets up with his walker, goes down the hall....  tells Calahan I'm being mean to him, that I'm laughing at him because he fell down...  Calahan comes in here and starts to lecture me about how I'm mean and shouldn't laugh at him when he falls - then I tell him to read my FB status ...  so he leans over and reads this:

"With a wife like you, who needs enemies!" Big D says. I'm sorry - but he just - literally - jumped off the bed like he forgot he couldn't walk ... and fell to the floor (he didn't get hurt) ... I cracked up laughing. I'm sorry ... wait, who am I kidding. I'm not sorry ... it was funny. Asked him if he forgot he couldn't walk - he said "wishful thinking?"

And then he starts cracking up laughing...... yep....  after he lectures me about laughing.   Dennis calls down the hall "KISS MY GRITS!" 

Heehee.... he...ha... snort!

Can't.................... stop................... laughing...............

Blog 2 of 366 ..... Pictures were taken today too, just sharing in a later blog :)

HAPPY 2012!!

2011 was a year filled with... well, lets see... it started with crazy drama with people who were suppose to be our friends.  I did nothing but care for them and do everything I could to help them out ... I gave them true friendship and I got lies and lies.  It still hurts me.  So do I become jaded from it, or do I continue to be the open trusting person I am.  The rest of the year has had it's ups and downs.  Nathan was diagnosed with Autism ...  Noah got influenza A and went by ambulance to Seattle... which was an adventure.  He also got his hearing aid.  I became the mother of a 15 year old, 9 year old, 4 year old and 3 year old.  I started school and passed with flying colors :)  Dennis got sick .... lost the ability to walk and our family dynamic changed dramatically.  I'm happy to see the craziness of 2011 disappear.  I hope for nothing but positive things for us during 2012.  However, realistically ...  I know that in order to have good, you have to go through the bad too.  It's gotta be an even balance for the most part.

So ......... GOODBYE 2011 ......... and HELLO 2012 ........

So what is the tradition to do on January 1st?

RESOLUTIONS ........

There are the die hard serious resolution makers.  There are the resolution avoiders.   Then there are people like me ........ who are half serious... and half not.........

My resolutions for this year ......... 2012..........

1: Be a lot meaner to my kids........ they need attitude adjustments.
2: To treat my friends like crap!
3: Shut all doors to my family!
4:  Talk about everything I know nothing about!!

And if you believe ANY of that......... I have a lot of land to sell you in Wickedville ..... only ONE BILLION dollars!!!

Please......... that's not me, couldn't even be me if I tried.  I love my kids, my friends & my family ... and I don't join conversations as a know it all when I know nothing about the subject.

So my family hung out at home today - total PJ day!  We hung out - Dennis managed to make breakfast thanks to his new stool...  French Toast baby - so good!!  He made dinner too!  It was a little bit of weight off me.

Then ... I have been cleaning and organizing.  My room is the "catch-all" ... to keep it out of the rest of the apartment.  So since I'm going to be doing most of my online schooling in the bedroom..... (not to mention homework) ...  I'm wanted a organized space.  So I went to Goodwill - got two shelves (one for the bedroom, one for the living room for some of the kids stuff) ...  and a stool for Dennis so he can sit at the stool.  I'm been doing some computer work.  Got the gates up in the kitchen and set up Marnie's area now so that we can really work on potty training her.  ::: crossing fingers :::

Sooooooooooooo ...  I got into my photography class.  I'm not sure if I'll be staying in the beginner class or the advanced class.  It depends.  That starts Wednesday.  I signed up for a writing class and was put on the waiting list.  I was number 7, and now I'm number 2 .......... so, I guess we'll see if I get in that.

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ........ what are my real resolutions!?!?!  I decided to stay simple this year.

#1:  Be better and being proactive with my diabetes.  To be honest, I fell off the wagon when Dennis got sick.  Stopped taking all my meds, including my insulin.  :c/   But I don't WANT to be like this.  Gotta be honest though - to not be doing 7 shots a day is fantastic.  But I know I need to manage it again.  My blood sugar has NOT been crazy outrageous though ... so I am going to ease back into things.

#2: Read 25 Books this year.  I was going to do 100, then figured 50... but realized that 25 is more realistic.  I don't read books in a day - and it usually takes me a couple weeks of reading when I get free time to get through one.  I'm not going to count kids books either - if I were doing 100 - I'd be counting EVERY book I read the little boys ...  so 25 is good.  I have four kids....... and school....  and a husband who can't do much so everything is on me....... 25 might be a stretch! LOL

#3:  I want to BLOG every day!  I made this resolution last year........ quickly failed.  I don't want to fail this year - but who knows.

#4:  Take photos everyday ......... again, re-resolution ... but ...  hoping to do it this year!

#5:  Continue to do well in school!!  I am looooooooving going to school.  LOVE IT.  Looking forward to classes starting on Tuesday :)

#6:  Potty train THREE this year!  Nathan, Kaedyn & Marnie! LOL....

YAY!!!

The boys ... this morning :)

 Kaedyn, Nathan & Noah

January 1st blog........... CHECK!
January 1st photos ...................... CHECK!!

YAY!!!