The 4 F's

When I graduated from the sheriff's office academy, one of the speeches that a Deputy Chief gave has always remained, word for word, in the back of my mind. I never really mentioned it to Tommy. The need never really arose I guess. Not until two weeks ago.

Tommy started contimplating switching squads. It may seem silly or strange that it would be a tough decision but when you work at keeping each other alive on a daily basis, it is a big deal. HUGE! They had already formed bonds and Tommy had healed some broken parts of this squad so it was a dilemma that Tommy had never really faced before. Tommy and I really didn't even talk about it too much. He told me that he had a list of pro's and con's that he made up at work one night. I still thought little to nothing at all about it. I am of the attitude that no matter what, we will adjust and we will get by...EVEN IF I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!

I started to see a struggle going on with him. He had committed to one year on his squad. He told this group of amazing people that he would stay for at least a year and he meant that. Then, as all things do, something changed. Promotions were taking place, retirements were happening, special assignments became vacant and there was a ton of movement. A spot was going to open and it meant more family time at home. He immediately put his name in to be transferred. His squad was not happy... most of them immediatley put in to transfer as well.

I finally told Tommy the story of "YOUR WINDOW" that my chief had told me.

All your life you will make decisions, go far in your travels, find fame in your career and hopefully find peace in your family. Don't let one over-shadow the other. Keep your window panes in perspective and know that there are really only 4 panes to that window.

Your first pane is your FUTURE. Your career can sometimes become that future. Don't let your career run your life. It will feed you and put a roof over your head but don't let it be your life. As all things do, your career will come to an end, and you will have to move on with your life. Have a life after your career. Make your Future count.

Your second pane is your FRIENDS. Everyone needs friends. Keep them close and confide in them. You will need people to talk to when you see things in your career that may haunt you. FRIENDS are important!

Your third pane is filled with your FAITH. Your faith, no matter what it is, will guide you and keep you strong. NEVER give up your faith.

Your final pane is your FAMILY. You are not lucky enough to get to choose your family but be grateful enough to know that your family is always there to support you through everything you will encounter in your job. Family always comes first.

I took that window everywhere with me. Even when I left the Sheriff's office for the police department.

Tommy didn't discount it. He didn't say much until he explained priorities to his squad. He told me, that when the transfer orders went through (beyond quickly for his department) he explained to his squad that his family is his priority. Hugging his babies at night and kissing them good-morning had to come first, no matter how committed he was to making this squad the best they could be. They finally understood.

I am lucky. My husband has always had his priorities straight. He is not a man that needs a "boys night out." That, to him, is a family of 5 at Peter Piper and yes, that includes his 2 girls. His family is always number one. Sometimes our kids don't see that and don't understand the things we do because our priorities are what they are... but they will one day.


Tommy does not ask for much. He likes nice things, but don't we all. He is one to drop hints and joke but for the most part.... Tommy just wants a happy, healthy family and tons of LOVE.


So with our new days together... You can bet you are gonna get a lot of family time... Tons of LOVE and a lot more health ...

AT........

Your new membership is now active. Thank you for keeping us your priority!

HEY DADDY....

We're glad to see you before school!

Love,

Jax and Binky

I Heart Sleepy Time..

Brinkley loves Pudgie...most days. Well, actually she puts up with him and is pretty much annoyed with him and his lack of understanding why he can not crush the cat with all his bodyweight and why he can not pull all her beads down off the walls. For the most part though, she would be lost without this little guy.

Tonight I was just not willing to play the bedtime game with the baby. Jax tried. He did not have the patience to lay there with him and get him to fall asleep. When Binx came upstairs wanting to know what all the fuss was about.. I said go for it kiddo. You would have thought I had just given her permission to eat candy for dinner.

Who would have thought......

LIFE...

Pudgie was up at the crack of dawn today. Probably even earlier. I wanted to kick Tommy to make him deal with him...but Saturday's I don't have that option....YET..... We headed downstairs and I dozed on the couch.



I woke up to screaming upstairs. Pudgie does not like for Jax and Binx to sleep when he is awake. He abruptly fixes the problem when I take my eyes off him.. or fall asleep on the couch. They all came downstairs and started playing lego star wars together. I watched them.... wondering when I took a shower last.....



It just suddenly hit me. When did my baby turn 8 years old? How did that happen? How long has it been since Brinkley had short little poofs on the sides of her head because her hair just would not grow and she had to have piggy poofs as we would call them? When did my babies get big?



And how am I 36? What the heck?



Then to top it off. While working out at the gym yesterday, one of the daycare workers tells me, after I have said Pudgie just won't talk and maybe I need to get his hearing checked, "Oh Pudgie was talking today! Pudgie was talking to everyone in here. Saying Blue and Hi and See and Go...and of course...PUZZLE" Whatever! This little stinker of mine. He has me ready to sign him up for therapy and he knows he is driving me nuts... SMART boy already I tell you! Anyway...



How does this happen? This, to me, the girl that was one-track-career-minded and never really gave marriage a second thought, and babies were just not in my scheme of things to ever come and BAM........



Here I am today in my big house, with my big horse of a dog, a cat that is pretty darn cool... three little munchkins playing till their hearts are content, while daddy sleeps. How does this happen? And where did the last 10 years of my life go?



Somedays I feel 86 and some days I think I look better than others, but I still wonder... what happened to 1999? Or 1989 for that matter. It seems like yesterday I was calling my mom to tell her I was marrying Tommy.... or even farther back... to the day I got the phone call that I was going to the police academy. Where did that time go? As one person asked me not so long ago... what has been happening with me and where have I been?



Well, I have been here and there and LIFE has been happening everyday. Some days are seriously better than others. Some days I would love to run far and fast from LIFE as I know it. I would probably only make it to Target though. That is where I buy Pudgie's night night diapers.



I can't say that this is where I thought I would be at 36. I know it is the best place for my kids and Tommy and of course, for me as well. Sometimes, just sometimes, what is good for the geese (in my family's case) just ain't so hot for the gander.... but I wouldn't trade it. I wouldn't trade this LIFE for anything... EVER!



I just wonder, how is it that this wonderful thing called LIFE just seems to keep flying by me within the blinks of 4 sets of beautiful blue eyes.

O.C VIA CASA SILVA

WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE POLICE ACADEMY, ONE REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOU ARE SPRAYED WITH O.C. SPRAY. (MOST PEOPLE JUST CALL IT PEPPER SPRAY) UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT THE LITTLE CAN YOU SEE OFFICERS WITH.... THAT WOULD BE TOO EASY. THE POLICE ACADEMY USES FIRE EXTINGUISHERS THAT ARE FULL OF O.C. SPRAY TO SHOW YOU THAT, YES, IT IS GONNA HURT LIKE A MUTHER AND YES, YOU WILL WISH YOU WOULD DIE... BUT, IN THE END, YOU WILL BE FINE.

THAT IS, ONCE YOUR SNOT STOPS LEAKING DOWN THE FRONT OF YOUR BODY, YOU STOP HACKING UP YOUR LEFT LUNG AND YOUR EYES ARE ABLE TO REMAIN OPEN FOR LONGER THAN 2 SECONDS WITHOUT INVOLUNTARILY SHUTTING FROM THE MASSIVE BURNING SENSATION THAT YOU FEEL. I USED TO THINK IT WAS CRAZY TO HAVE TO DO IT. AFTER ALL, IT IS NOT LIKE YOU GET SHOT WITH YOUR GUN TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU CAN SURVIVE THAT TOO...... SO TODAY...

TODAY, I TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE VIA PEPPERS. I ALSO TRIED TO KILL TOMMY, ACCORDING TO HIM. I AM SO ADDICTED TO RUTH'S HOT SAUCE THAT I AM LITERALLY MAKING IT EVERY 4 DAYS...BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM...

I CAN NOT GET IT EXACTLY LIKE RUTH'S. MINE IS FLAMING HOT AND JUST NOT AS GOOD. SO TODAY WHILE I AM TRYING TO GET THE CHILI DE ARBOL TO GET PASTY IN THE BLENDER... WHAT DO I DO? I STICK MY FACE RIGHT INTO THE BLENDER AND THE CAT BUMPS ME, BECAUSE I AM ON THE FAMILY ROOM FLOOR... I CAN EXPLAIN WHY... BUT STILL.... I INHALE PEPPER PASTE, SEEDS AND FUMES AND NEARLY FALL OVER INTO THE CORNER OF OUR ENTRYWAY TABLE. HOLY COW... POLICE ACADEMY HELL DAY FLASHBACK... SERIOUSLY...

I AM HACKING UP MY RIGHT LUNG, SNEEZING, TRYING TO FIND ANYTHING TO COVER MY EYES AND STOP THE SNOT.... ALL AT THE SAME TIME.... ALL THE WHILE I AM HOPING I DON'T TRIP OVER THE BLENDER THAT IS SITTING ON THE CARPET BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO WAKE UP PUDGIE FROM HIS NAP... HIS NAP THAT IS TAKING PLACE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE KITCHEN.... BRILLIANT MOVE ON MY PART LET ME TELL YOU.

THE WHOLE TIME THIS IS GOING ON, I AM OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT THAT WHEN I BOILED THE CHILI'S, THE SMELL HAS GOTTEN UPSTAIRS AND NOW TOMMY IS COUGHING AND SNEEZING AND HIS FACE IS LEAKING WHILE HE IS TRYING TO GET READY FOR WORK.... THEN...

SHANEN CALLS ME TO GET KYLEE AND I AM LIKE... "HELLO, JUST TRYING TO COMMIT SUICIDE BY PEPPERS HERE"! I HAVE ALWAYS SAID... MY POOR HUSBAND SURELY DID NOT MARRY ME FOR MY COOKING! GEEZE... I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW BAD OUR HOUSE WAS UNTIL I WENT OUTSIDE AND BACK IN AND STARTED THE HACKING PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN! THE SAD PART IS... I AM GONNA TRY AGAIN TOMORROW... WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN.. AND WITH A NEW BLENDER.

SO FOR ALL THE INQUIRES ABOUT RUTH'S AMAZING HOT SAUCE.. HERE ARE THE DIRECTIONS:


Ingredients:

1 cup boiled and drained chile de arbol
1 32/36oz Can of Green Whole Tomatillos
1 Medium Garlic Clove
1 1/2 Tablespoon of Sea Salt or 1 Tbl. Spoon regular salt
1 to 2 Fresh Squeeze Limes depending on size

Directions:

In blender, blend chilies to a paste consistency. Mix at medium speed: drained whole tomatillos, garlic, salt and limes, if salsa is too thick, add tomatillo juice. If salsa thickens in a day or two just add little water.

I like the Dos Ranchitos chips from Food City with the hot sauce the best, but My Nana's are a close second in my own opinion!

ENJOY!

THANK YOU RUTH!!!

FRIDAY AFTERNOON FUN!

TELL ME AGAIN...WHY DID WE SPEND $30,000 ON A POOL???

HEY DID ANYONE NOTICE HOW MY BIG BOY IS SO SMART THAT HE GOT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOTTIES? WAY TO GO PUDGIE MAN!

Woobies

Funny thing about woobies...... You never outgrow them.


They seem to drive people in my family nuts.


Jax has one.


Brinkley has one. She calls parts of it her geam (No clue what that means)


Pudgie has one, no two ... oh wait.. four actually. He loves them. When he gets his "good" spiderman woobie, the one that part of the edging is missing, he clenches it and smiles with his little eyes closed, and makes this little cooing/humming/oohing sound. All the while shaking from loving on it so much.


None of the kids can sleep without their woobies. We have had a few scares where we thought we lost the woobie, tore the woobie, left it at a Grammie's after a sleep over, or left it in another state. Luckily we have never really "lost" any of their woobies.......although there have been times we wish we would/could have.


You see, these woobies are well-traveled, well-worn, well-needed and well-loved. They have been to Sea World, the beach, Disneyland, California adventure, Chicago, the gym, the grocery store, the beauty shop, the barber shop, the mall (many malls), airports, Grammie and Grampies, aunts and uncles houses, friends houses, planes, trains, trucks, cars, subways, museums, restaurants, hospitals, doctors offices, police departments, police cars, police motorcycles, dog kennels, cat cages, shoe boxes, in pools, washers, dryers, dishwashers, freezers, fairs, carnivals, church, movies....oh and toilets..... They get around.

They get hugged, thrown, driven over, sat on, barfed on, played on, wrapped around the dog, slept on by the cat, dragged through rain puddles and mud, laid on in the park, pulled down slides and into the sand, used as sleds down grass, covers for hiding.... because if you can't see the face.... you surely can't tell there is a two year old under the woobie, used as a hammock when mommy and daddy will hold both ends and swing you, and made into tents.


We love our woobies. I remember a long time ago it was "suggested" that I start slowly cutting the woobies up so that they are just a tiny little piece of nothing, thus, making it easier to take them places. I couldn't bring myself to do it......and I am so glad I didn't!! Life would be much harder without these wonderful woobies!!!

For anyone that may be confused, our woobies are your blankies!

FINALLY FOUND.....

AFTER THREE....ME, JAX AND BRINKLEY..... HE FINALLY FOUND HIS NAPPING BUDDY. TOMMY ALWAYS COMPLAINS BECAUSE I AM NOT GOOD AT THE NAPPING THING.......JAX THINKS HE IS TOO BIG TO NAP, BINKY WILL MISS OUT ON SOMETHING IMPORTANT IF SHE NAPS, THE CAT TRIES BUT IS NOT WELCOME ON OUR BED AND TIGGER... WELL, THAT IS NOT EVEN AN OPTION IN THIS HOUSE. (WHEN TOM'S AT WORK HE WILL CREEP ONTO THE BED WITH ME THOUGH).....

SO TOMMY HAS FINALLY FOUND HIS NAPPING BUDDY!

LOST....

BINKY LOST HER FIRST TOP TOOTH YESTERDAY. THE DAY BEFORE SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO START BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER SPRING BREAK. SHE WAS SO EXCITED BECAUSE HER "BEAVER TOOTH" AS SHE CALLED IT.... WAS PROBABLY WORTH A LOT. (THERE IS A WHOLE OTHER STORY BEHIND THE TOOTH COMING OUT BUT WE WILL JUST KEEP IT BETWEEN BINKY, SHANEN AND MYSELF... OH YEAH, AND DADDY.. BUT YOU NEVER SAW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED DADDY... THAT IS ALL HEAR SAY!)

WHEN BINKY'S TEETH CAME IN, THEY WERE ALL PERFECT... EXCEPT THE ONE FRONT TOOTH THAT WAS BARELY OFF. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT GOT NAMED THE "BEAVER TOOTH" BUT SHE ALWAYS JOKED ABOUT IT AND SAID SHE COULD EAT THROUGH ANYTHING WITH IT.... TOO MANY CARTOONS I THINK. AT LEAST THE TOOTH FAIRY DID NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE TOOTH MID-WALK FROM THE BATHROOM TO THE KITCHEN THIS TIME (ANOTHER LONG POST FROM THE FIRST TOOTH SHE EVER LOST THAT I IMMEDIATELY LOST 2 MINUTES AFTER)

WE LOVE THE TOOTH FAIRY!

JENSEN EYES~

WOW... DO YOU EVER JUST LOOK AT YOUR KIDS AND THINK... I REALLY HAVE BEAUTIFUL KIDS? I KNOW ALL PARENTS DO. I JUST LOOKED AT MY THREE LITTLE PEOPLE TODAY IN AMAZEMENT.

MY BIG BOY JAX HAS THE MOST AMAZING PERSONALITY AND SWEETNESS ABOUT HIM. IT ALSO DOES NOT HURT THAT HE HAS A GREAT SMILE AND THOSE AMAZING BLUE EYES. IT IS NO WONDER ALL THE LITTLE GIRLS ARE AFTER HIM ALREADY! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH JAXI. SOOO MUCH!

NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE FIGHT... BINKY AND I ARE, IN THE END, SO MUCH ALIKE IT IS SCARY. MY BEAUTIFUL, LITTLE, HARD-HEADED GIRL IS GONNA GO SO FAR IN LIFE. YOUR DETERMINATION AND BEAUTIFUL SMILE AND AHHH, ONCE AGAIN... THOSE EYES... YOU MY GIRL ARE AMAZING! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN EVER BINKY GIRL!

AND FINALLY, MY LITTLE MAN. YOU ARE SUCH A ROUGH AND TOUGH LITTLE BOY WITH THE HEART OF A GIANT. TODAY I WATCHED YOU AND THOUGHT.... "WOW, YOU ARE GONNA JUST KNOCK THE GIRLS OVER WHEN YOU GET OLDER." MY BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY WHO HAS ME SO HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH HIM IT IS JUST NOT EVEN FUNNY ANYMORE! I CAN NOT LOVE HIS BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES ANY MORE AND HIS CHUBBY LITTLE BODY JUST MAKES ME MELT!

HAPPY EASTER TO YOU THREE.

THE THREE LITTLE LOVES OF MY LIFE!

(BECAUSE DADDY IS ALWAYS THE BIG LOVE!!)

Pre~Easter

No wonder I am so tired. We have been going non-stop for a week now and it finally caught up to all of us. Saturday we did two egg hunts, saw the Bunny, collected more eggs than three small children can even open and finished up some Easter shopping. Whew.. I need a break from Spring Break soon! Poor Pudgie was napping during the Bunny visit so I just sat in for him.

The Bunny wouldn't let me sit in his lap! Go figure!

Sprung?

I am so beyond finished with Spring Break.

Don't get me wrong. We have had some serious fun around this house. I purposely do not plan major trips on Spring Break simply because I really feel our kids have to relax and rejuvenate at home after the months of hard work at school...

Who am I kidding???????

I don't want to take my three kids anywhere because that is NO VACATION...........well, maybe for Jax and Binky and Pudgie and of course, Daddy...... but that is 5 times the work for this mommy and it just ain't happening right now.

Tonight we were all beyond exhausted. Jax is having his first sleep over at a friends house that is not one of our relatives. A big ..no.... HUGE step for this mommy. We all walk over to take Jax to Ruth's house and we start talking and the kids are playing and the next thing I know... poor Brinkley is sound asleep drooling on the couch pillows.

Way cool.........

Get Binx home and tucked in and go back to get Pudgie and of course he is now throwing a, "This is all your fault for making me; swim all day, only take a 45 minute nap, play on the waterslide, in the sandbox, run all over the grass, climb up and down the play structure while sliding down the slide and now, at 9:00 at night I can't have a fricken marshmellow" hellish kind of tantrum, since I need to get him to bed.

I get the munchie home and ready for bed and he chooses his big boy bed to sleep in. This is usually a fun ordeal for me.

NOT!!

We lay down and I seriously pray outloud that the next few days are smooth sailing because this mom just needs to be sprung from spring break. I am so done at this point. Then I told Pudgie in a whisper that it is ok to start using more big boy words

It was the sweetest thing in the world when he looked over at me and put his little chubby hand on my cheek and said, "Awww Mommma."

I CRIED!

He just jammed his finger in my eye and started laughing.

Fabulous Fun ~n~ Hot Sauce 101

So, being the shy and introverted woman that I am... I pretty much invited our Mack Momma's and families over to Kelly's house to enjoy their new waterslide that they got for their family. Yeah, I seriously did. Kelly didn't seem to mind.. I really think that was the plan from the get go..and hey, I don't offend very easily so she could have told me to ... well you get the picture. All in Super~fantastic fun I tell ya.

What an amazingly great time we all had! All of the kids laughed, ate, screamed and stayed wet and soggy all day long. Timing was of the essence for our wonderful HOT SAUCE 101 class, baby naps and the all important, Easter egg dying that was scheduled. We have started some fun traditions in our neighborhood.

We seriously will never ever get bored... With our five families...we share two waterslides, one trampoline, two major play structures (there will be 3 by summer), 3 swimming pools, one jacuzzi, one sandbox, too many water guns, bicycles, scooters, little tikes and power wheels ride on's to count, an XBOX, XBOX 360, 2 Nintendo Gamecubes, 3 Nintendo DS's, 2 Wii game systems...too many MP3 players to count and one airplane teeter totter.... (I bet you thought I was gonna say a partridge in a pear tree huh?) these kids have it all... especially fantastic friends to grow up with!



Thank you to Kelly and the boys for letting me invite everyone over to your house for you. To Ruth for the amazing hot sauce lesson. I seriously can not stop eating it. To Trish for all the extra hard boiled eggs and awesome converstion and to Shanen for absolutely forcing me to sit down and eat an entire bag of My Nana's chips and all that hot sauce! What a fun day!

Workin.....

HARDLY!

ALL IN A DAYS WORK OF TRAINING FOR THESE BOYS. I KNOW HOW PHYSICALLY HARD THIS DAY IS FOR YOU! WAY TO GO! JUST WAIT FOR THE CANYON RIDE!!

P.S. Hey boys, I've got the "OTHER" photos too!!

Thank you Grampie!!

Thank you for coming all the way out for my ear infection Daddy!! And for spending all that extra awesome Wii time with us! Hmmm still no PRO ball for you Grampie. We will have to work on that one!!

BROKEN...

A heart?
A spirit?

Maybe.. I really think so.

My oldest friend that I have known my entire life is at an impass in life. One that is just too difficult to acknowledge or admit is there. I wish I could fix it. Take away the sinking feeling you've got in the bottom of your stomach today. I wish I could help with the breathlessness. The constant heartache. The what if's you are struggling with. That one defining moment so many years ago...that could have changed your path in life..the one you will never forget.

What do you do when you have known, known forever, your heart belongs to someone else?

Your soulmate...Your twin star.

Your one love.

There really are no answers my friend.

Time will pass.

As I have told you before; kids, jobs, small houses, big houses, travels, business ventures, marriage, divorce, losses and gains......LIFE....doesn't matter...it all happens.

And one day...

Answers will come.
Hearts will never forget.
How can they?
They really are just one...
And you can't fight fate.

Punishment....

I am the bad mom in the neighborhood. I seriously have a hard time sticking to my threats of punishment when it comes to Jax and Binky.

Not today.

Last night was such a good night for us....we took pictures on the wall and then got into a heated bowling game on the Wii. Brinkley even got her pro ball. It was great... until the phone rang. I am not sure what happened to the kids that were in my family room smiling and laughing... but all of the sudden, I had 3 demons screaming at me, kicking and hitting one another and crying... all at the same time. Alas, my conversation with Sgt. Coffee was cut short and I was mad!

The game was abruptly ended and I sent all 3 kids to bed. Once everyone was either settled or sleeping in Pudgie's case I headed down the stairs...only to get to the landing and hear this hideous wailing coming out of Brinkley and then Jax, trying to calm her down. I think I literally flew up the stairs to find out that my 89 pound son had jumped directly onto his 43 pound sisters inner thigh becuase she threw batman at his face.

I WAS FURIOUS.

EASTER WAS CANCELLED AND ALL HELL WAS GONNA BREAK LOOSE WHEN DADDY GOT HOME! (HE JUST DID NOT KNOW IT YET!)

They both cried themselves to sleep.

This morning I was sure I would have two remorseful children who would want to be good, listen, and do all the chores that were set out for them... all the while....getting along.

HOW STUPID OF A MOM AM I?

After threatening, taking away all video game controllers, throwing away an entire recycle bin full of toys (yes, the giant blue one), literally dragging a screaming and crying Brinkley back into the house by her ponytail because she thought she should be able to play rather than listen..... I figured that hitting these two kids anymore, was not the answer.

LIGHTBULB!

I remembered that years and years ago my mom had gotten sick of spanking me... her demon child. Her punishments had to become more creative.... and they did.

I handed Jax and Brinkley 10 college ruled pieces of paper and wrote out instructions for their papers they were going to write for the rest of the day or however long it took. They did not realize how much writing they were going to be doing. They pretty much finished up 2 hours later. I have to remember that they are 6 and 8 years old.

I think I can let them out of the house now, with an understanding that next time, the papers are 20 pages long! After all...keeping them inside with me is really just MY OWN PUNISHMENT!

KIDZ IN THE HOOD!

WE GOT ALL THE KIDS ON THE FENCE TONIGHT! 10 YEARS FROM NOW I CAN JUST IMAGINE WHAT THIS CORNER OF OURS AND THE HOUGH'S BACKYARDS WILL LOOK LIKE! (I JUST WONDER IF THE FENCE WILL HAVE FALLEN)

For years to come..

I always get a kick out of this scene. It plays out at least 5 or 6 times a week when I won't go out front of our house the minute Brinkley wants to go play! I imagine we will see it for a long time to come with these two! I am sure there will be secret whispers of high school gossip and talk of boys and who knows...maybe they will run away to each others' houses by jumping the fence!..... for now they were just plotting to play! Here's to friends!

Spring Brrrrrr.......

Stubborn

Pudgie is just being stubborn. The bad part about it is that it is freaking me out. Or, it was, until tonight. Pudgie does not want to talk. He does talk, just not enough. Seriously, not enough. The grunting and groaning is getting old and the pointing with the screaming at the top of his lungs is killing me.

Then came dinner tonight. I was joking with my friend that Pudgie has been repeating phonograms and reading letters saying the sounds the kids use at school. They have learned the Spalding method to read. I never really thought much about it until tonight when he pointed to Ruth's Baja Fresh cup, then touched the "O" and said, "Ahh, OOOOOOOOOOHHH, EEEEWWWWWW." Seriously! Then he pointed to the "S" on my T-shirt and said, "SSSSSSSSSSSSSS." Something is clicking. Very strangely for a 2 and a half year old, but I will take this kind of clicking. He finally got out some other words tonight... like treats and sleep, which I was not as excited about. I may have to put this little boy through some phonogram exercises over spring break or something! Maybe he would rather read than talk! Could you imagine?
WAY TO GO PUDGIE MAN!

Daddy will be so proud to hear you tomorrow!

HGTV????

HEY VAL...JUST FOR YOU... A SEMI-PANORAMIC VIEW ABOUT THE HOUSE MINUS THE KIDS' ROOMS!

I'VE BECOME....

MY MOTHER. YES, IT IS TRUE..... TODAY, WHILE DOING SOME SPRING (PRE-SQUAD PARTY) CLEANING...BRINKLEY FOUND ONE OF PUDGIES CHRISTMAS PRESENTS THAT I HAD HIDDEN A LITTLE TOO WELL LAST YEAR. GOTTA CHECK BEHIND THE CURTAINS IN OUR BEDROOM MORE OFTEN!

SQUAD "D"

I LOVE PARTIES. IT IS THE BEST EXCUSE TO CLEAN THE HOUSE BUT AN EVEN BETTER ONE... TO MESS IT UP!

TOMMY HAD HIS ENTIRE SQUAD OVER TO THE HOUSE FOR DINNER AND ... AHHHHEEMMM... A LITTLE XBOX 360 AND Wii PLAY TIME. NOW, FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS ALL THAT JAX HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS HIS RATHER GOOD SHOOTING ABILITIES, FOR AN 8 YEAR OLD, WHEN PLAYING ANY HALO GAME. A CHALLENGE WAS SET FOR OUR LITTLE MAN BY MR. BOB. YOU SEE... MR. BOB IS AN ONLINE PLAYER ON THE 360. WELL, JAX HAS ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR AT ALL. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THIS COMES FROM! (TOMMY, YOU KNOW HE GETS IT FROM ME!)

WELL...SUFFICE TO SAY...MR. BOB WON...OH WAIT...DID I HEAR IT CORRECTLY...MR. BOB SET MY 8 YEAR OLD UP AND WHAT? YOU GOT IT... HE CHEATED.......CHEATED ON AN 8 YEAR OLD. JAX WAS COOL WITH IT. I THINK THE SCORE WAS SOMETHING LIKE 10-6.... PRETTY GOOD FOR JAX I WOULD SAY! ALL IN GOOD FUN!!! YOU KNOW THOUGH... HE IS PRACTICING FOR ROUND TWO!

WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD. LOTS OF KIDS AND YELLING AND CHATTING AND GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHERS FAMILIES! IT WAS A BLAST.

NEXT TIME... POOL PARTY!!! (AHEM, ARIC...WITH CLOTHES ON)

BY THE WAY, THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR ALWAYS WATCHING OUT FOR EACH OTHER.... YOU GUYS AND GALS ARE AN AWESOME SQUAD AND WE LOVED HAVING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN OUR HOME!

1, 3, or 5

I have no idea why I started noticing this about me... or when it even happened.. but for some random reason... and I think I will blame HGTV for this, my house is decorated in 1, 3, or 5 groupings. SERIOUSLY. Obviously we have 1 main couch in our family room, but .. I have to have 3 ottomans behind it. 5 would look better but they were sold out at 3. I have vases grouped in 3's in my kitchen, and candles grouped in 5's all over the house. My pears on the table...5, my vases of sticks....3, flowers in vases....5, bamboo on the island...5 in the marbles.... the list seriously goes on and on throughout my entire house........ I am either OCD or a budding decorator.

PERSONALLY...IN MY LITTLE WORLD... I LIKE TO THINK I AM A BUDDING DECORATOR! JUST LET ME BELIEVE!!

CATCH~UP

WE HAVE A FUNNY HOUSE. ROUTINES ARE A MUST BECAUSE OF DADDY. LUCKILY HE WEARS SWAT EARPLUGS TO BED NOW. HE GETS TO SLEEP! WHEN HE DOES WAKE UP TOMMY AND I HAVE A FUNNY ROUTINE........

I ALWAYS, ALWAYS ASK HIM...... HOW WAS YOUR NIGHT? WHAT DID YOU DO? ANY HOT CHICKS HIT ON YOU? ANY STABBINGS, SHOOTINGS, FATALS, ANYTHING FUN, FUN, FUN? HUMOR IS WHAT GETS US THROUGH THE DAY AROUND HERE. (AND YES, IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU KNOW I REALLY DO ASK ABOUT THE HOT CHICKS!!!)

TODAY WAS NO DIFFERENT, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT HE CAME DOWN THE STAIRS AFTER READING OUR BLOG AND WAS VERY CAREFUL ON WHAT HE SAID TO ME. I WAS FINE.... NO BIGGIE......

AND THEN WE SAT. RIGHT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE KITCHEN FLOOR, AGAINST THE CABINETS AND THE ISLAND JUST CATCHING UP ON THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. THE IRONY WAS THAT I JOKED WITH HIM YESTERDAY BEFORE HE LEFT... "HEY HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE A STABBING....BUT I AM BETTING ON A FATAL" (THEY HAD A STABBING ON FRIDAY MORNING SO THE WHOLE COP~JINX THING COMES INTO PLAY!) THEY HAD ANOTHER STABBING AND WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A FATAL OR NEAR ONE... LAST NIGHT. JINX... I AM GOOD!!!!

IT WAS NEITHER HERE NOR THERE TO US, WHAT WENT ON AT WORK. JUST THE FACT THAT HE AND I SIT AND ENJOY A FEW, AND BABY, I AM STRESSING, A VERY FEW, MINUTES TO CATCH UP ON WORK AND THE KIDS AND THE PARK AND THE HOUSE... I THINK I JUST MOSTLY LOOKED AT HIM.. NOT EVEN REALLY LISTENING TO TOO MUCH OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING. I JUST KEPT THINKING. "I SURE LOVE THIS MAN... AND IT SOOOOO DOES NOT HURT THAT YOU ARE THE BEST LOOKING MAN I HAVE EVER MET." AND THEN THE CAT PROCEEDED TO THROW UP EVERYWHERE AS WE WERE TALKING. END OF CONVERSATION AND DAYDREAM TIME!

SUCH IS LIFE! THANKS FOR THE CHAT SWEETS! LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WEEKEND, SPRING BREAK, HUGS AND KISSES, WALKS TO THE PARK, DINNER OUT, SLEEP, KISSES (DID I ALREADY MENTION THAT) SPRING CLEANING, FAMILY GYM TIME AND OUR PARTY!

I LOVE YOU BUG!

IT JUST REVERTS BACK....

THIS IS NOT MY ASHLEY FURNITURE POST..... THIS ONE HAS BEEN BREWING FOR QUITE A FEW DAYS AND I HAVE TO JUST GET IT OUT BEFORE I TELL SOMEONE WHERE TO GO, HOW TO GET THERE, AND THEN DRAW THEM A MAP.

THIS MOM IS NOT HAPPY! LET'S NOT SUGAR COAT THIS. I AM PISSED!

I OVERHEARD A CONVERSATION LAST WEEK. ONE THAT I KNOW WAS NOT MEANT TO BE HEARD BY ONE OF MY CHILDREN'S MOM. IT WAS SPECIFIC TO MY KIDS AND OUR FAMILY AND THE FACT THAT IT CAME UP JUST PISSES ME OFF.

THE CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT RELIGION.... OR THE JENSEN FAMILIES LACK THERE OF APPARENTLY. THE CONVERSATION BASICALLY PUT DOWN OUR FAMILY AND OUR CHILDREN AND TOMMY'S AND MY ABILITY TO RAISE OUR FAMILY "CORRECTLY."

NEEDLESS TO SAY, MY POOR CHILD QUESTIONED ME ABOUT THIS REPEATEDLY... FOR DAYS. TODAY WAS THE FINAL STRAW. WHEN IT ONCE AGAIN CAME UP, I FINALLY EXPLAINED WHY WE ARE THE WAY WE ARE... IT SEEMS THAT IT MAY BE A LITTLE CLEARER TO MY KIDS NOW.

I AM VERY CAREFUL ABOUT RELIGION, POLITICS, AND PARENTING PUT-DOWNS IN MY LIFE. THINGS I MAY NOT AGREE WITH OR THINK ARE JUST DOWN RIGHT FREAKISH.... I KEEP TO MYSELF OR ONLY DISCUSS OPENLY WITH TOMMY.

I JUST FIND IT SAD THAT OUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS (OR WHAT SOME MAY CONSIDER BAD BELIEFS) ARE OPENLY DISCUSSED WITH CHILDREN..... CHILDREN WHO TALK!

AND ONCE AGAIN.... I GO BACK TO THE OLD AFRICAN PROVERB... IF TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD......... WHAT IF THE VILLAGE REALLY IS FULL OF IDIOTS?

*JUST A QUICK SIDE-NOTE- THIS POST HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYONE ON MY STREET WHERE I LIVE NOR DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ANYONE I KNOW WHO READS OUR BLOG!!!*

IF IT TAKES A VILLAGE...

WHAT IF IT'S FULL OF IDIOTS?

WHEN I TELL THE STORY OF MY ASHLEY FURNITURE EXPERIENCE IN THE NEXT POST... YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY I AM PONDERING THIS AFRICAN PROVERB!!

Mack Momma's

RUTH, DE ANNA, TRISH, SHANEN, KELLY & BABY JULIANA

I Love to watch people. Bad Habit from being a cop I guess. I watch my neighbors all the time, the mom's mostly.............Especially the ones I hang out with.

We are a quirky little group. We are all completely different. I love my neighbors. Almost everyday we sit outside, in our lawn chairs gabbing about, well... just about anything and everything that comes to mind. Sometimes it is just about our kids, jobs, cooking (ok, I might not have too much to contribute to that part of the conversation), life, love how we grew up... just pretty much whatever. Sometimes we don't talk about anything. It is actually pretty cool. We are from all walks of life with super different lifestyles and beliefs but we all seem to bring some really neat traits to our "proverbial table" in the afternoon. There are 13 children between the 5 of us and they all play so well together. (ok maybe not Juliana yet... she's only a week old so we are giving her a break!!!) Our kids are 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2, almost 2, and newborn. CAN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THAT! Awesome playdates I tell ya!

I love watching them. I know.. I am strange...

You see, one of my neighbors is beyond sweet. I am not kidding. TRISH is the epitome of Betty Crocker. She almost always has on an apron (Jaxi always asks why I don't wear one of those "cover your shirt thingy'z"), she grows her own food...including banana's, watches a ton of other peoples kids after school and gives and gives and gives. Jax takes notice of her a lot. Every time she puts on lipstick to leave somewhere important and has dress clothes on, he never misses a chance to say how pretty she is. (I think this is great for an 8 year old to notice this) She never gets mad when Tigger jumps on her and she always, and I seriously mean always has a smile on her face. I love when she smiles. She has beautiful teeth.

Another one of my neighbors closes her eyes when she talks for long periods of time. I am not sure why this happens but it does. It is mesmerizing for me to watch her. I don't know if anyone else has ever noticed it. KELLY makes me laugh with some of the stories she tells me. She was pregnant when I first wrote this post.... and has since had her beautiful daughter. When she was pregnant she was one of those women that was a "stunningly BEAUTIFUL pregnant woman!" My favorite thing about her is the way she talks to her little boys. They are at a stage where sometimes only Mom knows exactly what they are saying and sometimes others may not. Watching her converse with them is cool. There is something so peaceful about her voice when she is loving on them or scolding them. Rarely does her tone change and she just is a great mom and fun woman to hang with.

Another neighbor is the single mom on the street. RUTH is busy. I used to think I was busy. I HAVE DECIDED I AM NOT. She has a lot on her plate. I love listenening to her talk about work and life and rasing her little boy. She is smart. I mean really smart. The kind of, "wow she is so intelligent," that I have had conversations about it over dinner with Tommy, kind of smart. I have learned a lot about life sitting and listening to her. It is a rare occasion that she gets to join our little group for some gab time but I always appreciate the times she does come talk! Last weekend we hung out on Sunday morning together and talked over coffee while all our kids ran around like crazy munchkins... having a blast. It was awesome! I am learning all I can from her when it comes to cooking with Mexican flair... because she can immitate Chipotle's hot sauce perfectly!!! I adore her and all the spicy food she makes for me.. (and no I don't share it!) ~ Don't be in such a rush to get back to work...... I love having you out with us in the afternoons!!!

The last Mack momma in our group is the one that I am probably closest to because of our daughters. We have a lot of the same background as far as competitive sports goes. It is really funny because neither of us needs to talk about our old softball days or anything. We can just hang out watching the cars race up and down the street. We get tired of hearing our girls fight like they are sisters and we readily ignore them... together. We can just sit and do nothing or get each others opinions on decorating or just vent about our middle children. We often joke that Jax and Kylee are becoming "closer friends" as they get older (hmmmmm.) We don't have to do anything and that is what is really cool. It is a common thing for her and I to text each other about a great deal at Wal-Mart or Fry's or when we are needing help with getting the kids to or from school! SHANEN is our part time P.E. teacher on the block and next year she gets to be a stay at home mommy with all the rest of us. YEAH!

I love our little circle of friends that we have grown into. We really watch out for each others' kids and families! We live on a wonderful street filled with wonderful people and I am so thankful for Tommy coming home one day...oooohhh so long ago in 2005... and telling me we were moving!!!

I LOVE BARGAINS!

I ALMOST DROPPED A HUGE AMOUNT OF PENNIES ON THIS COMFORTER SET ON OVERSTOCK.COM. LAST OCTOBER. SERIOUSLY...... I LOVED IT SO MUCH AND SINCE IT IS ALL OF THE COLORS IN MY MASTER BEDROOM.... I HAD MYSELF TALKED INTO THE $249.99 THAT IT WAS LISTED AT. IT WAS $399.99 ON BEDDING.COM SO I FIGURED THAT IT WAS STILL A DEAL...BUT I JUST DID NOT DO IT.... UNTIL LAST WEEK. I GOT A KING SIZE COMFORTER, 4 PILLOW CASES, 2 PILLOW SHAMS, A FLAT SHEET, A FITTED SHEET AND A BED SKIRT IN TOTAL! TAKE A GUESS WHAT I PAID FOR IT???????

$10.70

$10.76

AFTER A HORRIBLE THREE DAYS IN OUR HOUSE....AND NO, IT HAD NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH MY KIDS..... I WAS SO HAPPY TO STOP AT FRY'S TODAY AND PAY $10.76 FOR~

8 BOXES OF HONEY NUT CHEERIOS
10 FIBER ONE BARS
30 CURVE STRAWBERRY BARS
6 BOXES OF CURVES CEREAL
78 NATURE VALLEY GRANOLA BARS
106 FRUIT ROLL UPS!

GOTTA LOVE IT!

NOT THIS MACK MOMMA~

WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL NEW BABY ON OUR STREET THAT BRINKLEY WAS JUST BEGGING TO HOLD. HOPEFULLY SHE WILL GET HER FILL OF THIS BECAUSE THIS MOMMA IS DONE WITH BABIES!!!! I JUST COULD NOT RESIST POSTING HER ADOREABLE PICTURES!!

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD JULIANA!