Remember

a couple of weeks ago when I apologized for going outside in my robe...this is the reason I was out.

I think it is so pretty to see those little droplets...kind of fresh and happy.
I will have baseball pictures sometime. Games started for us last night and will be a constant for us until the end of June.
And maybe I will get my menu up.
When I get it made.
The first week of baseball is kind of a fly by the seat of your pants week.
It doesn't help to have sick kids and a sick husband.
Yes, actually, I am tired of illness.
Why do you ask?
Is it my charming (crabby) personality?

Enjoy the droplets :)

Over the weekend

We went to Rigby to celebrate my Grandpa's 88the birthday. He still lives alone...despite the few attempts to strongly suggest he go into assisted living...not because he can't take care of himself, but for companionship and well, help.
But, despite the pleasant time spent with cousins and siblings and aunts and uncles, I am talking about something else.
My son.
He makes me so proud.
Which one?
Oh yeah :)
The one who looks like Jeff...
Which one?
Oh, I knew you would ask that :)
Carson is the one I am speaking of this time.
We drove past our old house last night on the way home. This house was so special to me because it is the one we bought jsut before we got married. We brought two babies home to it and it was way nicer than Jeff ever thought we would have (which has now been replaced by our current house.)
On the fence to the backyard, on the side where we put the dog kennel back when we had a dog, is a 'beware of dog' sign. On top of the fence over where the kennel is, were a bunch of tarps and plywood pieces. I made the comment that it must be a pretty aggresive dog to warrent that much wood and safety stuff.
The boys began asking why and we discussed the whole concept of dog fighting and cruelty to animals and such.
Tyler wanted to know why anyone would do it. I told him my honest answer 'no clue' Carson replied with this little gem.
"Tyler, have you ever heard of man's best friend? Yeah, we are going to be men and never take part in that kind of cruelty."
I confess, I teared up.

Oh yeah!

I am going to FINALLY get all (or as many as I can) of my blog favorites down. Please let me know if you do not want me to add yours and if I forgot yours and you know it is a favorite remind me.
Unfortunately, when I closed the store, my dad got the computer with all of my favorites on it so I am still trying to remember them all.
I got the computer with all my pictures on it.
I have my priorities...
And a camera to sell...let me know if you are interested.

I have a dream...

you all may now break out into Abba song...
So I am a dork and really like Abba.
I saw Mamma Mia with a couple of really good friends after I saw the performance in Vegas with my sister.
My kids sing Dancing Queen.
And Mamma Mia...
It especially cracks me up when it is Q singing :)

So I really didn't plan to blog on Abba love today.
I have a proposition...
No, not that kind.
How about this:
Every week, Sunday night or Monday morning...or maybe late Saturday (who knows...) I will put up my weekly menu. If you are interested you may copy it for your menu.
HOWEVER, I have another plan (dream, if you will) that would be REALLY cool. I will put a weekly menu up, and several of you can put a weekly menu up and we can all copy and get a whole month of weekly menus at once. So simple!
If you are interested, leave a comment and if yo uare a private blogger and haven't invited me (shame on you! you really should invite me, I do leave comments sometimes) you can just email me yours and I will post it on mine and we can all linky here.
Does that sound fun?

Also, I am working on my cleaning schedule.
Monday and Thursday I will do the bathrooms. They do in fact take all day. Four boys, remember?
Tuesday and Friday I will do laundry...unless it is bed linens and those can be whenever...or garments. Why do I run out of those buggers? It's not like I don't have a gazillion.
Sunday I will cook a meal :)
Saturday I will go to football games.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I will go to baseball games. Starting Monday. Pray for no wind. I hate baseball in the wind.

I will vacuum Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday if the home teachers are coming over ;)
Dishes will be done by someone everyday.
If they are big dishes it will be me because everyone else is a fink and gets out of it. Mostly because I have a lot of stoneware and don't want it borken. Broken, even.
I also should exercise.
This 45+ isn't coming off on my wishes, dadgumit.
And maybe keep a notebook of all of the crap I eat.
Baseball is notorious for me eating crap foods.
Any sundry jobs such as wall washing or baseboard cleaning or cabinet scrubbing can be done on Saturdays when I want to torure my kids...or they can be punishment! HA :)

Am I forgetting anything?

How do you

manage your time?
Do you plan things out very carefully on a calendar?
Do you fly by the seat of your pants and hope you hit everything?
Do you have certain days when you clean certain things?
Do you work all morning to play all afternoon?
I know at this point in my life I should be much better organized about a few things.
I am just proud of the fact that my kids generally have clean clothes and the bathrooms get done twice a week...most weeks.
Do your kids do jobs?
Does it make you crazy that it takes them twenty times longer and isn't always quite right or are you happy to have them learning responsibilty?
What is your busy time?
I know I am asking a lot of questions.
Call me Tyler.
This is our busy season...we have two baseball teams and one football team which basically means a game or multiple practices every day of the week except Sunday.
We also have 3 scout groups.
There is a lot going on beginning at 4:oo every day (except Saturday which begins the hour before whatever time the game is.)
Do you schedule your mornings very specifically?
Enough I suppose...but please answer :)

Oh and I am hoping to get enough kids together to make a pitching machine team. This is the boys or girls ages 7-8 or any others that missed the cut off for Little League or Cal Ripkin. Let me know if you are interested.

Farmer's Market in Ammon

I just got this email and I am sooo excited!

Hello everyone....we have big news!! It is official, the Grand Opening of "The Farmer's Market at Ammon Towne Square" will be May 16!! The ball is really rolling and we are super excited about it!

When: May 16-Oct 31 on Saturday's 10-2

Our Location: The Lot east of the new Ace Hardware on Ammon and 17th

Wanted: Vendors/Gardener's/Crafters/Musicians....selling goods at our market is easy to do and very inexpensive, just use the contact info below to ask me all your questions. Do you know of a band that needs an audience? We want live music playing every saturday, have them contact us...

If you love fresh produce onions, potatoes, cherries, aparagus, need powdered milk, love handmade toffee, handmade pottery, cotton candy, and more you will find them at Ammon's new Farmer's Market!

Watch for our sign going up soon, it will look like a big red barn!!!


I would love this email to reach everyone in Idaho Falls and Ammon and beyond, please don't hestitate to help us spread the word and thanks for your support can't wait to see you at the Market!

Shelly and Bret Yorgesen
email: thatpotatolady@yahoo.com

Rear Access Open

Oddly enough...that was the best part of my day Saturday.

Hunter was at a campout.

Jeff was at work.

Carson had baseball from 930-10.

Tyler had a football game at 3.

Plenty of time to run to Porters, Walmart and start cleaning out my flower beds...except it wasn't.

You see, my battery in the suburban died again. Twice.

In the parking lot at a gas station.

the first time a really nice guy in a truck started it, I headed out (the plan was to do all of this errand running sans children...my dad had a project for them to help with and my mom wanted out of her house.) of the parking lot and bleah W#$%&#$ curse words and such. We waited 20 minutes for my dad to come rescue us...oddly, all of the samaritans were out running their own errands and had to time for us...

So two hours later, I had a new truck battery, a full belly and no errands run.

We ended up at Town and Country...one of my favorite stores...where I found a pack of happy pansies for my front steps...and ripped open a bag of potting soils AS SOON AS I got it loaded in my truck. Nice.

Tyler lost his game.

I forgot half of my grocery list.

Q's fever got worse...

Took Q to doctor and sure enough, strep. If anyone hasn't had strep in their house let me just say that strep has a smell. Kids talk funny, their breath stinks and my kids spike nasty fevers 103.6 to be exact...after doses of tylenol and motrin and oddly, fever seizures occur.

The pharmacies in town all close at 7 on Saturday. At least all those that accept our insurance and flex cards.

So, at 8pm I found myself and my sick kid driving 30 mph down 17th street with a tree hanging out the back. Did I mention my brother does landscaping and had a tree for me? Yeah. It's big. So as I was headed down 17th I was absolutely sure my tree (that was well secured) was going to kamakaze out of the back wreaking havoc on all of the poor saps behind me. And my 'rear access open' light kept flashing.

Nice.

Health Update

I am feeling MUCH better.
I hate taking medication, ate it. BC was one thing, it was a daily thing that was necessary for my well being...an antibiotic throws me off because it isn't routine. So, we are now (by we I mean my dear husband who is so adament I get better and me) on day 5.5 and I have been faithfully taking them. Oddly, it helps.
I would like to wake up no stuffy nose, but I won't comlain! Any time I can choose to lay down instead of HAVE to lay down, it is much better.

Facebook

makes me grumpy.
In fact, right now they irritate the __________ (fill in the blank, as I don't want anyone to think I swear as much as I do) out of me.
Seriously. I had email issues. I contacted you using a secondary account and now you want me to email you a scanned copy of a "government issued ID?" Are you kidding me? Cause that's not just ASKING for trouble now is it?
So, the reason you, my friends, have not heard anything from me on my updates (and I KNOW you all are missing them more than you would water...perhaps that was just a titch sarcastic..) is because facebook has disabled my account and I am unwilling to send them a photo ID...duh. Hopefully we can resolve this issue, since she JUST told me that the reason they can't allow me back on (and seriously? How psycho would someone have to be to want to sabotage facebook users?... I might be a bit of a freak in many situations, but not that big a freak!) is because I can't access my hotmail account...Hey lady, surprise, I can access it, so will you just let me C&P our previous convos so I can get back to the mindless activity of facebooking?
Thank you.

Now, back to the regulary scheduled program of cleaning craft room, listening to Q play leapster Wall-E (funny thing, he calls Eve, Ysma...like on Emporer's New Groove...cracks me up) downloading pictures and wondering how in the world I acquired all of this fabric and scrapbook stuff...and wondering where I am going to put it. Maybe I will do what Lori did and get a bunch of totes.

He listened

Tonight as we sat down for our Easter dinner I asked each of the boys if they could remember what Easter is all about and if they could tell us...besides Easter baskets and egg hunts and barbecues at Grandma's.
Quin said 'I know mom.'
I smiled a little indulgently and said 'what is Easter about, Q?'
He then proceeded to tell me that they took Jesus out of the Garden and put him up on the wood. Then he died and they put him in the tunnel. Angels let him out of the tunnel and now he is alive again.
Jeff looked up at me and with a bit of a wry grin said 'it looks like someone was listening.'
Wow.
I still have tears thinking about it. He is such an innocent child and while the candy and yoyo were cool...and he got a new 'very own' cup, he can bring me to tears with his interpretation of the most amazing thing any man has ever done.
I am so thankful for this boy. He truly is a blessing to me.

My head hurts

I am not a good sick person. I admit it. I want to ignore everything and just have it all go away until I feel better.
However, I made the choice to multiply and replenish the earth and this makes it really hard to be selfish...it's too bad I like my kids...if I didn't I would be fine being selfish.
Right now I am suffering through Sesame Street because I am feeling icky and whiny (and I so hate feeling icky and whiny...it makes me crabby Ha :) ) my head aches from the top to the bottom (kind of like when your arm or leg falls asleep and you get that weird tingle...because I am snoring too hard. Yes, friends, I snore. But only when I am pregnant or have sinus thing going on. I would much rather be pregnant...however, Jeff has expressed his intention to not have more kids very fervantly and well, I have a sinus thing going on.
So I am sitting in bed, trying to finish a book (which I also hate doing because I read too fast) and thinking of all of the little things I should be doing and am not.
I will be fine by the time the boys get home from school. I will have showered and maybe made the cookies out of the dough I made yesterday. I will have compiled a short list of items for Jeff to grab on his way home and I will have possibly made some little tiny cupcakes for my primary class Sunday...but am not certain about those yet...
Now I am going to wallow for a minute.
And then make Q some popcorn.

An apology and a funny

So my sister called a few minutes ago to discuss fish (my dad's fish to be exact...my parents are on their way home and need ded someone to take care of the fish and the dog...I got both, but Tammy has been helping in the mornings which is nice!) while we were talking I looked out my back window.
As many of you know, I LOVE rainy days, a fact which irritates my poor, outside in the weather (complaining about it constantly) man...I saw the most beautiful thing...raindrops on the willow. It just is sooo springy and happy that I had to take a picture. I apologize to anyone who saw me outside in my pink, fluffy bathrobe with my hair pokng up. I know it's not pretty. I truly hope I didn't scare anyone or ruin your day ;)
As for the funny, we are being lazy today and lying in my bed, as Q is being entertained, I am able to blog and check mail, etc...so he is all snuggled in under the blankets, lying on his tummy and his arms and says to me 'hey, mom...will you scratch my butt?'
I am telling you, I about peed my pants. I was laughing so hard and noticed the seriousness of his face and complied...to which he started laughing...this kid, I'm telling you. He is so worth it!

I will be sharing pictures later and hopefully making cookies and a fun egg idea with the boys this afternoon. ..I may even get some of my room downstairs cleaned. Although it will be a crazy day since we have an orthodontist appointment and scouts...
Oh and because I am still fighting with my email, which is a whole nother story that effects my ebay account, my facebook account and my general opinion of people in general, I changed my email address...you can now reach me at tinashepherd@cableone.net.

Easter traditions???

Do you have them?

What are they?

I am starting to panic. I usually have Easter figured out by now, and usually it is all purchased or at least outlined (yes, I do plan and outline...I am just really not organized which sounds contradictory, but it's true.)

So, usually we dye our eggs the night before, the bunny hides them on Sunday morning and they find their baskets. Last year the bunny shook things up and sent them on a chase through our house...maybe if I dig out of our mess it will happen again this year. The boys LOVED figuring out the clues :)

In the past the boys have found dress shirts, spring tshirts, fip flops and sun glasses in their baskets...something to celebrate the reawakening of the Earth and something we can tie the reason for the season. However, my favorite for finding coordinating items, old Navy, is letting me down. I don't like the way they rearranged things and now have an even smaller boys selection. but I digress...

I am thinking that it would be fun to get items for our garden (like those mini hot houses) that they can be responsible for and transplant into our garden spot this year. However, I also want to be frugal and not go overboard (just as an aside, Jeff comes from a family that didn't do much more than little chocolate mini eggs, so this whole gifts for Easter is foreign to him.)

Any ideas? Anything you care to share?

And, in case you are wondering I am feeling so much better! It is amazing what prayer and sleep will do :) Not 100%, but completely functional.

Still

Still not feeling 100% more like 72%...today we have football practice, scouts and errands to be run...plus Nikki is here and she is trouble :)
Still frustrated about my email. This hacker broke into my ebay account and I now have to change everything out...Jeff and I did have a good laugh in that they probably couldn't have hacked into anyone with much less money :)
Still haven't cleaned up my craft room or moved what is left of the store inside.
Still have to park outside. See above :)
Still can't figure out game boys or anything gaming related and would love it if the boys would quit asking me to help them get up a level...I am doing okay at Professor Layton...I may in fact be addicted. If they want game help they have to ask Jeff. I married him for his game skills and cushy government job...
Still haven't showered today and would really like to just go back to bed.
Still am not hungry...this could be good, but it will probably back fire on me.
Still have a few Christmas items up. I will take them down today, so stop nagging.
Still need to fold a gagillion loads of laundry and make my boys put it away...Hahaha
Still can't look at shoe ads because I just want to buy them all.
Still can't remember where Carson's birth certificate is and I need it Saturday for baseball...any ideas or do you think I can get a copy from the school's copy?
Still want to take some photography classes.
Still need to clean out my garden area in the hopes of actually planting something.
Still not sleeping well, you know how it is when you are sick and can't rest. Yup, that's where I am.
Still glad I closed the store. It's so nice to be sick at home and be here for my boys.

Well,

who knew? Apparently, I have hit 100 posts. So this is 101.
Isn't that nice.
Today I did this:
got the boys up, had them shower and got them out the door.
went back to bed.
went to the bathroom (more than once)
went to get a drink of water (more than once)
watched a little of the Jessica Simpson story...fascinating (insert HUGE eyeroll)
talked to my mom and sister and husband on the phone (in bed of course)
paid the gas company...on the phone
rescheduled Carson's orthodontist appointment that is a month late cause someone forgot about it (on the phone)
went back to bed...oh wait, never got out of bed...
gave Q a tub so he could run errands with my mom
texted Jeff off and on
read blogs
walked into kitchen (to get above drink of water, looked at dirty dishes piled in sink...walked out)
got mad cause my email is all jacked up again...I may be changing my email address so watch for details :)
did not get angry at sweet neighbor boy breaking into our backyard to confiscate a rarely used toy...we seriously need to fix that gate...it is highly dangerous in our yard right now cause it needs some intense clean up and I really don't want any injured that we don't even know is back there...plus I am dog sitting for a few days and this little girl will escape
I did shower
I drove Hunter to his first baseball practice of the season
Today is the opening day of MLB...in case you were waiting on pins and needles to know that.
I talked to my neighbor for all of 23 seconds and hopefully she didn'tcatch whatever conglomerate of crap I have...cause it is rotten and you will feel like donkey and you will not sleep and you will keep your husband awake snoring.
So there you have it.
In case you are wondering, I have huge black circles under my eyes, my hair is blech, I put on perfume, but not sure that helped, but I tried.
As soon as Jeff gets home I am going back to bed. Enough is enough and I have shows to catch up on...via the laptop.
Plus DWTS is on :)
If any of you are under the impression that I actually accomplish anything, you can share this blog with your husbands and feel perfectly happy with yourselves and what you got done today because it had to be more than what I got done.

Funny boys

So last night Tyler was asking questions (surprise! that so rarely happens :) ) and he asked me about chicken enchiladas (also known as sloppyladas by Carson) his first question was whether or not they were called 'chicken' enchiladas because there is chicken in them.
I said, yes.
Then he asked if they were called 'inchaladas' cause they are about an inch thick :)
He cracks me up.

Q just got out of the tub and was drying his hair (ish) and stuck his head in my face and said 'does my hair look wrinkled?'

Where do these kids get this?

Seriously?

More snow?

I realize it's spring and that last year we didn't ever really get a summer (scattered warm days don't count) but come on.

It's almost baseball season and I really want to go to more than two games without winter coats!

*And PSA for any one with kids playing in Little League this year, tryouts for 8-9 year olds is Saturday April 11 at 1:00 pm, Eagle Point ball diamond...I am not sure if you can still register, but I think you can. Games begin (for the majors, not sure of minors, but I know we will be at games Monday-Thursday for baseball for Hunter and Carson, Saturdays for Ty's football...anyone doing t-ball for Q's age? is he still too young?) April 27...I guess that could be a Monday, I honestly haven't checked.

More posts later...probably :)