A Spoonful of Cookie Dough

I woke up at 5:30 this morning, showered and got dressed then headed to work. I got home around 4:00 and was greeted by a messy house and starving children. I immediately started in on cleaning the kitchen, throwing a load of laundry in the washer, and rummaging through the pantry and freezer for dinner ideas. I got dinner in the oven and then tackled the cub scout paperwork for Caden which has to be turned in tonight...He is starting scouts this month!...I had to fill out 4 pages of info, call the pediatricians office to fax me his immunization records because I can't find my medical records folder (I'm sure I put it somewhere where it wouldn't get lost!...Sheesh!) and then feed all the kids and clean up after dinner...all the while I'm still doing load after load of laundry and dumping the clean ones on the sofa for some exciting late night clothes folding action! I sat down at the computer to do some online banking and a minute or two of blogging when Cassie says, "Mom, you look like you could use a spoonful of cookie dough." I couldn't have agreed more! She made me some chocolate chip cookie dough and it was just what I needed! Sometimes, at the end of a very long, very hectic day, you just need a spoonful of cookie dough.

Summer Cometh!

One more day of school! We are so looking forward to summer break!

For Trista

I have been properly scolded. I apologize for not spending enough time on my blog and too much time on Facebook. I realize this is completely unfair to the many fans of my wonderful blog!

So, without any further ado...

I will recap the last 6 months

Thanksgiving was great

Christmas was awesome

Coleton turned 14

New years was a blast

Cassie turned 11

We went on a mini vacation to Idaho

St. Patricks Day was enjoyable

Easter was fun

And today it is raining

Now some parenting advice

Parents of teens are to neither be seen nor heard

Parents of a preteen girl are to immediately begin construction of the tower to lock their precious daughter in before she is discovered by boys

Parents of an adorable seven year old should bask in the glory of still being respected, intelligent, capable adults who are the center of their child's world

I am the Mother

It's true. I am the Mother.

I have all of the power and none of the power.

I sing out loud to the overhead music in stores.

I share my opinion freely, even in front of strangers.

I wear my pajamas and bedhead-hair while driving morning carpool.

I like to hold hands with my children in public.

I like to be seen with my children in public.

I think I'm a goddess when I get a particularly nasty stain out of a piece of clothing.

I say, "take your vitamins" as if their lives depended on it.

I laugh at newly-weds and new parents...they are so naive.

I yell, "I love you" out the window as I drop a child off and think it's funny when they cringe.

I like to clean the house and think it's a perfect way to spend a weekend.

I play my favorite songs really loud...in front of their friends...and I sing and dance to them.

I sing in the car...no matter who is in it with me.

I say things like, "You'll thank me when you're older" and "Because I said so" and "Well, I'm not so-and-so's Mom that's why."

I think Dads are Hot.

I'm not embarrassed to use coupons.

I realize there is no such thing as, "it will be easier when they are older."

Yes, I am the Mother. sigh.

This was sent to me in an email awhile ago and I laughed so hard I had to share it with you all!

Redneck Harley

Redneck Bass Boat

Redneck Grill

Redneck Horseshoes

Redneck Lawnmower

Redneck Weather Station

Redneck Pet Carrier

Redneck Gingerbread House

Redneck Wedding Reception
Redneck CAT

Redneck Guest Bedrooms
Redneck Palm Pilot

Redneck Powerball Winner

The above Powerball Winner on Vacation

The Redneck Yacht

You Might be a redneck if...

A little rain doesn't spoil the fishing...

You need fashion tips from your husband...

You wear a shirt like this for your engagement picture...

And your wedding cake looked like this...

Your mailbox looks like this...

Your doghouse looks like this...

Your pickup looks like this...

You have a deer's butt for a door bell...

You don't need a lake to do a little skiing...

Or if your wife is quoted in the local paper saying...

Happy Birthday To Me!

Well, I'm 28 AGAIN! Can you believe it?!? I swear I don't seem to be aging at all! :)
Jake and the kids got me an awesome voice recorder so that I can record my lectures! I've wanted one for a while now so I am really excited! Cassie made me brownies (I don't like cake) and Jake is making me dinner...I haven't told him that yet but I'm sure he'll be glad to! I met up with my parents, siblings, husband, cousin, and aunt for lunch today at Chili's. We were way too loud and stayed way too long but it was really fun! Yes, we were "That" table.

Friday we went to a friends house for a Halloween party and had a good time. They go completely overboard and decorate like crazy! They even had a pretty scary spook alley in their garage. The kids loved it (except for Caden...he doesn't do scary). They also have a gazillion dollar electric/digital grand piano that we played on for over an hour. That was Cadens favorite part of the whole night!

Saturday morning I did homework -yuck- and Jake cracked the parent whip and forced our children into cleaning the house...I know, he is so mean ;)
Then we headed up to the cabin and worked on the deck for a few hours. After that we ditched the kids and headed off to another Halloween party! This one was no-kids-allowed so was much much funner! They had hired a fortune teller and a bar tender (open bar!) and we played some pretty hilarious games! Much fun was had by all! Oh, and according to the psychic, Jake is going to have a big career opportunity in Feb. and I am supposed to meet an Amy who will help me in my pursuit of education/career. I'll keep you posted. We also got to hear from some of our dearly departed who were, apparently, standing right behind us! oohhh...spooky! ;)

Sunday morning Jake and I went out to breakfast and then once again headed up to the cabin. We worked on the deck and wished we had designed it not quite so HUGE! (really we will love it when it's finished, but for now it makes us want to swear). We picked our kids up that night and headed home to get ready for another week. We got the kids ready for bed and then we took off to Walmart for a hot and sweaty grocery shopping date...we've been married way too long! ha ha! We take what we can get!

Okay, so I'm a blog slacker...

We are loving the kids new school! It was a smart move and for sure the right thing to do. Cass and Cade are excelling beyond my expectations! We are so glad we made the switch.



Coleton is done with soccer! Extra curricular activities have mellowed out for a bit (sanity returneth!) and we just have piano and scouts. Much more managable then all the juggling we did during the spring and summer!


The cabin is going well and we are cramming in all the work we can before the snow hits and we can't get up there as much. The deck is being built and the water and gas lines are in. Windows and sheetrock were delivered today and we are still waiting on the electric work (hopefully soon). The stairs connecting the 1st and 2nd floors are in and look so beautiful! They turned out awesome!

One Month Down...

Oh my, what a month! Coleton is doing great in 8th grade and was sooo excited to realize how much he had grown over the summer! He is now level with most everyone and definitely taller than the 7th graders. He blushingly admits that he is super happy to be taller than most of the girls in his grade, "you know, for dances and stuff." So a big Hoorah for growth spurts! He is enjoying soccer, scouts, and helping to build the cabin. Coleton is getting very good at piano and is in the Symphonic band (clarinet) at school. He basicaly rocks as far as 13 year olds go.



Cassie and Caden are enrolled in a fantastic charter school now! This is their first week there and we are already loving it! More has been done to help them with their specific needs in two days then in the entire time they attended the "normal" school. Both kids are being taught math and reading on the skill level that they tested into and are no longer being herded through lessons with the masses. Hallelujah! Cassie actually likes sceince now! I'm hoping for a great year for the two of them and that it continues to be a good fit. They are both taking gymnastics and piano and are loving life! Good times!



Jake is the same-o-same-o. Work, Golf, Cabin...

He has started running and is hoping to do some form of marathon next year! He is so inspirational! I might even consider joining him! -NOT! :) Kudos to him and his sneakers...as for me and mine? Well, we like to walk and smell the roses.



I am up to my eyebrows in school. I love to learn but I hate to study. My classes are going well though and I'm glad I went back. We have a pretty tight schedule these days and I swear my life is run by the clock and the freeway. My poor Mom Mobile is puting on the miles! And gas prices are breaking the bank. Do you realize that I have to fill up completely every 4-5 days?! And if we go up to the cabin (as we do most every weekend) then that is an additional half a tank?! Geesh! I'm gonna need a second job to pay for fuel! -K, vent over- I feel better now that I got that out of my system. I sort of feel like I live half in and half out of the car. But, I do secretly love my minivan...shhhh...don't tell...but, seriously it rocks. Openly though I will continue to make fun of it because I swore I would never have one. (For those who don't know, this is my third mini. so it's kind of funny)



Anyway, I just wanted to update all my avid fans on what's been happening this last month. Here is a pic of the cabin so you can see the progress and be green with jealousy because it is so wicked cool! (Updated October 1, 2008) This pic was taken from the road looking down onto the west and south sides of the cabin. It looks so awesome now! We are very excited about it! As you can see the roof is about to be finished! The hvac guys and plumbers are working to get their stuff done too. Lots happening...Yay!