Three Little Pigs

Aspen is definitely doing better today :) We were able to leave for Chicago right after breakfast this morning. She is pretty disappointed about her "little chef" party though. I guess she was under the impression that she would be able to have it once she was feeling better. I HATE it when my little ones are disappointed :(Our first stop upon arrival was Shedd Aquarium. They changed the dolphin show a bit and none of us really cared for it...the old one was way better me thinks. The visit was good, but we pretty much went to kill time before the play we were going to see. I got us tickets to "The Three Little Pigs" at Emerald City Theatre. Thought maybe we could start a new tradition together...seeing plays. Mayyyybe, Aspen can really get "into it" and it can lead us to NYC for broadway hits when she gets older. I dunno, would just like to make a good sturdy "foundation" for future interaction.
The play was cute, VERY low scale, but cute. Thankfully, it was fast paced so it was able to hold Aspen's attention the entire time. What four year old doesn't love hearing, "Little pig, little pig...LET ME IN?" She enjoyed getting all their autographs afterwards as well.From there, we grabbed lunch at CPK (one of MY favorites), hit up the Hello Kitty store, and the Lego Store. Aspen still doesn't have much of an appetite, but she is in GREAT spirits. In fact, she has so much energy that we took her to the pool this evening. I made my big "sacrifice" this evening as well. I REALLY wanted watch New Moon, but there was no talking her out of The Princess and the Frog.

I'm really glad I decided to bring Grandma along with us. It's like a flashback for me...I have some pretty vivid memories of spending time with my grandma and Aunt Darlene. I remember feeling so "special"...it means so much to give Aspen the same memories. I admit that I don't always like "sharing" my daughter...especially during moments like these. I want her FULL attention. BUT, it's about Aspen...and she LOVES her great-grandma so much...probably her second favorite woman in the world. I remember loving my grandma that much...

A Very "UN"birthday

Leave it to Aspen to get sick on her birthday. Well, her birthday is not actually until Monday, but she was celebrating it with her friends today. And I thought being sick on Christmas was bad (Nicholas was sick on Christmas day two years in a row).
Thankfully, the first part of the day WAS a success. She had a little party at Sugar and Spice with a couple of her best girlfriends: Caitlin, Avalin, and Holland. They were so cute all dolled up. The four of them were all smiles. She appeared fine the whole time. However, I should have known something was up when she did NOT want to eat her cupcake :).

~Aspen~

~Avalin~

~Holland~

~Caitlin~

I think she considers Caitlin her BEST friend. She talks about her the most.

They made their own lotions.

We had some time to kill before her next party so I decided to run a quick errand. She started complaining that her belly really hurt. I can tell when it’s “real” because she gets all whiney and flushed…and she was experiencing both…IN the car. We were very close to Center Ice so I pulled in and we ran inside to the bathroom. She did NOT puke and even said she was feeling better. She REALLY wanted to go to her other party. I grabbed a beer bucket just in case.

She appeared fine until we pulled into the parking lot of Little Chefs. Right then it hit her and she puked all over herself and the back seat :(. I felt so bad for her AND all of her friends. The party was starting in ten minutes…everyone was either there or in route already. Most of the parents were so thoughtful and understanding. They even said I could just clean her up and still celebrate…I think everyone felt bad for her. However, she was such a mess and stunk so bad AND already fast asleep. So, I gathered up all her presents and brought her home.

I guess that party just wasn’t meant to be. I planned it last minute anyways, out of pure guilt that the boys were not going to get to celebrate Aspen’s birthday with her…they were so disappointed when I told them she was only having a “girl” party. My grandma, Aspen, and I were supposed to leave for Chicago this evening to celebrate Aspen’s special day at American Girl Doll. Guess that will have to wait until tomorrow…if she is feeling better.

She seems to be doing better after the little nap in the car and a nice warm bath. She even opened her presents. She still does not want to eat anything though…that is always a bad sign :(. I guess it kind of worked out that we stayed home this evening. Marc ended up being on a very long AND important business call. I am sure it helped that I was able to deal with the boys for him. I was also able get all her thank you cards all filled out. Keeping our fingers crossed that she makes it through the night and we can head out first thing in the morning. Nicholas was so sweet and patient with her today :) He even read her birthday cards to her.

Adios Scale

So, as of tomorrow we will be lizard free. Scale is going to have a new home with a friend of a friend.
I had a “sit down” with Blake on Monday evening and he actually agreed with me that, at seven years old, he is just not responsible enough to have his “own” pet. I think he’s honestly just tired of me nagging at him EVERY DAY to change the water and take care of “his” pet.

But, that’s the deal WE made. He swore that he would do ALL of the work and I swore that I wouldn’t do ANY. I explained to him last year that I did NOT want any more responsibility than I already have…that has not changed.

So, Blake has agreed to give Scale a new home and probably a better life. He hasn’t even been hanging out with him much ever since we got Jasmine. I don’t really know if he learned a valuable lesson from all this though…he’s already asking me when he can try again. Now he wants a snake lol. Hmmm, thirteen sounds like a good number ;)~.

Where the Heart Is?

They say home is where the heart is, but although my heart is in Michigan, Las Vegas will ALWAYS be home ;). Sometimes I REALLY wish I lived closer to my family. I hate missing out on all of the family gatherings.
Well, I guess with life size photos we are kind of there :)

I CAN'T think of another family that is as "open" as we are...or has as much fun together as we do ;)

These are from Marc's 30th birthday party - Sept. 2007. I'm STILL impressed with what an amazing job I did. Kind of makes up for the fact that I was COMPLETELY trashed and in the tub puking by midnight...ohhhh good times ;)~

These are from our 5 year anniversary cruise Oct. 2008. I REALLY miss my friends too :(. I have really tried to find some good ones in Michigan (I've succeeded somewhat), but I just can't seem to form the same relationships that I have here. I dunno, I think people from home are more open...

We were able to have great visits with everyone :). We ended up staying with Shanna and Brian and enjoyed being lazy with them for most of the weekend. We had lunch and played mini golf with Grandpa and Linell. Shanna, Brian, Marc, and I went out to dinner with Hazel and Jessica to celebrate her 30th birthday. We got to visit with Uncle Eddie and Aunt Jen over at Grandma’s last night (she made my favorite roast beef dinner :). Grandpa and Linell spoiled the kids with Kisses AND books ;)

Grandma Owen and Aspen at Stingray City - Oct. 2008We met my mom’s new girlfriend. She’s a few years younger than me (that’s weird), but she seems nice…quiet though :). We took them to the Excalibur Show. Although my mom seems to be the happiest she has been in a long time, I am very worried about her. We dropped the kids off to her the night we went out for Jessica’s birthday and I got so upset that I cried. Her current lifestyle reminds me of how things were when I was growing up…I hate seeing her back track :(. I have NEVER “NOT” wanted to leave my kids at her house. I hope Jessica (her girlfriend) puts her foot down and makes my mom get her shit together. It’s pointless for me to tell her, she never listens to me…

Flying with three is cake now…how could I have even considered starting over ;). The kids have the routine down. It was a little rough getting them to stay up for the red eye last night though (because of the three-hour time difference). I think they were eager to crash on the plane, which they did instantly. That’s the easy part, it’s getting home at 8AM and making them go back to sleep for a few hours. But, they always do for me :). I set the alarm at 11 and got the boys up and off to school after lunch.

I think I have decided that I just LOVE chaos. A nice, smooth path just does NOT do it for me… I dunno, that’s just me analyzing myself. I just seem to get bored too easily when things are easy and comfortable. When “I” get bored, problems arise. It’s not really the “chaos” that is important, I think it’s the surviving it that gives me the thrill. Maybe that is why I LOVE to travel so much…it helps me escape the ordinary.

This picture was taken on Marc and I's 5 year reunion cruise...it's a mix of his family and mine. They all mesh well together ;).

Mr. Speedy

What a long and busy day. We are sitting on a plane heading to Las Vegas right now. I am very excited to go “home” :). We haven’t been back since November 2008. Last year was just such a busy travel year for us and honestly, I just didn’t make it a priority. It’s not that I don’t miss my family or anything, but there are just so many places I would rather go then there. It’s just different now that we don’t have a house out there. Everyone still works, and it’s hard squeezing everyone into three days.

BUT, being with Shanna on my birthday made me realize that I need to make it a priority…if anything, for my kids. My family is so amazing (mom’s side at least) that I just HAVE to make my kids have more involvement with them. My grandpa and Linell are so good with them, and honestly, he is really the only “grandpa” they have. Yes, Marc’s dad is only an hour away, but my grandpa genuinely LOVES spending time with my kids and I just love that MORE THAN ANYTHING.

So, we attended the boys school conferences this morning. They are both doing awesome. They are both about a year ahead in reading levels. Thank goodness for great teachers, because it sure has nothing to do with me. Well, I AM pretty book smart ;).

I am so proud of Blake…his teacher said he has really stepped it up. She has even nicknamed him Mr. Speedy. For those of you that don’t know him very well, Blake can be VERY lackadaisical. If it is something he DOESN’T care to do, it can take a very long time to get done. It drove his teacher nuts last year too. But, Mrs. C says that he is probably just a “slow processor” and that it may always be that way. She is very patient with him :). I like my theory more…he simply has a bad case of “I don’t give a shit attitude.”

She also described him as a loner…that made me sad :(. She said that he would rather watch than participate during free time and at recess. I was that way as a kid and it SUCKED…I would LOVE my kids to NOT be like that. What’s weird is he DOES have lots of friends (whereas I did NOT in elementary school). BUT, he does NOT seem to mind it. His teacher said she would not describe him as insecure or anything (I most definitely WAS). I hope that doesn’t change for him. He is the shortest boy in his class (some of the boys are a whole head taller than him) and sometimes I worry about that. In fact, only one girl is shorter than he is. Lucky for him, he is also the cutest boy in his class ;). I must admit, when I see the other second grade boys hug their moms after school it makes me happy that he IS still little…they look so BIG. I’m NOT ready for that yet.

Peditini

I really miss my Mer Mer :(. I feel like we NEVER get to see each other anymore. It’s not just that we don’t “make” the time, but I feel like our paths have really drifted apart. It’s so different as compared to last year…when we were practically in sync. We would even end up behind each other when we were driving to drop off or pick up the kids from school…it was weird. That doesn’t happen anymore :(. The “newness” is gone and I don’t think either of us have the energy to put forth the effort. Why can’t things just stay easy and “UN”comfortable? I took her out for a peditini (a pedicure and a martini) this morning to celebrate her birthday. We were both drunk by noon lol. It was so nice catching up and “bitching” together. I am sure we gave the girls servicing us an ear full lol (we happened to BOTH be pissed at our husbands today). Bitching over the same old shit of course, guys are idiots…

I struck out again last night :(. I wonder if that is one of the things that keep me going?...having absolutely NO control, yet wanting it more than anything (I think ;). I HATE being rejected!!! I fear the day when all “hope” is lost…

So, as much as I loved the little buzz I had earlier, I feel so tired now. Ugh…I just want to sleep the day away, BUT pick up is in about an hour. Guess I better start slamming down the coffee.
I LOVE this picture. It was taken in March 2009 at the kids' school auction. I think there was a time that she made me more happy than ANYONE...well, any other adult at least ;)~

Little Black Sheep

I’ve been hanging out with Nicholas all day today. He woke up with pink eye this morning. I HATE that crap. It is so contagious and I am a total germ freak. I am on the poor kid to wash his hands constantly :(.

He has had a rough couple of days. He woke up at 4 AM Saturday morning puking in MY bed :( The kids all sleep with me while Marc is in California and he didn’t get home until that morning. Ugh, I hate puke in my bed…there is so much bedding that it is a pain in the ass to wash it all. It’s much easier when the boys do it in their own bed lol. So, I had to throw him in the shower (when he was done) and wake the other kids up so I could move us all upstairs.

Once I “know” they are sick, it’s not so bad. I am pretty good about having a bowl on hand and I usually sleep with whomever is sick so I can be sure that they make it into the bowl. Nicholas and Aspen can be quite annoying though…they hate puking so they constantly try to push the bowl away (thinking that it will keep them from puking) and end up getting it on the couch or bed. That REALLY pisses me off and I lose my patience rather quickly.

Nicholas is my little black sheep. He is the ONLY kid I know that DOESN'T want mommy when he is sick :(. While he was puking in the bathroom later that day I tried to rub his back and comfort him (they always cry when they puke) and he got really pissed at me and yelled at me to stop touching him :(. He never really has been affectionate. He even had colic as a baby and I remember it driving me nuts that I COULDN’T comfort him :(. He’s just not a very “needy” individual, which I actually REALLY appreciate (with three kids it’s nice to have some slack), BUT I feel I take advantage of his easiness sometimes and don’t spend enough time with HIM. The other two are sooo demanding AND exhausting…

He doesn’t seem to be affected by it though...he IS a VERY happy AND content little boy :). I am just kind of hard on myself. I just know, as a mom, that I need to step it up a little with him. I don’t want him to ever think that I love the other two more. Especially, when actually he holds a little bit different place in my heart :)