Christmas Countdown!

I am a firm believer that bills come first, so nary a Christmas Present is bought until they are all paid. Which means, that takes my whole paycheck. However, presents can be bought with my Christmas bonus! Which happened to arrive yesterday! Now I can offically start my Christmas Shopping! Also, I have extra money, so I can stock my cupboards too! Ugh! So much shopping and no time! Then, there's the wrapping. Ohhh the wrapping. Oh well, at least mama's comin down to stay with us for Christmas! She will be here about a week, maybe two! It will be nice to have the extra help! :)

Lounging around...

After spending the last two weeks being bashful and/or anti-social, Ms. Kitty decided last night she was going to be a lounging lap cat. She spent the evening alternating sleeping in my lap and Bee's...

That is...when she wasn't getting into the Tree :/

The wee ones may have found their calling...

We have a new love in our household. It's name? It's name is Basketball! The wee ones had their first game this past Saturday. The last couple of weeks have come down to this....and they LOVED it! They did awesome too!

The day was going to be a long one for Bee and I, but no matter. We had pictures for little man at 8:15am (which was a disaster. The picture people were so unorganized), his first game was at 9am. His second game was at 11am. C had pictures at 11:15am, then little man had to be taken to a birthday party, and C's game was at 2pm! Even though little man's pictures got off to a late start and they started their game 20 minutes late, they weren't too off schedule.



Little man is in the back row, on the left. right next to his coach (looking scared ha!)


The kids did great! Bee even was able to be involved when he was asked to run the scoreboard/clock! Little Man's team won their first game 21-10! He loved the feeling of winning, and enjoying celebratory donuts and juice with his team, after! He wasn't real aggressive in the first game. He kinda stoodwith his hands in his pockets a lot, and didn't move around too much. He eventually warmed up a bit and attempted a basket. The only problem was, it was the other teams basket! Luckily, it didn't go in :) After his game, Bee ran him up to wally world to get a present for the birthday party he was going to, while I went and grabbed C for her pictures. We then headed back to the other gym to catch the last half of Little Man's second game. He was way more animated this time around, and Bee said he even made a basket and in the right goal, too! :) Unfortunately, they lost the second game 18-20, but he was still a happy kid (I think the extra donuts helped)

Bee running the clock!

Gooooo #8!

running down court

Afterwards, we ran him to his birthday party and grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading back for C's game. That kid? She is a beast :) She dominated that basketball court like she had been playing since she was 6. She made 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and scored 8 of the team's 16 points! Unfortunately, the other team was just as prepared and they ended up tying 16-16. She did great though, and played her heart out!

My little Sports star, never smiles....

She took the Starting Tip! Goooo #5!

Beast Mode...

Both kids had a blast. They both can't wait for practice and their games this week! Little man needs to work on a few little things, and I'd say he has the potential to be the star on his team too! Both kids were blessed with awesome coaches (the team little man played the second game, their coach almost got thrown out for being a jerkface on the sidelines!), and Bee and I couldn't be happier or more proud of our kiddos!

Annnd this is how she ended the night while watching movies with us...her and the dog...both exhausted...

More Holiday Concerts!

Last Night, it was C's turn! We enjoyed the musical as well as vocal styling of our young C. The first order of business was finding this girl tights! I hit up the local wally world and unless she is 3, a hooker, or 400lbs, the pickins were slim! I did manage to walk out with the last pair of tights that were in her size that at least didn't make her look like she belonged on a corner somewhere. Which honestly, is more than I can say for her classmates.

Bee, being the most lovable man around, took care of dinner for me so that when I got home, the kids were fed and ready to go and I had just enough time to shove half of a pepperoni roll down my gullet and off we went! We dropped C off at the middle school where they had to meet up, and I watched my tall, long legged, beautiful daughter saunter up to the door in tights, a pencil skirt to her knees, and a modest white sweater...while the two girls she met up with and walked in with were in a teeny tiny spandex mini skirt, and a tight, lacy tank top, with a little tight sweater. I was more than a little appalled. When we got into the auditorium, most of the girls were dressed in a similar fashion! Some with stilettos! These girls are 11 years old!

All in all, the concert was wonderful. C did a great job! We came home and Bee and I watched the Steelers win, barely, and made it to be late. I am feeling it today too. I was feeling much better yesterday, but now it seems I have taken a bit of a back slide. I think it was too much too fast :/. I better rest up though, we have a day full of basketball tomorrow!

Sickly

I am sick. I felt it coming on, then go away. I thought I had dodged a bullet, and Sunday as I sat next to a friend of ours who was sick, I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me when my throat started getting that tell-tale scrachyness half way through our meeting.

Alas, I am sick. Yesterday, I woke up with a really sore throat. After 2 diet cokes and some coffee, it felt better, but that's when the sneezing started. And the watery eyes. And the nose like a faucet. By lunch time, I wanted my bed so, I left early. I bought NyQuil on my way home and slept the evening away. Today, I feel much better, but I am in a haze from the NyQuil. I need to snap out of it though. I have C's concert tonight, and we have 3 games of basketball on Saturday (little man has 2 games), pictures for both kids, a birthday party, and Bee is off to play Santa for his boss's family. I can't afford to be down for the count!

Late Fall Pictures...

I need a vacation!

I really do! I have been on the go since January. Football, more football, C's Football, More football, School, now Basketball and Hockey. Then, Football will be starting again. Bee's cousin mentioned taking a family vacation. Cousins, aunts, everyone. I was totally on board with it. Then, two family members dropped off from the list of interested people, and it seems all talk of the vacation has stopped. I've asked, but no one seems to be working on it.

On Friday, I mentioned on facebook I wanted to go. I asked Grandma Bee if she knew of anyone in the family still serious about it. She said she could only speak for herself and Bee's Brother and sister in law. When it was first brought up, it was the plan to go to the beach for a week which, if you know me, sounds ideal. However, I looked at beach houses in Myrtle Beach and even in the off season (when it's still cold down there) you are looking at about $2,500 for the week. Three of us paying? Yeah, not really going to happen.

Someone at work mentioned Gatlinburg, TN. I looked it up and my WORD! It is breath taking!!
We could get a cabin that sleeps 12 for half off if we go mid-late fall. With three people paying, we would end up paying around $300-$400 each. That is way more reasonable.

Not to mention, I know Bee (and his brother) do not do well in heat. The burst into flames when it's above 50 degrees, and prefer to not be out in the sun and HOT if they can help it. 5 days at the beach probably would be torture for them. If we go in late fall, we can see the colors of the leaves, have hot cocoa by the fire, and enjoy nights in the hot tub!

When I posted this on facebook, none of Bee's cousin's were into it, and his mom mentioned something about preferring the beach better, so I think I will save the Smokey Mountains for a trip for Bee and I ;) OR my family and Bee and the kids :) I certainly don't mind doing both!! ;)

The tree! Good Lord, the Tree...

Friday night, we put up our Christmas decorations, including the Tree.  I was very worried because Ms. Kitty has never had Christmas before. She has never even seen a Christmas Tree. As with everything in the house, she would more than likely claim it as "hers". I didn't mind so much, as long as she didn't destroy it, knock it over, or break things on it.

Friday night, she mostly stayed in the dining room. The kids were all downstairs (including one of C's friends), and they were making a ruckus, and there was lots of movement and noises. She was quite content to lay on my dining room table, underneath my newly placed bell-tree, and claim that as "hers". Little Man was so tickled by this, that he has declared he is getting Ms. Kitty little kitty presents this year and placing them under her little tree. :)

Flash in a dark room makes for silly pictures :)

Saturday morning, we had to be up for when the grandparents came for the kids. Bee got up first and I told him to go survey any and all damage since she had had the night to explore and destroy at will. He came back and reported all was well as far as he could tell, but he hadn't seen her yet. Eventually, when the dog's whining could be ignored no longer, I got up and went to feed them. I heard a rustling, and a jingling of her bell, and then she appeared. When I went into the living room later, Bee told me she had been sleeping in the tree...However, nothing looked broken or out of place, and she ignored the tree the rest of the morning so I thought nothing of it.

She's thinking about it.....

Later, when I went to take my shower to get ready to go out for the evening, I saw her...she was curled up, in a ball, sleeping on the branches inside the tree. Apparently, she gets under it and uses the branches like steps. I really wanted to be mad at her. I don't want the cat in the tree, but she looked so adorable in there and she got in and out without knocking the tree over or any of the ornaments, so I just let her be. She woke up, seemed embarrassed, and slinked down out of the tree.

Ah Ms. Kitty, you win this one...but I can feel it's going to be a long Christmas Season....

Hot Cross Buns...

Little Man has started studying the recorder in music class. Their first day was yesterday. Their teacher taught them how to clean it, put it together, take it a part, how to hold it, and most importantly, their first 3 notes. My little budding musician figured out then when you play the three notes in succession, it is the opening notes to "Hot Cross Buns" (No doubt, the first song they will learn).

He spent the majority of the night last night walking around the house trying to teach himself how to play the song. Much to the chagrin of the dog and the cat, who went running together, for the first time ever, into Bee's and my bedroom to hide. By this morning, he had it all figured out. Then, he was working on playing it all the way through without making any "squeaks".

This makes me swell with pride. I have a strong feeling from what I have seen over the years and how he is with instruments, that he is going to most likely be musical like his Uncle Mark...It also makes me want to invent a time machine and go back in time and kill the man who invented the recorder... I am sure my dog and cat would agree ;)

Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies..

We have a problem in our house. An epidemic, really. Lies. Lying. Oh yeah, and mis truths.

Let me state for the record, I hate lying. I loathe it. It's one thing to lie, but it's another when that's the first thing you go to without hesitation. I mean, my kids suck at it, but they still do it. ALL THE TIME, lately. Little man seems to be the worst, but C is guilty too. Not that I want them to lie about big things, but really, if you are going to lie and risk getting in a lot of trouble, why not lie when it's "worth it"?

"Did you read today?" "Yep!" - He didn't. I asked him several more times because he had his "lie face" on, and I knew he had been outside playing when I got home early from work, which wasn't much longer after he got home, then he had basketball. He lied to face every time I asked him, getting increasingly more upset. I stopped, and reminded him with his lying past, I can't really trust what he says. I asked him again and he confessed. Now, why lie? I knew we were busy, and coming back from a week off is hard. I would have reminded him to read. That's all. But no, he lied over and over and over again, and now he is grounded for a week.

"Did you clean your room" "Yep!" - This one I can EASILY check, and I do. And it's not clean. And he gets in trouble.

I asked C to take the dog out. She did, and they were outside all of 4 minutes and came in. I said "Thanks" and was going to leave it at that. She announced "Gypsy went pee and poop! She must have really had to go!" Later, I went to take Gypsy out, and the baggie was still ties to the leash. So, either she didn't pick up the poop, or she didn't let her go. C lied without me even asking her a question!

Then there is the issue of the food thief in our house. The kids know if they want a snack or something to eat, they have to ask first. That is my rule. 99.9% of the time, I say yes. In fact, I usually then offer to make it for them. This way, I know what what is going out of my cupboards so I don't count on something being there that's not and requiring an extra trip to the store. Also, I like to know what goes into my kids' mouths. I buy snacks for their lunches every week. Money has been tight lately (when is it not?!) and I had just enough to buy what little snacks I did. Just enough to get us through until payday. I have told, and told, and told, and told, and TOLD the kids (specifically, little man) to stay OUT of the snacks for lunches. Little Man has gotten in trouble multiple times for sneaking and eating snacks from the snack cupbord. Yet. once again, I go to get the chips to put some in their lunches and sure enough, there is a mouthful of crumbs left in the bag that last time I had my hands on had about 1/4 of a bag left. I asked and he started to lie, but then confessed.

UGH! I WANT TO BANG MY HEAD AGAINST THE WALL!!!

I know kids sneak food. I did it. I was also almost 200lbs by the time I was 14. I know kids lie. I did it. I know kids do this stuff, but it drives me insane and I don't know how to make it stop. While they do misbehave for Bee sometimes, and they do lie to him too, it seems like they lie to my face more often, and with greater ease, which makes me feel like there is no respect.

That's what hurts the most....