Thanksgiving

We survived turkey day with no blown buttons or unzipped zippers! We actually controlled ourselves while indulging!
We had a very nice Thanksgiving with my Mom and Step Dad, his sister and her husband.
It was nice being home cooking with Sydney. She loved helping me bake.
So.... much leftover food, but without leftovers what is Thanksgiving?
We had a great time playing Apples to Apples (I won!) and dessert was of course divine!
I decided not to get out with all the other crazies to shop on black Friday, I've never gone out on the day after Thanksgiving, so why break tradition? :o)
I am eager to get the Christmas decorations up, tho NOT excited about crawling around in the attic to get everything down! Spiders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is my favorite time of year so I can't wait for Christmas! Hopefully I'll get myself in gear and get those cards out on time!
I've attached a picture of Syd at Mom's house yesterday before dinner.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Kelly

November

Well, I can't believe it is November 1st already. Soon it will be Christmas. Time seems to fly faster as you get older.
We are plugging along here in the Ozarks, wanting to move away I think. I'm still at my job, things have changed since the beginning of the new school year. I really wish I were back in my old classroom. The new class is sooo... challenging and I find myself feeling like I am swimming against the tide.
Sydney is still liking kindergarten, we had our first parent/teacher conference last month. Glad to hear that she is doing really well. Her teacher said that she is one of the brighter students in class! Scott and I are so grateful.
She has received both of her flu shots this season. Luckily we have not been touched by the flu so far!
Her school pictures should come back sometime this month so I will post them, when I get them.
We had fun yesterday trick or treating. Syd was a cat and looked really good! I am posting some pics, she looks so serious! I asked her why and she said "Momma, I'm being a scary kitty!"
We don't have any really big plans for Thanksgiving, Scott will have that day off so it' will be nice to get to eat turkey with him! Who knows, maybe he'll even help me cook!
I am looking forward to Christmas this year. I think we will be getting a real tree again, last years smelled so wonderful!
Grandma in Florida will be coming, my Mom and Dad, brother Sean and his girlfriend, maybe brother Bill and the kids and even my nephew Steven from Washington! Hopefully I stay well, as the last two Christmas times I've ended up sicker than sick!
Wishing everyone a great week!

Kelly

It's been a while

It's been a while...

I've been busy. Getting myself back into the grove at work. We started back at school on August 3rd. I missed the kids in my class, but it was nice to have a break and to have some time for myself.
Sydney started back at school on the 19th. We have met her teacher, she is really lovely, and is one of the most sought after teachers in the district. Sydney loves class, one of her closest friends is in her class as well as two other children she attended Montessori with. I'm glad for that, she feels right at home. Starting kindergarten and a new school to boot has been a piece of cake for her.
She loves riding the school bus. The second day of school she was asking me to let her go to the stop herself. (Right across the street) I was like "what?!?!?" "You don't Momma to walk with you???" Her reply was "No, Mom, you just stand there and watch!"
OH, my! She is getting to be a big girl. So, that's where I stand every morning. Sometimes she even forgets to give me kisses and hugs in her excitement to get to to stop!
She started CCD classes at church this past Wednesday. She likes her class and having 2 girls she knows from school there helps, I'm sure.
She has also been asking us for months to go back to dance class, every time we pass the school she reminds me. :o) So we signed her up, she starts ballet, tap and jazz class on the 10th of September. She'll have a nice little schedule. Tuesday nights is homework night, Wednesday is CCD class from 6:30 to 7:45 and Thursday will be dance class from 3:45 to 5:15.
I am enjoying work. Love the kids in my class. I have been off work for the last week with a back injury. I was at work last Monday and while putting a child in his chair had a suspicious pop in my back and then for the next 4 days could not sit up straight or stand up straight! So after the Dr outfitted me with pain meds, muscle relaxers, a steroid shot and a heating pad, I hope I am on the mend. At least I can stand up straight now. Will see if I need an MRI on Wed.
Scott is working hard for CAM. He didn't realize he would be such a counselor for all the women who work for him and it drives him crazy! But he's hanging in there.
I am looking forward to fall, I hope we have some snow this year but PLEASE NO ICE!

Hope all is well in everyones world.

Betcha thought I gave up huh?

Nope! I'm still here. Just busy.
Right now I'm sort of enjoying my 4 week summer break. I could be enjoying the pool and palm trees in Florida, but noooo.... I decided to work two days a week to make some extra money!

Anyways... things are going great here. Sydney is getting bigger AND sassier by the day. I just know Scott and I are going to be in trouble in just a few short years. Heck we're in trouble with her now! She starts kindergarten on the 19Th of August.
Not sure how emotional I'll be that day. I can't believe where all the time has gone!

We did have a scare with Scott these last few weeks. He had complained of some pain near his kidneys, so much so that my big strong man decided he needed to go to the emergency room. Now I know it hurts if he wants to go there!
They took some blood and did a CT scan to rule out a kidney stone or infection. So they decided it was probably muscular.
He went to see our doctors partner the next day and he sent him for an MRI.
Later that same day Scott called the nurse at the office to see if the results were in. They sure were. She told him that he had a herniation on L5 and a suspicious something on L2, and that a bone scan is recommended to rule out cancer!
WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?
So, we immediately start freaking out! We have to wait a week to see our regular doctor and then another week for Scott to get a bone scan.
Thank God it came back OK, no cancer. I tell you seriously that if something like that doesn't put things in perspective for you then I don't know what will.
Scott's back pain is just about gone and he's feeling much better.
Was that enough for you all to digest or what?

TTYL

A rotten day

OK, so this week started off good, then went down hill. School has been tough, still trying to make it here in this town and at work. Feels always like I'm fighting an up hill battle!
Ever heard of a fair weather friend? We've all heard the saying I'm sure. It seems that I've been "blessed" with a fair weather family and twice with fair weather friends.
You know the definition; a fair weather friend is someone who is a good friend when it is easy for them to be one and who stops when you are having problems or things are going great for them and they don't need you so much anymore.
Ah yes, I feel damned mad at times and I bet you have too when you give to people, or help people, listen to them, laugh with them and then BAM! like a two by four between the eyes, when you need a little shoulder or anything at all it's as if your asking for a freaking kidney!
Why do I put up with people like that? Do I have a little magnet on my forehead that says "come take a dump on me, I don't need respect!"
Scott has one of those, a person who calls him like crazy when he's in the middle of something crappy, then when things get straightened out and things are going good for him, he disappears.
Happens every time!
OK, enough of my pity party, hope you all are having a better week than I am.

It's been a while

Hello! It's been a while since I've posted. At home today. It's chilly and dreary. Been raining off and on for a solid week now. Not much to do outdoors!
So house work is in order.
Got Syd's school pictures back and will post them here, so enjoy. Not much going on. Really getting ready for the end of school and plan on enjoying my July off.
Hope everyone is well.

Momma and Kittens!

So, since Tsavo passed away,(my 14 year old cat) I've been missing him greatly. Well God must have heard me because now I am fostering a Momma cat and her four kittens!
She is a tiny Momma but she is such a great Momma! I have her in our (spare) room with everything she needs to feel safe with her babies. I took some pictures this morning of them all in the box. So sweet! Anyone want to adopt a kitten?

Kelly

Still not finished

The bathroom is still not finished! The toilet is in but not correctly. It wobbles if you touch it. We are seriously getting upset now, and that's putting it nicely.
Scott is calling tomorrow and by the time I get home from work it better be done.

Finally! (I think)

OK, so I think the bathroom will be done today! We painted last night and touched up this morning and the guys are supposed to be here this afternoon to put the vanity, toilet and the fixtures in.
Then I can put it all back together. It's about time. I am tired of waiting.
Here are the after the paint pictures, it's still drying. He fixed the tile too, I think it looks great.

The bathroom

OK, so we are remodeling our master bathroom, it's pretty small so we figure it can't take long right? Well, it's been almost two weeks. I want my bathroom!
Anyway I've taken some pictures at two stages, just after demolition and almost done.
It still needs paint, the floor needs to be cleaned up after the grout was placed, oh and DUST everywhere!
I know what I'll be doing on my two days of spring break! I will post more pictures when it's done!

Peace

Sydney's interview questions

Ok, so a friend interviewed her 6.5 year old daughter and it was so funny I thought I'd give it a try on Sydney. Here are the results;

Interview with Sydney Starkey age 4.5

1. What is something mom always says to you? Pick up your toys

2. What makes mom happy? Going at the zoo

3. What makes mom sad? When I’m naughty

4. How does your mom make you laugh? Tickling me

5. What was your mom like as a child? I don't know!

6. How old is your mom? 14

7. How tall is your mom? Really tall

8. What is her favorite thing to do? work

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Clean the house

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Football player

11. What is your mom really good at? Being a princess

12. What is your mom not very good at? swimming

13. What does your mom do for her job? Feeds the babies

14. What is your mom's favorite food? noodles

15. What makes you proud of your mom? She wins

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Minny Mouse

17. What do you and your mom do together? swim

18. How are you and your mom the same? We fix our hair

19. How are you and your mom different? She’s a grownup

20. How do you know your mom loves you? She’s nice to me

21. What does your mom like most about your dad? She tells him what to do

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Walmart

It's been a while

Hey, it has been about five weeks since I last posted. That's pretty bad.
Our computer completely crashed so we had to get a new one along with some new games which has Scott completely monopolizing the computer.
Work has been tough, I've had some medical issues going on, and Scott has been interviewing for jobs, some across the country.
We are getting ready to remodel our master bathroom and paint the outside of our house.
Sydney is loving school. Yesterday she came home asking Scott to teach her baseball, basketball and football! It was too funny because she was totally serious.
I can't believe that in a few short weeks we will be registering her for kindergarten! Holy cow time has sure flown.
She's getting so big and was just last night wanting me to look at just how long her legs were getting! She is so impressed with this even at the same time not wanting to grow up because she thinks that she won't have a Mommy and Daddy when she grows up!
We had a friend watch her while we were in North Carolina. She told me when we got home that we have our hands full with the four year old going on fourteen! Don't I know it!

Update and pictures

OK, it's Thursday about 1:00 Pm and the power has been on for about and hour. So I am going to update this and add some more pictures.
We are doing fine. Cold, but OK. We cooked over the fireplace last night, we actually had fun. We had some wood delivered yesterday so the big fire really helped keep us decently warm last night as we all huddled in the living room.
Cleanup has begun in earnest. It's really great to see everyone here helping everyone, lending a hand where needed.
All I can say is that I've never been so happy for a fireplace in my life! Oh for a husband who builds a good fire! Yea Scott!

More Ice Storm Pictures

Well, the storm continues. The electricity has gone out and come back on three times today. Things just continue to get more ugly. It's actually sad to stand in our driveway and either hear or see the ice just destroying trees in our neighborhood. We have the candles ready and we are prepared for more power outages.
The entire northern part of Arkansas has been declared a disaster area. As is much of southern Missouri, Kentucky and I'm not sure where else.
We had a pretty easy winter until now, I guess we're paying in spades.

Ice Storm

Well, we are smack in the middle of our ice storm. It's weird. Last night we had , sorry had to run to the back yard to see what shook our house. Tree limb.
Anyway, last night we had sleet/ice and this morning so far we have freezing rain. All the trees are covered in ice and so if you've been to our house you know all 6 trees that surround our house.
It's scary. We stood outside trying to convince the dog to get her butt outside and pee while listening to the eery sounds of trees cracking under the weight of the ice all over the neighborhood.
As the weather station says we are in the second round!
Our plans today are to watch whatever movies we want while we still have electricity. We figure it's just a matter of time before that goes out.
Enjoy the pictures I took this morning.

Winter Storm Warning!

So, we've been hearing blurbs on the weather for the last week about a possible icing.
Well, it's on it's way.
All the schools closed at 1:00 today to make sure all the busses got the kids home.
From what I hear I guess we're really in for it. We are under a ice storm warning until Wednesday at 6PM. It's cold and grey and has been misting/sleeting lightly off and on since about noon.
Scott is making jokes because people around here are worried. He's calling it the Apocalypse.
We decided to get to Wally World to get some supplies, just in case the electric goes out, which they say is a pretty strong possibility if we get the 1 inch of ice they are talking about.
All the Duraflames are gone, the oil lamps, portable heaters, and candles are few and far between. I mean there is not an ice scraper to be found! People around here are taking this serious.
We are planning on staying home, with a fire going, all cell phones charged, fridge stocked, and have good reading material on hand.
Looks like I might not get back to work until Thursday if this does happen. We'll just snuggle in and enjoy getting on each others last nerve! :o)

It's been a while

I bet you all thought I gave up on the new blog! I'm still on here. Just been a crazy past two weeks.
It may be TMI but I've been having trouble with my stomach, as a matter of fact three bouts of fun diarrhea in the past 3 or 4 weeks.
So I went to see my doctor. He ordered some blood tests, one came back a little high, so he has ordered me to have a colonoscopy. Something with my stomach just isn't right.
So.... me being me of course I'm already thinking the worst. My husband and my best friend have already told me that I am a total retard, telling me that I just need to chill out and stop the worrying because I am not dying, (my doctor told me the same thing!)
Work has been, well.... work. I love working with the kiddos it's just that some days I want to run screaming out the door.
It's not the kids behavior, it's the running noses, the coughs, sneezes, fevers, diarrhea, getting peed on, you name it. But it's worth it right? I'm helping shape these young little lives?
Oy Vey!

Black Friday

Today was going so well. Scott and I both had tomorrow off, the weather is beautiful today, then it turned into black Friday.
You know, you never think it could happen to you. We've been listening to the stories on the news about so many people being out of work, the jobless rate climbing, recession, etc..... then it happens to your family.
Wham! It's like a two by four across the forehead!
Scott was pulled into Human Resources today at 2:30 to be told that his position has been eliminated. He was layed off permanently, but not fired.
We are of course still reeling.
So....... we are trying to figure out how on earth we will survive this. I mean we don't have a nest egg, Sydney is going to have to be pulled out of her pre-school until we can figure out what to do with this mess.
I was just saying a prayer of thanks that we both had jobs that we thought were secure and that we loved, and then today happened.
Who knows where we will end up! Maybe we'll become the new American type nomads, traveling around to all our friends visiting in turn, working odd jobs for gas for the massive camper we'll be driving across the country.
I've heard that 'God never gives you more than you can carry", or "this too shall pass". Hope those are true.
Well, I better get off here I've got to run to the liquor store and the chocolate factory for supplies!
Please say a prayer that this is just a bump in the road for our family.

Phew......

I started back to work on Monday after being on vacation from school since Dec. 19Th. Monday wasn't a bad day! I was glad to be back to work, I missed all "my" kiddos. I should say my boys!
I have 7 boys in my class! Yes, I know, not one little girl.
Anyway Monday, I think it was the adrenaline pumping, because I did well. Now Tuesday was a whole nother ball of wax!
I guess my legs were used to resting because my legs are killing me! Back to standing, stooping, hefting, twisting, sitting on the floor.
Sydney has been a little challenging lately, I am being nice here....
This week since she's been back in school and we are officially back to our routine things seem to be going smoother.
Is it wrong that I'm already looking forward to summer break???

Setting myself up and Mommy day

Today I took a Mommy day! I woke up late, drank coffee as I surfed the net, took a shower and then blew this popsicle stand!
Scott was home today, so I left he and Syd to spend the day together and I went to Springfield. Had a very nice day if I must say! The weather was gorgeous, 75 degrees in January. So I rolled down the windows, cranked up the music , slipped on my shades and had a ball!
I actually went to a book store and spent an entire hour walking the aisles with nothing but my purse!
I am now messing around with this new blog, putting stuff on, taking stuff off, posting pictures to my page that take up the entire page! Oops. But hey, trial and error.
Yes, it's been a good day!

TTFN

A new year

Ok, so this is my first post on my first blog, I know "Hello.... what year is this?"
I have been thinking about starting my own blog for some time, just to write down my crazy thoughts to share with friends, but just have not taken the time.
I finally had more than a weekend to sit and start this with the help of my friend Robyn, so here I am.
2008 was not the best of years. I am excited to start another one, it's a whole new begininng, so I hope it's a good one.
I love my job, I'm thankful that I have a job first of all because there are those out there that are out of work.
I work in a school for developmentally disabled children. Not all of them are, it's also a preschool, but the majority have some kind of delay, like Autism, Spina Bifida, Cerebal palsy. I have to say it's one of the most rewarding jobs I've ever had. The children are something to behold.
I've also started this blog to talk about my daughter and the joys, pitfalls and adventures of being her Mom.
I hope you'll follow along and enjoy reading!