The Gift....That Kept On Giving

Some people are so hard to buy gifts for.  They either have everything, don't like anything, or they are 4 years old! 

Will got a gift for Christmas that was one of those gifts that just kept on giving!  Giving us a bad headache.  He got this Electric Motor Kit that you have to build a real battery powered electric motor.  You put the motor into the plastic boat (included) and watch it cruise.  This kit came with 33 pieces and a 16-page instruction booklet!  It also said for ages 8 and up.

Will broke our heads to put this thing together every day for a week after Christmas.  We finally gave in.  Hubby was going to attempt this for Will............It took him hours of work, lots of cursing, my help, and he was shocked multiple times.  He was sporting a big blister made by one of the times he was shocked by this electric motor.  After all this, it was put together.  We held our breaths and turned it on.......It did nothing.  (More Cursing!)

(This is the picture on the back of the box of the 33 pieces!)

Thank goodness Will was in the bath tub by this time.  (Hollering "Is it done yet!" He wanted to put it in the tub with him!!!!! Not going to happen!) 

Kenny finally called a friend of his who is an electrician to talk to him about it.  Around 11:00 pm his friend Gordon (the electrician) came over and looked at it.  He couldn't see why it wouldn't work.  He decided to take it home with him.  It was midnight by this time. 

The next day Kenny picked it up.  It was running like a top.  Apparently Kenny had placed one wire in the wrong direction.  It worked now though, and we waited to show Will!  He would be so thrilled!!!  When he came into the room he asked if it was fixed.  When we told him it was, but then explained that he couldn't just take a bath with it.  He was a little bummed.  Then  he asked if he could just have the plastic boat it sat in, and take a bath with that.  Of course we said yes. 

The built electric motor!

The plastic boat part now in the tub!

A few hours later he was as happy as could be, taking a bath with his new boat!  If we had only know that the plastic boat would make him happy we wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of making the motor work!!!  Well, it's done now.  It took two men in their 30s to do the kit made for an 8 year old, given to a 4 year old.  WOW!

Gummies

As you all know, I like to enter giveaways and love winning them even more.  A while back I was lucky enough to win a great "Make Your Own Gummies" kit from Melissa over at Your Fun Family.

I saved this fun little kit and Will was surprised with it on Christmas morning.  It was a great stocking stuffer and he loves any DIY project.  Having it be edible was a bonus to him! LOL!


A few days ago he finally talk me into making his gummies when I had an extra hour or so.  I was surprised to find out that the gummies didn't include any gelatin.  They are made with natural see weed.  See weed has something in it that acts as gelatin.  It is better than gelatin because it can be reused over and over by heating it up.  This way we where able to make more than one plate of gummies.  He had a blast doing it, but I sure am sure he only had one kit.  (I did most of the work.  And even though it was edible, it still didn't compare with candy form the store.)

Now he is breaking my head to play with the moon sand kit he got.  It is a little cold and windy outside still, and he is not allowed to play with it in the house.  (Too much of a mess!)  He has been playing nonstop with his new play-doh package though.  It's a puppies package.  He has been making play-doh puppies every day.  Good think they are play-doh.  I would hate to have to feed and train all those puppies.

The Christmas Spirit is Alive!

Most people take down their trees, turn off the twinkle lights, and pack everything back up as soon as the last gift is unwrapped and guest all leave.  I don't get it.....I just don't.  You spend all this time building up to Christmas.  You go out and buy the perfect gifts, hang all your decorations, deck out your tree, put out your antique nativity sets, light up your yards, and all for only a few weeks. 

I celebrated Christmas just like everyone else, but still have everything out and our tree is still glowing.  We are still celebrating Jesus's birth.  The angels sang and the star above Bethlehem glowed brightly for more than one night. 

I am so happy to see houses still light up around town.  We ventured to a larger town a few days ago and on our way home, my heart sang to see all the homes still glowing with Christmas lights.  I think it means more to me after Christmas day is over and gone to see those lights, than it did in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  Last night I warned Hubby that the tree would be up for a little longer.  He was fine with it.  He never mentioned anything about taking it down before, but I felt the need to share my need for celebrating a little longer with him.  He always seems to amaze me with his understanding.

As for our Christmas day celebrations, they went great.  I got to be with most of all of our family at different times through out the day.  The only down fall was Christmas morning, when Will discovered Santa had visited.  I expected the big happy dance and cheering.  What I got was a child who just looked around and felt satisfied with what he was given, but not extremely excited.  What a let down:(  Charlotte came to the rescue though.  She was beyond excited, and made up for all Will was lacking when she found out Santa left her a "lovey" (a brown bear) and a knotted up rope for her in her stocking.  She jumped around and did her doggy dance of excitement!  My fur baby made my heart feel good! 

I think we have officially decided that Will is spoiled and now is the time to change some of that.  No longer will he be able to talk me into a toy at the store or Daddy into candy at the gas station.  I will hold my ground, Daddy will be the one to cave.  I just know it.  Charlotte will be getting more toys soon though:)

Is He Really A Bad Boy?

 

Like most children, my son has been told over and over Santa is watching.  Does this change his behavior? No!  He knows MeeMaw is watching too, and will still get him something for Christmas.  He then dared to ask me "Who else is getting me something for Christmas?"  This way he didn't have to relie on Santa.  Little Brat!

As a mother, I always think my little boy is bad.  Not bad to the point of military school is in his future, but bad as in every little boy is bad.  I find that some kids you can look at and know they are trouble makers.  I know this isn't fair, but that is how I feel.  First impressions are hard to shake.

I cut my son's and husband's hair myself, and always worry about Will's hair.  He is fair with freckles and blond hair.  I worry about cutting it too short and having him look like one of those "bad" kids.  So, I always leave the front long.  Well, I got a new clipper set.  One I saw reviewed on another blog and just had to have.

I deiced it may be time to cut Will's hair like the instructions say.  So, I used the longest attachment and held my breath......  The first cut took sooooooooo much hair off!  I thought I was going to black out.....  Then remembered to breath again!....  Ok, I could do this.  It would grow back.  Right?  Sure it would.

After the dead was done, it didn't look as bad as I though.  It looked like I took him to the beauty shop.  It just didn't look like my little boy.  My baby boy.  My good little boy.  Instead, he looked like one of those kids that was good most of the time, but you could see he had a bad little boy side.  Oh well.  It's time everyone should know that he isn't always sweet. 

Here is a picture of his new hair cut.

Hubby just got the same cut he always gets.  A lot like the cut I was giving Will before.  Short in the back and long in the front.  He was happy with his cut.  I was happy with my new clipper set.  It is color coded and works great! I LOVE it.  Merry Christmas to me! (Really, that was most likely my Christmas gift!)

A Big Behind!

I love reading other blogs! It makes me feel  like I have connections to other people I don't really know.  Wow! That sounded creepy.

My problem is, that I follow so many great blogs and don't have the time to read them all.  I try to balance my computer time with my family, house work, shopping, dinner, dog, friends, and so much more.  This cuts my computer time down.  I do my emails, check (play) on facebook, do my blog post, try to enter some giveaways, and try to read other blogs.  This takes up my morning and if I let it my day.  I have to limit myself.

So, when I see a comment or email from one of my bloggy buddies that I haven't visited in a while, I feel all guilty.  This is my way of telling everyone I am not a little behind on my reading, I am a big behind!  I will be trying to catch up sometime.  Don't think I don't care.  I will be around eventually, between the cleaning, telling my son not to let the dog lick him because she just licked her but, baking for Christmas, cooking dinner, washing and putting up clothes, and much more.

Get ready everyone, I'm coming to visit and comment!

To Be So Lazy.......

Dogs have the best life!  A dog gets fed, petted, and has a warm and loving family to take care of them.  At least our dog does.  She is our fur baby after all! 


Here is a picture of her getting ready for bed.  She is in her bed (which is in our room) at about 8:00 or 9:00 every night.  She loves her sleep!

This year I was so excited to get her an ornament for the tree.  This is her first Christmas with us and as a member of the family, she had to have her own ornament.  I was lucky enough to win this beautiful Lenox ornament from Nichol over at Kiddies Corner Deals!

This made our Christmas that much more special!

Jingle Bells...Jingle Bells...Jingle All The Way.....

Right now my son is in love with the Jingle Bells song.  He sings it all day long.  If we turn on the radio he wants to hear it.  But, that ok!  I much rather him sing the real Jingle Bells than what he was singing before.


A few days ago, Hubby and I looked at each other in horror!  Horror, because Will was singing the overstocked.com version of Jingle Bells which has been playing on the tv commercials.  This meant we where letting him watch way too much tv and that Christmas was slowly being turned into a commercial holiday for more people.  If our son was singing this song, how many other children where singing it?  How many of those kids where going to grow up to never really know the REAL meaning of Christmas?


It didn't take us long to teach him the correct version of Jingle Bells!  As the days have gone by, we have discussed Christmas and what it really means.  We put up the nativity set together and talked about it all the while.  We know Will is going to remember and that he does understand, but so many other children don't.  A few weeks ago, I asked the children in my Sunday School Children's Church class if they could tell me what Christmas was all about.  The very first answer I got was "Santa comes to your house and brings you presents!".  I know they are still young, but lets all take the time to teach our children about the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!  Will you be reading the Christmas Story out of your Bible with your family this year?  I sure will!

Part Of Growing Up

I know kids have to get booster shots as they grow to keep them healthy, but they are just so painful.  Not just painful for they kids, but even more painful for the parents. 

Yesterday was the day for Will's 4 year old boosters.  What a painful day yesterday was.  I didn't realize he would be getting 3 individual shots, his finger pricked, and the flue mist!  It was horrible! 

First we had an appointment at his Pediatrician for 1:30.  We got there early and signed in.  Then waited and waited.  Finlay we got in to see the Doctor.  She examined him and then we waited and waited again for the nurse that gives the shots.  Finlay we got to see her.  She did some normal 4 year old health checks on his eyes, ears, and all that.  He is now 42 inches tall and 43 pounds!  So Big!!!

Then came shot time.  I was so happy Hubby was there to hold him.  By the time all was said and done, Will was crying, screaming, yelling, and fighting!  I was also crying.  I couldn't help it!  When you see your child in pain and going through what seems like tourcher ...well you cry!  (It doesn't help that I'm a big emotional baby!)

The rest of the day was barley better.  We where all exhausted from the whole thing.  We ended up being at the Doctor for almost 3 hours.  Will hurt and then freaked out every time the saw the band aids.  For some reason he HATES band aids.  He acts like its the band aid's fault that he got hurt.  You should have been there when I gave him a bath and removed the ones on his arm.  Between the arm and finger band aids, he had 5.  Taking the band aids off was almost as bad as getting the shots!

My poor baby still hurts this morning.  Tylenol and Ibuprofen can only do so much.  He's sore.

A Hurricane In The Forcast!

Who could have guessed that a hurricane was going to hit our home in 24 hours?  I sure didn't.  I spent hours yesterday cleaning Will's room and preparing to put in his big boy bed, only to have it almost all destroyed!

Will's friend Karlie came to play today and destroyed his room.  They played for hours!  The only rule was that they didn't get on the bed!  Jumping on the bed was grounds for punishment.  And to my surprise the bed was never touched!

As promised here is a picture of Will's new Big Boy Bed!

And this is a picture of the room after the hurricane!

Yea, the room is small but this picture makes it look even smaller!


We did get the room in a better shape later today, but I was just so amazed that hours of hard work where gone in minutes.  That's live though.  They had a good time and everyone followed the no getting in the bed rule.  That sounds like a successful day!

Will did have a good nights sleep in his new bed.  It must be comfy, because he woke up at 3:30 am and wanted to know if it was time to get up.  When I told him it wasn't morning yet, and he could go back to sleep, he gladly went back to dream land. 

Spoiled!

Conversations with your children can sometimes be enlightening. 


Will goes through a bad spell every few months, where he does everything in his power to not listen, disobey, talk back, and downright ignore.  Yesterday I put him to bed early and begged my peach Avon bubble bath to take me away!!!!


This is how my day started going down hill.  I was in the kitchen cutting up chicken for dinner when Will walks in the house and tells me Charlotte is stuck on his tractor.  I look out the window and sure enough, he rolled over her tie out she was on (to keep her from investigating the neighbors yard when I'm not out side with her) and it was wrapped around the back tire of his John Deer Tractor.  I tell him I'll be right out.  While I'm washing my hands, he decides to take maters into his own hands, and try to back up and go forward on his tractor until he wraps her so tight she is getting sucked under his fenders.  By the time I rescue her she has cuts on her nose and blood on the top of her head.  Poor Baby Girl! She wasn't even crying. 


When I asked Will why he's so mean and bad he tells me he can't help it if he's spoiled.  "You are the one who spoiled me." he said, with his hands firmly on his hips.  Like it's all my fault he just hurt Charlotte.  When I tell him I can solve that problem and make sure I NEVER spoil him again he starts to whimper, "But I want you to spoil me! Don't stop!"  A lot of crying followed that little meltdown!

Well lets just say he was punished really good, (talking under his breath the whole time about being spoiled) and then had to explain to his Daddy what happened later that day. That was another punishment in itself. 

The rest of my day didn't get any better.  The disobeying and talking back got him punished again.  I can only hope today is better.  I have a bad feeling it's not going to be.  The spoiling may not stop entirely, but a lot of things will be changing.  I only pray I don't fall for his sweet little face and love takes over my judgment.  That's my downfall.

Still Having Difficulties

I haven't been posting much.  I missed Thankful Thursday and so much more.  As many of you know, my computer has been acting up.  I thought we had a virus, but I did every thing I could to find it and.....nothing.  Finally we figured that it must be something we did to our computer to make it act up. 

Today we wiped out our computer and made it back to "from the factory" style.  I spent so many hours trying to save my videos and pictures I had on my computer.  I was able to save some, but not all.  It was very difficult to save the ones I did and took hours of work.  My computer is working again for now.  I don't know if we solved our little problem or not.  Only time will tell. 

I will be back with more post for you all in time.  At the moment I will be testing my computer and getting everything back to working order.  Right now when I open the Internet all the text is so small I can hardly read it.  (I am almost blind you know!)  I will be working on it.  If anyone know how to fix this please let me know!!!

I pray all of you are well and doing better than me with your computers!

Beware the Toilet

How often to you clean your bathroom?  I clean my bathroom regularly and never get hurt.  I never expect to get hurt, but this week was different.

We had finally got a much needed new toilet seat.  We got one of those standard, sparkling white, made of wood ones.  I didn't want a soft one because they crack and I don't really trust that I can get them as clean as the wood ones. 

Anyway, I hadn't had to buy a new toilet seat in....well ever, so I didn't know they started making them a little different.  Now they have a "sanitary" feature, where when a person (boy) puts the rim down the lid comes down with it.  Well, being a lady and having no knowledge that other newer toilets have this, I lifted the rim to clean the toilet.  When I went to put the rim down the lid came crashing down onto my hand.  My thumb nail took all of the blow and let me tell you,  that sparkly white wood lid is HARD! 

I had my other thumb nail riped off by my son's car seat if you remember, now I have my other thumb bruised and bleeding.  This is the time that I wish we didn't need thumbs so much.  My nail didn't end up falling off, but you can see the bruising and blood under the nail very clearly. (Aren't you so happy I didn't include pictures! You are so welcome!)

So, how many more nails will I have hurt before new years?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Just a little extra info.  My big toe is also very bruised under the nail from Will dropping something on it.  That is where it all began.

Pumpkins and Computer Issues

This weekend was filled with good Halloween treats!  Will wanted to be a bat this year and I couldn't find a bat costume for anything. 

So, being the good Mom I am, made a bat costume.  I took a black shirt, some black material, red ribbon, some hot glue, black thread, and a pullover hat to make this cute little bat costume.  He was beyond excited!!!  He modeled it and flapped those little wings to his hart content.

The day before trick or treating, Hubby carved our traditional pumpkin for Will.  Will picked the pattern and Hubby carved.  Will carved his traditional apple while the pumpkin was being carved.  (I just love our traditions!!!!)

Here is a picture of the pumpkin and the apple!

Needless to say, we had a great Halloween.  We trick or treated here in town and had lots of fun.  I hope everyone had a good and safe time no matter what your Halloween was like.

On a different note: 

My computer is on the blink because of a virus or something it got.  I am trying to fix it, but it continues to freeze up on me.  If anyone has any advice, please pass it on.  I don't know what to do next.  I am just guessing on how to fix it.  So far nothing is working.  I have norton, and they are wanting me to pay $100 even though I already payed over that to have norton to start with.  I really don't want to pay them to fix my computer when I paid for the software to protect it (which it didn't do!).  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

I Have The Doggy Blues

Yesterday I got up at 5:15 in the morning to bring my dear little fur baby to the vet.  She had an appointment to be spade.  They kept her overnight and today I have to pick her up. 

All day yesterday I worried about her.  I tried to leave her in God's hands, but....oh how hard that is!  I missed her so much.  I found myself looking for her and checking on her food.  I even caught myself looking for her in her bed this morning.

Now, at 5:30 am (I'm sooooo not a morning person) I'm up and getting ready to go pick her up.  I have to be at the vet by 7:30 and it's an hour away.  Traffic can get crazy in the mornings and I still have my little love bug to wake up.  (Will is sooooo not a morning person either!)

So, In a few hours I will be back home with my fur baby.  I hope she is ok.  I have so many questions I didn't think of when I dropped her off.  Like....Do they walk her? or Does she have to potty on herself in a cage?  I will not be to happy if they don't walk her.  Hubby said he doesn't think they walk the dogs in the kennels.  He thinks they leave them paper to piddle on.  I surly hope not.  If so, they herd her whine allllllllll day.  She will hold it as long as possible.  I hope they walked her!

Thank Goodness for Baby Wipes!

Yesterday was Thankful Thursday.  I found more to be thankful for as the day went on. 

I found that I am very thankful that I have a son who always has a kool-aid mustache.  I keep baby wipes in the truck to clean his little mustache often.  Thank goodness I had them yesterday.  I was at the store and went to unbuckle his car seat and that is when the car seat decided to keep my finder nail. 

Let me tell you, it hurts when your finder nail gets ripped off your finger, I don't care how quick it happens.  Baby wipes cleaned up a lot of blood!  My finger bled for a while after that.  I was blessed to have this lovely woman in the van parked next to me come over to help.  She saw I was in pain and then saw my finger nail I pulled out the buckle. (The car seat was holding it hostage. I had to fight to get it back out.)  She got out her first aid kit and I was all bandaged up.  God sent her to me like an angle.  I never even got to ask her name.

When I got home I realized how hard it is to do things without hurting that finger.  It was my thumb nail.  I will spare you the pictures (you can thank me in the comment section).  Just know that it hurts!

Will took it very well though.  He was concerned for me and even kissed my hand (keeping a good distance from the finger I hurt).  He was mostly happy that it wasn't him and I didn't get any blood on his car seat (that I know of).

Lost 3 times in 30 minutes

Have you ever had one of those days, where you just can't do anything right?  I have.  A few nights ago, I was going through my house looking for my cell phone.  I looked and looked and looked.  I found it exactly where I left it.  (Don't you hate that.  You remember where you left it just as you find it.  Then you feel like an idiot.) 

The bad thing is, that I did this 3 time in around 30 minutes.  I was the only one home with a cell phone, so I couldn't call it to find it.  That makes it more stressful.  Especially since I was waiting for a call from Hubby when he went on his break at work.

On top of that, Will's "dirty" hat that he wears outside to play was also missing.  That went missing for almost a week before I found it, upside down and shoved almost under his bed.  His room gets out of control sometimes.  Of course it's not that big, so out of control is not really as bad as you would imagine.

I have been forgetting to get things a the store when I go (even though I made a list). What's going on?  It must be just my craziness catching up with me.  My only worry is.....what will I loose next?  Car keys.....purse.....what could it be?  I almost don't want to know. LOL!

The Fall Growing Season

Here is a picture of my fall garden.  I think it is going really well. I planted some pumpkins, carrots, and zucchini.  All together I have had three pumpkin plants grow, one carrot (out of an entire row!) grow, and four zucchini plants grow. 

Here is a picture of my biggest pumpkin so far.  I took this picture about a week ago though.  Now it is about the size of a baby watermelon.  It even has the strips like a watermelon.  If I didn't know any better, I would think that this was a watermelon plant.  Luckily, I remember planting it. LOL!  I can't wait for my first pumpkin to be ready. 

I have never had a garden before this year, so everything I grow is exciting to me!  Next year I will have a garden twice as big, and with twice as much growing in it!!!

 

This is a picture of my biggest zucchini growing.  And this picture was taken at the same day as the other one.  So, it has grown 50% more since then and I picked it.  I plan on making zucchini bread with it for a fund raiser back sale that one of my friends is having for her husbands medical expenses.  It should be really good.  My Mother-In-Law has already tried to figure out when I will be dropping the zucchini bread off, so she can go early and buy it. LOL! I will have blue berry muffins in the bake sale too.  I wonder if she will buy those as well. 

Do you have a fall garden growing?  I have seen pictures of a few other gardens and there beautiful pumpkins.  They live in a place where they can plant way before I can.  They will have there pumpkins ready for carving, making pies, and decorating.  I don't think mine will be ready until Thanksgiving unless they grow supper fast.  That's ok though.  I like pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!

Goodbye Flip Flops! I Will Miss You!!!

Goodbyes are always hard.  Seasons change and the weather changes with it.  My flip flops are my must have item in the summer.  I like my toes to be painted and my feet to feel free without going totally barefoot.  I have outside flip flops and inside flip flops.  Needless to say I love my flip flops.

It's just as hard to say goodbye to summer.  Summer is sunshine, plastic swimming pools, tomatoes growing on the vine, shorts, and big fans.  Even though I will miss Summer I know it will be back.  Just like my flip flops.  They will be waiting in my closet for next year.  But, the season of my life I am in right now will be gone forever.

This season of being 20 something and having a pre-school.  The season of needing to work hard to pay the house and truck note.  The season of trying to save for retirement.  All this in this season I will miss.  I say goodbye to it knowing that the season to come will hopefully bring so much more.  I am looking forward to my 30s and homework.  I am looking forward to having our house and truck paid off.  And, I am looking forward to having money saved in the bank.  None of these are guaranteed to me, but I sure hope I get to see them all, as well as much more!

So goodbye my beloved flip flops.  I will miss you until next season!

A Supper Crazy Day!

Today is going to be a super crazy day.  I feel it already.  The day before our big 10 family garage sale!

I have been working for weeks to get everything together.  I have sorted, tagged, boxed, and bagged things for it.  I have a ton of my son's old clothes he can't fit anymore. (WOW is he growing!) Plus I am one of those OCD people who like to be super organized.  Yesterday I loaded up the truck.  Today starts with a babysitting job, a walk (I can hardly believe I am exercising!), a last minute clean up. Then off to unload my things at my Mother-In-Law's for Saturday. 

I can't wait! I am hoping to sale everything and make a great boat load of money.  In reality, I want to clean my house of the clutter and sale my son's old clothes, so I can buy him new ones.  He has NO winter clothes.  I counted one pair of pants, one set of socks, and four long sleeve shirts.  Most of which he got for his birthday.  (So sad.) Plus he will need a new pair of shoes soon. 

So, if you are in the area of Jennings, Louisiana tomorrow stop by and say hello.  I'm sure with 10 families having a garage sale in the same yard, you will find something you never knew you need! LOL!

Fill It Up Please!

Have you ever seen the Seinfeld episode where Kramer test drive in a car with almost no gas and pushes it to see how long he can go?  Well, I just about lived that episode last night.

We went to my Mother-In-Law's house and Walmart.  I knew I need to get gas, but it just totally slipped my mind while I was in town.  I remembered when my gas light came on halfway home.  I still had about 10 to 15 miles to go.  I was praying that I would make it to the gas station! 

Thankfully I did! I pulled in with a little to spare.  I never thought I would be the one coasting into a gas station on fumes, but I almost was.  That's horrible.  If I'm forgetting gas now what's next? 

So, has this ever happened to you?  Is it a Mom thing or am I just forgetful lately?  I just never want to have that feeling again!