Hamster Wheel Gone Wrong!

Don't run too quickly.... - > www.be-dumb.com

I happened across this video from a forwarded email today. I had Coop and J on my lap and TJ standing next to me when we watched this clip. It hit all of our funny bones because we sat there belly-laughing for a good 5 minutes, watching it over and over again. The legs kicking like crazy at the end is the best part. Little Coop was the best- he would giggle, then cackle and finally stop laughing when he couldn't breath. So funny!

ER x2

I took J to the ER for the second time in 3 months. I sure hope this doesn't become a regular thing. J has been sick for 3 weeks. She missed one week of school because she couldn't stop hacking her lungs out. Then back to school last week to catch up on work. Sunday night her fever started and my paranoia set in thinking she would erupt with puke any minute. We had enough puking this last summer- enough already. Thankfully, it never happened, but J was getting more sick. So after a few days of Daddy keeping a close eye on her, a trip to the hospital, chest x-ray and once over by the ER Doc we came home with the same diagnosis Daddy gave her (way to go Dad). She has an ear infection that is finally getting better and a packet of school work to plow through at home. Finally, some mandatory slow days for me and the kids. I'm excited!
Our sweet J. She was so "melted" at the hospital- very quiet and cooperative as long as no needles emerged from the deep, dark corners of the ER. When I told her we needed to go to the Emergency Room she freaked out- still a little traumatized by the stitches incident a few months ago.
Our J is quite the heart breaker already. Daddy might really consider a shotgun when she turns 16. ;) Our entire visit at the ER I kept hearing people talking to each other about how beautiful her eyes were and how well-behaved she was for being sick. Every once in awhile someone would pop their head into the exam area where we were to see "the girl with the beautiful eyes in #14."

Halloween's over!!

I have to say I am relieved. Halloween was too stressful this year. I had fun making a few costumes but since it was the last week (even hours) before the parties it was a little too much. I proved once again that I do work best under pressure.

Here's my costume repertiore this year. A goth-style vampire cloak for Tom, J's Wonder Woman costume, TJ's batman cape (easy) and part of my Phoenix costume. Mine was whipped together ON Halloween day so it's not what I envisioned but at least I attempted to dress up. Poor J tried so hard to keep in good spirits even though she didn't feel well at all. She missed all the fun at school Halloween day and barely made it through the party to trick-or-treat a little. Her face in this picture says it all.


A huge thanks to my family who came to the church and helped me set up the night before for our church party. It was fun having family night at the church with pizza, goodies, and decorating.

the prodigal phone returns!

Dave teased me endlessly for not getting over the loss of my phone. Sounds cheesy right? I missed my old phone and still caught myself looking all over the house and cars for it. Even after my brand new phone arrived from some vendor on e-bay I wanted my old phone. SO, I got the last laugh when my missing phone found its way back home yesterday. My little red phone was sitting in a church pew for a couple weeks when someone found it while they were cleaning the church. I guess if you're going to lose a phone, church is the place to do it!

pumpkins, popcorn and ponies

Even though practically the entire family is coughing and tired, we packed up chillies and the big red wagon and went to Joan's Farm in Livermore today. I completely spaced a homeschool field trip with friends to the farm this past Monday because I didn't write it on the calendar. grrrrrr. I was SO frustrated. It's a sign that I'm getting older. I can't remember much unless I write it down. But I digress.

One would never know it was fall today in Northern Cali. The weather was fan-flippin'-tastic. 96 degrees in the middle of October is almost wrong. Dave and I are anxious for it to cool down. For the purposes of exploring the farm with the chillies and picking out a few pumpkins it was a perfect day. The chillies highlight of the day was riding the ponies. J picked out Trigger, the biggest pony there, and TJ rode Spinner. Coop was so interested in the ponies from the other side of the fence but we knew he would have fallen apart if he was on top of one of them. The kids fed the goats/sheep and ate popcorn while we walked around.

We also took the opportunity to scout around Livermore a little to see if we could live there. We are really under the gun to find Dave a place to practice but we need to decide where to look first. We both decided Livermore could be for us- time to job hunt.......