Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Treasure Hunting

Dh made a treasure hunt for Monkey Boy and Flamingo last week-it was so much fun watching them try and find the treasure in our backyard......Flamingo thought for sure she had figured the map out-but was way turned ard all the time-LOLOL

Everything's Amazing...and Nobody Is Happy....

Yeah-this guy sums it up for anyone who has missed it all....but hes soooo funny abt it....

Monster Mash :)

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Nothin' Better......

........than snuggling up to your favorite pal on a soggy, wet, and chilly Autumn morning.....

Crate Training....

Well this weekend I decided it was time....
Each time we get a puppy I think to myself how this time will be different-this time I can paper train and slowly work our way to the back door-slowly work our way to the bell on the door etc...and each and every time it sooo does now work...
So I made the decision this weekend that its sooo not working yet again and time to start the crate......
I guess it all comes down to our 1st-Bell-Our 1st Rottie-She was potty trained with paper in 3 weeks and I guess I keep telling myself it can happen again....LOLOLOL
I hate putting them in there in the crate-I guess I dont like it because I cant play with them as much. But it HAS to be done.

I am soo tired of cleaning up accidents....
So we started this weekend and its been GREAT-Only 1 accident all weekend :)So I guess its working....I just have to remind myself not to rush it...but boy is it time consuming....
Here's a sample schedule.....like my life isn't hectic enough...;)LOLOL
7:00Am-take puppy potty and play out back-treat
7:15-put back in crate
9:30-take puppy potty/feed/play-treat
9:45-crate puppy
12-potty/feed/play-treat
12:15-crate
every two hours take out and potty/play
5:00-potty/feed-treat
9:30Pm-potty/crate/play-bring inside
1:30am-potty/play wait for Dh
3:30 am-take puppy out for last time/play/treat
Then I get to start the whole routine over again..yigh yigh...LOLOL;0
But dont let those early hours fool ya-Im already awake....I usually dont go to bed till abt 3:30 anyway-yeah I usually plow on the couch while dh is chilling when he gets home, but thats just the routine ard here. I usually get a nap in in the afternoon if Im lucky too-so its not that bad-my body just adjusts and it works really well:) After a Summer of sleeping in its kinda hard to get into the swing of things again-but it eventually does and goes back to being normal...:)
Im also going to try and get in a little training in with Bear-our adoptive Rottie. He needs ALOT of training-hes just pushing his weight ard -so I need to work with him too...
But anyway-thats what Im up to here....
Oh-Ive got my Eastern Star interview today-wish me luck :)

Nicholas Sparks-My Reads

Grami left me a book to read when she was here. It was one of Sparks that I had never heard of: The Lucky One

Synopsis:

In his 14th book,(sheesh-I have ALOT to read...)WHOOT!!! bestselling author Nicholas Sparks tells the unforgettable story of a man whose brushes with death lead him to the love of his life.

After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Iraq, he experiences a sudden streak of luck — winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph — his lucky charm.

Back home in Colorado, Thibault can't seem to get the woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey across the country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by the strong attraction he feels for the woman he encounters in North Carolina - Elizabeth, a divorced mother — and he keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate love affair, his secret soon threatens to tear them apart — destroying not only their love, but also their lives.

Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, THE LUCKY ONE is an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.
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Very good-as was expected....
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I just finished reading "The Notebook"


Synopsis:

Every so often a love story so captures our hearts that it becomes more than a story-it becomes an experience to remember forever. The Notebook is such a book. It is a celebration of how passion can be ageless and timeless, a tale that moves us to laughter and tears and makes us believe in true love all over again... At thirty-one, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At twenty-nine, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle...
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All that I expected and MORE......As I was reading I kept picturing the movie in my mind...LOLOLOL It gave alot more detail into the heart of "Old" Noah and all that he was feeling and having to endure...which wasnt in the movie...it made it alot more tender and heartwarming....of course I still like this one the best I think...but Ive got soo many more to get through...my next is "At First Sight" I cant wait....
Sheesh-they just need to come out with a whole box set of his books dont ya think!!!!!I know it would make my life a heck of alot easier......LOLOLOL

Picture Day and Update on Munchkins...

Well today was picture day at school. You should have seen those two kids getting all sproost up-LOLOLOL. Monkey Boy kept sticking his hair up on front-I kept putting it down-up/down...up/down...over and over again...LOLOL Flamingo kept changing her mind abt outfits....yigh- yigh....then she wasnt satisfied abt her hair....but decided it was okay if I put in some sparkles...LOLOL..sigh...LOLOL They were so funny this morning...Ill post them when w eget them in....Papa/Nana and Grami-we ordered some for you too..so remind me to give or send....:)

Flamingo informed me last night that she has 2 boys in school that "LUV" her. We talked abt it as I was tucking her in last night.....Apparently one of the boys has tried to kiss her and repeatedly tries when the teacher isnt looking-as he sits right next to her in class...Hmmm......LOLOLOL I asked her is she likes them and she said "Oh no Mom-they are not like Dadddy-I think they are both squirts"...LOLOLOL This made me laugh and her too-as I think secretly she is pleased with the attention she is getting from them both...She said they are always telling her nice things and that she is pretty-which she said makes her smile....She asked me alot of questions abt when I was growing up-if any boys tried to kiss me...LOLOL I told her abt a boy in Oklahoma that I liked when I was her age. He used to sing Will Nelson songs to all the girls and try and kiss them too...LOLOL-I starting singing one that I remembered..... "To All the girls I've loved before..."She thought that was sooo funny:)So we both giggled a bit last night.

Well I knew this day was coming....sigh...but it looks like Daddy still holds her heart for a bit longer...maybee....

Tomorrow is Birthday Table at school for Flamingo-and dh is bringing her McDonalds to eat and will be sharing lunch time with her at school. The kids think its a big deal as they get special treatment that day in the lunchroom and get a little bag of goodies and a cupcake...But it will be really special as Daddy will be coming this time instead of me:) She is soooo pleased and excited!!I hope they have fun :)

Monkey Boy had a BIG day yesterday.....BIG for him anyway;)LOLOL
I guess if you get your name drawn out of the bucket for good behavior you get to spin a wheel of fun things. His name got pulled and his BIG prize: Sitting in a camping chair all day...LOLOLOL But he was so pleased and said it was alot of fun!LOLOL If only my rewards could mean so much-eh? ;)LOLOLOL

Stinger is just doing so well with reading lately. He is amazing me.....He has even wanted to come with me to the Book Mobile lately...which is awesome!! He told me the other day that he wants to start Middle School next year.......YIKES!Apparently he thinks having his own locker is worth going to school...LOLOLOL Im still sooo unsure abt it though....I guess we shall see...I keep thinking how Middle School can be so mean and cruel and Im sooo hesitant abt putting him back in there....his behaviors are not near as bad as they were in school, but Im also unsure that most teachers will be as tolerant to his stubbornness as I am...so alot to think abt there.....

WOW- Cactus Cuties-WOW

okay-so Im rushing into the holidays a bit here---LOLOLLOLOL





Never heard it performed better than this! An entire arena remains completely silent throughout the song. You could hear a pin drop. Take a moment to listen to this. Trust me, you will not regret it. The two young ladies on the right are six years old. The two in the middle are seven and the one on the left is eight.

Whew -What a Week

I dont know what the deal is this week-but its been very nerve racking ard here...I dont know if its that Im grumpy because Im not feeling well...., that we havent been getting through school very smoothly, or that everyone is coughing and not in the mood to be messed with......but at any rate Stinger is climbing up the walls this week...ugh...
Messing with Puddin, messing with his siblings, all touchy and bothering everything and everyone, getting into mischief with everything he sees, messing ard at dinner,throwing his food ard...yigh yogh.........yigh..LOLOLOL
I know my throat hurts tonight as I was using it too much today on him. Its just as soon as my back is turned he is making someone or something upset and if he cant get at a person, he is messing with something he shouldnt be messing with,etc....
Basically we have a monkey house going on ard here lately and its really driving me crazy.......
But he does make me smile throughout the day at his comments and reactions to things.....for instance...
I was getting on his case abt messing with Flamingos plate at dinner time telling him he hates it when people mess with his food etc and before I was through he blurts out "Mom-cant I speak before you send me to the slammer-I get some last words dont I-everyone gets last words..." LOLOLOLOL I just looked at him and couldnt help but let out a giggle, then he giggled too-LOLOLOL
Things he says really catch me off guard and they keep me sane I guess you could say. He has come such a long way from not being able to express his feelings that when he does now I cant help but smile-even when I shouldnt...
I forgot to update abt his IOWA testing last week....it went AWESOME!!!!They followed his IEP as it wasstated and had him in a room all to himself with an aide to read each and every question to him. He could take breaks when he wanted to and he came out of the room smiling :) I wansnt sure how he would handle actually having to go through each question as in the past testing he would just fill in bubbles as the online school he had been in wasnt following his IEP. So basically he liked it as he didnt have to think...LOLOLOL, but this time they met him at his level and helped him and he didnt seam to mind at all...even though he had to think this time which REALLY surprised me. Proud Momma moment-eh?
So we are in a dip on the roller coaster yet again this week...but should be on our way up...hopefully soon...Taking it day by day-which is the only way to get through it sometimes ard here...LOLOLOL

Dr Visit and What Not, Etc...

Well we are all slowly getting better-We all still have coughs, but they are getting better.
Funny-but Stinger is the only one in the family who hasn't caught anything...LOLOL
As many of you know he's on the side of compulsively cleaning and will use hand sanitizer every couple of hours whenever he touches anything(Mom-Dad-he NOW believes in it-LOLOL, and uses it religiously-LOLOL), will not sit next to anyone who is coughing-siblings mainly,and wil not tolerate germs of any kind...I use dto think it was a problem-but seeing how he hasnt caught anything-NOTHING-maybee he is on to something here...Hmmmm...LOLOL
But we are all doing a bit better at any rate. 2 weeks ago I did something to my back and as usual I let it it go thinking it would clear up on its own. Im always doing that-hating Dr visits, dentist visits (in particular;)) unless it is REALLY bad I will just get through it...kwim? But my backache would just not go away. Last night it was REALLY bothering me whenever I moved or sat up etc. So I finally decided to get it checked out this morning. Come to find out that I pinched a nerve in my back.But I honestly dont knwo how. If anything I have been a bit slower since Ive been sick and havent been feeling too hot....But I knew the Dr was right when he went to my back and touched it right in the spot-first try- and he said " Yep-Thats what it is>" So he told me he could give me a shot of cortizol(sp)or I could just keep popping pills. I voted for the later...LOLOLOL
Sometimes its not so bad, but when my Ibuprofen starts to fade out I can DEFINETLY tell it still hurts. Its this sharp stabbing pain in my back-its just lovely....sigh...but Im okay on pills.yeah..sigh....
He said it will take awhile to heal...another yeah....LOLOL
So anyway-thats whats been going on with me lately.
Oh!!!! I discovered a FABULOUS Author. And I could hit myself for not realizing it earlier. EVERYONE knows that my ALL TIME FAVORITE movie is THE NOTEBOOK and NO-I dont have it-but WANT it BAD!!!!!so if your ever wondering "Oh what should we get Tammy?"-well THATS it!!!If any of you have not SEEN THIS MOVIE-YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR HEART EXAMINED-lolol-but did you all know that he wrote other movies we all have seen too-like Walk in the Clouds and Message in a Bottle etc....all REALLY good movies...but they came from one AUTHOR :Nicholas Sparks. Oh!!! I could go on and on abt how his words stir my heart. BEAUTIFUL!!!!But my words would not do his works justice.His works make you cry, they make you laugh, and they make you sigh. Just utterly taking your breath away.......Anyway-I stocked up on 4 of them today from the Book Mobile. So If Im not ard much-please understand, Im fully immersed in my own little world..... reading......LOLOLOLOL

Grami's Visit #2

I found them...LOLOL -More pics of Grami and our fun :)

Grami's Visit :)

Grami send us these pictures-Im still trying to find the ones I took-LOLOL-they are hiding somehwere in our computer...somewhere...LOLOL
Here's some pictures of things we did while she was here: Picnics, kite flying, at the hotel swimming, climbing trees, etc-can you see the kids faces-just beaming with happiness :)

Winter Weather----> Winter Sickies :(

Well with all this crazy up and down weather we are all sick once again. This always seams to happen at this time of year. Sometimes I get lucky and I dont get it, but it usually goes ard the family circle 2 times and I got it this time :(
I'm getting better but dh and Flamingo have whatever it is really bad-a yucky cough etc..Flamingo seams to be getting worse-tonight she is gagging on her coughs:(So she's down here in the den with me until she falls asleep. She is afraid that she will get sick in her bed...So Im guessing that a trip to the Dr is happening tom...
Public School is out for Fall break-today and tom..What a way to spend a holiday-eh? Flamingos' best friend called to invite her over and I said I didnt think it was a good idea-I wanted her to lay low this weekend etc...so she was pouting all day abt it. We gave each other manicures with sparkles which seamed to cheer her up a bit. But it looks like I made a good call on that one, as she is coughing so hard tonight she is gagging. :( Misereable........

Winter is a Comin'....WHOOT!!!

Well this morning this is what we saw out our front window.....:)


Snow on the mountain tops :)It will gradually go father down as winter approaches-slowly making snow here in the valley, but just seeing it up there today made me smile-I LOVE the winter months-Wind stinging your nose-Ahhhh......:)
The beautiful leaves changing colors then slowly falling from the trees. The smell of wood fireplaces in the air-Ahhh...LUV it!!!Snuggling up to a warm cup of cofee and a good book-The BEST!!!!Warm soup-Nana's homemade chicken noodle-My Favorite(and what everyone asks fro here ;))!!!Warm jammies and flannel sheets on the bed-oh!!!!!!
This is my favorite time of year(can ya tell;))-October ---->January 1st :)Okay...So.... Im a day early-but SNOW on the mts!!!!!Excitement is called for! LOLOLOL
WHOOT!!!!!!:)