Homemade love

Here is our really big valentine for Erik. We ha fun making it! It is a mix of jaxon's and Katie's hands.

Friday nights artwork

I finally added the black around the kids artwork. I think they turned out great.



Jaxon's artwork


Katie's artwork

Loves her doll

Yeah life!

Katie's new doll KK

She is so excited her doll came today! She saved all her Christmas and bought it last week!


Yeah life!

Day at the Zoo

we have a plan - I think

We can see the light at the end of the tunnel for Erik working in Qatar. It was kinda up in the air - was he coming home in May for good or extending till Nov. The people in Qatar really wanted him to stay and we were really debating it, he would not have missed any more holidays and maybe we could have actually saved some money instead of just paying off the bills. Well we did not have to make the decision, Erik's manager in Texas made it for us. He will not grant permissions for Erik to stay another 6 months. I fully understand that. He either wants Erik back in his position or leave so he can fill the position. Which leads me to assume he actually has jobs for Erik to work on - when Erik left he was having to find his own projects and they were not very good ones. (at least I did not think they were). So now the managers in Qatar are pissed that he is leaving, but at least he is not the one burning the bridges and if a really cool expat job comes up and one of them is the manager over it he has a good chance at getting it. so with all that being said he is coming home next Thursday staying for 2 weeks, back there for 6 weeks, home for 2 back for 3 and done. Then he will take off all of May and half of June before going back to work in New Orleans or where ever they may send him.
Then we found out Erik's brother is getting married - again - but this is the first wedding we are invited to (it is his 3rd) so we are heading to Colorado in May. So we are not rushed we are taking Jaxon out of school 3 days early. I need to talk to a few more people but it looks like the grades have to be in the friday before so I am not sure what they have to do on Monday - wednesday. Well I know Wednesday they only go to school for 2 hours. He may miss awards day, but I do not see him getting any award except honor roll, and that award doesn't even have his name on it.

Found One!!

I am so excited that I actually found a picture of Erik and I together in uniform! This was when we were going through the Suez Canal! I wish we had more together but one is better then none!!

what am I doing???

I am driving myself crazy - that is what I am doing! I need to figure out a lot of things, how do get rid of more stuff without feeling guilty that I am giving away so much money. How not to yell at my kids and how to raise kids that will listen! And not just listen when I yell. How to stick with a healthy eating plan!!!! This is the big one. I have the workout thing down, I work out 5 times a week, 6 times last week. But I will not stick to a eating plan. I love WW, I know it works but for some reason I will not do it. I already have plans to start again tomorrow. I am going to get some more fruits and veggies and running shoes after I workout tomorrow. I did really well when Megan and I did our little game but as soon as we stopped I stopped. Why do I need a something like that, why isn't being healthy good enough? WHY WHY WHY?????
Tomorrow is a new day. I have things in place to make it a successful day - I can do this

makes me happy!

It is amazing how cleaning out my panty made me happy and made me feel like I did something today. I ended up with 2 1/2 trash bags of expired stuff! Wow I need to do this more then once a year!!
I plan on eating out of the freezer this week also so I can clean that up!

what's up with today?

Today is an off day. I have no desire to do anything!! I did get on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes this morning and stayed above 4.2 almost the whole time, but now I am done. I need to be doing things - cleaning out my pantry is on the list today.
I started a new work-out program, I told Erik I would give it 3 weeks, if I do not see a change then I will stop since I do not really enjoy it. I do not hate it but it is not may favorite thing to do - what is that - running. Maybe I need better shoes also, my shoes are not running shoes. If I keep up with it for 3 weeks then I will go get new shoes. Tomorrow will be the true test since it is Saturday - will I actually get up and do day three?

raining Sunday

Ok so the points plan are not working so well for us, I forget to give out the chips - maybe this week will be better. I did have a good week, I tried cleaning out the toy room but the kids were helping so there was not a whole lot they were willing to part with, but this week I will get in there again and get rid of more stuff - right now it is just a box and a black garbage bag. I didn't workout as many times as I should have but I did make it to church with the kids and had a great lunch with my friends instead. I even took Katie on a play date which everyone enjoyed. I planned on staying 2 hours and we ended up being there for almost 4. The Mom and I worked on box tops and CC labels for the school (if you need a place to send yours I will take them) The school had a teacher doing all the work and she was too busy so we were losing money because they were expiring before she got around to mailing them in. Today I separated 750 Community Coffee labels which is over $75!! This is what the school had collect since the last pick-up in December! Oh back to the play date, Katie's classmate has an older sister in 3rd grade and her Jaxon played the whole time! So it was a great afternoon - minus the Saints oh well next year!
Today we had Jax indoor soccer game, which is always fun to watch such a fast pace game. His coach was getting on him for not following through with the ball, hopefully he will listen to him.

Now lets talk about the report cards.... Jaxon got all A so that is great, very proud of him
Katie does not get grades but she gets S - satisfactory , N - needs improvement , and c area of concern. She got 4 Ns
Listens attentively , stays on task, concept of Rhyming words, and directional words... when I saw this I wondered who's report card I got. If she is not listening and staying on Task then why has she never moved her clothes pen, shouldn't I have been made aware of this before it is on her report card. And rhyming words - come on we read Dr. Seuess all the time and their favorite ebook is the Rhyming Dust Bunnies. She runs around the house rhyming. The Directional words does not make sense either. So I need to find out if everyone got that mark (I know at least 2 other girls did) because they are just now learning them in class and felt they have not taught them enough or what. What is the testing or evaluation used for this. Ok I now this is only Pre-K and I should take this with a grain of salt but don't put marks like that on a report card with out explaining the process. One of the other Moms is just going to wait and see, while the other Mom had already sent the teacher an email. Really what are you expecting for a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds??

New Plan

With the new years brings some changes and outlooks. I am looking forward to what ever this year brings and I have started my new year today. I have started a new points system with the kids and also decided that I need to add my own points. That way I have someone to hold me accountable even if they are 4 and 7. I will get points for working out, drinking water, writing things down, no yelling, cleaning trouble areas, folding the clothes the same day ... I will have to come up with some more things