First Game

This morning Michael had his first Basketball game. For the longest time it looked like there wasn't going to be a Saint George team due to a lack of coaches. His first practice was Tuesday, this morning his first game.



He's the one on the far left with the ball. You know, it's hard to get good pictures when it comes to sports! Anyhow, for the last year and half Kirsten & Johnathan have had extra activities, poor Michael hasn't. It was nice to be able to cheer for him and his team. Unfortunately they didn't win, but they had fun and the coaches now know what areas to coach on Tuesday.

Not a whole lot going on here. Hubby goes back to work on Monday, so we're just trying to enjoy the last two days together.

Hubby's new red head

First off, I totally do not intend to offend anyone! I apologize if I do, this is totally in jest!

About 4 years ago, we were living in Germany, we had some friends over. The wife and her daughter were in the house with me and our kids while our husbands were out in the parking lot working on hubby's old Mazda. He paid $600 bucks to purchase it, and countless hours afterwards. This is the car that hubby got pulled over in, not because he was cruising at 120mph on the autobahn, but because it was so loud!

Anyway, whatever hubby and his friend were working on that day, they were having a hard time. Hence the car was labeled as a "red head" because of it's bright red paint job and men's tendency to refer to their cars as females. That day a new joke was born between us, my husband's difficult red head would be the butt of many jokes.

After the red Mazda he had a BMW (we were in Germany, they were cheap there!), which wasn't red. But after that was a red Toyota Celica, which had it's share of difficulties, and now we have just traded in our minivan for yet another "red head".



It's a '98 Dodge Dakota Sport. Hubby claims he doesn't even care for the color red on vehicles. "I like blues and greens." he'll proclaim. Yet he keeps buying red vehicles!! Hubby loves Dodge Dakotas. Back in the day we had a black one that was slightly raised, had roll bars and lights. He loved that truck, but we had to sell it when we found out I was pregnant with Michael. He's in a mini heaven having a Dakota again. Though he'll say "it's not that nice", he had no problem parking it on the very very edge of the drive way so it wouldn't get hit by the door of a behemoth of a van when the kids get out. lol

Anyhow, we ended up having to take out a small two year loan to cover it. In doing so, hubby has to quit smoking. He had successfully quit before his R&R, was smoke free for near four months. But once he went back to Iraq, he started smoking again. So I know he can quit, but I'm worried about him actually doing it. The end of this month he leaves for Alabama for a six week class, he's planning on quitting then so we don't have to be around his grumpy, going through withdrawals self. So if you pray, please pray for him. He's gonna need it!

Happy 2009

Happy 2009 y'all! Sorry I haven't been around much. With the kids out of school, and all their extra activities put on hold this week, we've been living a relaxed lazy life. It's been good to have some unwinding time. It hasn't all been easy though, Nahla decided to put a 3" hole in our carpet while we were at church last Sunday. You know, most puppies chew on furniture or shoes. Not ours, no, she hasn't destroyed a couch or chair, not a single shoe has been harmed despite there being 8 pairs sitting in the living room. Nope, instead she puts a hole in our carpet. Needless to say, our restraint was seriously challenged!

Lately I've been trying to work on my website. Finally got Magento installed. That thing has so many bells and whistles, it's like a little kid in a candy store. But unfortunately all those bells and whistles make it's learning curve extremely steep. I have spent days on this app, and I'm still not close to being able to launch it. Hopefully I'll get it up by the end of the month. We shall see!

So unfortunately, my beloved hobby of card making has kind of gone on the back burner for right now. Next week the kids go back to school, and all their activities start up. Kirsten will be going to a different gymnastics school. This one with older equipment but far more experienced and qualified coaches. I am looking forward to that! Michael starts the basketball season, he's completely stoked about that. And we're trying to transfer Johnathan to a different location for his Taekwando. It's owned by the same person, but has different instructors and I'm not quite so thrilled with that. I have the highest of regards for his current instructor, he is really talented at what he does and knows how to interact with a trying seven year old boy. I worry that I won't be happy with anyone who's slightly less capable of juggling so many roles.

So that's what's going on. Not a whole lot, and I'm enjoying it. The crazy hectic life is due to resume on Tuesday, we'll see how I survive. lol

Shot of the Day

This morning was nice. Woke at 6 and jokingly told my hubby, "lets go wake the kids". He got out of bed and I called after him thatI was just joking. I got our ham in the slow cooker and our Christmas morning cinnamon roles in the over. Shortly before seven we went and woke the kids. It's so much fun jumping on their beds saying "It's Christmas (insert child's name here)! It's Christmas, it's Christmas! My younger two wake up immediately, the others taking just a smidgen longer.

We have been so blessed this year. I just have to share this favorite shot of the day of mine.


Michael is 10 and he's entered the stage of joking around with me faaar too much, and always trying to get the better of me. So I told him I was going to 'get him good' this year, and boy did I ever. My son has recently been all about basketball, unfortunately they couldn't find a coach for St. George's kids, so it looks like he won't be playing this season after all. Anyhow, he's had his Dad's old ball for a while, the thing is flat and doesn't hold air for anything, he wanted a new basketball so bad. So, all the presents are open and there's no basketball. He told me "I have $40 so I'll get to buy a basketball. That's when I suddenly remembered that there was another big box. I presented it to Michael, he was very excited.

So he opens this big box, just to find another box in it, and another box, and finally a little tupperware dish. He's giving me looks, inside is a little 3x3 card, written on it is a clue. He gets a clue which leads him to my bathroom which leads him to the fridge, which leads him to the laundry room. Funny thing is, he's still tripping out over the fact that Mommy 'got him', and his siblings are the ones figuring out the clues!

So in the laundry room he finds a big box, opens it up and inside is his basketball. He's glad and relieved, till he finds that there's another clue taped to it. That clue leads him to the microwave where a little box waits for him. He opens that up and finds a net. He keeps saying, "I know you didn't get me a basketball hoop. What is this for?" Meanwhile his sister is reading the clue that was with it which tells him to get some fresh air. He heads outside and finds a basketball goal in the drive way with a big red bow on it. He was so shocked and surprised. I'm quite satisfied that I got him so well. I've proved once again that I am still able to get the best of him. :)

It's that time of year...

It's that time of year, the time of family, friends, laughter, good cheer, and.... not much time to blog. Today is the last day of school for my little ones, so starting tomorrow I have two and a half weeks of constant noise and having to find something for them to do. I don't suspect I'll disappear entirely but my much decreased frequency will probably continue for a while. I'm spending my time with my family, which is finally whole for a change. I pray everyone has a fabulous Christmas. Remember, it's not the gifts, or the money that makes Christmas great, is the memories of being with one another, and remembering our Savior's birth. :)