Manic and a muffin monday

What sound or noise do you love? well, at night I have to use my "sleep music"....<----basically rain and ocean sounds with soft background music.....it puts me to sleep most nights. What sound or noise do you hate? the sound of a kid getting ready to barf in the backseat....that little gurgle just before the back of your car smells like the worst kind of ick!

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? own and run a bed and breakfast....kind of like a Muffin Monday all the time

What profession would you not like to do? cleaning cars with kid barf, so a car detailing shop.



We celebrated a late birthday for Will. We had cupcakes with chocolate frosting....what more could a bunch of cousins under five want?

I still can't believe my little boy is five. Seems just like yesterday he was smaller than new baby cousin J.

We baked our first muffin Monday in OH......lemon blueberry with blueberries picked from Grandpa and Grandma's bushes. Livi ate as many, if not more, than she picked.

Cousin S, the new big brother was loving the muffins. Can you see cousin E's little piggies?? He was stealing her muffin and she was none to happy.

Happy Monday, y'all.



should I start a count down to the big day? No, not the move in day, there is a BIGGER day a coming?

water, water, water everywhere

We have enjoyed our time here in OH so far. Most of our activities have revolved around water: ponds, water pumps, swimming, and rain. Lots and lots of rain......mostly at night, but yesterday it was on and off all day.

There are many frogs in various stages of life in Grandpa's pond. They are surprisingly loud for such little things. This one is maybe three inches long and can put out quite the croak. The first time I heard it, it startled me!

The kids are trying to count the frogs without falling in. Livi has fallen in this one in the past. She was standing on a chair that is just to the front of this pond area. She leaned a bit too far on the chair back.....the chair tipped over to the pond like a bridge over a moat! I jumped into the pond with a skirt on to grab her. That little pond is about thigh deep! I hope I didn't crush any froggies.

More water in this old timey water pump. It just continually cycles through, providing just enough water to fill a little bucket over and over. Buckets of fun, I tell you!

Will has turned into a little fish. The first day he kind of paddled around the edges. The second time he wore goggles and was diving to the bottom for the little torpedo toys. He would live in there if we let him.

The kids have had fun playing with all the cousins. Though Cousin E brings out the jelly-fish (jealous) in Livi. She isn't quite sure she wants E to be loving on her daddy.

We are going over to see new baby J tonight. I can't wait to snap some shots of precious newborn fingers and toes!

Happy Sunday y'all.

Friday fill in

Friday fill in courtesy of the talented Janet

Questions courtesy of Jennifer this week; thanks, Jennifer!

1. Birthdays are almost here for me.

2. Fall is my favorite season because cooler temps, gorgeous colors, nights by the fire.

3. I feel my best when I get sleep with no interruptions from kids during the night.

4. Cheese and wine (does wine count?) is my favorite food!

5. First impressions are important when buying a home.

6. The best piece of advice I ever received was "live like you are dying"...<---Tim McGraw.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to vegging, tomorrow my plans include yoga with sister-in-law and Sunday, I want to sleep in!

Our new KY abode

Our new KY abode, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

We found a house after just a few hours of searching. We started bright and early at 9AM. We looked at probably a dozen houses. Over lunch we narrowed it down to our top three. We went back to do a second look at our top two.....finally ....we have a new home!

I really loved this inside of one. It had great colors already on the walls. It had a huge corner lot with a black iron fenced yard with gorgeous landscaping. BUT it was a corner lot into the entrance of the neighborhood. While we were there several cars flew around that corner at break-neckspeed. We may as well have sold the Powerwheels, scooters, bikes, and all the outside toys. So despite it being my top choice, that was a deal breaker.

So...this house was the next choice. Very much like the first one, but needs a bit of paint on the walls. It also has a finished basement. That adorable playroom is down there, as well as am office.
This house is on the dead end of a very flat street.

Breaking it down into the GOOD: We got it cheaper than the asking price, they are paying some of OUR closing costs, It is a great fit for us....I even get to buy new dining room furniture. There is new textured burbur carpet downstairs.

the BAD: We don't close until July 24, so we are still homeless.

and the UGLY: that sponge painted kitchen with grape cut out wall paper border will be the first to go!

We are currently in OH with Husband's family. There is a new baby born just this week! They are loving playing with the cousins. It is rare that they are the "big kids" in the group. So we are just hangin' out for just a bit.

what a difference a year makes....made it to KY

what a difference a year makes....made it to KY, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

We made it to KY. The first day of driving convinced me separate the kids: one kid in each car....why didn't I think of that the first day??

Today while going approximately 75 MPH, a sheet of drywall flew off of truck, Husband kind of ran over it. Then it smacked into the front of my car, slid up the hood and rested on my windshield.....all in the midst of fairly heavy interstate traffic. I was slowing down to pull over to the side when it decided to go on over the roof of my car (also smacking the car top carrier around) . My poor car is getting seriously abused on this move. It bent the license plate, rubbed some white stuff all over the hood, and put a dent in the hood. I guess we will be fixing the rear bumper and the hood now!

I am so excited to go look for houses tomorrow. We are meeting the realtor at 9....There are over 143 properties in our price range in the town we are looking. I know we can eliminate most of those and look at a bunch.

Just to compare(the picture above was taken a year ago we were still talking to Husband on VTC (video teleconferences)....so much has happened this last year.

Hang on to your britches.....

Everyone knows I am a creature of habit. I love my routines, my calendar, my daily schedule. So this last month has had me in total chaos. ....I have tried to make a few things routine while here, but well, it is just not happening. Or it is not happening in the little simple way I would like.

Maybe I should start looking at this like a five (eeks, it is a six act) act play:

I. leaving TX
II. almost four weeks in OK
III. two day drive to KY (at least these are hotels with free wireless!)
IV. find a house in KY (totally looking forward to this one)
V. go to OH for fourth of July (are they old enough for fireworks)
VI. FINALLY get in the new house in KY (WHEW HOO!)

I guess that is the key to everything....babysteps that is. Chomping off what I can chew for just now. I think I start stressing when I think it is a honkin' long way off until I see my stuff in MY OWN house again!

So hold on to your britches, kids....we are starting act three of this little play called "Life."

just because every one should get a good laugh out of a metal armadillo sculpture in the kids park we go to, here is Livi trying to be cheesy!

Happy Father's Day

Husband- Happy Father's day.....you are so much more than a father, you are a daddy. Even after a long day at work, you are so involved with the kids. When they hear your car (and the loud music) they rush to the door waiting to see you. I think the kids are finally getting used to you after the deployment. Seeing them cuddled up with you listening to your goofy "Fred the Shark" stories just makes me laugh. I am so glad they are growing up with a daddy like you.

From your card: "For all the times I felt it but somehow forgot to show it, for all the times I dreamed it but forgot to let you know it, for all the times I thought it but it stayed inside my head, for all the times I meant it but I didn't get it said, I love you!" t.-

as told to me from Olivia on Thursday June 12, 2008....(age three and two-quarters)

Livi- Daddy, I love you daddy. My favorite things about daddy is that he tickles us. I like his name. and, and, and, he likes loud music. I like to go on trips with him, like going to a restaurant. Can we do that again? Just me and daddy..

My favorite thing daddy makes is pancakes and sausage. Oh yeah, and maple syrup. Did you write the maple syrup?

as told to me by Will....age 5

Will- Daddy, I love you so much that I love you ....I want you to give me a tickle. I like tickling. I like to play with you all the time. Like playing trains. We play with each other all the time. I love to listen to your made up stories. I love your popcorn the best. I eat it and eat it until it is all gone. I love to play everything with you better than anyone in the whole wide world. Me and daddy are silly!

half way point in Oklahoma

We have been in Oklahoma for two weeks now. We will be here almost two more weeks. Keeping busy is getting harder and harder!

We did go to a family birthday get together. I have a huge family. Like mongo huge, most of them still live very close to podunk OK. Family celebrations usually involve a cookout, cake, and lots of cousins. The kids got to play on the"'bounce".....yes, a trampoline with no nets. But I was right there the entire time. Of course I was ....shooting pics. This one is my favorite of the two of them.

Then here are a couple of what I call "learning to love the blur". They had so much fun....I was just glad it was wearing them out! LOL

We have had some freaky weather here.....we had 50+ MPH winds, then rain like no tomorrow. Finally it was a mere 60 degrees on a very cloudy Monday. It was so nice to open the windows and let the breezes blow.

Here is a view from the backyard of my mom's house in podunk OK. The kids call these "Papa's mountains".....every time I am driving home, I know when I can see these little hills, I am almost home.

Finally...this manhole cover is at the far end of my mom's property. I had to laugh because we are nowhere near Tulsa!

Husband gets here tomorrow for a long weekend. I am definitely going to be coming into the BIG town to a Starbucks. I am so missing my blogging!

Oklahoma update

Who knew I would last more than ten days of no blogging? One day I did sneak downtown to borrow someone's wireless. I could only read my email, but not post. Oh well..
Quick recap of the last few days....

One trip to the ER .....<-----crazy straws are not eye friendly

Two visits to the playground in town

Three art activities done at story time at the library

Four year old turned five

Five fingers on a handprint

Six meals grilled

Seven days Livi has slept in her own 'kinder-bed' <----I took one side off the crib in my old room.

Eight miles to the nearest BIG town

Nine : thirty <----the time at night when there are thousands of lightening bugs out

Ten: my new bedtime since I am not up reading/posting on blogs all night! LOL

We found a really cool park in the BIG town near here. If gas weren't over the four dollar mark we might go more than a couple of times a week. As it is, I am combining my grocery shopping day with a trip to the park. The kids had so much fun.

They started asking me questions about making friends there. "Mom, is this the place we are going to find a new Haley (the big girl at school Livi just loved)?" "Mom, I didn't see a Nicholas here." Despite not knowing a soul at this park, both kids were playing with someone very near their own age before we left. I am glad it is fairly easy to make friends at this age. What more does a kid need than someone to swing with, someone to walk a rope bridge with, someone to have fun with? We will definitely be going to this park a couple of times a week.

This brings me to these two pics..at first I was shooting their hands, the intent look on their little sweaty faces. But I guess what struck me as the most important thing is, no matter where kids go, these little feet will take them there.

Happy blogging, y'all.