Good Morning!

I really should have given myself more time to edit my last post before I posted it. Unfortunately, I type like I speak and it doesn't always come out how I want it to (minus all the grammatical errors to boot).
I finally made the time to take down the Christmas decorations yesterday. I always put this task off for as long as I can because it always makes me a little sad to see the season end. (and it's a pain in the rear to re-tote all those decorations:)) We took the tree downstairs when Jas got home too. Now we are trying to figure out how to arrange the living room best with the new furniture. The room is just too narrow.......
Tyler and I played a new game yesterday that he had gotten for Christmas. It's Boggle Jr., a game for preschoolers to help them with letter recognition and site work spelling. This is an area I worry about with Tyler. He, like the rest of us, does fantastically with numbers and the number concepts. But he is struggling a little with letter recognition and sound. A lot of this is my own fault, because I have not been a good teacher with working with him. (one of my numerous resolutions for the year) I am hopeful that this will be rectified soon though. One of the resolutions I made for the boys (much to their dismay) is they must EARN gaming time. By jobs/chores, homework, etc. Not an unreasonable task, if you ask me. I keep reminding Cody that he has been lucky so far in that he has got to do fun stuff (i.e. play with friends, play outside, play games) without having to do jobs/chores around the house and that this was not the case for either his dad or I growing up. Oh....I always make chore charts for the boys, but haven't been the best at reinforcing them (another resolution:)). Cody is such a good student though, that he rarely has homework! :) He actually gets to have a lot of computer time at school while he waits for the other kids to finish with their work. He really likes to play on the computer, which makes me a little nervous (go figure). There are a few websites that I let him go to, but the other day I found him and Tyler hooting it up over some YouTube videos.......I went berserk. I had to try and explain to them just how dangerous that can be, without completely corrupting them with what's out there to stumble upon!! YIKES!

Wednesday that feels like Monday!!

Once again the amazing BOISE STATE BRONCOS won the Fiesta Bowl!! What a game! The boys and I went to Whitehall Saturday the 2nd to meet Claire (my new niece....Kietra's baby) and to visit with fam. And of course to watch the Fiesta Bowl at Bree's house Monday evening!! We had a big taco dinner and then watched the game. ALL of us were experiencing heart palpitations and upset tummies towards the end of the game!! WOW! But they managed to pull it out and all I can say is BRONCO NATION LIVES ON!!! Bree put BSU tatoos on the kids the next day when we went over to Bozeman to do a quick tour of The Museum of the Rockies. Of course, they all wanted them to be smack dab in the middle of their foreheads. So, Cody went to school today with BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY spanning across his forehead. Wonder what the teachers thought of that. Actually, the teachers probably weren't surprised at all, but I bet the Principal would have said something had she seen it.....she a barrel of fun...NOT!! Oh well.
We got about 6-10 inches of snow yesterday. Thankfully most of it after we got home from Whitehall. It was crazy deep walking to school this morning in. Tyler was NOT happy. It was not easy to maneuver in with his little legs and he let me know the WHOLE way to school! :) Love that one, he holds nothing back when not pleased. So he happied up once I gave him a piggyback ride most of the way home. I asked if I could put him down once we got to Dogwood and he replied "I guess". Once I set him down, I said how "that was hard work for mom" and he told me it would just make me tougher...............
Tyler's been wearing size 4 snowpants so far this year and they've worked okay, but today when I was giving him a piggyback the bottoms of his legs were showing (and it was negative weather) so we braved the crappy roads to go to Target. And we found his some black and orange plaide size 5 snowpants on clearance for $9!! Whoo hoo! He was so excited (as of course I was too). Cody was bummed they didn't have his size of those colors! I was bummed for him too.
Well, it's time for me to go home from work (yes I am typing this at work....NAUGHTY!!) so I will say goodnight for now and will write more later!

Wow has it really been that long?

One of my New Year's resolutions is to journal more. So I will attempt to do that with the blog. I really do need to keep better records of the boys' daily lives. It's always fun to look back on things and remember the time, place, mood, etc. surrounding that event.
I have many more resolutions and may post them later, but for now I will just start anew with this thing and go from here.

So it's only been 3 months......right?!!!

I truly enjoy reading other people's blogs and they all sound like they lead such exciting lives. So many things happening to them and their families. Plus, they all seem to be able to put their lives into writing that sounds coherant, funny and fascinating. I do NOT have this talent. Unfortunately, I write like I speak, but I don't know how to put the right inflections in the right places to actually make you read it like I would have said it........................(obviously, just from reading what I just wrote, you might get a little of what I mean :) This is not an excuse for not keeping this more updated, but, well, maybe it is a little bit. :)
Our lives right now actually are very full, but where to start. Let's start with football, that's always a good subject. Cody and I are doing a Fantacy Football team this year. Our League is of course Bronco Fanz (NOT Denver, mind you..............that was for any WI folks who might not know the Mabbott's Boise State Obsession, we LOVE our Broncos!!!!). Cody and I named our team the Tiger Sharks. Our defesive group is of course the Packers (although they've done pretty crappy for me the last couple weeks, minus the interception). Anyway, our team isn't doing too bad. It's kinda fun each week to watch the numbers. On another football note, Cody is playing on a flag-football team. It is so much fun, he has practices Mon and Fri evenings and then games every Sat. morning. This goes clear through to the second Sat. of Nov. I'm sure by then it will be freezing and we will be glad it's done for the year. He already had one game two weeks ago and then had to miss last week because we were in Glendive to see Jason's parents and his grandparents who were over from WI. At Cody's first game he played offense and did a great job blocking for his little friend (who scored 3 touchdowns for us). When Cod came to the sideline I said "Nice blocking Babe!!!" and his comment was "Yeah, I was holding on one of them though, good thing I didn't get a penalty!" We all laughed pretty hard (I'm pretty sure the highschool ref isn't going to call ANY penalties in flag football, too cute though).
Tyler is currently in the living room watching Tom & Jerry, lying on the couch yelling for me to get him some "moo-juice" (aka milk for the rest of us)........just got off the phone with Geri, I of course forgot a jacket in Glendive, I'm a little surprised that's all that was left so far. But they'll be coming out sometime soon to watch one of Cody's games, so anything we left will be able to be brought with them! :) I think my parents are coming not this weekend but next to watch a game. I am actually impressed with the boys, they're running plays and learning the rules, etc. We had such a joke of a coach for soccer that I was a little worried about football (not that I stepped up to coach, so I better not complain too loud). Cody and his friends are a little upset it isn't "full-contact", but us parents are of course glad that little-guy football is still a couple years down the road. :)
I've started working more hours again. Not really what we wanted, but these stinky gas/grocery prices are really not giving us much of a choice. I'm also taking a little more of a back-burner approach to PTA this year. I think I give more of my time directly to Cody's teacher and also my kids this year. I still go to meetings and end up being on committee's, but just not as many (I think :).
I need to download my camera pictures and then I will post some. The new picture on the header was the first day of school this year. Neither of them would give me a good smile, so that is what I got, I guess.......stinkers, just like their dad................. :)

Last Day of School Tomorrow

Tomorrow is Cody's last day of school, it's a half day. Yesterday the school had their "Awards Assembly". Cody was given his Student of the Month certificate and then he also got the "Citizens Certificate" for his class. Each teacher picked a boy and a girl from their class that showed enthusiasm for learning, good friendship and overall good citizenship. We're very proud of him! Tonight we're going to go to Home Depot or Lowe's and pick out either a plant or some flowers for Cody's teacher. Cody's comment at the beginning of the week was "remember the good-ol-days when it was the beginning of the school year?" Most kids can't wait for summer, not Cody, he's like me, he really enjoys school and wouldn't mind if it was all year round with breaks every once in a while. Although, I'm sure once the heat hits, he'll be glad to be out of school and outside playing. Cody's class also did "Frog and Toad" plays yesterday. Here are some pictures:

Where does the time go?

I really should try and make it a point to post on here more often. I really enjoy reading others, but usually by the time I'm done reading other's I either am tired of being in front of the computer, I need to go pick up Cody from school, or I realized my life just isn't as interesting as the rest of ya'lls. :)
It is 1:40 in the morning right now and I am at work sitting in a 1:1 trying to stay awake by surfing the web. I was scheduled to work until 11p last night and then come back in the morning at 6:30a for a 12 hour shift. So, rather than go home and sleep for only a few hours, I decided to stay and make money instead. Most times, it is much easier for me to just not sleep at all then get a small amount of sleep. Anyway...
The boys are doing great! Cody is growing like a weed, both physically and otherwise. It's fun seeing how his personality has developed over this past school year. He's made some great friendships. Today was "crazy hair day" at school. This is the one time (so far) it would have been easier to have a girl (or not to have cut Cody's hair the previous week). All the girls at school just did funky/lots of pony tails, some had colored their had, but not a lot. Boy's really only have a few options. Spray color it, or wear a wig. Cody wanted spray color. He chose blue and white (school colors). So before school this morning we sprayed his head, half blue, half white. He really looked quite cute with his hair colored. With his blonde hair it really showed up well too! We got to school and his teacher was the one who was out walking with the kids and she had on this "wig" that was a black spiked mohawk with red tips and bald sides. It was a riot, and what a good sport! Have I mentioned before just how fabulous she is, I can't even tell you how much I'm going to miss her next year!!!!!! I just realized I didn't get a picture of Cody with his colored hair. I'll just have to do it again! He'll love that!!
Tyler is, well, a three-year-old. That boy is into EVERYTHING!!!! He can't keep his hands off of stuff. And he wanders, twice now my neighbor has had to bring him back to the house while I am frantically looking for him, now I know just to look there first (and both times she had been taking a nap, she's in her second tri-mester with her 3rd baby, she just found out yeserday she's having a boy, she currently has two girls!! :)) Whenever I hear a crash (which is often) I yell out "Tyler, what are you doing?" and he ALWAYS replies "Nothing Mama" (he's recently started calling me "mama"?) and when I go to investigate it certainly isn't "nothing"!!! He definately keeps me on my toes and my eggs safely tucked away in their hiding places.
Jason has started another project. The boy doesn't know how to do things on a small scale. He decided we needed a "shed" and a new steel roof. So we decided to refinance (which we needed to do anyway) and use the difference on the new roof. Very exciting, kinda....... so I go get all the paperwork started on that, of course. The "shed" he designed and maped out is 16'x16', complete with a garage door, another regular door and a doggy door leading to another doghouse (enclosed within the "shed"). The cements been pored, the walls are all built, the materials are all bought (except for siding), the trusses delivered and tomorrow is the big barn raising party and yes, I work. That is also one of the reasons I decided to work through the night, then hopefully I won't have to stay for the full 12 hour shift tomorrow. Anyway, I really think he's building a "man-fort". I give it less than two years before he has a big screen, a lazy boy and a small frigde out there!!! :) More power to 'im. I just expect the same in return! Yeah right, he'd tell me to build my own. And me being the industrious type that I am, I'd go down to Home Depot and buy a kit! :)
I decided to pull my app. for PTA Pres. Some things during Teacher Appreciation Week that happened opened my eyes as to what I could possibly be facing and having to put up with the following year and I just wasn't willing to put me nor my family through that, so I'm looking for some online courses to take instead!
Since I'm at work I don't have access to my pictures, so no posts of them this early a.m., but soon, I promise!

Seriously....

So, after having two kids I know I've mentioned on here before that I am definately a cold weather gal anymore. That being said, I am anxious for Spring and my garden and all the projects Jas and I have planned for our yard and house this Spring/Summer. And low and behold today it is snowing. Quite heavily in fact. That big, huge, wet flakey variety. Which will green up the lawn nicely (and I'm sure Jas was wishing he'd a fertilized the lawn yesterday), but seriously......... I have to go pick up Cody in an hour and I do NOT feel like walking in snow. We live less than two blocks from the school and I am sadly debating driving to go get him. I'll walk, of course, but I'm going to grumble about it all the same! This is a picture out the window of the game room.






















I'm not sure why I can't turn this picture, so you'll just have to turn your head sideways in order to look at it right...... Tyler's being a monkey in the picture on the left.
Well, Tyler wants chicken noodle soup before we have to go pick up Cody. Ostah