Well, I didn't fair to well. I thought it was just the Sunday blahs getting me. I found out different around 2:00 a.m. Monday. I was up tossin' my cookies. I woke Steve up and he came downstairs to check on me. I don't (if possible) throw up in the toilet - I try to get to the sink so I can run the garbage disposal. There isn't anything worse than tossin' your cookies! It is disgusting!!! So, I laid on the sofa for the rest of the night only to awake every hour on the hour in a drenching night sweat and to feel like I am going to vomit again! At 5 I went back up stairs to reset the alarm because I wasn't going in to work right away. But by 6 back up again tossin' my cookies! Gross! So, Steve got up and took Piper to the sitter and I stayed home. At first I was just planning on staying home for awhile and then going in. I thought it was just my Applebee's supper but I never made it in. I got to where I could keep stuff down but MAN did I have one hell of whoppin' headache! So I just sat on the sofa and chilled. Only to find out that Ashley was home sick yesterday and 2 other girls from her slumber party on Friday night were home sick too! So, now I just have to hope and pray little Piper doesn't get it!!!

I just don't know where time goes. Life is just passing us by! Our kids are growing up so fast and I am always wishing it was Friday. With that all I do is wish my life away. The weekends go so fast I should quit wishing it was Friday because before I know it - it's Monday........



Not much happened last week. Just same ol' work and home life. Some days just that is exhausting.......



This weekend we had the big kids. Friday Ashley stayed at a girlfriend's house and early Saturday morning Steve went up to get her. Ashley was her normal teenage self and never said thank you to her dad for driving all the way up to Albion to get her. We all got up early Saturday and got moving. We were at Target at 10:30. That is pretty good for all of us. I had tons of stuff to get at Target. We didn't go out last week so I just had bunches of stuff to get this week. I had made a layered taco casserole thing before we left for Target so that lunch was ready when we got home. Riley is into trying what he thinks are "new" things. So, he wanted to try the casserole. I am not sure he liked it. It had some things on it that he really doesn't care for. I like it and so did the rest of us. We went to Huntington to celebrate my dad's birthday and mom had tons of food. It was nice to see everybody again. My Aunt Angie and Uncle Paul came over too. That was nice. Seems like lately we have been seeing alot of my family. Which I do enjoy.

Just like last weekend I was so busy on Saturday that I was shot for Sunday. I did laundry today and cleaned some but I wasn't worth crap! I took an afternoon nap while Piper was down. I know I shouldn't do that. For some reason whenever I take a nap like that I wake up with a horrible taste in my mouth and with an upset stomach. It's usually every time I do this. It's so weird. After we dropped off the big kids we went to Applebee's for supper. It was ok. But after eating I felt worse than before. It's the craziest thing. Well hopefully I feel better by tomorrow because it's payroll week! Also, W-2's are going out this week!

MAN! Where does the time go..... I can't believe last week is over let alone the weekend. And what a week and weekend it has been! The week was the normal busy week and I was pretty much exhausted every night for some reason. A couple of nights I brought home work with me so after I put Piper down I was busy till bed time. Then a couple of nights I tried to watch TV but was unlucky because once I was sitting down and under a blanket I was out cold and only woke up when Steve woke me up to go upstairs. I had my eye doctor appointment on Wednesday. The doctor dialated my eyes. I have never had that done - that was a trip. And man I picked the day with the most sunshine to have that done! I had my sunglasses and the little sunglasses that they give you on to drive back to work. They had my glasses done that evening so we ran out to get them. When I went in to get my glasses I had decided to buy me some new sunglasses. So we ordered them up! We picked them up on Saturday. I love them - the are the "big" style black and white. I told Steve I remember seeing a picture sometime of Jackie Kennedy having a pair like. Of course I look NOTHING like her in them! I think she was a really pretty lady. And very classy. I always thought that about my Grandma Haneline too. My Grandma was always decked to the nines and had the purse and jewelry to match!

Yesterday we had a very busy day. I was up early and showered early and Steve asked me if we wanted to go eat breakfast. I love to do that every once in awhile and it's been forever since we have so I said YES! We took the grocery list with us and we ate breakfast, picked up my sunglasses and we were at the store at 10! I can't believe it! Then after the store we came home and put away everything and ate lunch. I put Piper down for her nap. We were going to Huntington that night for a surprise b-day party for Aunt Angie. We had plans to go to my parents for dinner before the party. I had decided early in the week that I wanted to make some kind of homemade soup. I have never done that and I wanted to try. So after Piper went down for her nap I started my soup. I was making potato soup. I had found a recipe in a work cookbook so I decided to try that. I was so easy to make. And suprise - it tasted good! I think everybody liked. Everybody ate some at least!! It was a cheesy potato type soup and it had ham and I added some bacon to it. So needless to say - not healthy but good. Then we headed to the party. It was cold in the building but got better as everybody got there. Aunt Angie was surprised and everybody had a good time! Piper had a blast. She was running around and dancing. We left the party around 9 and she was awake the whole way home. But she went to bed right when we got home and slept till 8 this morning!

Steve and I were suppose to go to the Mad Ants basketball game today. I was really looking forward to going. But over the weekend he has had lots of stomach issues and I got one of those nice headaches last night so we were both pretty shot today. And then.... this weather we are having. It is so cold out - I just didn't want to go out today. Grammy was suppose to come up and watch Piper today but we called and just told her that we were staying home. I know it probably disappointed her but we just weren't up to it today plus then she didn't have to go out in this shit cold either! But I need some "couple" time. We haven't had a time alone since September for our anniversary and it's time for some of that again. Hopefully it will warm up some soon and then maybe we can have that time. So, with that I haven't left the house all day.

Steve went over to Papa Murphy's Pizza and we got one of those you bake at home. It was pretty good. He got the stuffed pizza. It was very filing. I would eat it again. And I would like to try just the regular crust. He then went and got us a movie to watch. We watch Good Luck Chuck. I thought it was pretty funny. I wouldn't want my big kids to watch it. Lots of boobies and sex scenes but it was better comedy then anything we have seen lately.

So, today has been pretty boring too. Just sweeping, laundry and chilling out. Oh to live in Indiana and be trapped in the house for so many months. It just sucks.

On a side note..... I have been doing Piper's hair. The first couple I tried to pull up yesterday Steve was laughing so hard at them. I had the pony tail on top of her head to far forward. But I have kinda gotten the hang of it. But those damn little rubberbands - I just don't put them in tight enough because they have to hurt when I take them out. The babysitter does a much better job but like I told Steve she had 4 daughters!

Oh - I am so pissed off. You won't believe what is stuck in the tree in my back yard~ A PLASTIC BAG!!!!! It's not mine. It's some blue bag and every time I let out the dogs I get to hear it blowing in the wind. Just pisses me off. And I think it's up far enough that we won't be able to get it out.

I love the new car. It is so nice for us. It does have more room and it is a moe comfortable ride. What a nice car it is. I can't believe the quality. I just hope it keeps the hubby happy!

Check out Piper's hair from the sitter tonight! It was adorable!

I can not believe how fast the weekend went. We had the big kids and it was a pretty nice weekend. We have been trying to not eat out as much - usually just once a weekend. We didn't do so well this weekend. We went to Applebee's for supper on Friday night and then on Saturday I made a good lunch (meatballs, mashed taters, corn and gravy) because I planned on making homemade pizza but we ran to Target and big mama was hungry when we left there so we hit Little Caesar's pizza for the party pack. It wasn't too expensive but still I should've cooked!

Steve and I were able to go look for new glasses. I got a cool pair! They are black and white frames. They are "fun" the lady said. I am not sure what for sure she meant but they looked cool and felt great on my face. Now, I just have to go to the eye exam and get the glasses done. Then I will be one hip mama!

I just saw a commercial on tv for a website http://www.protectingfutures.com/ it is for the girls of Africa who can't go to school during their period. How sad is that. If you buy Always and Tampax they will donate pads and money to these girls so they don't have to miss school. I can't imagine having to stay home just because of that. They have a t-shirt section. I asked Steve if I should order Ashley one. It says Use your Period for good! Ashley would shoot me. If we even mention the word "period" she is gone.... gone or grossed out. She must think that I have no idea what it is or how it all works. I am sure I was the same way. So freaked out when my mom would even try to talk to me about "it". I guess I probably didn't have the goofy parents Ashley has that just talk about it! Our poor kids - we have a pretty open policy about talking about anything and usually it's their dad(I know you are surprised!) that brings these odd stuff up..... I always answer their questions.... I may not tell them the "whole" story but I don't lie. I tell them enough that they are satisfied and answer anymore questions that they may have.

Like this weekend I was explaining to Riley about constipation. Ashley was pretty grossed out but Riley needed to hear about it. Apparently he is having some trouble. Well, it doesn't help that they only fruit he gets is what he eats here and at school and he drinks VERY little water. I found out in talking to him that at their mom's house she buys VERY little fruit. Kinda crazy - what a good thing to feed your children and helps fill them up. No wonder they eat us out of house and home!! But it's kinda a funny story - Friday night Riley said his stomach hurt and Steve got up to get him so medicine. We don't have Mylanta or whatever upstairs and the next morning I realized he gave him Milk of Magnesia..... that makes you shit! No wonder Riley got up at 12:30 and took a crap. I told Steve the next morning... you know you gave him meds to make him shit and he said "yes I think that is his problem" and sure enough after talking to Riley he has had these problems. Well, whatever it takes to feel better. And I guess all of you that know Josh you know he doesn't have these problems......

Steve is going to look at a car tomorrow and sounds like he is probably going to get it. It's a nice ride. It's a Volvo S40. He thinks it will be a bigger car for when it's just the 3 of us. When we have the big kids I like to take my truck(suv) - it just has more room for all of us and I just feel more comfortable in it. But when it's just the 3 of us it's nice to leave my truck at home and take the car (for gas reasons) So if this car is bigger than what we have and the 3 of us can fit in it better it would be nice.

On a fun note... Piper is really liking playing with the Little People stuff. I won a house and bunches of extras on ebay and it's on its way. I think she is really going to like it! Plus something else for her to play with..... she really doesn't have many toys.....ummmm.... yeah right.

Time flies when you are having fun. I wish we were having fun! Indiana weather is just great! Early this week we had 65 degrees on Monday and now its 32 and spitting snow/ice. Only how many more months until spring????

Busy week as usual. We had the big kids on Monday and Thursday and then again tonight for the weekend visit. Steve played basketball on Tuesday and we had an appointment on Wednesday night so pretty much the whole week was just plain busy. Also, work is really busy this time of year. With our annual audit coming up Feb. 18-20 - it's time to get all the shit done that I have put off. This week I just kinda felt all disorganized and out of control. I have stuff to do at home and stuff to do at work and then I get in my vehicle and I am out of gas. I just can't catch a break! I know everybody feels like this at times. Just seems like you are going 500 mph and when you get a chance to chill out your body and mind are racing so you can't relax. I know I was tired last night. I hit the pillow and I was out. Steve informed me this morning that I was snoring really loud last night. I use to snore really bad when I was pregnant... no, not even funny. I am sure I was just really, really tired.

I am happy to report that Ashley made the honor roll again! YEAH! She gets to keep her phone for alittle while longer at least. I am really proud of her and that is cool she gets to keep the phone.

We are pretty boring people this week. Not much to write about - just working and home life. I am excited tomorrow because Steve and I are going to look at new glasses. I haven't had new glasses since Dec. 2005 - so it will nice to go see what is out there. We always dump a bunch of money on our glasses. Steve says since we wear them everyday they need to be the ones we really like and feel comfortable. I hope I find a new pair!! The ones I have aren't really that dated or anything but I think my eyes have changed and I need a new look! Hell that will take more than glasses!!!

Steve is busy looking for an artist to do another tattoo for him. Whatever! As long as he doesn't end up with them up his neck and hanging out his shirt sleeve - I don't really care. It is his body. But my good buddy Josh seems to think that he actually listens to me and that I need to learn the meaning of the word silence. What apparently Josh doesn't realize is that I know the meaning of the word silence and has ANYONE ever know ME to be quiet??????? I am not a quiet person and frankly the older I get the more opinionated I get....

Have all of you heard the song In My Daughter's Eyes - Martina McBride? Wow - what a song. I know I haven't ever made it thru the song without tears. If you haven't heard it - you need to check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLS0Y40WwlA I am so happy to be a mom - I have waited so long for this rewarding part of my life. I have had my step-kids for several years now. But I am not their mom- they have a mom. I give them that "mom" they need when they are here but I don't make them call me mom and I don't expect them to think of me as their mom.

Switching it up alittle bit. I am tired of the dark, dreary colors I was using so for now I am changing.

One other thing I would like to say.... my husband bought a used laptop from his brother at Christmas time. I thought it was so stupid. It wasn't much money but that is the last thing we need in our house another computer and techy thing. Well, guess what - he was right(don't tell him I said that....) I love it. I love that I can sit on the couch and blog, email whatever. I also like that he can do that too and I don't feel like he is over at our other computer ignoring me all evening. So, if you are a computer family like us and you don't have a laptop - buy one! Even if it used.

I can't believe the weekend is almost over. We have had a pretty decent one. Yesterday we got around and headed to the grocery store. $160.00 later we were out of there. We looked up a few new recipes and bought stuff to try them. Let's see what kind of goodies they make!!! One of them we have already had but not for along time. We are going to try to get back on the "trying something new" because we are just so burned out on the winter eating stuff. We hate it when we can't grill out. During the summer I bet we grill out 5 nights a week. So, needless to say when we have to eat something cooked inside all winter we struggle with stuff to eat. After the grocery we came home and ate some lunch and put Piper down for a nap. Steve went out and drove the VW Rabbit while she was napping. He said it was a nice car but smaller than the one we have so that isn't really what he wanted. So I guess he is going to pass for now.

After Piper got up we headed to Huntington to hang out with Grammy and Grandpa. We called them early in the day to see if they wanted us to come down and hang out. Adam and Natalie had friends coming over but they stopped by for a visit too. I took baby Norah a bunch of crap down. We pass most of Piper's things down to baby Norah. I am sure it helps Adam and Natalie out alot. I took them Piper's booster seat. It was great when she was little but now she needs to be pushed clear up to the table and it has arms on the side of it so we can't slide her all the way - and believe me she takes full advantage of that. I got 2 used booster seats from the neighbors - they were selling them on the Free and Reasonable site. What a great deal - I kept one here and took one to Grammy's for Piper to use and Norah when she gets a bit bigger. They are in good shape - Thanks Jill & Larry! (Timmy and Kimberly too!!)

Today we headed to the mall - Steve needed a calendar and I needed to pick up a birthday present for a friend. Steve still hasn't found a calendar yet and I did get my birthday present purchased so we were out of there. We decided to eat some lunch - neither of us could decide where so we tried the Golden Corral. WOW! I really don't like buffets and I remembered why shortly after we got there. I don't think we will be going back anytime soon. But Piper was free there and Riley(our eating machine) would only be $5 ----- now I know why their mom takes them there - hell 2 of her kids would be free and the bigger kids only $5 and they can eat till the puke! We still need to go to Target - so after our brat wakes up we are heading out again. I have my usual long list for my Target purchases.

You know one of my 2008 resolutions too is to use what we have before we buy more - always ask myself - "Do I have some of this to use already"??? because as I have wrote before we are a pretty wasteful family. So, with that I have a bunch of different kinds of lotions. I told myself before I buy ANYMORE I am going to use what I have. I counted today and I have 9 half used or just alittle used bottles. I also recently used one bottle up and have started on the next. That is freakin' ridiculous. Really - I guess I just kept buying a new kind when they bottle would change or whatever. Stupid it is. So - are you like me?????? Do you buy another toothpaste just because you are ready for something different or another lotion because you are 1/4 done with the one you have and want to try something different. Well, stop it. Unless its really, really bad what you bought or have - just use it up and then get a new kind. Think of the people that don't even have ONE!!!

We have been talking to Ashley all weekend. Either by text or phone. It's GREAT! Also, she sounds like such a grown-up when I talk to her. I hope that even if she doesn't make the honor roll her dad let's her keep the phone - just because I am finding out she really did "need" the phone. Well, not really but you know what I mean. Maybe I really "needed" her to have the phone!!!

Did you all watch SuperNanny last night????? MAN! Was I pissed off during the second episode that was on. I could not believe that those people(I won't call them parents!!)would treat their teenage daughters like that. Those poor girls were working their butts off and running after the little kids and cooking and cleaning. Hell - they should've just kicked those people(not parents) out of the house and they wouldn't have had half of their problems. The man(not dad) expecting them to clean and take care of the little kids and the woman(not mom) leaving and not doing anything that resembled a mom! I could not believe that those people(not parents) didn't get in some trouble for the way they were treating the teenage kids. I just still am in disbelief that anyone could treat their children that way. It just made me want to contact ABC and get the number for those teenage girls and ask them to come live with us!! Don't get me wrong - I feel kids should help out and have chores - our kids do - but this was the extreme! I love the SuperNanny show. I love Jo Jo. I watch for her tips. I was freakin' out last night because in the last week we started putting Piper in the "naughty" chair. I thought I made it up.... but then last night while I was watching - Jo Jo has the naughty chair. I guess I probably heard it on the past shows and that is where I pulled it out my butt when we started using it on our little demon.

Piper keeps turning on and off the TV. This is the reason she has seen the naughty chair for the most part. We do real good at sitting her in it each time she does a naughty thing. Plus her other favorite thing to do to get in trouble is climb up the desk chair and get on our desk and beat on the computer or mess with all the stuff on the desk. I learned from Jo Jo that one of the secrets to this is being consistent. So no matter how tired I am - I try to be consistent. I want her to understand that some behaviors are just not acceptable. But we will see. Especially since my crazy husband - wants a brat!!!

I am so tired of the cold, cold weather. The temperature on my truck this morning was 5 degrees. That is ridiculous. Steve and I have vacationed SEVERAL times in California. We love it there. The first time we went out - if Ashley and Riley could've moved - we would've been GONE!!! We love the busy life and the awesome weather. Each year I get older - this weather is harder and harder to take. Really how can we live with this weather from November till at least March. We are just crazy to live with this! This year my feet have been freezin' off! I know I need a pair of boots. I am just really having a hard time doing that. I need to find that "right" pair that won't make me look like an old lady. You know what I am talking about the ones that go up about mid-calf and have the fur popping out the top and they zip up the front. I just feel like an old lady in those!!! Maybe this weekend we can check a few places and see what they have. I did find a pair at this one store and sure - they were 125.00 - I am not paying that much for boots. I will just not.

I love Ashley having her cell phone. She texted me right after work tonight and then the next thing I knew she was calling me. It was great. She said she just thought she would call me. I loved it. Her and I chat for awhile and lucky for her Steve and I rode to work together today so I was able to pass off the phone to her dad! He was happy too! I told him that phone was cool because before it - she would've never picked up the phone and called us like that! Last night her and I were texting each other and she told me she wanted me to call her Sunday because she will be bored. lol. I wish so much that she lived with us. She is turning into such a nice young lady. She is so helpful when she is here. You don't even have to (most of the time) tell her what to do - she just does it - ahead of you!!

My political husband is just so crazy right now with this presidential stuff. I do enjoy it though. I feel like I need to pay attention because they talk about all the things that I need to care about and be up to date on. I was thinking the other day that I could see him someday running for some kind of office - and then I got to thinkin' about all the dirt they could dig up on his past..... man - if you read his blog you know what I am talking about and I know many things that he hasn't put on his blog - hell just imagine when they dig up his blog and tell the voters to check it out! Also I was thinkin' about us being followed by the camera hounds trying to get our picture when we are coming out of the mall!! I don't know if I will be able to take being the first lady.... holy shit - I will get to plan Christmas at the White House.... Steve was really looking forward to Bill Clinton getting to be the first lady that gets to organize Christmas at the White House. That is my favorite thing to watch during the holidays. I hope someday to go to the White House and volunteer to do Christmas at the White House!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Not really a big deal to us. Last night was just another day. I had to work all day and I was very busy. Steve stayed home with Piper and went and got stuff to make chili for supper. When I got home from work I mixed up the chili and Steve took an envelope to the post office for me. We ate supper and watched 2 movies. WOW - they were alittle different movies. We watched Super Bad and Hot Rod. Both pretty stupid if you ask me. BUT both of them had some pretty funny parts that made me laugh pretty hard.

Then we woke up to the snow today. We went over to one of the neighbors - they have a New Years breakfast. You get to visit with the other neighbors. Steve tried backing out on me. He said he wanted to snow blow - and I could go over and visit. (since he isn't the social type!!) Well Piper and I went over and breakfast wasn't ready yet and so we visited for awhile and then it was ready and Steve was over by then - so he DID have to visit with some of our neighbors. We didn't stay long - Piper was too nosey around there house - which is how she is everywhere right now.

After breakfast we went to Kohl's. I don't usually shop there much - I never find much. But I need some new panties(they usually have my favs there) and I need nice white T-shirts. If you can believe this - I can't find nice white T-shirts. I have some from several years ago that have the nice satin rim around the crew neck - I love them. And can't find anything like them or something just as nice. Well, since mine are several years old they look several years old. So they did have some so I bought 2 to try.

It's a new year. I really hate the beginning of a new year. No holidays to get the day off work, my department has to get ready for our annual audit and just being stuck in the house. I have in the past made new year resolutions. I think this years resolution is just going to be to try to be a better person all around. Meaning - to my family, my co-workers, my friends and trying to be better at keeping my checkbook up to date. You know the mechanic who has the broken car, the contractor who lives in the unfinished house, WELL I am the accounting type with the messed up checkbook that never has all the receipts in it or is balanced. I don't feel like doing that when I get home. Shit - I look at numbers all day long!!! In regards to the normal new years resolution - loose weight. Hell, I have that one every year. I have weighed the same now for several years. But this year 2007 I did manage to lose some weight and just get me back down to my normal weight. I lost 22 lbs. this year(2007) - now if I could just do that in 2008 that would be great!!

Did you all notice the amount of trash your family produced at Christmas time?????? I could NOT believe it. I know it's always alot - but this year I really paid attention. And holy crap. All the packages that Piper's toys came in. Man - can't these companies put this stuff in some different packaging to help cut down on the trash. Its really crazy all the big boxes that they put stuff in. If you didn't notice this year - I will remind you next year to pay attention. When you really pay attention - you won't believe it.

Ashley texted us last night to wish us Happy New Year. And she texted us on Sunday night after she told her mom that she got the cell phone for Christmas. She claims her mom isn't mad about the cell phone at all. That is good.

If you make a new years resolution - let's hear it- post it on the comments. Let's hear how we are going to make 2008 a better year!