Some Pics Of The Kids

(top row)
First pic: James, age 9 in this pic, still looks about the same now at almost 11.
Second pic: Caitlin, age 8 in this pic, looks about the same now at 9, just longer hair.
(bottom row)
Third pic: Caleb, my blondie and Caitlins twin, also at age 8, and about the same now at 9.
Last: Gabe, who looks more like Caitlin than Caleb does, about age 6, looks almost the same at 7, longer hair and has big boy top and bottom teeth now.

These pics were taken just before the 07-08 school year started, Caitlin had just got that haircut.
More later!

Grrrrrr...One Of Those Kind Of Weeks!

Ok, first off, thank god it's Saturday and there's no school! Wednesday Caleb woke up with hives all over his entire body -- literally from scalp to the soles of his feet. So we went to the Dr., got a script for Prednisone, and directions to do a baking soda bath and give the Prednisone and benadryl along with tylenol for the fever he had. Thursday he still had the hives, so he was still home from school. Friday we went for allergy testing and of course that went well, he wouldn't let them near him, so we'll have to reschedule that. Long story short, the hives are gone, and we don't know what caused them.
Then yesterday, my computer cord decided to have an issue of it's own. As I was surfing the net, my cord started to smoke and spark, and it melted! It's covered under warranty, so I'll have a new one by Tuesday or Wednesday. Nothing more than a mild inconvenience, but it makes it harder to get online and post. Still waiting to see if anyone finds my blog, and if anyone has found it, waiting to see if they leave a comment or anything.
Not much else going on, except that the prednisone has really done a number on him. He's been hyper as hell and mouthy on top of it. Last night was a 2 hour ordeal, where he was throwing himself around and screaming. I really was worried that he may hurt himself. He threw everything within reach and was kicking the wall and the window, was throwing himself down on the bed and the floor. He's only got one more day to take it, but I'm still going to call the doc on Monday and tell him about last night. I want it documented in his records that he has a reaction to prednisone. Will post more when I get my new power cord.

Woo Hoo I Have Internet!!!!

Yes I am FINALLY back online at home! No more having to run elsewhere to log on and check email. About damn time too!
It's Monday, and we all know what that means. Anything that can go wrong, will. So far, so good. Got up on time, kids dressed on time. Good there. Got to school on time, and everyone in their classes on time. Good there too. Got into the Dr.s office without having to wait 10 yrs, and managed not to have the school call me for any of the kids. Good there as well, so now I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I figured that someone would be reading this by now, and maybe even leave a comment or two by now. Guess not. Weird, cause the last time I set up a blog, I had comments and readers by the end of the first week or so. But hey, I figure that people are busy, and maybe I need to link to another blog or something. Which of course I'm at a loss as to how to do that...

Guess thats it for now, maybe I'll post more later. Hell, who knows maybe I'll even post a couple of pictures.

Back To School Night...and pondering the past

Well, Thursday was interesting. The kids had their first field trip of the school year, and went to a magic show of some sort. Some guy named Tim Horton, or something like that. From what I hear it was a good show. And Thursday night was Back to School Night. Got to meet all the teachers and have pizza and all that. James' teacher seems waaaaay too perky, lol, the kind of girl you might tell to lay off the coffee. Caleb's teacher is very understanding, she has done wonders with him, and used to be a special ed teacher. Caitlin's teacher is good, but young. Caitlin likes her though, so that's good at least, I just can't believe how young the teachers are getting. It seems like they get younger every year. Gabe's teacher is ok, but I'm not sure that he's really engaged and learning anything in class. I have met the teacher for the self-contained class, and found out that I already knew her from my days at McDonald's. She used to work at the school by where I worked and would stop by everyday.
I've already told her that if things don't work out with the current placement, that her class would be the other alternative. I think there are only about 6 or so students in her class currently, so the size wouldn't be a problem for him.

They're all doing well in school now, and are adjusting to the new routine. My internet will be up and running on Monday. My baby sis is not only pregnant, but moving to Missouri. One of my best friends is moving back here from Washington State after she has her baby in March. Life's been kinda chaotic, but all in all not too bad. I figure writing is cheaper than therapy, so what the hell.
I had wanted to write when I was younger, and talk about my childhood and how it sucked. About being a teenager, and first loves and all that. But it never happened. Instead of going out and experiencing the world, I got pregnant. Then I got married...and I was just stuck that way, kind of in a rut, not sure which way to turn or what to do to make my situation the way I wanted it. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my kids for anything, but some days I wish I had waited, that I could go back and re-write it and see how things would be if the little details of my life were just changed a little bit.
I had planned on joining the Army after I graduated. Worked hard on studying for the ASVAB, a test that I would have to take to get in, and on being in shape to pass any of the physical requirements that I would need to pass. I thought that it would be what I would do for a career, that I would become a Medical Specialist, and then go for further training and become a Special Ed teacher or something along those lines. But it didn't happen. Instead I found myself drawn to a man that I still don't really know. We met at the grocery store where he worked (and I shopped, lol). I was 17, and he was 18. His family is the type that always does stuff for each other, and knows exactly what each other is doing. He had never dated, and was totally unlike any of the guys I had ever been with before. All of a sudden, I was making plans that included him, and for a while I thought that meant still going into the Army, and moving him with me.
That Christmas, he asked me to marry him, and I figured that we could marry after graduation in June. I turned 18 in January, and we found out in February that we were pregnant. Needless to say, that shot the whole idea of going into the Army.
We married over Spring-Break in March. March 21st to be exact. James was born in October. In October, when he was a year old, we found out we were pregnant again. On January 18th, the day after I turned 20, I found out it would be twins, and that at least 1 of them was a girl. Caleb and Caitlin were born at the end of May, 2 weeks before their due date. And 22 months later, Gabe came along. I had my tubes tied then, thinking that if I didn't we'd probably keep having them 2 years apart or so. I felt let down after that, almost like I was supposed to have more babies, but had rejected fate or something. I still have days like that, maybe that's why I always "borrow" friend's kids for the weekend.
We've had LOTS of ups and downs. We've had times where we barely spoke and neither one of us could stand even being in the same room as the other. We've bought a house together, and went through foreclosure together. We've moved 8 times, nine if you include moving downstairs after the tenants moved out of the house we bought. We've been through 3 births and 1 miscarriage. And through 11 years (almost 12) of marriage.
I won't lie, it hasn't been easy. There have been a lot of days where I have wanted to be single, and once or twice where I actually thought that was it I wanted a divorce. It's been a long road, with many potholes that we've had to bump along. But most of it has just been easy enough to go along with the flow.
Enough for now, next time maybe something about my teenage years, when kids were wild and crazy...or maybe just crazy.

Our Week So Far....

Well, Monday I went to the new school to see how long it would take for the kids to be started at the new school and register them and all that. I was told they could start Tuesday, and that they already had picked out which teachers that they would have. Ok, fine, saves gas and will be an easy transition right?? NOT!! Even though we have been talking about the possibility for a couple of months (ever since we got ready to move), and have emphasized that it was a possibility, someone was bound and determined that HE was NOT going! And it wasnt Gabe! It was Caleb!
He wouldnt get out of the van, then he wouldnt go into the class to meet the teacher before school started, then he wouldnt go in period, even when the bell rang...see a pattern there??? It took me until about 10:30 or so to be able to leave! He had a complete meltdown, crying screaming and all that until I finally got him settled in the Sped teacher's office. He could be heard all through the first floor of the school! The Sped teacher is an angel, without him, that tantrum/fit/meltdown could have lasted a LOT longer. He was so upset that he was hyperventilating and drooling and everything. Not a good situation, but on the plus side, he is doing MUCH better now.
Gabe did well, he only had a few issues with going to the new class, and he does still say he's going to go back to his other school. They gave him a new chewy tube, so he wouldnt eat his shirt collar, and he's getting into the routine.
James and Caitlin are doing great, of course, as they seem to adjust the best to all this.
And on a completely unrelated subject...I'm going to be an aunt again! My baby sis just found out that she is pregnant again, about 7 weeks along according to the pregnancy calculator.

Long Weekend!

I'm soooooo glad that they go back to school tomorrow!!!! Mike goes back to work tomorrow, he's had the last week off for vacation with school starting back up. Fun for him, not so much for the kids. Friday was interesting, I had Adrian (my godson) and my 4 and my little sister and her 2 kids! Too many kids!
On another note, Gabe's special ed teacher met me on the playground on Friday when I got there a little early to wait for the kids. She wanted to let me know that the school is having to transfer some students, only the ones with open enrollment, and that Gabe was the only one of mine that would be transfered as they had too many first graders. Not happening, I did not work hard to get them all at one school just to have one transfered out to another school! So, tomorrow, after I drop them at school, I have to run over to the school closest to us (the one they'd be going to anyway if they weren't open enrolled) and find out what I need to do to get them set up over at the new school.
Yesterday we pretty much just sat around and cleaned house and stuff. Today though we went to "Heritage Days" which is basically a bunch of tours of the old mill and horse rides and stuff. Gabe's favorite part was the bee display, and he got to taste the different honey's that the farm makes. We also bought some honey with a piece of honey comb in it, and some whipped honey. So good! He did pretty well, only problem was getting free of one of us and running loose among the other people. Caleb and him were also enthralled by the blacksmith demo that they had too. It was amazing to watch them watching him work, it seemed like they didn't even blink most of the time that he was working. We got to watch him make a meat fork, a bottle opener, and a fork/spoon combo that had the fork on one end and the spoon on the other. It was a great day!
Not looking forward to the drama of moving to the other school, and I found out that the school that they're at now doesn't even have a copy of his eval's from Waisman Center yet, and I gave the school at least 4 copies already over the course of the last year or so. Messed up situation there, to say the least.
We'll have internet a week from Monday (on the 15th) and then I might actually be able to post everyday! Or at least whenever I feel like it instead of having to wait until I have a chance to go somewhere that has internet. Grandpa Dave is coming home tonight, so hopefully next post will have info on how it was down in Louisiana while he was there this past week!

Back To School

Wow where to start! Busy Busy Busy! The kids started back to school on Tuesday, 1/2 day thankfully so Gabe did fairly good. Wednesday was a full day, and a little more challenging. I got to meet Gabe's teacher and the Special Ed teacher that will be working with him and Caleb. Gabe seems to really like her, which is a plus. Also met Caitlin's teacher, in passing, and will get to talk to her tonight at back to school night.
Saturday we all took a trip to Milwaukee( about 80+ miles one way), and spent time dropping Grandpa at the airport, and visiting with Aunt Rae, Uncle Pete, Aaron and Uncle Kevin. We spent the entire day there, finally getting home at about 8pm (we left at 7 am). On the way home, my van nearly died on the interstate going up hill. Not Cool!
So, now we not only need a fuel regulator, and O2 sensors, but we also need fuel line to replace where it's crimped, and tie-rod ends, inner and outer on BOTH sides. It's fun going out of town, cause that's when you find out what all's wrong with your vehicle, lol. But we did get back in one piece, and no one got hurt in the process. We had a lot to talk about on the way back, as Mom and Uncle Kevin were going through some of Grandma's (my mom's mom) stuff and he let mom take home a bunch of pictures and letters and things.
I think the kids had a good day all in all, because we only had 1 or 2 meltdowns all day. We even got to stop in at the little museum at the airport.
Sunday wasnt too bad, we mostly sat around and recuperated from Saturday. Monday wasnt bad, we had a birthday party for Mom, who turned 49 on Tuesday. Jaime made her a cake shaped like the Playboy Bunny. You should have seen the look on Mom's face! Priceless!
We also had a cook out on Monday, and had Phil down, and Jaime and her kids, and Roberta and her kids, and one little neighbor boy, who's name escapes me. That means at any given time on Monday, I had 9 kids at my house! Talk about busy.
All this craziness kind of seems normal most of the time. The kids are adjusting well to school. No one's trying to kill each other (yet, lol) and no one's had homework yet.
Back to school night is tonight from 5:30 to 7, hopefully I only hear good things about the progress...course on day 3 of school it's usually a little early for progress already.
Next post, hopefully some more about school...who knows!