Hard Work.. But Fun Work

I am very excited today because my new camera arrived. I ordered a Nikon D90 SLR camera last week and had been anxiously awaiting the arrival. Got the batteries charged and the packages opened and let the camera warm back up since it was on a cold UPS truck all day.. Now all I need to do is start taking pictures and learning about the settings and buttons ( there are a lot.. lol ) problem is.. our house is crappy bad for photo taking of any kind.. very small and the rooms all have harsh yellow flourescents in it.. So, we are looking forward to the coming months when the weather gets better to do some out door photo shoots .. As soon as I have something to share I Will put it up here.. can't wait..

Just hanging around at home today because I am trying to avoid driving in the snow until I have to. So I decided since I was home and bored.. And definatly not interested in cleaning, that I would upload some pictures to my facebook from High School. It was fun to look through them and I loved all the responses I got from my friends about how they looked 1o years ago. It was very funny.
Now I am sitting here watching Tv.. Just watched Dirty Dancing.. Patrick Swayze is wonderful.. and now I am watching the end of the princess diaries.. not sure why but I really like that movie. Course I like a large varietie of movies so that definatly serves me well.
Well, off to busy myself til Jason gets off work at 6 pm. Alex wants to watch the Football games today but I think thats only cause he forgot that its Extreme Home Makeover night ( his favorite show)

Things on my computer.. Round 2

So I was once again wondering the memory of my computer and found these pictures saved from my grandma's 80th birthday party a few years back.. The first is my grandma and my cousins from I "believe" my grandmas 70th birthday 10 years prior.. with her are from the far left.. Kayla, Sarah and Kelly Jo ( with me in the background ) and the next picture is an updated version with the same cousins who are in the picture 15, 13 and 17 ( I think thats the ages) time sure did fly.. I remember when each of them where born.. and playing with them when they where babies.. and now only one of them is under 18.. they are 18, 16 and 20 now I believe.. how did that happen..

Hanging with the Big Guy

Today was a Santa visiting day.. We had been putting off pictures with Santa cause we wanted to get Alex's haircut.. the one he chose two weeks ago just isn't working well on him and seems messy to me.. ( he doesn't mind.. but without some massive product he looks scruffy) anyway.. we gave up.. Santa was at a party we went to tonight so we got a pic there and the went to the lights to get the official one cause Santa leaves for home on the 23rd to make sure the elves are ready. So twice tonight he got Santa pics.. didnt turn out too bad and his hair doesn''t look as bad in the pics as it does in person.. lol..

The second two pictures are Santa and Destiny ( isn't she a sweetie.. she just loves him ) and Santa and John ( Destinys Daddy) he was trying to convince Santa that he was a good boy this year.. Santa was less than believing of it.. :)

Its almost here

School is finally out for the holidays. Friday was the last day. After some worry that school might be cancelled on the one day the kids actually want to go ( Christmas Party Day). Alex has lots of plans for the break. He has cookies to make and a gingerbread house to put together. He wants to see the lights over and over.. lol. and grandpap is coming to visit. So the vacation will definatly not be one where we sit around and relax.. So, while I am sitting here under my blanket .. trying not to freeze ( its like -1 out there with wind chill) I thought I would upload some pictures to share.. The first is some of our Christmas lights.. Alex's favorite ones of course since they are blue.. Then of course is Alex with a cheesy grin in front of our Christmas tree..

This next one is how Alex spent most of his first day of vacation.. wrapped up tight in jammies and a robe watchig Christmas movies.. lol.. and then there is Kovu.. the happy kitty who is just overjoyed with the fact that he is able to torture Alex for 16 uninterrupted days of vacaction..

Amazing!

It amazes me that no matter how early I wake my husband and child up in the morning.. and no matter how many times I yell at them to get their butts moving we still manage to be late because they can't be bothered to get themselves out of bed.. ARGH

Wonders of Technology!

Thanks to a link from a friend and the wonders of the people at Google.. I have spent most of the evening playing with Google map and their new Street View Feature. This allowed me to see a from the street view of the house I grew up in, as well as do something I havent done in 14 years.. Walked down the streets of my neighborhood looking at friends houses and seeing how the neighborhood changed. It was a fun and memory stirring experience. I was also able to go look at my friends house that I lived at for 3 months in 1994 as well as my grandparents house. So.. to share a picture of the home I grew up in.. In Gahanna Ohio.

Holiday Lights on the Lake

Last night we took my parents with us to see the lights on the lake at Lakemont Park. Some of the pictures came out really well. Some not soo great.. Its hard to take pictures with your hand hanging out the window in 20 degree weather and trying to drive at the same time.

Alex with Santa.. I think 2003 :) He was 4 years old

Things on the Computer

Since we have a computer and a laptop things seem to be spread out beween both our computers. So I decided that since I had several hours before Jason would be ready for work that I would move files from the desktop to the laptop. While I was moving things I found this Christmas Graphic I made a few years ago so I thought I would share it while I was busy waiting for files to transfer over and before I head out in the crappy weather to pick my hubby up at work.
Hopefully sometime this weekend I will also get to upload the pictures I took at the Lights on the Lake.. some are better than others, but its kinda hard to take good pictures while driving the twisty turning paths at Lakemont Park.. lol..

Hanging Out..

Just hanging out at home tonight. Alex and I took Jason to work earlier and had dinner at CiCi's.. not my orginal intention.. but a friend mentioned it earlier and it made me hungry for it.. Ran into some friends from Hapkido there.. that was a nice treat. Specially since we haven't been to class much lately with the holidays and schedules being crazy lately.
This morning was an earlier morning than normal as Alex had a student council meeting this morning. So we stopped and picked his friend up and took him as well.. silly for two moms to drive in when one can. So off they went to their important meeting and home I went to clean and shower and misc things. Including putting mp3s on Alex's upgraded phone. He got a Juke this time. Rather small sized as adult phones go but great for a 9 year olds hand. He loves it and loves that he can put sooo much music on it. No need for his Mp3 playeras anymore so I guess that can be my spare since mine only has 512 memory and holds way less music than his new phone which holds 2gb.
So now we are just chilling. Alex is playing his new Kingdom hearts game, was going to save it for Christmas.. but since its technically just an upgraded version of the same game he got last christmas we decided to let him have it rather than giving him the same game twice. Specially since this is more a whole family thing than just Alex. He is happy. The bigger screen and 3 d rendering make it a heck of a lot easier for him to play.
When he is done.. around 8.. I will watch some tv before sending him to bed.. We have to wake back up around 2 and pick Jason up from work and then get up early again in the morning cause tomorrow is his IEP meeting.. Fingers crossed that it goes well.

Chatter About Life

This blog is always a bit of a double edged sword for me. I want to blog so my friends have something to read and so I have something written down on the other hand I have a rather boring life and can't find something to write most of the time.
Alex is on vacation this week since it is Thanksgiving time. We had confrences during the week last week. He is doing fairly well. He struggles with certain subjects. The problem lies in alternatd methods of teaching being avaialble rather than in him just not knowing the material. He gets it.. More than gets it but he panics in the classroom setting when he feels rushed. He has an IEP meeting thursday to address but modifying how things are done for him to make him succeed as well as getting an in classroom aide for him to see for his best interests. He gets frustrated and confused easily and panics when that happens. His reactions aren't always whats acceptable in the situation when that happens and an aide would be able to help him see that. Help him know when someone is helping him so he doesnt think they are yelling at him. Which continues to be a HUGE issue for him.
As I said last week was a holiday as you know, so some talk about how that went. We always eat at home for Thanksgiving. Sort of a preparation for the insanity that is the Christmas season of visiting and visitors. It always works well for us and we are always glad for it. This year was no diffrent. We ate at home around 1. The day went great. Got up. Put the turkey in. Watched the Macys parade together... then got the food ready and ate. After we ate we watched Fred Claus in the afternoon and then headed out to the Lights on the Lake at Lakemont park for a nice ride through the park looking at all the pretty lights. We ended up getting a season pass this year so we can go back whenever we want. So far we have been 3 times and notice diffrent lights each time. .. You also get a free hot beverage from Sheetz and a free combo meal from Wendys each time you go so that also helps make it worth the 29$ for the season pass. We visited Santa when we where there on Thanksgiving but since we didnt have the camera and Alex wasn't really santa picture dressed we will go back another day for pictures with the big holiday man.
Think thats about it for now. Kid has off again tomorrow for that lovely pa tradition of no school on the first day of hunting season @@ whatever. .. lol.. It was rainy all day today.. Hopefully its a bit nicer out tomorrow. We could use some nice cheerful looking outdoor weather to get us in the mood to finish our Christmas decorations.

Consideration

Our day usually starts around 8-8:25 in the morning when the alarm goes off to get Alex ready for school. And if Jason works the evening before usually doesn't end until about 3 am. So it REALLY REALLY annoys the hell out of me when people don't have the manners to check the time before they call my home.
This morning the phone rings at 7:50. Its the special ed support worker from Alex's school calling to tell me they scheduled his IEP meeting for January 5th.. At that point I am not sure which is more annoying.. the fact that she called before 8 am or the fact that she wasn't informed that a meeting was schedule by my request for December 4th.
Then there is my mil .. who is still hospitalized. She calls at 10 til 9 this morning.. knowing that I leave the house right around that time to take Alex to school and she continues to talk and talk even though I say to her.. Hey I have to go... over and over..
Last night the hubby tells me a scouting friend was trying to get ahold of us cause I said he could put the pinewood derby track in our garage.. there was no missed calls or messages on my caller ID.. turns out he called my mils phone not mine.. but even so.. why the hell did he decided to maek the call at midnight( the time my mil recieved the missed call from him on her cell).. Why do people have no consideration for others peace and quiet??

Freakin Cat

He looks soo sweet when you look at him .. really he does.. You would never know that as soon as we try to sleep he turns into the devil incarnate.. Running around the house like a mad creature.. scratching at doors, boxes and bags.. Beating the crap out of the other cat.. Meowing like he thinks he is freaking Celine Dion and we are all waiting for his big concert.. Stupid creature.. I wanted to sleep... :(

Halloween

Love this time of year. Its my favorite reallym, both the fall and the holiday. I love the ability to pretend you are anything you want to be. I love watching the seasons change and the leaves on the trees change. So I am going to share some pictures from this month. Some are Alex in his Halloween costume and some are from the pumpkin patch.

The Trees Changing Colors

Reindeer at the pumpkin patch

Posing Cute for Mommy

On the Hayride with Daddy

Hubies Halloween party. He came in second place in the costume contest. .

Handing out candy at grandmas and grandpaps house.

This last one is from freaky friday at school. Not the whole outfit.. but this is his karate pants and shirt.. a brown jeans belt and his hardy necklace and arm bands.. he also wore his hardy hat and a army coat.

Oh Sleep.. Why have your foresaken me..

Its my own fault really. I know better.. Go to bed before midnight.. wake up around 2 or 3 am.. so why did I got to bed before midnight.. when I knew better?
Because my son kept me up off and on all night last night and then woke me up two hours early this past morning.. so I was soo tired I barely kept my eyes open for the last 5 of CSI and knew there was no way in hell I was making it through ER let alone the news so off I headed to bed. Slept well for a while and then of course.. 1:30 I woke up and now I am not sleepy.. worse even.. not sleepy and my stomach is upset.
So what better to do with my extra non sleeping time than bug the ones I love with a new blog. LOL..
So, provided Alex is feeling better.. ( fingers crossed) here are our plans for the weekend.
Friday after school we are supposed to be going to see High School Musical 3. Lets home I can get out and get the tickets in time.
Saturday we have a long day planned as long as the rain holds off. We plan to go to the pumpkin patch in the morning. Then head to the halloween parade in the next town over. Folowed by a webelos den Halloween Party for Cub Scouts in the evening.
Sunday ... is kinda iffy early on. If it rains saturday than I guess it will be the pumpkin patch on Sunday. otherwise we will hang at home til around 5 and then start getting ready for a halloween party we are going to at 6.
So, lots going on.. nothing huge but fun all the same. Hopefully it will be nice out and we will get lots of pumpkin patch pictures to share.

Chrismas Wishes

My biggest Christmas wish?? That the USMC stops yanking my brothers chain and lets him go. He came home injured from Iraq over a year ago and they have waited and waited and waited all this time. Just give him back to us already. He has lost a year of his life in limbo. He wants to move on and make something new out of his life. Go to school, Get a house and move on. We miss him and want him home.

Rambles

So it probably seems like I am the worlds most inconsistent blogger. I will go days and blog everyday, sometimes even two or three times a day and then there are the periods where I went months if not a year without blogging. Mostly I guess because I think things are just too dang boring or mundane to care. Which is strange I guess when you figure I read others blogs purely for the boring and mundane. Maybe I don't blog because I lack that freedom of saying what I feel without worrying about the backlash it might bring. Will I make someone mad. Loose a friend, hurt someone?
There are only a few people in my life that genuinly would without reserve be glad to read anything I said and not take offense at any. They are a rare few and strangely enough though I feel closer to them than anyone I talk to in real life I have never actually met any of them in real life and have only spoken to one of them on the telephone. These women know how I feel, when I feel it. May it be a weird thing or a funny thing. A happy thing or a sad thing they share with me and I share with them. Over the years I have been in many email groups. Some where filled with rules and petty fights. Some with quiet reserve and good friendships.. but none like this one. We are sisters in email. My only regret is that I may never get to see them in person and it something I very much would love to do. This wonderful group of women. The realists and the dreamers, the fighters and the believers keep each other going when things get rough and each of us knows without a doubt that the others will support us in our choices and changes. Whether those are a career, a home, a baby or a marriage. Nothing happens to one of us that the others haven't shared, prayed or sent love along the way to get us through. So to my very special ladies. Brought together by our children when they began kindergarten. Let me say. I love you and I am glad everyday to know when I wake up.. you will be there.. filling my email box with Laughter... Tears.. Stories.. AND.. of course... Dirty Pictures ~

Halloween!

I love this time of year. Its my favorite season, my favorite holiday. It just makes me happy. Anyway, now that that part is out of the way. Last night was Alex's Cub Scout Pack Meeting Halloween Party. All went very well and he had a great time. His costume looked awesome. He made a wonderful Jeff Hardy. And it only took me about 45 minutes when we got home to get all the dyes out of his hair from the color stuff we put in to complete the effect. Here are some pictures of Alex aka Jeff Hardy v.2 lol.

It should require a license.

To be a parent.
We had pictures tonight at our karate school. Alex did really well for the largest part of the time. Then comes the group shot. Alex is put behind this little white belt and thats when the trouble starts. The kid is supposed to be sitting on his butt and Alex behind him sitting on his knees.. Well the kid keeps popping up on his knees and cracking his head backwards into Alex's chest. The first few times Alex told him you need to sit down. Then it got to the point where he did it soo hard he knocked Alex and the girl next to him over sideways. So at this point Alex is getting really agitated. He gets himself up and into place and the boy continues to hit him. So Alex puts his hands on the kids shoulders and pushes him back to sitting each time he starts and tells him you needs to stop. He also says he told him "If you want to fight with me this isn't the time for it" So after a few times of pushing the kid off of him the kid keeps going and Alex starts verbally telling him to stop.
This is when one of the adults in the group with him notices and steps down and scolds Alex for the situation. Which upset not only me but all the parents in the group watching the phots and Alex who storms off and says he is done and doesn't want his picture taken. I go up and put him back and tell the instructor it wasn't him that was causing the problems and they get back in their places. Unfortunatly the problem wasn't remedied so the cycle started all over again with Alex getting hit til he is in tears cause he can't make the boy stop and no one else was. None of the parents wanted to yell at him cause his mom was literally standing 5 feet away and CHOSE not to do anything about it even though it was obvious that her child was being horrible. This is the same parent who when the photographer was asking the grade levels of the kids laughed out loud and told him he was wrong when Alex said he was in 4th grade. How the hell do you know lady and why in Gods name are you laughing at my kid and ignoring the fact that you birthed the devils spawn.
Anyway. So Alex finally has had more than enough and comes crying up to me and says he isnt doing it he is done. I talked to him explained it wasn't fair for him not to be in the picture and the crappy little brat to be in it. So I have Jason take him back over and between him and the photographer they find him another spot.
The good news is this boy is one of "those" people that we get from time to time at the school. They come because they have a free month or a special and then only last about 3 months because they just don't have the committment it takes to do 4 days a week every week to attain the goal. I told Alex as much and hopefully the kid will be gone before too long.
In light of the issues today we talked it over with each other and then with Alex and the BSC( Behavioral Therapist) and decided that maybe it would be for the best to skip the karate schools Halloween Party on Saturday. Last year we had 100 people signed up and probably 120 came and it was a packed house and Alex had a really hard time with all the people. This year we have 160 signed up which means probably 180 will come and the school was already packed full last year. I don't think Alex can handle it this year. So, we have a few options. The first is that we all skip it and do something together. The second is that Alex goes with his therapist for a few hours on Saturday and Jason and I run down to the party so that I can take pictures for the schools website. The other option is that Alex and Jason stay at home while I run down alone and take pictures. Or.. and this may be the best choice. Call and ask my mom if she wants to spend the evening with Alex while Jason and I go to the party and take the necessary website pictures. Whichever we decide the main choice is to make sure he has the best time.
I also decided since he isnt going Saturday he will get to wear his Jeff Hardy costume tomororw night instead to the Cub Scout Party. We where not going to let him because the theme is a character from a book, but hey... Jeff Hardy has a autobiography if you really want to get sticky on the details.. and since he is soo excited about his costume and is skipping the other party I think he should be allowed to wear it. Speciallly since he has chosen NOT to go trick or treating this year and will be handing out candy instead.