Why will your children do anything you ask in front of friends but not when they are home with you?

I have often contemplated this question, but it really surfaced when Kenzie and Maddie were playing at Sara and Amandas today and I asked all four of the girls to clean up the play room so that we didn't leave it a mess when we left. Kenzie jumped right up and started cleaning away! Not so easy said at home. I get the whiney excuses to try and get out of the simplest requests! ahhhh kids!

I took the girls out to the back yard today and we had a blast just riding the jeep in circles! Pics to come I just have to download them again.

Now, I look over and Maddie is cleaning her bottom with a wipe, I think I better go!

"I'll run your bath water for you girls...."

This is what I found a few minutes after I started running the bath water. Madison had taken it upon herself to take her pull up off and help herself to the bath water shirt and all!
"Sure Mom, I'll smile for you" is what I have dubbed this picture because she was just so proud of herself for taking a bath! I then took her t shirt (which as you can see is really dirty from playing with her friends and having dinner) off of her and assisted her through the rest of the bath!

A play/dinner date with some new friends

My friend Danielle came over tonight for grilled chicken and hotdogs with coleslaw and corn on the cobb for dinner with her two boys and our two girls. Ryan was working, so it was perfect. Timmy and David got to meet Kenzie and Maddie while Danielle and I had some much needed mom on mom time. While we were at it, we got pics of each of the kids in the tree out front, but I have to figure out how to get them e mailed to myself from ryan's phone so I can share them. If I can't do that by Tuesday, I will have another opportunity to get more of them because they are comming back over to bake a cookie cake and decorate it while we have hamburgers on the grill. We are so in love with each other! Danielle is one of the nurses where I work, but we are already like best friends and the kids hit it off great! They go to the same school and so it works out for familiar faces. We are also planning on Danielle and I re learning how to roller blade and loose weight together. And we are planning some family outings to the beach and what not together too! Things work out for the best even when times are bad! We had lots of fun and hope to report many more happy times!

switched

As most of you know it is flu season, and at where I work, it has been going around so much that since Ryan is off today, they asked me to work second shift today instead of first. I don't mind because it is more money and I am off tomorrow also. I have to replace someone who got the virus and can't come to work. It really sucks for my co workers, but I get paid more per hour, so I really don't mind. I have progressed a little further with the FPU homework that I know I missed. (For those of you who don't know that is Financial Peace University). I have taken a look at the baby steps. I am putting a plan into action to achieve the first step of making an emergency fund. Once that is achieved, I can go on to paying of four debt. I have also made the envelopes for our money. I am also trying to work out the budget so that we have a zero balance. Meaning all dollars are accounted for. It is going to be a little tough to start off, but I think once we get used to the new money scenario, we will do just fine. What I am worried about is that we are not good at leaving money that is supposed to go for one thing for that one thing. Our history has been living pay check to pay check, and I for one am tired of it. Therefore, I am looking for fun frugal things we can take the girls to on our days off to keep us from going shopping.

WHAT DID I JUST SAY?

Me not shop? That is a new thing for me, but I have to have faith that we can do this together as a team and that we will be better financially than we are now.

So, our game plan for next saturday is to take the girls to Oldsmar to this park I refer to as Splash City. It isn't the name of it but it is just a bunch of water features and I think the kids would love it. Then go to the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs for some sight seeing. I know this isn't Ryan's fortay, but I think he will be ok just having the kids have fun. We need to come up with more fun ideas like that though, because I don't want to break the bank by doing expensive things anymore.

As for a plus, many of you might know that I am doing some work on the side with Roy. For this his company is compensating me. I have decided that all money that is gotten for this will be put directly into our emergency fund. This is one way I can build it up and not be tempted to spend it. I thought it was a good idea anyway.

Now, if anyone has any tips on how to keep from spending what is in our envelopes, I am totally game for them.

I would like to thank Beth and Maria for reminding me about the FPU. I knew about it for about a year but hadn't been able to attend and now I can! Thanks Ladies!

dave ramsey here i come

hey all. i have found a church that has the dave ramsey program starting tonight. although i can't go tonight, they are saving a place for me and i can't wait to get this done. i will try and keep you posted!

wow this has been a crazy day

I have cleaned out ryan's end of the closet, organized our desk, made a bin for donations and filled it beyond full. I am now working on my end of the closet, and the rest of our bedroom. In addition to that, I am trying to show the kids that we all need to pitch in and do our part of housework before we can play. All I ask of the kids is that they keep their messes picked up and their toys and clothes put in appropriate places. I have placed a hamper in their room, one in each bathroom and one in our room along with a toy box in their room for their toys. They have a bookshelf in their room as well for their books, but instead I get rebellion. I just wish I knew a way to intice them to do their part. I have tried bribery, which doesn't work because when I find something that they want, I try bribing them with it and they go whining to their dad for it when I am at work and he gives it to them. I don't know if it is because he doesn't want to hear them whining, or if it is because he doesn't know what tactic I am trying, but it is driving me crazy. I have tried a chore chart which doesn't help because the kids give up before they get started. If they don't get the stickers to put in place right away they yell and scream, backtalk, hit or whatever they can to get me upset. All of the fore mentioned things are against family rules, therefore allowance is lost before it is given out. I just am at my witts end on what other techniques to try. I am trying to tackle one room a day and touch up on the rooms done previous days to keep on top of them, but I feel like I can only do so much. I am only one person and if a family doesn't function as a team, nothing can be accomplished. I feel like my team mates are throwing me under the bus. Any suggestionst that don't include degrading or defaming my character would be great. Also any suggestions that are not positive and optimistic will be deleted so you may want to consider not leaving them. After I recieved a very rude comment directed at my thoughts and feelings written in random sentences, I have decided to moderate all comments and only allow those which are appropriate for the public to read be published on my blog and I am sure that my true friends understand that reasoning. Thanks to my faithful readers for your support and love!

to do list crazy

I have begun my mission organization that i tend to go through every year, only this year I have taken it a little further. I have posted in each room of the house a to do list. I also have a "room chores list" put in each room. I am doing this to remind me of when I need to accomplish something and as I go in a room, I will see this list and be able to mark something off of the list. I also was able to mark off of a to do list I haven't even created yet for the office! Our office is part of our bedroom and I have this thing I wanted to put on that list but haven't created it. I found a church that offers the Dave Ramsey program. I really want to take it, so I had to find a church in the area that offers it and now I have. I am now going to start the office list and a budgeting to do list. Not to mention a child rearing in progress list to try and change some of the behaviors of our children and us as well. Lists like crazy in this house.

On to other things, Gretchen and Angeleena have lots more pics of the party for me as well as a video of the Pinata ceremony as I am calling it! Can't wait to have that. When I get all of those pics, Kenzie and I are going to make a slide show of her birthday and burn it to cd's for everyone to enjoy as well as add it to here so you can all see in motion the party. In fact, maybe I will start working on creating it after I get the kids their baths and put them down for the night. Kenzie has about 10 more minutes outside before bath time and then when the baths are done, we will do our book and go to bed.

Kenzie's words of the week this week are:
kite
bike
take
make
hive
dive

She is doing really well with them. I did a verbal spelling test to see what she could do. she missed 2 out of the 4 and today is only tuesday so i have complete faith in her to get all of them right by friday!

maddie just sat on the potty and tried going poopy for the first time! yay!

and that is enough rambeling for me!

Kenzie's sixth birthday party

(Having issues putting these in order, so you will see the party backwards).
Such a big pice of cake for a lil girl don't ya think?
These paintings were done by Aunt Amanda for the girls for their room. We sent their rug that matches their bedding to her so she could do custom mural paintings to hang above each of their beds. I love them and so do the girls. I just wish I had the time and creativity to do those.
In this shot we have Sara, Shelby, Kenzie, Zoey, CeCe, Mandy, and Riley during gift giving.
Shelby and Kenzie posing with Zoey after she got the present from Grandma Tigger. A jewelery box.
Yaya and all the kids pretending to be cheerleaders!
Hitting the pinata.
Sara taking time to smile pretty for the camera.
Isabell. Such a cute lil chunker!
Riley playing in the sand under the slide.
Mandy wanted a shot of fame, so here you go kiddo!
Look, Ma, I am a big kid now!
Mhm... even the adults get to have fun! Toni trying to hide from the camera.
Zoey is such a hamm and Kenzie's best friend in class. The two are insepperable...
Stylin' Grandma Tigger
Uncle Derrick firing up the grill.
Ryan and Tim helping with set up.
Cheerleader Yaya. Oops I think you forgot your uniform LOL!
Look at the pretty cheer girls!
Shelby is a great lil monkey... she will totally be the top of the pyramid one day!
and here we go again! another pyramid
more cheering
boys trying to hang a pinata
the second cake.... long story
Piggys are best! Mommy says so!


We all sang Happy birthday to her, but she got a lil shy.... wonder why...

lots of things

Today was a crazy day at work, but the good news is i didn't get beat up lol! the kids have been super good. i have already gotten a lot accomplished tonight. i have made to do lists and posted them in each room of the house so that when I go in the room, i will have to look at it and it feels good to mark things off of the list, not to mention chore lists and descriptions in each room. i also worked on the budget a little more today. and I SIGNED UP FOR HEALTH BENEFITS. We haven't had them for some time, but as of the first of april, we will once again be covered. the down fall is the amount comming out of my check for the benefits, but once i am used to that again, it will not be a problem. I just have to budget accordingly. things will work out i just have to believe. i am off here to upload pics of the birthday party and i will get that post done as soon as i can!

Lately, I have had a really bad headache. I am talking for the last 3 days. It was so bad that I went to bed wayyyy early last night and it does feel much better today. Which is a good thing because Kenzie is having her birthday party today. Although the cake got ruined and we had to order one from publix, I think it will work out. I just am so bummed that it didn't work out. She asked me a long time ago to make this certain cake and I tried. I just wanted her to have her dream cake since when I was a kid I was lucky to be acknowledged as being the birthday kid let alone getting a cake. People don't understand why it upset me that the cake got ruined and they go to the extreme as one commenter did saying that I am unstable as a mother and that I need to go to a shrink. First of all if you are too scared to let me know who you are, I can't let you know how I really feel. Second, I will not be submitting myself to a shrink. I had a really bad experience with one as a kid and will never confide in anyone other than my sister ever again. I was forced to go to a shrink as a teenager. That shrink went back to my adopted mother and told her everything that was told in "confidentiality". After that, I stopped talking and will not even fathom to begin another round of my being violated by a stranger who is supposed to be helping me. It never helps anyone anyway. Now for me being unstable.... Well, let me see here. I do have my moments but doesn't everyone? I am a little more unhappy than the average happy go lucky wife and mother yes, but does that make me unstable? I am in a time of my life where I feel like my husband should support me in my decisions to take a day out to myself now and again, but I get:

"Kenzie, Mommy is going out with Angelena."

the child replies with, "I wanna go"

and the father answers: "Ok, I will tell her to take you"

What am I saying? I am saying that I get ABSOLUTELY NO time to myself. I am always home with the kids being driven crazy. I never get a chance to be alone. I have never had a moment where someone isn't in my face all the time. I get tired of that just like anyone else would. So, now that you know what is really going on would you leave my mental status out of it? Oh, and thank you for ruining my day on my daughter's birthday party day by judging me to be an unstable mother! That is just like saying that I should just not be with my kids in the first place.

thoughts and feelings

sometimes i don't feel like talking to anyone...

no one understands....

they bug me and badger until i blow up....

that is just the way my life will be i suppose...

i have no one that i can count on....

life is just not fair....

a mother is supposed to feel loved...

i get told daily by my children that they hate me...

what did i ever do wrong?

i have failed

at everything i try to do and am not going to ever try to do anything social again. i have now become the work a holic. i am working during kenzie's party tomorrow so i hope everyone has fun.

beginning to take form

so, i made popcorn, basketballs, megaphones, pom poms, and microphones. I decided against the popcorn containers because I felt like that would be tooooo much. i will bake the cake portion of the cakes tomorrow evening. Then decorate it saturday. wow i can't believe that kenzie is six. now that the party is upon us it is starting hitting home..... nothing much else to report today.

Al Bundy

For all of you who know who I am referring to, will know that he had a habit on the show of having his hand in his pants... I just checked in on Maddie and found her with her hand down her pull up sound asleep! Tooooo Funny! who knew that she would do that...

jibber jabber

My smart little girl is talking more and more! As you know I have been letting you know what Maddie says, so here goes:

I got home from work and gave hugs and kisses, then said, "Mommy missed you today." Silence came from that... A little later, "I love you" I say to her. Madison responds with, "I wub Dewwick, Manda, Elby, Eiyey"

Kenzie chimes in with "Mommy, I love you!"

So, I'm not feelin' the love from my baby, but Kenzie sure is chiming in when Maddie doesn't feel like it! LOL!

...

sticking to the status quo today. although maddie is not having as much poopy today yay!

Kenzie has her pics taken this month for spring pics, so I will be putting them on here when they come in yay!

You took my parkign place

One day, a man went to visit a church. He got there early, parked his car and got out. Another car pulled up near him. The driver got out and said, 'I always park there! You took my place!'

The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, 'That's my seat! You took my place!' The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday school, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat
down. Another member walked up to him and said, 'That's where I always sit! You took my place!'

The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still He
said nothing.

Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, 'What happened to you?'

The visitor replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell from his eye, 'I took your place.'

When you receive this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do. There is nothing attached. This is powerful. Just send this to four people and see what happens. Maybe, just maybe, we can get the world to start thinking of who took our place. Do not break this, please..


I got this in an e mail from a friend of Grandma Tiggers. His name is Jim and I love his e mails. I thought I would share it with all of my blog buddies! Brought a tear to my eye.

"I wanna doooow"

Mom replies with: "Where do you wanna go Maddie?"

"Manda.... and Dewwwwwick.... and Elby... and Yiey" says Maddie.

Mommy translates:

I wanna go. Where do you wanna go? Amanda and Derrick and Shelby and Riley.

Maddie wants to come back to your house! Then she decided after talking on the phone with Carol that:

"Tall Manda" So I call Amanda and here goes:

"Hi. Manda" Hi Maddie.... (Amanda keeps talking to her)

"Doin'" (meaning: what you doing)

So the outcome is MADDIE LOVES AMANDA AND DERRICK (RILEY AND SHELBY TOO) AND WANTS TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOUSE BUT IF SHE CAN'T SHE JUST WANTS TO TALK TO AMANDA! Too funny that child is!

our day has been filled with diaper changes

and doses of pepto bismal, but her tummy troubles seem to be ending. her poo is starting to get more normal not that anyone really wants to know about that but anyway, wanted to let you know that she will be better real soon!

The girls are home now.

So, I just got my "Mommy I'm home huggs and kisses" and said to Maddie:
Who did you see?

Manda.

Who else:

an Dewwick!

It was too cute for me not to share! The girls seem to have had fun even though maddie wasn't feeling well!