It's Fall, Ya'll!!

Fall: My most favorite time of year! It puts me in the best moods, even if things get crappy. And lets face it, no one ever has a perfect week. I sure as hell don't. I want to be the perfect mom, wife, house keeper, cook, launderer, etc - but shit happens. Sometimes I yell at my kids, sometimes I don't have supper waiting on the table for Caleb when we gets home from a long day at work, sometimes I burn whatever it is i'm cooking, and sometimes I forget to put clothes in the dryer and they sour in the washing machine. Sometimes I even forget to buy dog food and I have to feed my dogs a piece of bread. But ya know what..at the end of that very long craptastic day everyone still loves me! I realize I don't have to be perfect and I know not every day will be a fun-filled day with smiles, hugs & kisses. That's okay. I do the best I can with what I have and I start the next day over and it's all okay. How did I go from Fall weather to all that? Who knows. I write whatever comes out of my fingertips...

Noah is still doing great in the First Grade and made 105 on his spelling test last week! Super proud of him! Toby is talking more and loves school busses. Thats all he talks about and heaven forbid we see a lot of them while waiting at the school -- oh my. He will scream out "bus" over and over. But it's cute.

Caleb is still loving his job and I love it, too. Sometimes I don't like being away from him for the short time that he's away..but it's all worth it. He works 4 on 3 off and it's wonderful. We have Wednesday and weekends together. Love it!

We got a new boy Guinea Pig yesterday and we named him Teddy. Cowboy loves him and they purr and cuddle. They were popcorning all over their cage last night and it was the cutest thing ever. Cowboy is definitely a lot happier than he was!!

Busy Busy!

Noah started First Grade on September 4th and he's doing great! He had his very first spelling test last Friday and made a 90! I'm so very proud of him! He has his moments where he doesn't want to cooperate before school but once we're on our way he's perfectly fine. I think all children have those moments - I sure did! Toby turned 2 on September 1 and we had a small birthday gathering here at our house. Nothing big as they aren't really in partying moods at this age lol. I love parties and I go all out while party planning so I do feel a little guilty for not having him a big party..but he enjoyed himself here at the house so I'm trying to not let it get to me. The boys are doing really well at bedtime and I usually have them both in bed by 9 or 9:30. Sometimes 8:30..just depends on how the day went. I can't believe how easy it is! I figured I would have a fuss but it's been pretty pleasant. I'm keeping Toby on his routine while Noah is in school and he is usually napping by 11a. I can either choose to tidy up the house or nap with him...and I usually choose the latter! haha. I have never gotten to nap in my adult life. Ever. Noah never napped and stayed awake 12 hrs+ even at newborn. Now I'm taking advantage! I nap whenever I get the chance and it feels wonderful!

I had my yearly today and my doctor asked me when I was planning on having baby #3. It caught me off guard because I've had it in my head that we're not going to try again. I tried talking the doctor out of me having a baby (LOL!) and basically all I got was an eye roll and a statement that pretty much went along the lines of "you have an almost 7 year old and a 2 year old. You're healthy almost 30 and I say go for #3!!".. Umm...reallly? Did I just hear someone try and talk me into having another baby? lol. I was so sure that we were finished that I didn't even know what to say or how to feel. It was weird. I went ahead and got a refill for another 12 mo of Orho Tri-Cyclen and I guess we'll see what lies in the future. Part of me doesn't want to get that filled, another part of me wants to continue taking it until I make a firm decision. However, I'm only getting older and if I keep waiting then I may be waiting forever lol. I also know that even though there is a high chance of me having boy #3  (I'd love him just as my other two boys) I just reallyyyyyy really want a daughter. I have c-sections so I do know that baby #3 would definitely be it for us. I'm so confused....

Life in general..

The boys are doing great. .racing throughout the house as I type this. Noah is on a tiny 'Cars' riding toy and Toby is faithful to his Coupe. I keep these in the house for them to ride because our yard is shitty and we have no shade. One thing I would love to do is bulldoze this house down, level our yard, add amazing top soil and the perfect grass, then rebuild our house. I'd add about a thousand square feet to the sucker this time around, too. Even though I helped with it all, I was at the end of my pregnancy with Noah and I was in a hurry and ended up allowing the wrong people to make decisions. I fully regret that. This house isn't anything like we thought it would be and we're starting to outgrow it. I have always looked at bigger houses with envy and I have always seemed to compare apples to oranges..but lately I've come to realize that it's not the house that makes the home. It's the people in it. I keep our house clean and somewhat organized (insert laughs here), and the boys have adequate space for all their things. I shouldn't compare and wish we had something more..that's totally wrong. I should be thankful for what we do have. Thankful that we were able to build our very first home and we're not stuck with rent for our entire lives. I will remain thankful!

Anyway, that's not where I thought this post was going..lol..so I'll move forward...

Noah has been doing slightly better about not pitching as many fits. I think it's partly because we've been spanking his little booty when he does. I know some people are anti-spanking, but I think that's what kids are lacking these days and that's why we have delinquent's running loose and getting into trouble. You don't have to spank your kids, but I'm going to spank mine! Toby gets a little whiny at times but he's able to be re-directed pretty quickly.

We went shoe shopping for the boys this past Saturday and got some pretty great deals. Noah has been begging for black Sketchers with neon green soles ever since he seen the Bell's Ad. We went and they did not have his size and he was so bummed out. Luckily Rack Room Shoes had the exact pair and size that he needed and we were able to get him a second pair half off! Hopefully they will at least last him until Thanksgiving lol. Toby has had the same Stride Rite's since February and they were 7 1/2's. I couldn't even put socks on his feet because his shoes are so small on him. He has been taking them off and not even wearing shoes lately because they hurt his little feet. I cannot stand Walmart/Kmart shoes and I refuse to buy them for my kids. They're not only tacky but hard and plastic! So, I've been putting off getting him new shoes until we made a mall run. Soo, he got a new pair of Stride Rite's and I'm so excited because they are anti-stink!! Seriously, that's what it says!! lol, love it! His feet smell SO bad and it's awful. Needless to say, I'm excited about shoes. He's in a 9!!!! I can't even believe how big my boys feet are.

Caleb accepted a job offer and has less stress on him now. I'm glad because the last place he worked at was a joke. The people he was over were dicks and wanted to try and out boss him. Stupid. He now works 4 days and has 3 days off!! I was so very excited because all the long days and hours are finally a thing of the past. His off days are Wednesday's, Saturday, and Sunday. So happy about that! I would write where he works but a certain MIL may have this link and that makes me nervous. Just praying this stays as good as it has been!

Luna

We have two dogs, a Shih Tzu and a Chihuahua, and had no plans of adding on to our family at all. June 24th, we pulled into the driveway and there sat a big ole chunk of a Chihuahua (mix?) on our carport. You could tell she was scared by the way she looked at us but she didn't growl, try to run away, or anything. I posted her picture on the local animal shelter Facebook page and hoped her family could be found. Unfortunately, I think her family dropped her off at my house because she sat in that same spot and stared out toward the road all that evening. So sad. I put some food and water out for her and allowed her to sleep on the carport. I admittedly checked on her a couple/few times because we have coyotes and it made me nervous. I'm a huge animal lover and I want to keep every stray that comes along my path, however, I have learned that we can't always do that. We can love them until we find a home, but not keep every single animal that crosses our path. Noah is the same. The next day it was so hot outside and I let her on the screened in back porch, turned on the fan, and put ice into her water. She just stared at me with these big bugged out eyes and I couldn't resist. I opened the door and she walked right in. I told Caleb "Look who just walked in!"...lol. His response? "Someone had to open the door the let her in, right?"..haha! He caved and let her stay inside. I gave her a bath and she slept like a baby all day long, which made me think she was so scared being outside the night before and now she was finally able to relax. Bless her heart. We have had her an entire week and have no intentions of letting her go. She has grown on all of us and is a great girl. I'm not sure why the name Luna came into my mind, but she looks like a Luna! She snores, plays with Lucy, and goes OUTSIDE to potty!! YAY for a trained stray dog! We love her already...


Luna loves to sun bathe

Here she is laying inside enjoying the air conditioner.

Unsure.

Starting at birth, Noah was a very needy baby. Screaming, crying, never satisfied, night terrors. I would be up with him every hour and a half around the clock (true) for the first three and a half years of his life. We had his formula changed and was spending $50+ a week just on the specialty formula and nothing worked. I would take him to the Pediatrician and burst into tears because I wasn't sure what was wrong with my baby. Dr said he would outgrow the night terrors and said many children do not require much sleep...and lucky me, he's one of those children. Even though we had those issues, he was a very sweet and loving baby.

Fast forward to three and a half  and he was finally starting to sleep through the night, and the night terrors stopped. He was and is (now at age 6) still the sweet boy that loves hugs and kisses and always aims to please. Noah is very good with others and always protects his toys like they're alive. He picks up after himself and puts his clothes in the laundry room before his bath. He builds forts, loves animals, the outdoors, dressing in costume, and has an amazing imagination. However, he still cries, pitches fits, and is still never satisfied. I'm a stay at home mom who does everything in her power to make sure her family is happy. I've done crafts with Noah since he was old enough to hold a crayon, I've made forts, volcanoes, ornaments, puppets, rockets, etc...I am a very hands on mom. I do everything in my power to make sure my children are happy. I always seem to fail. Even though Noah is very loving and sweet his fits are driving us up the wall. He has meltdowns that are down right ridiculous considering his age. And usually it's over nothing. For example, if he's playing angry birds and can't beat a level he freaks out. He no longer does crafts as much as he use to but I chalk that up to him being a boy and glitter just isn't a boy thing, ya know? I have talked with his doctor, once again, about this. Dr asked me if he does it around grandparents, friends, at school, or in public. The answer is no. Dr says it's our fault (not in those words, of course) because we don't use consistent discipline and we let him have total control, whether we realize it or not. And he's right. If I know Noah is about to pitch a fit over a decision we make, then I go ahead and let him have his way so he doesn't throw a fit. My fault. We've tried time outs, taking toys/games away, spanking his bottom, etc...nothing works. I admit we aren't as consistent as we should be - but it's hard. I don't like hurting my child's feelings or his bottom. I also know that it's only going to hurt him if we don't discipline him.

I don't know what to do. Now that school is out it's beginning to be very hard on me. Caleb works long and strange hours and I'm here alone with them and normally we have nothing to do. It's interrupting Toby's schedule and becoming hard on him as well. He's a very laid back baby that plays on his own, always happy, and he is very go with the flow. I'm afraid he is going to start learning some tricks from his brother, but we're praying he doesn't. Noah was doing so well while school was in session. He was on a schedule and that is exactly what helps him. Why do we have summer break again? ugh! I looked into summer camps and for Noah alone it's $100+ a week and we can't afford that.

I love my son with my whole heart and he's our whole world. We always want to take him places, have fun with him, and we seem to always fail. I'm constantly praying that things will improve and the horrible crying fits will just go away. All we can do is love him through it.

Happy Father's Day!

Caleb has to work until 8p today but we did go to the early church service and was able have a Father's Day Breakfast afterwards, even if it was McDonald's :). I made a photo collage from my iPhone and sent it to him while he was on his way to work. It makes his day better, especially since he's at work and not able to spend his day with us. I honestly don't know what I would do without him. I love him more than any words I could ever say and the boys kinda love him, too :)

Wordless Wednesday