I'm going to have the cleanest house

And I'm not going to have to do anything. Let me explain. I have had it up to here with the kids arguing. They argue for the fun of it. I really think they enjoy it. I don't. I have had it. After picking up the kids yesterday at my Dad's and listening to them argue over some kind of trophy that they both wanted, there was no way the trophy was coming to my house. I don't even know what kind of trophy it was. But it's not just a trophy or even just yesterday it is everyday over something. SO I called a family meeting last night. We all sat down and I calmly explained that I was tired of the CONSTANT arguing. So this is my plan the next time they are caught arguing they have to clean. I'm going to start them off on the walls and baseboards and if it continues who knows what will be next. So far there has been no arguing at my house. But this is Day 2, so we will see.

Cary left this morning for Texas....again. This is a long trip-10 days- so I'm not looking forward to it. I never look forward to it but I can handle the shorter trips a lot better than the 10 day ones. School starts Monday so I will have to try to start getting the kids back on a schedule later this week. Grant will be starting KDG Monday. I keep telling him Monday you will be going to school. He doesn't seem to mind. I really think he is ready. He is already 6. I held him back just to make sure he would be ready. I am so glad that I did. The only thing is he looks so much bigger than the other kids. Usually other kids think he is in like 2nd grade. It is so funny when he tells them he is not in school. They usually don't believe him.

We had a great night last night. When Cary is going out of town we try to spend extra quality time with the kids. So last night Cary cooked dinner for us. Then after dinner we went to the back of our lot where Cary mowed a track for the go-cart. Madison rode the go-cart and Grant rode his dirt bike. Cary & I walked along the track trying to stay out of their way. They even took turns riding. NO arguments...maybe my new rule will work!!

100 Things About Me...

I've seen this done on other blogs and I am going to attempt it. Surely I can come up with 100 things but if I can't I will just make it up. You be the judge!!!

1. My birthday is July 18, 1972.
2. My middle name is Leann
3. I have 2 brothers
4. I am the middle child
5. Both my brothers go by their middle name; I go by my first
6. My first job was at Sonic
7. I have had 8 jobs including my current one
8. I have been at my current job 10yrs this Sept
9. I have 2 kids
10. I have been married for 12 years
11. I have the best husband in the world
12. I live within 5 miles of my parents, brothers, grandparents, and aunt & uncle, cousins
13. Both sets of my grandparents are living
14. I have a phobia regarding cats
15. I don't like to get dirty
16. I love to clean
17. Vacuuming is my favorite past time
18. I love to nap
19. I love to be pampered
20. I'm spoiled
21. I love my job
22. I will be debt free June of 2007
23. I have been to Smoky Mtns, Chicago, Texas, & South Carolina so far this year
24. I love to fly
25. I hate to drive long distance w/h kids
26. The girl that highlights my hair went to school with me from KDG-High School
27. I still keep in touch with 2 friends from High School
28. I drive a SUV
29. I have a pool but hardly ever swim in it
30. I love to watch Reality TV
31. I have 4 sister-n-laws
32. I have 1 brother-n-law
33. I have 4 nephews and 2 nieces
34. My inlaws live within 15 minutes from me
35. I love junk food
36. I have never eaten a salad
37. I prefer chicken over steak
38. I love to shop
39. I try to be frugal
40. I don't have a gall bladder
41. I don't like to exercise but wish I did
42. I love to walk
43. 2 things I hate to clean: refrigerator and toilets
44. I have lived in my house for 9 years
45. I was 21 when I got married (I turned 22 exactly 1 month later)
46. My kids go to the same school I went to
47. They have some of the same teachers
48. I think I was a good kid
49. I don't like being told what to do
50. Sometimes I rebel
51. I love to talk
52. I can water ski
53. I played basketball in elementary school
54. I'm not very athletic
55. I can't run to save my life
56. I think my lungs are deformed
57. I like to be silly
58. I love to laugh
59. I like being with a group of people
60. I don't like being the center of attention
61. I have passed these traits on to Madison
62. I am not an animal lover
63. My job is not stressful at all
64. I plan on working for at least 25 more years
65. I very rarely cry
66. I am not an emotional person
67. I am very independent
68. I have great friends
69. I love having people over
70. I want to build another house
71. I drive 20 minutes to work
72. I love to take pictures
73. I am not really blonde
74. I love to go out to eat
75. I am not a morning person
76. I love sleeping in
77. I could stay up all night
78. Snoring gets on my nerves
79. Lots of things get on my nerves
80. I don't always think about other people first
81. I am impatient
82. I don't give my kids everything just because I can
83. I want my kids to have a great childhood
84. I want my kids to be able to confide in me
85. I use Crest white strips
86. I don't take vitamins but should
87. I usually forget to match my pocketbook to my outfit
88. My closet is a mess
89. I want to redo the floors in my house
90. I want to redo the master bath
91. I need patio furniture
92. I sleep on my side
93. I have to have a sleep machine
94. I make the kids clean up after themselves
95. I usually only eat 2 meals a day
96. I love babies
97. I love weekends
98. Up until 2 yrs ago I worked every Sat since I was 17
99. I'm craving Mexican
100. I miss my hubby, he's on his way home right now from Chicago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That wasn't too bad and I didn't even have to make anything up.

Your candles are melting the cake...

Is not something you say to a girl on her birthday. You couldn't even see the cake for the candles. I think he had way too many candles but I failed to count them. Maybe the cake was just really really small. The kids acted like it was their birthday. Grant helped blow out the candles and they both helped open the gifts. I got a new study bible. I really needed one since I haven't had a new bible since I was like 13. I have gotten out of the habit of carrying my bible to church. I use to never go to church w/out my bible, but since having kids and having to carry a diaper bag and now their bibles, I am sorry to say I got out of the habit of carrying mine. I just found it easier to share with Cary. But now I have my very own. And I also got a case too!!!

The kids had a blast at Chuck E Cheese's. I promised to try to do this more often. We took 3 extra kids with us, so we had 5 kids total. We gave each kid 40 tokens apiece and everything just takes 1 token so they got plenty of play time. Although I am sure they would have loved 40 more tokens.

I still haven't had a piece of cake so I think I will go have a piece!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.........TO ME!!!!!

Today's my birthday!!!!!!! And guess what I will be doing tonight?? For my birthday I plan on taking the kids to ChuckECheese's. Actually I have been planning on taking them for a while and why not on my b-day!!

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I had another day of training in Nashville yesterday and all went well. I didn't sleep very well last night because of all the information going through my head. I worked until 9P.M. so I didn't have a lot of downtime before going to bed. I also was offered a job in Nashville yesterday. I was kind flattered since this was just my 2nd day there, but it definitely was not a job I am interested in full-time. Today I will be in Murfreesboro for yet another training session. Thankfully this one will only last 2 hours and then I will be on my way home.

Right now it seems like both of our careers (Cary & mine) are in full steam. So hopefully we will be able to keep things in perspective and not over burden ourselves. I try to support Cary 100% in his job and I feel like he supports me 100%. I came home last night to a clean house, clean dishes, clean clothes and clean kids and a warm bath. What more could I ask for?? I know I take Cary for granted MANY times, but he really is the best husband!!!

Note to self...

Those cute little braids that have been in Madison's hair since vacation were torture to get out. I don't know if I will do that again. I helped my niece take hers out right after we came back. I had to wash & rewash & condition her hair and it still was tangled. I have been putting off taking Madison's out for that exact reason. I didn't think Madison's would be as bad as Haley's because Haley's hair is really dry and Madison's isn't. I'm working on a detail assignment so I had to work 12-9 last night. So I told Cary to get the braids out. When I walked in around 9:30 he was washing & conditioning & conditioning & conditioning Madison's hair. Her hair was coming out in chunks. She wasn't whining & took it pretty good. So now I have to go back to fixing her hair again!!!

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Grant has been going to VBS with the neighbors all week. He really seems to enjoy it and even got to see one of his favorite friends from pre-school there. Madison was invited too, but decided she would rather be home with us. She really enjoys getting all the attention!!

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Like I said before I'm working a detail assignment. I'm going to be a backup so hopefully I won't have to put in much time because the hours are 12-9. I'm working out of the district office so this gives me lots of recognition. The cons are the hours. The pros is who knows where this will lead me. I am extremely happy with where I'm at but there is another office I have my eyes on that will be opening at the first of next year so hopefully this will help me and my family with what's best for us.

Our Neighbors

A little over a year and a half ago, we had the most wonderful neighbors. They had 2 kids boy age 13 & girl age 11. They got along perfect with my kids. They would come down every afternoon as soon as we got home and play/entertain my kids until bed time. I absolutely enjoyed every minute of having them as neighbors. Not only did my kids have someone to play with but they got along. But they would also play. They hardly ever would come inside so they would do everything imaginable outside. Then their parents decided this wasn't their dream house and decided to sell. I secretly prayed their house wouldn't sale. (I'm joking!!)

Then when they couldn't find land in our area they decided to track off part of their 10 acres and build on it after selling the house. Well finally after over a year of building they are back. They moved in the week we were on vacation. We came home on Sunday night and on Monday night they spent the night at our house along with my niece. Needless to say my house was destroyed. But there was not one single argument. They came back July 4th to swim and this Saturday the kids spent all afternoon and evening together.

The kids usually are at my house because my kids are younger & I want to make sure my kids are behaving. A couple of hours after they had played Madison wanted to go home with Chasity. I told her it would be OK but Grant couldn't go. Grant is the type if he sees them outside he just goes over. Grant was devestated when he couldn't go. Nevermind that Josh stayed at our house to play with him, he wanted to go to their house. So he sat on the porch steps & cried & cried & cried.

Then Chasity walked back over to tell Josh it was dinner time and invited Grant to dinner. He wanted to go so bad and since I didn't want to cook I let him go. He still had on his shirt & shorts that he had been swimming in and they were still wet and he was going to go like that. I told him he had to change his clothes first. While I was helping him change I reminded him of his manners and how to act. One of the things he loves to do is pass gas and yell safety, I don't know where this comes from but both my kids have started doing that. So I specifically told him not to do the safety thing in their house. He said "Can I do it outside?" I said if you must just don't do it in their house. Then he said "What if Madison does it?" I said she knows better.

The rest of the evening they went back and forth between the houses playing and making home movies. They just don't realize they have it made.

A day on the farm....

Sunday on our way home, my brother called to let us know one of the cows had twins. The cow didn't have enough milk for both so this one stays in the barn and gets bottle fed twice a day. Guess who is loving every minute of this??? Yesterday Godilocks had her baby colt. And there is also some "wild" baby kittens. Madison makes it her mission to try and catch the kittens everyday. She puts on that big black glove and chases them down. Last night she actually got scratched and bitten. She is braver than me, I'm not going no where near those wild evil things!!!

We're Back!!!

We enjoyed a great 8 day vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with lots of family. It was approximately a 9 hour drive for us, but other than that it was great. The kids were fairly good with occasional melt downs. Madison was ready to come home after about 3 days. She missed her dog. It was HOT all week with occasional showers. Cary & the kids parasailed. We went on a dolphin sight seeing cruise, putt putt golfing, amusement parks, crab hunting, shopping and of course eating. We went to the beach every morning and then to the pool for the afternoon. We would go out around 12 every night and hunt for crabs on the beach. Some nights they would stay out until 4 looking for them. Grant & I would never last that long. We usually went back to the condo around 2, after I had carried him for an hour. Of course we missed the excitement of finding the big one. It actually clamped down on my brother's finger and wouldn't let go. I would have given anything to seen that!! He still has a cut on his finger from that and he said it was pretty sore. I tried to take lots of family pictures and of course that was a nightmare. It never failed one kid would be happy and the other ill. And as you can see they love to make faces in pictures.(Madison is crossing her eyes) I told her these pictures were going to be our x-mas cards this year and everyone was going to see her "funny" picture. We came home with 2 new family members (2 Hermit Crabs). They've already been dropped twice so we'll see how long they last. Now we're trying to adjust back to the real world. Going to bed at a decent time and getting up early!!