Yes for sure you need a name and address!! That was one thing that pissed me off with Shane. I had no idea where he was. His "aunt" is the one who took him to the airport and no one knew he was going to stay!!! He even told her he was just going to visit. She was not smart enough (in my opinion) to ask questions!!!

And I commented on Lily's picture on Facebook but I'll say it again lol That mirror makes it the perfect October/Halloween picture!!! I didn't even realize the skeleton was IN the truck (and not just 'in' the mirror) until I saw another one of your pictures lol

Haha yeah, he was driving it. :P

But I do love the picture!

UGH see, that would drive me nuts! Like.. SOMEONE HAS TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. Basic safety. Ugh.

We got absolutely killed last night. Homecoming massacre. 13-41. And we only got the second TD at the very last second tbh.

It's Homecoming, though! Apparently our house is going to be.. pretty full. El has 5 friends coming over, plus Lilys date is coming over early, when all the other kids get here (and just bringing his formal wear to change into, later). And Lily and Iz ofc. And then Lilys friend Matt is coming over to have snacks and pizza and such.

El is currently making dirt and worms because Iz bought gummy worms in the hopes that there would be dirt and worms :P

Awww fun!! Worms and dirt!!! I might suggest that to Nathan see if he's interested in it for his Halloween party LOL Too bad on losing the homecoming game. It happens tho! I don't go to the games here (no reason for me to go anymore and I don't really care to watch football unless I know someone playing) - but I was told during our rivalry game (Griffin Bears vs Spalding Jaguars - our two public highschools here) - we won (Jags) and there was a riot on the other side about it and the police had to arrest people!! :o Sheeesh. Almost as scary as the fact when we first moved back up here and the kids wanted to go to games (because we/they'd been going in FL w/ gramma a lot and enjoyed it) - there was a shooting during the rivalry game that year. EEEEKK. Just put me off football more, that did. I guess riots and arrests aren't quite as bad, but still bad!!

Shane and his girlfriend stopped here last night. I picked them up and will take them back later today. I dropped off the bases and poles, and the gas can for the fireworks stand today. Nathan didn't put the stools in the car, so I guess Ryan can take those when he takes the generator. Then no more fireworks things at my house. Not even boxes, because Shane burned the ones that were in the back house last night (i'd forgotten they'd put some in the back house! LOL)

Debating going to Milner to the BBQ place and having lunch or dinner with Ryan today (with all kids crammed into my tiny mustang???-lunch HMMM or just me and Nathan-dinner). I kind of want the BBQ again. Its good! (And it would let Shane see Dad, but I dunno...) Need to do my little bit of shopping, a few things for the trip, and dogfood for here while I'm gone.... Need to clean up the house too, get things tidied up before I go so its not a mess when I come home. (I have a few days to do that though!)

Oh gosh, that'd put me off football, too! I um.. don't even really like it, but Amber and I were sitting at the merch stand with Elly and just talking and gossiping most of the game :P We did go over and watch both marching bands do their shows, though!

Dropped my brother off at the bus station. Stopped and got myself dunkin first, since I still had a free drink and I didn't want to forget about it and have it expire. Lily sends me a text "YOU GOT DUNKIN WITHOUT US?!" Um, wtf. So I was like "How the hell did you know that?" Jacob (the boyfriend) saw me while he was picking up donuts to bring over here today :P

So. Brother is on his way. Or will be, at 430 today. Also, the bus station was scary. Kind of a sketchy place. I've never been in one before.

Oooh BBQ! That sounds so good. And letting Shane hang out with his dad sounds nice, I guess. Maybe have Ryan come and pick some of them up?

OK So. Jacob showed up, in his dress clothes. 5 hours early :P WHICH IS FINE that he's here. But now he's wearing Lilys fruit pajamas and a pair of Ellys fuzzy socks, and his dress clothes are hanging in the shower LOL. And Frells friends showed up, too. Ones in a full suit, which. He looks SO NICE WHO KNEW. Two (and Isabelle and Lily) wearing onesies, one wearing half a Christmas suit jacket and a pair of PJs, and two wearing regular PJs LOL.

It's just a regular party :P

Nope. Shane didn't want to squish in the mustang, and we didn't even mention it to Ryan...so...meh whatever. Nathan wasn't interested in BBQ either. Just I was I guess :P Maybe next weekend after we get back. Ryan most likely would NOT have wanted to drive over here, pick someone up, and drive back over there....not to mention then having to bring them home or squish...so nah. We just didn't go or say anything about it to him. I did tell him earlier in the week thatI was interested in getting it (NOT with Shane, Shane wasn't even planned on being home at that time I said something)....but I also had said I didn't know if we would. So...we didn't.

IN his dress clothes? LOL Noooo way dude. Too early for that. But some people are quite comfy in dress up clothes. Hehehehe for him wearing their comfy clothes!! Whatever works!! I prefer being comfy at home. I like when other folks feel comfy at my home.

Bus stations are kind of sketchy. I do not like the one in Atlanta at all. Have had to go there a good bit due to Shane. Thankfully not recently! I haven't been INSIDE it, but I do not like the general area its in. You took your brother at 8am even tho he doesn't leave until 430pm?? Or did I mis-remember the drop-off time you said....I would go look but forums are still loading painfully :P (as in, not loading half the time!)

I don't think the shooting that one year had anything to do with the game, I think it just happened in that area during the football game time period, but yea, it was freaky to hear about especially when my kids were LITTLE. It took a LOT for me to let them go to games on their own as they got older. I went to the first few WITH them, but I reallllly don't like football games, so eventually I felt comfortable letting them go on their own - well, Katie went with a group of friends, which helped. Nathan's only gone once by himself. I can't remember, I think Shane only went to a few with a few friends..... But Katie was involved in the chorus, and they often sang the national anthem at the games like homecoming and rivalry, so then a group of friends would want to hang out and be at the other games too, so they'd all go together. I did always enjoy watching the marching bands!! I tried marching band in 9th grade. (I'd played the flute since like 6th grade? Maybe 7th). I could not for the life of me play and march at the same time LOL I always ended up pretending to play as I marched (luckily we were a LARGE band so no one noticed)> I did not like the band director or his wife either - so I didn't go back into band the next year. I just kept flute lessons and learning to play on my own instead. I kind of wish I still had my flute. I wonder if I could remember how to play it now?? LOL

I took him at 11, because I had to be back for teenagers, except it actually took like 45 minutes but yes. The bus left at 5. He had to sit for 6 hours but if he didn't want to, he could have figured out the bus schedule, or called a taxi, or IDK what.

We only have like 12 kids in teh band, so we'd definitely notice someone not playing :P

And yes. And then I made them get dressed because I realized it might be dark at 6:30 t otake pictures? So we went and took pictures and then picked up 5 XL pizzas. Now everyone is eating happily :P

Quite true ;) There are many other ways to get to the bus station. And waiting around happens. I hope his trip goes well, he arrives safely and lets you know. I saw your pictures, toooooo cute!!! And gosh, Lily's boyfriend is scrawny. He's cute, but so skinny. It makes me think back to how tiny I was as a teenager. Would that I could lose a few pounds...ah well. I know I could if I put a bit of effort in but I don't want to make that effort. I do need to lose some weight tho, but do NOT want to be as skinny as I was back then!! I was too skinny then.

The dang cats have not touched the new litter box except for the one time I set Mama cat down into it and she jumped right out. Today I vacuumed up really good, switched the two litter boxes around, and neither cat went near them all day. Then mama finally did, to the old one eyeroll I guess they just don't want to test out the new litter? Maybe they will soon. If not, I'll end up re-bagging it and give it to Katie I guess. Since she uses it for her cat.

You got a forum point while making a post! Check out the shop here!

He is SO SCRAWNY. And if you look, in the one picture of Els homecoming, he's wearing the same jean jacket Lily is wearing in some of the other pictures. So like.. it's smaller on him. And he was wearing her PJ pants, and they were also smaller on him.. even though he's only like, maybe? two inches taller than she is. But it was all tighter.

Which is weird, because she looks healthy, and he is SO SCRAWNY looking like.. i don't understand it! My friend and I were talking about it last night, too.

Hehehe it is weird how clothes fit different people differently!!

I went and did my shopping, got drinks and snacks mostly, and non-food items. Will do a real shop next Friday/Saturday after the trip. Still have plenty of meat in the freezer hahah so it will be there next week too. Dang I just realize I will have to go back and get some veg. I don't have any :P oops. I used the last of it last night, and we WILL be eating at home tonight and tomorrow, so I need some for tonight at least - and maybe tomorrow depending on what we decide for dinner (I was thinking he could do stirfry, we still have some frozen veg for that, and I could do the buffalo chicken ranch dip again)

I am about to take Skittles and spend $ I really don't want to, but she needs flea control. I tried the salt thing and it helped a little, but I gave in and got some capstar pills and spread them out over the last two weeks to make them last (you can give a daily pill, kills any adult fleas ON the dog, but nothing else)....but now there is a VIP clinic at the tractor supply store today, so I am going to go spend $80 on flea meds (at least it lasts 3m!!!) her little hiney was so red and raw from her scratching and she'd lost so much fur from scratching too :( See you all in a little while! [edit] 1055 I'm back! :P They of course encouraged me to take her to the regular vet and get some medicated shampoo for her flea dermatitis. Yea. I know. She's got itchy bad skin right now. Can't do that. Maybe later I can (end of this month). In the meantime, I do have some oatmeal soothing shampoo I'll use on her (for dogs). I really think just the flea control will help her out.

It is so weird!

hmm yeah, Bella is super red and itchy too, every Fall and Spring. Need to fix her up, too. :( It's a mess.

Getting the kids ready to go do Christmas pictures!

Christmas pictures sounds more fun that what I'm doing ! :P TO DO List : Clean off and wipe down counters, sweep and mop kitchen floor, clean bathroom and sweep (maybe mop), clean NATHAN's bathroom and sweep (maybe mop - MAYBE can get HIM to do that one), Make Nathan clean HIS bedroom and the game room, clean up dog poop from dog pen, clean up my bedroom just a little bit more so I can vaccuum in there, vacuum hallway DONE List : pick up and vacuum living room, clean out litter box, vaccum cat towers, take dog to vet for flea control, go shopping, Finish cleaning the car and vacuum some (so less likely to attract ants) Currently Doing List : laundry, pack bag for trip (this is also sort of TO DO as I can't pack bathroom stuff yet, but i can pack some clothes after I finish washing them lol)

Tomorrows TO DO list includes finishing whatever I don't get done today and includes Dentist for Nathan in the morning, dropping books at the library, going to the pharmacy, and paying the water bill (and calling to see if there MAY be a chance he can have an earlier apt at the ortho). Tuesdays TO DO list includes doctor for me, packing bags/car and going to the orthodontist for him and LEAVING TOWN!

Wheeee, almost vacation time!

KAT. The pictures were SO. CUTE. They were at a cabin, and it was all decorated for Christmas. Santas jacket hanging on a nail outside the door. Only Iz knew about the 'special guest' who would be coming. They took pictures(including roping me in, whoops), and then the three of them were standing on the mat in front of the door, when Santa popped his head out and did a "shhhh" finger. Then he stood behind them and they still didn't notice, until he put his arms around them. SO FUNNY.

THEN. Iz went and got just hers done with Santa, and it was THE SWEETEST. Lily and I were both crying. She pulled on his beard to see if it was real, and then he pulled her chin out to see, too :P And then they held candy canes in heart shapes, andthen Santa put his in front of Isabelles face. Just. So. Sweet.

He and Lily 'cheers'-d with some hot cocoa cups too, adorable. And E pretended to be terrified of him :P

OMG soooooo cute sounding !!! I cannot wait to see them!!! And nothing wrong with mom being in the pictures. Moms (and sometimes dads) aren't in the pictures enough. I think I would like to get some professional pictures this christmas. Will have to see if I can get all the kids together to do it. Including Wesley. (Katies boyfriend). I was thinking, if I did that, I would have a new family picture to put on the wall....and I could get a picture of them as a couple, and I can get a copy for his mom too as a gift. :) They do not really have to be CHRISTMAS pictures for me, just pictures around Christmas time. Then or June/July is when I used to do family pictures. And of course, I also did birthday pictures around the kids birthdays, which made doing family ones at Christmastime so much more .... annoying? fun? :P hahah. Because Katie is mid Nov and Shane is early Dec, birthdays 3 weeks apart, with Christmas right after.

I have accomplished....finishing the laundry. Bag has been packed for me with 3 days of clothes, minus bras (air drying), plus 2 towels (figured why make Katie do more laundry to have clean towels again, when I can just bring my own - the hotel obviously will have towels tho hahaha).

[edit] Good Morning everyone! Dentist apt for Nathan at 1030, followed by a trip to the pharmacy, library and water company, :P Woooot. Just called Ortho. They were able to move him to 230 today, so now I have tomorrow afternoon free, makes it easier to head out of town!! :P

YAY for having tomorrow free!

And I think that sounds nice! I think family pictures are amazing, and always make a terrific gift. Like.. i don't think I'll ever not want pictures of my kids? :P I wont' lie, I'm kind of glad that we got them done now, before snow flew.. and while it's gorgeous out!

Yes, its nice to have them done ahead of time, for special events... but also, don't you think Santa pictures in the snow would be awesome tho?? Sure you'd freeze, but it'd make GREAT pictures!!! And yes, please! Give me pictures. I am a picture-a-holic. I do however really need to sort thru all the old ones and get rid of the billions of copies from walmart studios hahahaha (like, do I really need 30 wallets, 10 4x6 or whatever? no, so keep maybe one of each size and get rid of the rest or something). One day I will do that.

Well tomorrow isn't completely free, I have my apt at 9am, but the afternoon is free!! So I can leave earlier! Maybe I'll pop in and say hi to Katie if she's not in class/working hahah for a few minutes. I might also stop and see my brother on the way down instead of on the way back up. Going from LaGrange meant I wasn't getting there til like 8-9pm and I wasn't going to stop until I got to the hotel. But now I can leave earlier (as soon as I'm done w/ my apt) and I can't check into the hotel until after 4 pm anyway! :)

And I laughed my head off when you reposted Izzy dancing, as Izabat :P

Nathan just woke up on his own (gasp its not even 10am!) so I told him of the updated plans. He did not seem thrilled. Oh well! I am! -edit- hahah ok he was just not quite awake. Now that he's been up a little longer, I asked if he was ok with all that and if he wanted to stop on the way down to visit Katie and Uncle E and he seemed MUCH more excited. :P

Well, good! I'm glad he's excited!

And oh gosh, we call her Isabat and Isabat all the time :P She's a mess. She was SO excited to take a video of her flying, though.

I've taken some pictures in the snow before, but. It's so hard to get to places that you can take pretty pictures, in the snow :P

Yea I can see it being difficult. But still awesome! :P I have this gorgeous picture of my baby brother in the snow, up in Utah, one of the few times he was up there. Its a casual one, he's just sitting there, but its gorgeous. :)

One apt down, one to go. Lunch eaten, bills paid, books dropped off, medicines picked up. Phew. Kitchen counters are clean and so are most of the dishes. Need to clean the table and take the trash off again today, I bought a new trash can because this one is so stinky yucky and I wanted a smaller one anyway, and I'm getting rid of a few bigger "small" appliances I haven't used in forever (which I may regret later but I doubt it). We have less trash with fewer people. So smaller can and smaller bags. AND a trash can for Nathan for in the game room. We had an ACTUAL talk, and I HOPE i impressed upon him the importance of cleaning up. I asked him what HIS solution was, since he was not happy at all with MY solution of removing him from that room "This is my space, I can come here to be alone, and to play my music and my games" - and I can't fault him for that. I do refuse to let him have the TV and game system in his BEDROOM. I want him to go to BED in there, not play all night (which he probably still does, on his phone). So we are giving it ONE more shot, a couple of weeks with the trash can to see if he will clean up the trash instead of leaving it all over the room.

Well, good luck! I hope it works!

Lily just cleaned up like, two feet of.. STUFF on her floor. But there's still so much mess, like.. she doesn't understand that it's not clean until it's clean.

Kat, you're doign so much today, I'm impressed! I've done.. next to nothing. But I do need to go do some more yard work.

I mowed the yard on Saturday. Which was definitely needed! But I need to mow the rest of it now. I only got the.. yard, part :P

Can you do me a favor and post on my wanted: beanbags thread please?

Just trying to have a tidy house when I get home. OMG Yes, Nathan seems to have that issue too. "I DID clean it mom!!" - Me, looking around at candy wrappers, water bottles, clothes on the floor - ???? WHAT??? What exactly did you clean???? His response during our talk about him cleaning "Its not my fault you looked right BEFORE I cleaned everything up" - uuuuh???WHAT??? dude. Seriously. Its still a mess anyway. Done love <3

Yeahhh. Like, Jacob got here and was like "... Lily. Lily. Just because you no longer have a carpet.. like.. do you not see this?!"

He's a keeper :P

Thank you!

Ugh yes. TEENAGERS. And Ellys room.. she was literally complaining about Lilys room.. for some reason? And I walked into hers and walked right back out.. because I couldn't walk in any farther!