Shame on me...

I know...shame on me...I am always apologizing for not updating my blog often enough. It seems like I don't even turn on my computer at home anymore! SO...here is a post I typed a few weeks ago, but never posted. I wanted to add some pictures, but I never got back to it.
Lots of love, Kelley
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I thought several weeks ago I was dying. It ended up being a kidney stone, but it was terrible/horrible/miserable/etc. I've never hurt so bad and thrown up from my toes like that in all my life! Natural childbirth TWICE was no comparison. The kidney stone is still there, so we will see what it has in store for me. At least I have pain medicine, and I'm not afraid to use it. I know what is causing this now.

We have been doing our usual...laundry, basketball practice, and our daily routine of school/work/ and household normal stuff.

Katie has been very interested in the election, which I am glad to say. It didn't go the way we wanted it to, but it's great that she's interested in it at this age. It is such a priviledge to choose our leaders, and we should always exercise that if we can. I took all 4 kids with me to the polling place. They were very good, and we even went out to eat lunch at Moe's afterward. I might be crazy for going by myself with them, but they were good. I really enjoyed my day off with them.

Luke is our current little "Romeo". His teachers at school say the girls fight over him every day when they go outside. There is one special one, I think...and he writes her name in the bathtub everynight with his bathtub crayons. Her name is Ella. She's cute, and he says she is his "bestest friend".

Brady is still a hoot. I've used the Mr. Clean magic eraser more over the past two weeks than ever before. It seems he finds every marker, crayon, pencil, and pen that anyone has ever had around here.

Haley is rolling over some, and drooling like crazy. She still loves her mommy tremendously (could be the eating thing...), and when she smiles, she does it with her entire body. I can make her just cackle by tickling her. It's amazing how well she has just settled in with us.

Hello again...

UUGGHHH...I typed this stuff up several days ago, but my internet went down right before I uploaded it. I haven't had time to sit down and work on it again. So, I'm taking a few minutes tonight when I should be working on my reading class stuff. =) And, if you want to know how REALLY BUSY I've been, I haven't watched Grey's for the past two weeks! I keep thinking I'll sit down and watch them online, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. So, enjoy the post that I tried to do last week, and I'll try (again!) to do better about staying updated. (They took away access to blogs at work, so that's forcing me to do it from home...)

PS...

Say a prayer for me Tuesday, because I take Haley for her four month shots!

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NO...I didn't fall off the face of the earth...I've just been incredibly busy. Talk about glutton for punishment, I guess. Right now, I'm getting my Reading First Endorsement online as well as my "Reading Endorsement" online (which will go all year and include some actual classes). We've also had sickness going around our house. Scottie had some type of cold/flu thing, I've had an ear infection, and all the little ones have thrown up except Katie. There have been fevers, sore throats, snotty noses, and "yucky poop" (since I can't stand that "d" word).

Now that you feel incredibly sorry for us, I'll share some pictures and info with you. I'm horribly behind, I know. I'm always thinking, "I have to include that in my blog!" But, when the time comes, I don't get on and update. Let's see what I can think of...

About the pool...You know what kids ask on a long car trip, right? Well, check these out!

Is it done yet?

Is it done yet?

There are so many of these pictures. I know they had to spend HOURS per day just watching. They would even eat sitting at the window! I have lots of pictures of them actually swimming. I'll try to do them in a few days.

Thanks for reading!

Lots of love, Kelley

GREY'S!! Hallelujah!

Hey everyone...tonight is the night! Grey's Anatomy finally returns to TV. Dawn is coming over, and we are planning a "viewing party". I can't wait!! If you are a follower of this mindless, wonderful, trashy, hilarious show like I am....you know all about it. I can't believe the previews, and it will be two hours tonight. Yay!

We are leaving tomorrow for a huge family camping trip. I remember when I was a little girl going to Cherokee every fall. Now, it is so important for me to carry on the tradition for my children. Isn't it funny? We have great-grand children who now look forward to the trip. My crew (especially Luke) has been counting down the weeks. They are so excited. I am too. I guess you never really grow out of it, huh?

Funny story...we were talking today at lunch about camping trips. I was telling them that I love my husband and children, but I don't think it would be as much fun if we didn't camp with a big group. Then, it hit me! If I went just in my little family, I would be responsible for DOING stuff! When we all camp together, I'm still a "kid". The grownups cook the food (ie, breakfast at the crack of dawn)...and the "kids" and "grandkids" eat right along with them. I hope I never reach a point where I am considered a "grownup!"

Hopefully, I'll have lots of pictures to share from our trip...(AND...the time to post them.)

Lots of love, Kelley

3 months old!

Haley was 3 months old this weekend...where does time go? I'm still not having much luck getting pictures to upload at school, but I did manage to get a few to go. Enjoy!

As you can tell, we are really into the bows right now. In fact, Mom has figured out how to make them. So, expect to see lots more in future pictures! (Isn't she beautiful???)

My little monster...The other night, I was sitting at the dining table grading papers. (As you can see, there are two baskets waiting to be graded!) So, Brady crawls up onto the table and just lays there watching. He always has to be right in the middle of things, doesn't he?

Here, Haley is intently staring at Katie and Luke talking to her. She just loves them.

And...this is Mr. Tomato Head. He seriously grew like this, with a face all built in. If you look closely, you can see that he has some "damage" under his mouth. That would be Brady's doing...he just loves tomatoes. So much so, that he pops one into his mouth anytime he gets the chance. He tried to take a big bite out of Mr. Tomato Head!

You know, some people probably think I'm crazy for having four children. But...look what I would have missed if I had stopped after two.

Lots of love, Kelley

New goals

Hey everyone...My goal now is to stay updated on my blog! I went back and read a lot yesterday (like I didn't have anything else to do), and I was fighting back tears. It's amazing how much they change in such a short amount of time. This blog is the best thing I've ever done to keep up with things. My scrapbooks are great too, but the blog will be a tremendous help to me when it comes time to remember just when things happened and I do ever get back around to putting those pictures in my scrapbooks.

I've been thinking about something lately...sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. And...sometimes I'm a good mom, and sometimes I'm "not so good".

I'm a good mom when...

*I hold two babies at once because they need me at the same time.

*I hold big babies who's legs are dragging the ground just because I want to.

*I listen to Katie talk about how she's going to marry Joe Jonas because I remember how much I loved New Kids on the Block. (By the way...I bought their new CD. I LOVE IT!!!)

*I take the time to let them help me do things even when I don't think I have time.

*I get excited about a camping trip to Cherokee with my family and my kids and I are looking forward to the car-ride up there just being together.

*I lay down at night on the bed with my two little ones and just stare at them.

I'm "not so good" when...

*I chew them up and spit them out even when it's not really their fault that I've had a bad day.

*I tell them to "grab a pop-tart" on Saturday/Sunday morning because I don't want to/or don't have time to fix a warm breakfast.

*Say no without really listening and processing whatever it is they are asking for.

*I expect too much out of Katie and forget that she is only 8 years old and didn't take the others to raise.

*I forget to let Luke be a loud, unruly little boy.

*I don't get Brady when he needs me because I'm busy with Haley.

I guess we all have moments of being "not so good", but I'm glad I realized those moments. It's my goal to do a much better job from now on.

Well, I was going to post pictures...but they aren't coming up on my computer at school. I'll have to see about getting my internet at home fixed. Note to self...call the phone company!

Lots of love, Kelley

Conversations with my children

Katie: "Mom, were you alive when George Washington was president?"
Mom: "Katie, I'm going to cut you into little pieces."

Luke: "Mom, what's this?"
Mom: "It's a quarter."
Luke: "Oh, I thought it was a dime."
Mom: "So, Luke, how many quarters does it take to make a dollar?"
Luke: "One."
Mom: "No...think about it. How many quarters do you take to school when you want to take a dollar for a drink?"
Luke: "One."
Mom: "Luke...how many quarters do you have to put in your pocket for a drink?"
Luke: "One dollar."
Mom: "Right. But remember, four quarters makes one dollar."
Luke: "That's what I said mom."

Mom: "Brady Barton!!"
Brady: "Huh?"
Mom: "Did you put all this water in my bathroom floor?!?"
Brady: "No..."
Mom: "You better not throw a cup of water out here again. Do you understand?"
Brady: "Yes ma'am."
Brady: "Mama?"
Mom: "Yes, Brady?"
Brady: "I love you."

Mom: "Hello my little princess."
Haley: "Coo...smile...coo...laugh."

Life is wonderful...

Lots of love, Kelley

Computer trouble...

Well, I haven't been trying to ignore the blog....My internet is down at home due to all the grading. (For those of you who don't know, we've just put in a swimming pool...so the yard is a mess!) Anyway, they have fixed our phone line twice. I think Scottie is just waiting to call again when we are completely finished. So, for now...I'm stuck making updates at school. My time is limited here, so I've gotta go!

Lots of love, Kelley