ARgh...Math....Yuck!

OK, I am a Librarian. I love books. I love reading. Ask me anything about an author or a book, or genre's, I can answer it. Ask me a Social Studies question, or even a science question, I can find the answer. DO NOT ASK ME A MATH QUESTION! Tonight I could not even help middle child w. her 4th grade math question. Yes, I said 4th grade. I can not do 4th grade math. Let's see how smart you guys are?

Erin has red, blue, and yellow barrettes. She has 5 times as many blue barrettes as red barrettes, and 2 times as many yellow barrettes as red barrettes. Altogether, she has 24 barrettes. How many of each color does she have?

Got the answer yet? Let me tell you, for somebody whose job is to find answers for people- this is killing me people! ARgh...Math...Yuck!

Grandma and Grandpa are here from S.C. They are literally freezing their hind ends off. They left 54 degree weather (on a cold day) to 12 degree weather. Mom and Dad- I love you and thank you freezing for us. But remember- I am up here thanks to you guys. You were the ones who brought us up here as kids. You were also the ones who then left me here. OK- so I got married, but I would have been in the deep South, laying on the beach if you would not have transplanted me to the frozen tundra to met the man of my dreams. I met and married a SD boy. He has no intentions of ever leaving SD. He will never leave SD, therefore neither will I. Artic cold or hot beaches, one would think there is no comparison. See what love does to you.

If you figure out the math problem above- please let me know. I may lay awake all night trying to figure that one out!

Does it ever slow down?

It is 6:45 in the morning and I though I might have a few minutes of peace to write something down. Wrong. I hear an alarm in the background, a sign that the days craziness has begun. I don't know about anyone else, but mornings are the busiest around this household. Having a teenager, a "pro-teen", and a 3 year old makes for a busy morning. Oh yeah, we can't forget about the th 40year old too. ( Whom I think is the highest maintence of all at times! Love ya guy.)

Oldest has had a very busy fall. I need to take time to brag her up here. She just finished performing in her Jr. High play. Her part was Mrs. Gloop, that would be G-L-O-O-P (in a very thick German accent mind you) from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I know I am a bosting parent- but she really did steal the show. I did not know that my Drama Queen teenage daughter was funny! She had us crying we were laughing so hard. Of course, seeing my 100 pound daughter wearing a fat suit that made her look 300 pounds, and trying to dance with that one is quite a sight amongst itself. Oldest- you were fabulous.

Middle daughter is busy starting basketball. OK- is it just girls or do all kids think they are horrible at something, and then when we see them actually doing their activity they excell at it? Middle came home crying everynight after bball saying how horrible she was, nobody would pass her the ball, she is never going to play again. We go the 1st game, and viola- guess who is all over the court, jumping around like a jumping bean, and guarding her little heart out. Yep- that would be number 2 Drama Queen. Soccer star and future Basketball star!

Monster boy. Where do we begin? Boys- pent up energy. Tom and I are grooming him for his future as a pro-football player. We gave him the option of being a Cornhusker or a Hawkeye on his way to Steelers fame. Looks like this family needs to start sprouting a bunch of Red. This kid eats, breathes, sleeps, and lives by football. I sure hope he can really take care of us in a manner we would like to be taken care when he becomes a professional football player. It seems hard to believe that the little boy who crawls into bed w. us EVERY NIGHT is the same little boy who never stops during the day. Grandma and Grandpa are coming up to watch Monster boy for us this week- Mom and Dad- I hope you are ready to run, run, run!

Welp- I hear movement- time to start morning craziness.

Happy Halloween

Well, the kids are done trick or treating, and with Halloween comes the official start of the Holiday season. I can not believe that is officially Nov. in 2 hours time. Where does the time go? To fast I tell you. I keep forgetting that my age is catching up with me. You know you are getting old when the people you work with point out that your hair is looking a little grey, and it might be time for a dye job! Ouch. Wasn't it just a few years earlier that I was the one going trick or treating? I can remember the costumes that I even wore. Come on, you can too. Who can forget those plastic masks that had slits for the eyes, nose and mouth. You know the ones we wore on our heads and pulled down when we got to the door. The same ones that created all that condensation on the inside from our breathing. Costumes are not what they use to be! Oldest was Mother Nature. She wore one of my two look a like bridesmaid dress, put flowers in her hair and around her waist. She was so pretty. Daughter number 2 was a Devil Woman. Very appropriate for this spirited little girl! Unbelievably, it is the only time she lets me fix her hair! Monster boy was a pirate. RRRRgh I tell you. Give me candy, or I'll hit you with my sword. (OK, not really, but he does have sword, and it makes really cool noises, so he might noise you to death with his sword!). Now I have to figure out what to do with all the candy. If it does not disappear soon, it will find its way to my hips. And trust me, they don't need to go there. Think the kids will notice if I start "trashing" it piece by piece. I know, bad mommy, but what else do you do if you are the one w. no will power for chocolate. Come on- what female can resist that sweet stuff? Happy Halloween to you. I hope you get more treats than tricks.

Aren't I lucky

I can't help but realize how lucky I have it. Tonight a dear friend of ours came home from Iraq. He has been gone for a year, that is 365 days, or 12 months, or way to long for any person to be a single parent, esp if you are happily married. I am extremely happy to have him back. I know hubbie really missed him while he was away. I know I am happy to have him back. See Wardo is the type of guy that calls you and bugs you to death. Not bug in a bad way, but in a way that he lets you know that he is always there. If you are down, he bugs you till you smile. If you are cheery- he adds to it. If you are grumpy- he shows up with a beverage of choice and eggs you on till you fill better. He is there for the whole family, not just hubbie. Wardo- it is so good to have you back. We missed you more than words can say.

OK, 13 year old forgot her homework at school, again. This is not a new occurrence. In fact, it has become a very common theme. Since yours truly works there, guess who she comes up to (with tears streaming down her face, and excuses rolling of the tongue) to ask if we can get her forgotten homework. What do you do? Let her fail or go get her homework. The rest of the kids fail, right? Not my baby girl.......Again, how lucky do we have it.

3 year old son, who is potty trained- wets his pants. Not once, but twice tonight. Argh. How hard is it to go potty in the potty? Wouldn't you think the feeling of wet pants bug you enough to use the bathroom the correct way? I mean, this kid can't stand sticky hands, but wet pants- who cares! His new thing is I have to follow him upstairs and watch him pee. Why I ask you, why? OK, I am lucky that he has the ability to go pee by himself, and is potty trained 95% of the time. (I know, I'm stretching it here, but I am trying to create a theme)

9 year old tells me tonight that she has the ultimate joke pulled on us. Seems her new friend at school, who is an exchange student, and had a major asthma attack, and was saved by our heroic daughter was all a fraud! She made her up. April Fools, in October. Arghhhhh.... Aren't I lucky to have a daughter who has a since of humor.......

I am lucky. I have a family who loves me. I have a family in good health. I have the ultimate American dream life. Even though my family has their own little quirkes, they are my family and I love them. Night everyone. I wish you all a little luck after you read this.

Get to know me

Well, I am finally breaking down and starting a Blog. I love my sisters so much that I though it time to start my own. I thought the best way to start is with my 100 list, so I hope you enjoy it as well as get to know a little about me.
1. I am happily married, for the last 18 years ,to my high school sweetheart.
2. Tom and I have been together for over half of my life.
3. My baby sister does not have a memory without my husband in it.
4. I am a southern belle and proud of it.
5. I am also a military brat.
6. I have 3 kids. Two girls and a boy.
7. Two of my kids are natural born to me and my husband.
8. One of our kids is adopted.
9. My son says his skin is cinnamon colored.
10. My son says the rest of us have vanilla colored skin.
11. The best sound in the world is a babies laughter
12. Esp. if number 11 is my babies!
13. I love to read
14. My favorite thing to read is Young Adult Literature
15. I always have a book with me.
16. I usually have 2 or 3 books going at one time.
17. Read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer- it is a great Mother/Daughter/Son read
18. I deal with tweens and teens every day of my life.
19. I think I have earned by wings in heaven due to number 18.
20. I live in a town that is the name of a drink. How many people can make that claim!
21. Starbucks! Yum.
22. Coffee with flavored creamer.
23. Holiday creamers...pumpkin spice, gingerbread
24. Coffee or pop....
25. Definitely Coffee
26. Walking into my house and it is clean.
27. Walking into my house and it smells of fresh baked cookies....thanks to White Barn!
28. I don't bake, but my 13 year old does.
29. Having family in town again.
30. Daily conversations with my sister
31. e-mail sweet nothings being sent to me or from me
32. A good book ending
33. Staying up all night because I can't put the book down.
34. Watching my daughter get a goal.
35. Watching my daughter perform in a play/oral interp/band concert.
36. Playing football with my son.
37. He has to be a Steeler. I can be anything else. As long as he is a Steeler.
38. Telling my son I am the Steeler.
39. My husband bringing me up coffee in the morning. He does love me.
40. Seeing my Mom and Dad.
41. Having my parents come all the way from SC to babysit for us.
42. Thanks Mom and Dad
43. Summer is the best season
44. Esp. when winter lasts for 9 months...yuck.
45. I hate the cold....why do I live in SD?
46. The beach is my favorite place to visit.
47. The beach holds some of my favorite memories
48. I was once so sunburned, my legs turned purple and swelled up.
49. I gained 70 pounds with both my daughters.
50. I lost the 70 pounds.
51. I have managed to put about 20 pounds of that back on. Ouch.
52. My husband still loves me.
53. I miss my southern accent.
54. I love to listen to people who have foreign accents.
55. Esp. Australian and English.
56. I will visit Germany one day
57. I made a good friend by standing over her, watching her, everyday, until she had to talk to me.
58. I work with some of my best friends.
59. My husband and kids are my number 1 best friends.
60. I tell my family I love them every day.
61. They tell me they love me everyday.
62. I make my bed everyday.
63. I have always made my bed everyday.
64. I hate it when people do not make their beds.
65. I had a nun tell me that one day I would get a real last name.
66. She was right, and boy is it a whopper!
67. I have 7 people in my immediate family with the name of Gene/Jean.
68. My daughter is the 4th generation girl to have the name of Katrina.
69. I love orange and brown.
70. I carry an orange purse.
71. Everyone loves my orange purse.
72. My husband is a foot taller than me.
73. I am not even 5 feet tall.
74. If I ever reached 5 feet, I would through a huge 5 foot party.
75. I hope my kids reach at least 5'2.
76. It may happen.
77. I talked my sister-in-law into reading a "vampire" book.
78. She has now talked people into reading the same "vampire book.
79. It is not a real vampire book, because they are vegetarian vampires.
80. See number 17.
81. I would be lost if I did not have a good friend working for me.
82. Good friends are had to find, and long lasting.
83. I got to be good friends with my sisters as we became adults.
84. Man did we fight as kids.
85. Now my kids fight.
86. Sorry mom, but yes, I got paybacks.
87. I love food.
88. I would love to go to culinary school.
89. As long as it was not for baking.
90. I love bracelets.
91. I have a 3 peas in a pod tattoo on my foot.
92. My tattoo is the only thing I have that my sisters do not.
93. Nobody would ever think I would have gotten a tattoo.
94. I have and drive a scooter in the summertime.
95. I respond faster to e-mail than phone calls.
96. I really miss not being able to see my family.
97. I have a teenage daughter.
98. I have a loving husband
99. My kids rock.
100. Jesus loves me......and You.

21.