We went shooting!

So Jen's new job requires her to be able to shoot- so she wanted to go shooting today- let's just say it freaked me out. I hated it. My hands were sweaty, I jumped at every bullet, I closed my eyes to shoot. My hand hurts and so does my arm- I am not made to be a shooter- she however LOVES it and wants to buy a gun now. Holy cow.

We went with Taya to the fire station with her class. Her teacher is not very friendly- but I think she is coming around a little. How can you not like Jen and I? I was elected Policy Council President- so she will see a lot of me. :)

My parents are going to be visiting tomorrow from Hawaii- so that will keep us busy.

I got my hair chopped off- like 8 inches and layered- then I have always wanted pink in it- so I did it- I also got some put in Taya's hair- but it did not take as well as mine. She likes it though- although this picture of her looks like she is in pain. She is NOT a morning child.


At the fire station


Taya's pink hair

My new doo with pink

Jen shooting

Me shooting- under this smile is a scared inner child

Game Night

Once a month we are going to try to have a game night- this was our second month- sounds so wholesome huh? It has been a lot of fun- my friend Lisa and her daughter have come both times- and it has been great to see them again- this month we had a bit of a younger crowd but it was so fun to connect with the teens too. They wanted to play Twister and I did not have one- so we made one up on the floor- and then finally they went to Wal-mart to buy one. We played Pictionary, and Yahtzee, and some game like Where's Waldo- we laughed a lot and had fun. Jen's parents came and even had a good time. I was however the only adult that played Twister! You gotta live a little.

I am certain you all think we are crazy- but we have to be to have 5 kids right? Jen puts up with me and I appreciate that- I do love her so to go along with me and my ideas!

I am going to just keep inviting different people each month and see what happends- I am hoping that people we don't see very often will finally decide to come. I just bought Cranium, Taboo, and Apples to Apples- anyone have any other group game suggestions?


Emilee and Bryce- on the losing team in Pictionary!


Megan was home from college, Lisa, Emilee and Dinah enjoyed the snacks

Bryce, Trey, Taylor, and Megan play the real Twister

A group of us playing ghetto Twister

Trey getting a whiff of his buddy!

Brownies and new kitty

It is cold here in Colorado- Denver has already had snow! I hate cold- I am so much a beach person. So, because it was cold I made chili for dinner and had Jen's parents over. I also made cornbread and cinnamon rolls- yummy! I think cinnamon rolls and chili are a weird combination- but in Colorado in the public schools they serve this together- so they kids like the combination and get used to it- so I follow suit.

As you can see from the pictures below- Taya helped me make brownies by cleaning up the bowl- she even has brownie in her hair. I just bought some cute stickers- so this will make a fun scrapbook page. I am off to another scrapbook weekend in November- I think Jen will still be gone, so it will be a nice chance to get away and take my mind off of things.

Just in case we did not have enough animals we were at Pet Smart and saw a fun cat and decided he needed to live with us. He is 10 years old and so fat. We have only had him a few days, so he is still trying to get used to our loud house and dogs, and a three year old, and so forth- but so far so good. We knew his chances were slim at 10 to find a loving home- so we adopted him. Taya has named him Teriyaki. I wonder what his name used to be and where he came from? He has been well fed- or else he swallowed a bunny recently. I wish he could tell me his story.

Looks like Jen got an extra week off before starting her new job. Target date now is the 12Th. She has been out shooting guns to get ready and now thinks she wants to buy a gun- scary!

Tonight at group I am starting a cooking class to teach the ladies some easy and quick meals to cook for their family. Tonight we are making taco ring and salsa. I hope they get some benefit out of it- if nothing else- I know they will eat well tonight.



Taya enjoyed the brownie bowl


This will make a cute scrap booking page

The new kitty Teriyaki

He is like 22 pounds of fat cat

Please pray

Please pray for this family They have been married 5 years- and the wife was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant- she delivered a beautiful baby girl and brought her home from the hospital. She was having headaches for a few days and then had a seizure at home and was rushed to the hospital- since then she has gone to be with Jesus and so her husband is going to be raising Chloe all alone.

When things are bad- it is so easy to wallow in out own grief- but I would die without my best friend Jen by my side every day. To not see my children grow up would kill me.

I am so thankful for all that I have.

Kids and good/bad friends

I am posting some random kids pictures- Taya has started a new dance class and she is much happier with this teacher- she even did a solo dance on her second day! It is fun to have a girl.

Football continues- yeah! Bryce is busy playing Varsity and JV- I just pray he can keep his grades above water so that he is eligible. My parents are going to be here from Hawaii next weekend- so I sure hope he gets to play when they go to his game!

I had a great friend call today- who reads my blog- Taya used to go to her for day care- and she found out Jen will be gone for a month so she offered to take me to the Dr. if I get sick while Jen is away- thanks Leslie- that was really nice- I will call you tomorrow- but it is good to have a back up plan. When I am sick I can't drive- and even if I could get to the hospital the drugs they give me- I would never be allowed to drive home and I don't really want Bryce to see me so sick. I am praying I won't get sick at all- but you just never know. Thanks again for the call- very much appreciated. You get the good friend award.

The bad friend award goes to someone I have debated on mentioning. We have been best friends like sisters for years- but the relationship is no longer healthy- so we have ended it. Now her son and my son have been best friends for years- play on the same football team- her son goes on vacations with us- they were really close- until she just could not keep her mouth shut and had to but into their relationship and now they are not talking- it just breaks my heart- why do adults have to be so childish? I wish for peace for her and that the boys will find their way back as friends.

Homecoming is also next weekend- Bryce has asked a girl- last year he went stag- so this is exciting! I need to go get him a black shirt and white tie- she won't let him see her dress but told him it was black and white.

Jen has been gun shopping- scary! Her new job requires her to have a gun- so that is interesting. She went shooting yesterday and actually hit the target a few times. The people at the gun store are really weird and they carry guns all the time- what crime is there in a farming community really?

I went to court today for a good friend that was arrested over the weekend for fighting with her husband- hate to see folks not getting along. I am so blessed with the relationship I have with Jen- and I guess as I get older it is just not worth it to fight- it is so much funner to be nice and get along.

Taya had her first school pictures today- I hope they will be cute! We had a fun game night- I will post about it tomorrow.




Trey at a game over the weekend


Toby and his team

Bryce- number 47 at an away game-Varsity

This is what Taya wore for picture day!

Taya in her TUTU made by Tina. I love how the studio is painted.

I am in a rut

For the most part- I really enjoy breeding dogs- yes it is a lot of work to feed and water and clean them day after day- the Vet bills, the dog food expense, collars, toys, microchips all that stuff- not to mention the hours I spend researching dogs and having them flown into this country.

I just get tired of bitchy Phycho customers that you can never make happy and they bum me out.- the dog is not white enough, or big enough, or pretty enough and no one cares about the personality of this little pup. UG!

Jen got a job- we are not posting it yet because that is a whole nother drama with my ex BFF- she has gone crazy again and I have decided the relationship is no longer healthy for me- so Tada it is over- anyway- we don't want her to know where Jen is working and that she will be out of the state for a month- I am freaking out about that- we have never spent 2 nights alone- it is seriously going to cause me some stress- and what if I get sick and need to go to the hospital? There are not many people I would want to see me like that. I think of Michelle and I know how strong she is and she is alone for month on end- so surly I can go 1 month. right?

So I am just mopey and been busy and not had a lot of time to myself or with Jen- I need to fix that. OK I am done bitching now. I am leaving you with pictures of why I do what I do- these babies are so cute!

I hate football

This is a whiny post....

All four boys are playing tackle football this year. Bryce is number 47 on the Varsity and JV team in high school. Both twins are number 23 and Toby is 32. I have never let Toby play because of his heart- so I am a little nervous, but working through it.

I can sum up what I understand about football in two words- NOT MUCH! I have had it explained to me- but I just don't get it- or maybe I don't want to get it who knows. I hated it as a child when my Dad would have it on TV- I hate going to games- it is always so cold- how can enjoy something when you are so cold all you can think about is a hot shower?

I love baseball and do you think one, just one of my boys would play? NO- they like stupid football. :)

Here are some pictures of them playing and a video of Dylan making a TD- this I know is a good thing.

Football takes up way too much of my life too- Bryce has practice every day after school and the little boys go three times a week- then the games Fri, Sat, and Tuesday- Sunday is my only football free day- and Jen watches it on TV sometimes on that day- ugh- have I mentioned I hate football?

Toby

Bryce at a high school game

Mowhawks!

Football season brings Mow hawks here. This is Dylan from the back- I need to get a front shot of him- and Bryce with Amber- Amber spiked his mow hawk. Bryce looks so big next to Amber- where did the time go? He is only 15!

Amber came down with her girls to stay the weekend. She went with us to the lake and we had a great time. It is so nice to spend time with her. I just love my kids. I am not ready for summer to be over! I am stomping my feet.

First Day of Pre-school

Is this possible that I have a pre-schooler again? Taya started school today- and I think it went well- she fell asleep at lunch and slept for and hour and a half! I guess it will take her some time to get used to all the activities of a school day.

I have already been volunteered for a Parent board member and teaching a scrap booking class, and decorating a bulletin board. This is what I needed more school stuff to do- I am the treasurer of two school's already. Oh well.

Hope all the kiddos out there are having a great school year!


Excited face


Not so sure face!

The door to her class

Not sure about things because I just broke the news to her that I was not staying with her all day!

Waiting to meet her teacher's

Zits!

Bryce is getting into his teenage years- and I will have to admit- my name is Kate and I am a zit popper. I can't send my child out into the world when he has a third eye on his chin just asking for me to pop it. Then there are the stubborn ones that don't quite have a head on them- but they are so big- you get a needle and stick it in them- just to get the stuff out and relieve the pressure- come on you have all done it to someone or yourself!

It is my duty as a Mother. Well NO MORE. Watch this and I bet you will never pop a zit for another person. Come on- you know your curious.

http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/omf ... /341574688

More first day of school pictures

OK I finally have pictures of the other two on the first day of school. Taya is on the wait list- so we have to wait until a kid stops going or moves- so keep your fingers crossed.

I am so not ready for summer to be over- I still want the kids home.

I was sick on Friday- Trey came home Weds with the flu and he must have given it to me- and my body sent me into an episode- so off tot he ER I went for meds and fluids- I am so sick of being a burden. Jen is great but it has to get old- it does for me. I can't imagine living my life for the next 50 years with this disease- I try to be positive but sometimes I can't.


Taya wanted her picture taken- although she is on the wait list.


Bryce ready for school- he is going with the all white look

Taya's first OB visit

Well we went to the OB today for Jen's annual-(she will love that I just put that out there to the world)- anyway Taya had to go potty- so she was doing her thing and on the way out she saw a stack of pretty pink cups- so she got herself a drink of water. I did not think anything of it until Jen pointed out it was a collection cup. Please note it was a clean cup.

So while Jen was freaking out I was laughing so hard that she was drinking from a pee cup- I just had to get a picture for my blog. I am such a cruel Mom- everything is put on my blog I swear!

Random

Thanks to everyone for your support on my upset customer post. Just so you know I offered to return her money and take Grady back- but she won't give him back. I can only hope he will grow on her. She sounds like an angry woman- pray for her. :)

The boys have started football- I will have to post pictures of them with their pads on- I am not a big football fan and this is the first year that I have let Toby play because of his heart- so we will see how it goes. Jen says it can't be any harder then wrestling.

The boys are all in school now- still waiting to hear if Taya got into preschool.

My "Best friend/neighbor" has gone Bi-polar again and is not speaking to me- oh the drama- I am over it- why to adults have to act like children? She is pissed because I talked to her Ex- oh and Jen called her a "Bitch" :)

My favorite golden had puppies and we kept the best looking female- I have posted her picture below- we name all our goldens Hawaiian names- so she is Pau- (Pow) so the kids wanted to call her Boom Boom Pau- I like it.

I really wanted to go to the 4-corners for Labor day- but football is screwing up the last few weeks of summer- so I guess we will have a BBQ here. I have decided to have friends over for game night once a month- anyone have any group game suggestions?


Taya being a goof- she has to wear plaid like her brothers


Toby at the lake

Taya on the tube- she likes to go "Past"- she can't say "F's" because she has no front teeth- so she says "Past"

This is the new puppy we are keeping- isn't she beautiful? Her name is Boom Boom Pau

I made these for Jen and the kids when they get home from football as a surprise!

Upset Customer

I got the rudest e-mail from a customer that I want to share with you, I feel so sad for this puppy- because this person just sounds horrible to me. I have asked her to return him to us- but she won't:

We bought a dog from you and are very disappointed-
For the first six weeks we hand fed him boiled organic chicken breast, rice and Pedialyte because he was a picky eater and I slept on the floor with him to make sure he kept quiet. Also, he would sit with his head hanging down and every time he would raise his head he would grunt and snort, he sounds like he is growling at people and it scares them. He shows no interest in surroundings or smells like horses or cows or other dogs, it is like nothing bothers him or he is too stupid to notice the other animals. By process of elimination and much work with the Vets, we found out that he is completely allergic to all corn and corn byproducts. None of the three Vets have been able to pinpoint the grunting/snorting problem and have suggested acupuncture and/or going to CSU which we haven't done yet. He is in a harness outside instead of a collar so there is no pressure on his neck and nothing inside. None of the Vets will put him under anesthetic to neuter him because he had allergic reactions to his puppy and permanent shots, so it looks like we will have to keep him intact. (he is under our constant supervision so I don't think there is a problem)

I agree that he is a good looking dog with a good looking head although after seeing his parents I don't think the muzzle/jowls is what you would have wanted and he is actually smaller than his mother. Maybe it is just Grady, but he does not retain commands or vocabulary and has been very slow to reach stages of maturity. I work with him every day and it's like starting over every day. We have talked to two come-to-the-house-trainers but neither really wants to work with this breed. So, it has been a long 10 months and we still have a dumb dog who is apparently going to remain snorty and dumb and we have a bleak outlook for improvement in intelligence.

No, he has not turned out to be what we expected but we still chose him to be in our home and will have to adjust to what he is . It is similar to having a retarded child- we will deal with him. I do not want to return him because I made the commitment to have this dog. I have since gotten feedback that I am expecting too much from a European Golden as they are known to not be very bright. I was comparing this pup to 30 years of American Goldens and their development and I did not know that these could not be trained the same way.

His muzzle is too short and jowls too long. He can hardly get a decent drink or water without it falling out of his mouth even with raised dishes. I told my Vet that this dog is "slow"and what did they know about this kind of dog. The above info is what I received. I will now proceed accordingly.

I believe that this puppy was the last in the litter for a reason we were the suckers that got him. You knew he was stupid and ugly and you still sold him to us.

He is a year old and still drools and is impossible to potty train because he is so stupid. He has not developed properly physically, he weighs 60 pounds at one year and is the most stupid canine I have had in 55 years. He can't even chase a ball- he just watches it roll away from him.

I would never, ever recommend your operation to anyone and I have given that information to the Golden Clubs in this area.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

The only phrase that comes to mind is...."Mean people suck" Poor Grady.

First Day of School 2009/2010

So today school started. Why do they start in the middle of the week? I am not ready for school to start- I need it to be June. I still have trips to the lake I want to take, and spend more time with the kids. I hate that football cuts my summer short- I can't even go away for Labor Day because of football. I want to go tot he lake this weekend and play but I have three puppies leaving! I am stomping my feet!

Toby is in 6th grade- I remember 6th grade- it was when my parents got divorced and three days later my father re-married. I was so boy crazy and really wanting to have a boyfriend- hormones were raging. At the same time- I had a big crush on two girls in my class- but I didn't know what it all meant.

Trey and Dylan started 4th grade. Trey is still so much bigger then Dylan- it must suck to have your twin be bigger then you are- be able to ride carnival rides before you can- my poor Dylan. Speaking of Dylan- Bryce offered to show him how to ride the dirt bike- but neglected to tell him about the clutch- so straight into the barbed wire fence he drove. 2 stitches and 3 steri strips later he is as good as new. We had not been to the ER for a month or so- so I guess it was time.

I have been watching Jon and Kate plus 8- Wow what what a train wreck! I think Jen and I need a reality show- two lezzies and a handful of kids? Would anyone watch it? :)

Bryce does not start school until Friday- again what is the point? Why not wait until Monday? He will be a Sophomore- that means only one more year of school pictures and then he will have Senior pictures- weird.

We have signed Taya up for Pre-school but she is on the waiting list- please say a prayer that she gets in- she already has her backpack ready to go and her little heart will break if she is not picked for school.

Jen was gone for a day to go drop off some dogs for a show and I went crazy missing her- now she has lost her voice and does not feel very good. Pray for healing for her as well.

Trey is normal

Dylan is into this wetting down his hair thing

Toby is growing out his hair- and it looks like straw

Zucchini Bread

This really nice lady on facebook that lives in a nearby town gave me a bunch of zucchini from her garden- so I made some bread and Taya was a big help!

She is still in the goggle phase- we just go with it.

Trey is so gross

I have to tell you about my gross son Trey. He eats the weirdest food. Today we went swimming and there was a food cart there- the kids are getting healthy snacks like mango on a stick, the little ones are getting ring pops, and trey gets a cup of corn? OK I thought it was a little strange but whatever- so I had him some money.

Then he comes over to me holding this gross cup of orange colored juice with corn floating in it. What is that Trey? It is corn in a cup of course- silly me. It is corn, butter, MAYONNAISE, and chili sauce- who in their right mind decided mayonnaise would be good on corn?

The boys are all going through a plaid phase- so they are all sporting new shorts for school. I cannot believe school starts in a week and a half- I am not ready- I still want to go to the lake, and go camping, and to 4 corners, and hang out in the pool, and on and on. I don't want them to go back to school yet!


Trey sporting his new plaid shorts


Trey eating that gross concoction

I just see his arteries clogging

Why would anyone think this looks good?