Heard Around My House

K said, frustrated as she played MarioKart on the Wii - "I am never going to be good at the Grand Pricks (Prix)!"

Well, okay then.

N, while he scrubbed himself in the bath tub the other night, after I told him he needed a bath because he had not wiped properly and smelled like butt, sang this little ditty - "My mom gave me the soap and a sponge and now I smell good instead of like butt!"

K remarked as we made cupcakes with homemade chocolate, buttercreme icing - "This is a day I will always forget!"

And then she said, as she looked at the roses Rick gave me - "You know they are roses because of their sparks."

I think she meant thorns.

SNOW!!!

Today it finally snowed! The kiddos were pretty excited about getting out and about in the snow, although they couldn't use the igloo cube maker that Rick got them last year in anticipation for some big snow this year. Here are some pictures.....

14 is the Magic Number

Today Cody turned 14. He asked me if it was an important number, like 13 or 18, or even 21. I told him it was a magic number and he just laughed. He slept until noon - we do not have school on Mondays - had a Chick-Fil-A breakfast, chocolate cake and icecream for lunch and party burgers for dinner. He was exempt from his chores today and got his yellow belt in karate. I think it ended up being a pretty good day.....

Reading the card Rick and I gave him. Outside (with a dad and mom on it) - "Our Gift to You?" Inside - "Life. Enjoy it."


I think I know what this is.....


Don't be so confused. It really is MarioCart for the Wii!


An extra steering wheel, so Rick can beat him!


What is it??


It's Guitar Hero, dude!!


Blowing out his candles

Not Me Monday 18th Edition

I did not not write anything down for my post this week, making it very hard for me to recall anything I did not do!

But, I am sure MckMama will have a great post up - even though she is off cruisin' this week! - and you can always check out my friend Carlton's blog, too!

Maybe I will be able to come up with a better post when I am not so tired.

Not Me Monday 17th Edition

Check out MckMama's blog to see what all the Not Me Monday business is about, but only after you read what I wasn't up to last week.....

I did not sit on the edge of the bathtub and pee since my 6 year was on the toilet taking way too long to go to the bathroom.

I did not threaten my 6 year old that if she ever did that she'd be in big trouble.

I did not have to get a tooth pulled this morning because it was so decayed it was harming the tooth in front of it. I take great care of my teeth, dontcha know!

I did not eat my weight in chips and salsa poured over cream cheese last night as we watched the football game at church.

I did not delete 20 Miis from the Wii today that my 4 year old son made over the weekend. I did not make him a new one when he cried when I erased his favorite Mii.

I have not had to throw up mucus every morning for the past few days. I did not have to throw it up in the kitchen trashcan and sink this morning.

I did not laugh a little, okay, a lot when my 17 year old told me at counseling they stuck needles in his ears, turned off the lights and made him listen to Marvin Gay during the drug and alcohol detox session on Friday.

I did not consume most of a big bag of black licorice within two days by myself.

I did not rejoice a little when I found out that my eating licorice makes my husband not want to kiss me as much as his eating onions does me.

I did not post this late because I slept in and then had to rush to my dental appointment. I also did not wait to past since when I came home from my appointment I was numb and a bit loopy.

What didn't you do?? And check out my friend, Carlton's post. He is now a Not Me poster, too!

Feeling Lucky??

Maybe you will win the fabulous prize this site is giving away! Check it out!!

The gamers in my family would love to win this prize!!

Not Me Monday 16th Edition

I did not wear my four year old's socks because I could not find a pair of my own.

I did not want to slap a grown woman at the courthouse this week. Twice.

I did not go to the MVA this week three times and still not get my son his ID card.

I did not wish I had a detonator in my purse when the lady at the MVA told us for the third day in a row that we did not have the necessary forms etc. to be able to get my son's ID card.

I did not just put my Christmas decorations away on Saturday.

I did not allow my four year old to hide in a horizontal file cabinet while playing hide and seek on Thursday.

I did not delete 20+ Miis that my four year old made over the last week.

I did not eat saltines with butter for lunch and dinner on Friday.

I did not give my kiddos Ritz crackers with their soup so that I could have saltines with butter for later.

I did not have an outfit laid out for church on Sunday, only to completely change it when I realized I would not be able to wear my new free moccasins with it.

I did not use my four year old's dollar in the vending machine. I did not spend it when he wasn't with me, so that he didn't even get to share the pretzels I bought with it.

I did not secretly thank God that my 17 year old daughter is 1300 miles away when she told us she has the flu.

And lastly, I did not let my husband lick chocolate off of my fingers tonight, because I am fasting from chocolate and didn't have a napkin close by!

What didn't you do this past week??

Check out MckMama's blog for other Not Me's from around the blogosphere!

Why I Almost Blew Up the DMV

Now that J's court proceedings are finished and he has probation, he needs to find a job. He went to a temp agency the afternoon after court and they told him he needed his social security card and a photo ID. When he was bouncing from house to house he lost his social security card. And since he does not have his license yet, he does not have a photo ID. So, my parents took him down to apply for another social security card and then to the MVA to get his ID.

The lady at the information desk said all he needed was his birth certificate and the receipt saying he had applied for his new social security card. But, after they waited an hour, the lady at the ID desk told my mom that I needed to be there for J to get his ID.

Okay.

So, on Wednesday afternoon, off we go to the MVA. The lady at the information (same one from the previous day) asked me if I was his mother and I said yes. She asked if we had his birth certificate and social security card information. I answered in the affirmative. We only waited about 15 minutes to have the lady at the ID desk tell me that I needed to have two proofs of residency.

Oh brother.

Friday afternoon we head back to the MVA with J's birth certificate, social security card info., and my proof of residency. We waited about 45 minutes for the lady at the ID desk to tell us that he needs his original social security card.

Seriously??

She apologized and said, "I am sorry you were given misinformation."

I replied, "We are getting used to it."

I pressed my invisible detonator as we exited the building for the third time in one week.

J's replacement card arrived today.

BOOM!

The OM WienerMobile

The other day we pulled into the shopping center by our house and saw the Oscar Mayer WienerMobile parked in the parking lot. No one was in the WienerMobile so we stood in front of it and took some pictures. Kari did not want to get her picture taken in front of it and when I told her and Noah to say "Wiener!" as Rick took the picture, she held her ears. I think she was a bit embarrassed because some teen boys were standing by when we were taking the pictures.

Since no one was in the WienerMobile we headed to the store to get Rick some razors. While he was in the store, the WienerMobile started to drive away. The kiddos were upset because they wanted to go back and see if someone was there after we went to the store so they could get whistles. If you sing the Wiener jingle you get a free wiener whistle.

Rick came out of the store just as the WienerMobile was passing us and asked about the whistles. The young man driving said they would be setting up in front of Giant in a few minutes and would have the whistles to give away.

So, we parked over by Giant and waited a few minutes. We went out and sang the jingle (Rick even sang the Bologna jingle to get an extra whistle!) and got our whistles. Then we were able to tour the inside of the WienerMobile and get a picture with Hot Dogger Tara.

It was quite the adventure! Here are some pictures......

Momma, Noah and Kari in front of the WienerMobile


Noah and Daddy posing in front of the WienerMobile


The license plate "Big Bun"


Kari relaxing in the WienerMobile


Noah in the WienerMobile with his Wiener whistle


The floor had a squirt of mustard on it


The view out of the front window of the WienerMobile


Kari and Noah will Hot Dogger Tara

Not Me Monday 15th Edition

I did not use the phrase "Stop making new Miis!" more than "I love you" this week.

I did not use the slices of bread that were not moldy in the package for toast the other day.

I did not pray that the heat from the toaster would cancel out any mold that was beginning to grow but remained unseen.

I did not chip a piece of my already broke tooth off by eating a triscuit for breakfast.

I did not decide to fast from chocolate and then totally forget and pop, not one, but two Hershey's kisses in my mouth.

I did not heavily try to hint something to a friend about something she forgot and then get my husband involved in the hinting...to no avail.

I did not sleep until 10 AM more than once this week.

I did not forget to put a pull-up on my son last night resulting in an early morning "I peed in my bed" wake-up call.

I did not laugh when my husband stepped in a pile of my parents' dog's poop in the laundry room in his socks.

I did not let my son go to bed without wiping his face clean from the chocolate dessert he had earlier that evening.

What didn't you do??

Stop over at MckMama's and see what everyone else is not doing this week.

A Saturday Visit to CEC

Today we took the kiddos to CEC before Rick headed to work. It has become a tradition that when Devin's in town we go to CEC. Not sure what we will do when she moves here.

We had a lot of fun, playing games and getting pizza, although we noticed a few changes at CEC. Some for the better (games) and some for the not so good (cup sizes were smaller and pizza was a bit lacking in.....favor). But, all in all a good time was had by everyone and Kari and Noah scored icecream and a balloon at the end. Here are some pictures.....

Caity and Cody, waiting for the other kiddos and being silly


Who's excited about being at CEC? These guys!


So happy together


So ready to play some games


Monster truckin' it


I'd bet on that horse and his cute jockey


Kari tries her hand at 4X4-ing in the snow


I guess Dan's deal wasn't a good deal?! (Playing Deal or No Deal)


CEC pizza is yummy!


Rick and Cody playing DDR


Noah and Caity playing Jett Rider


Rick and me


Playing Skee-ball

New Year

Yesterday, Rick ended up with some major stomach issues and he had to call out for work. But, he was able to rally around 9:30 PM and we headed to church for the talent show. We were also able to stay and ring in the new year with our church family and a bit of sparkling cider. I made Rick kiss me on the cheek, though =)

He is at work today, working open until close and has to work tomorrow 11 AM - 11 PM. Kind of sucks that he has to work so much while D is here and around the holidays, but I am so thankful he has a job. Even if it sucks sometimes.

I got to sleep in today even though Rick went into work early, since D is here. She was up with the kiddos, who also slept in until 9:30 AM. I guess staying up until after 1 AM was a bit much for them.

Today we do not have any plans. Rick gets off of work at 6:30 PM so we may watch a movie later, but that will be the extent of our New Year's Day.

My ILs reminded us to eat black eyed peas today, but I do not think we have any and Rick did not get paid until today and the banks are closed.

I wonder if you will still have 'good luck' if you eat them a day late.....