Halloween Parade

Today was the Halloween parade, at the kids' school. I told them I would try my best to be there for it, knowing I would have to be able to leave school early to do so. My teacher let us out early, and I drove like crazy to get there. I came screeching thru the door minutes before the parade began. And like a magnet, this one mother who I always avoid, (Sounds mean... I know!) comes over and stands right next to me. She always has rather nasty comments and generally obnoxious things to say, and MOST of the parents avoind her. So, the parade begins and we see Kaila.... Who now gets that "Oh my gosh! They are taking MORE embarassing pictures!" look everytime the camera points her way lately. She is a kitty, by the way.

Lexi was so happy to see me there, she stopped dead in the hallway and was laughing and crying at the same time. "MOM!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE REALLY REALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!" She sobs. The lady next to me turns around and glares at me. "Doesn't she ever see you? She acts like she hasn't seen you in days! I could NEVER be the kind of mom who doesn't put my children first. Why have more kids, if you obviously don't spend time with the one's you already have?" She states in disgust. Nice.

On the way back through, Lexi had the SAME reaction. And, so did the other mom. Whatever. I was way too tired to care what others think! Notice, however, the tin foil halo on my little angel. At 6:30 this morning, Lexi tearfully told me that Rilynne was going to be an angel too, and SHE had a halo! Lexi really, really needed a halo! So, out came the tim foil, and we made a halo.

And, of course, our little fireman. It's been his costume for 3 years in a row, and he shows no signs of wanting to change it. We were passing his classroom on the way out of the school, with 20 minutes to spare before picking them up, and on the way by Joe's classroom, the teacher saw us and motioned us in to visit. Joe had the same reaction at seeing me there as Lexi did. I don't know whether to be happy my kids love me this much, or guilty that they HAVE this reaction of happy tears to see me!

I admit, he looks a trifle doped up in this picture, but I am pretty sure the school does not resort to those tactics...

We went out this morning and bought 25# of candy for the big night tomorrow. Sadly, I have my doubts that it's enough! We get hit pretty hard on our road, by all the trick-or-treaters!

I'm gonna burn for this!

If my mother finds out about this, I will go to hell that much quicker. Jasin and I were invited to a Halloween party this past Saturday. We didn't know, right up untill the last minute, if we would even go. It started at 11:00 PM, which is not an easy time to get a sitter, and there was a party I had to bartend at work. But, I had made the flippant comment that, I had no idea what I would dress up as anyhow. Wouldn't it be kinda funny if I went as a nun? Somehow that took flight, and Jasin thought it would be fun to be a priest along with me. I kept saying I would go to hell, and my mother would help the trip happen that much faster. The day of the party, we were at Joanne Fabrics, looking for material to make a baby blanket, and BAM! There were two costumes left - a priest and a nun. I hate to say it was a sign, but.......
Jasin managed to find a sitter, and I actually got out of work early, so, off we went! I had the head piece on at one point, but it kept falling off, so there are no pics of me wearing it.

And this is one of the most awful pictures of me, but, I had been on my feet all day and ran pretty hard at work, and then been on my feet at the party in high boots. I was exhausted! By 2:30, I was done. Which is about what time this was taken. It really is hideous!

In the 13 years we have been together; I had no idea Jasin could limbo! The club we were at has a dance floor that lights up in all different patterns, a smoke machine and a bubble machine over it, and light effects. They had a limbo contest on it, and Jasin took second! I was amazed! He lost because he was laughing so hard at the DJ's heckling...

My friend Julie, and her date, Shawn. Those are fake, by the way...

The guy that threw the party, Ed, in the big bad wolf get up, and some guy named Eric, who was actually a lot of fun.



And, of course, wouldn't you know, I ran into Lexi's Sunday school teacher in the ladies room.

"Don't I know you?" she asked, then, "OH! I KNOW! Your daughter is in my religion class!"

What do you say, at a moment like this?

"So, are your kids coming to the church halloween party for kids?" She asks.

"No, my husband and I both work that night, so they won't be there"

"Oh. That's too bad. What do you do?"

"Ahem. Ummmmm...... (SIGH) I am a bartender..."

"Oh." she snapped. "Well. Don't forget, there's Religion tomorrow. I hope you can get your daughters there."

Considering I drank water all night, and she did not; I was curious to see if SHE would make it to "Religion". Lexi said they just sat and watched videos.

And we're pretty sure.................

I went to the doctor today. Last month, I told the doctor, that, if we didn't find out what we are having, the baby was coming home naked. He agreed to do another ultrasound today, so we could try and see what we are having. There really isn't a whole lot on the market today, in the way of neutral baby items. We have had a lot of people tell us we shouldn't find out, and that in the good 'ol days, parents COULDN'T find out. In the good 'ol days, there was neutral baby clothes, and people made them themselves, in front of the roaring fire in the great room! Ahem. I digress. For our 11th anniversary two weeks ago, Jasin and I went to Buffalo, and Niagara Falls. We went to 3 malls, 2 Baby Depots, and 3 Babies R Us, Target, K Mart, WalMart, Penney's, Bon Ton, Children's Place, you name it. We found one outfit, and one crib set that wasn't either ugly, or Winnie the Pooh. After a whole day ramming around all of Western New York, from one end to the other, I gave up. We went to Lake Erie and walked along the waterfront for awhile. Then after spending our day on one kid, we went home to the rest of them.
So, today, after lots of squirming and kicking and generally not being happy we were bugging it.... the doctor and I saw it at the same time.... It's a BOY! So, I went right from the doctor's office, and bought a pair of blue booties, a huge baby gift bag, and all the tissie paper I could find. I wrapped the botties up in lots of layers, and then packed the bag FULL of individual tissue paper sheets. I then came home and handed it to Jasin.
Joe has been telling everyone all along that it's a boy. He informed the lady who cut his hair the other day that it was a boy, and it's name would be Elliot. (ELLIOT?!) I had no idea where that had come from! Mostly, because Jasin is determined, and will not listen to any arguements. It's going to be a George. (George??!!) After I came home and told him about Joe's Elliot comment, he decided he liked George Elliot. My baby's initials will be G.E.D. Well, at least he won't feel pressured tath we have too high expectations, I suppose. Anyhow, I am actually excited about this... we only have just over 3 months to go!

First snow

Today was the first snow. With weather reporters cheerfully promising 6 to 12 inches by Saturday. Lovely. We went from snow, to rain, to snow again, here in Western New York. Ah well. The kids all needed updated outerwear, so, before school this morning, we went to Olean and bought them the needed things. They couldn't get out of school fast enough and into the new stuff to get outside. These pics look pretty unimpressive, but, it's been a wet driving snow all day. Here is Joe in all the excitement a little boy could possibly have in the first snow of the season!

Kaila and Joe

And, where was Lexi? She fell outside, and got all upset because her jeans were wet, so she came in and watched TV. After I took this picture and looked at it, she was told to get her wet and muddy body OFF the couch, and change her pants...

In conclusion, we are all alive and well... I feel like these blogs are few and far between, but, with school and life in general, it's been very very busy! We did go to Pumpkinville recently. It's this wonderful place, full of cute things to do, and hay rides and cider and pumpkins and apples and freshly made donuts. It was great, and we all had a wonderfull time. I even remembered the extra batteries for the camera! I was so proud of myself. Untill we arrived at Pumpkinville, and I realized I had forgotten the camera....

Gotta love a man in (temporary) uniform

Yesterday, Jasin left again for the 5 hour drive to Albany. He had decided to go back after all. (Refer to yesterday's post for the details of the ensuing evening!) As he was pulling into Albany, he called me to say he just could not do this. He hated the thought of being away from family for such long lengths of time. The average waiting list for Corrections Officers to get back into this area is 7 years right now. We could have eventually moved, but, even the training would have been years spent mostly away from home. So; he turned around and drove the 5 hours back home, rolling in about an hour before I had to get up and go to the hospital for my Monday Clinical rotation. The kids are delighted; Kaila told him she had missed him always yelling at her. I just wasn't the same, because I am not mean enough. Lord. I suspect my Mother thinks I should be way meaner, too...
Jasin seem, so happy and relieved to be home, I don't think he really regrets this decision at all. He felt bad about all the time, money and upheaval we all put into it, but, I told him I don't regret a second of it. He tried it, at least! He tried, it didn't work, and we discovered how solid a family we are, when it all comes down to it. (Preachy lesson of the day, huh?)
Before he packed everything up to send it back, I took a few pictures, for memories' sake. I told him he looked too nice to be a tough Correction's Officer anyway, after this first picture.

And, one more, before he packed and shipped them back. He goes back to his old job, which he missed anyhow, next Monday. AND!!!! I got to take a nap today while he cooked dinner!!!!:D

Sometimes it's worth it?

Today was one of "those" days. Jasin came home Friday night, and we were all so happy to have him home. Saturday we started off with a big breakfast, and the rest of the day running errands, before I had to go to work. This morning dawned, and it was a rush, to get the girls off to Sunday school, get in the shower, and get ready for work. Jasin was up in the air, about going back to the Academy. The homesickness really gets him, and leaving is really hard on everyone. (Side note here... The other night he called in the middle of absolute chaos. The kids were fighting, the family room was well on the way to utter destruction, the dog was barking, and Lexi ahd just broken the wall heater. Jasin mourned how he missed the kids SOOO much. "WHY?!" I snapped.) But, all in all, I was proud of how smoothly things had gone last week while he was away. I had kept up on everything, laundry, housework, dishes, homework - kinda- and I thought I really could do this.
Today, I came home from work, totaly worn out, and hurting in more places than anyone not run over by a truck should hurt. Jasin had left for Albany already, and the poor sitter was here. In the two and a half hours since Jasin had left, Joe had come down with a stomach issue, and was sleeping in his bed. An hour and a half before bedtime... Down he came, as I gazed around the home that had been clean, when I had last viewed it Friday. It was a mess. Dishes, laundry, toys. Joe climbed into my lap. He was soaked. This child who NEVER wets the bed . Nice. The sitter left, after promising to be back at 6:00 AM tomorrow, so I can get to the hospital for clinical, and costing me every cent I had made today and then some, and things just slid downhill from there. If it could happen; it did. Within an hour of being home, I just wanted to sit down and give up. There was NO WAY I can do this. I wanted to call Jasin, be "That" wife, and demand he come home this minute. I wanted to be immature and whiney and selfish and just go to sleep.
Joe snuggled up to me, laid his head on my shoulder, and said, "I'm so glad you love me, Mom." Well. It took a 4 year old, to make me grow up!
That off my shoulders, I have to go get all their stuff and my stuff ready to go for tomorrow morning. My clinical bag needs to be ready. SO... Goodnight.