Just a little flashback, this is what the rooms looked like before the repainting....

Isaac and Jake's room

Girl's room

Repainting already....
I'm a slow learner...but I'm learning...with 5 kids, you'd have thought I would've got this one down a long time ago...don't EVER try to talk kids into anything, they'll always go back to what they originally wanted!!!! Emma's my blue girl and Sarah my pink. So a few months ago when we were picking paint colors, they wanted half, half. I wasn't really seeing the vision w/that one, and got Emma in a weak moment to say yes to pink. I immediately bought the paint and painted their entire room pink. Pretty much every day since she has compained that their room was "too pink". Finally I couldn't take it anymore, and this is what we came up w/Friday night. Adam put up the chair rail and new outlets in Saturday afternoon. The girls are both thrilled with it. It feels SO much better...light blue is such a calming color. Maybe I should paint the whole house light blue, we NEED calm in this house. Just baseboards and molding to go. Oh, and the bedspreads from PB teen that will tie it all together...hoping they'll go on sale soon!!

Ok, I figured I'd just fix it all while I was at it. Isaac wanted a rocket room. But one day while at Target, I saw a bunch of cute "camping room" stuff, and got really excited about it, thinking it would be an easy theme to decorate with. So after getting the boys consent on the "camping room", I painted their room moss green and bought a couple of lantern lamps. I hadn't gotten to the bedspreads or curtains yet thankfully. Every day since Isaac has been still talking about a rocket room....believe me, I will NEVER make this mistake again!! Just give them what they want, not what you want!! Much easier that way! I figure he'll only be in this rocket phase once, might as well go with it. So, I spent all day yesterday REpaining the boys room. I needed to paint the trim anyway, so I did that, and then the walls navy. He has big plans of planets, stars, rockets, etc. Hopefully I can find some wall clings, and not have to paint them!

I think I met all the requirements....
pretty sure she would have let me know if not.
Oh, you can't see it in the pic, but I was wearing my nice jeans and my black boots w/heels.
(pic requested by Melanie)

An Ode to my Hero....

This morning the 5th graders had a little program where they each read an ode that they had composed to their hero. Adam had to teach this morning, and wasn't going to be able to make it (he was the hero of course, not me), but I was going to stand in his place. I told her yesterday that I was going to have to bring Jacob and Luke. She would not hear of it, saying they would be WAY too loud, and I had to find a sitter. Finally she relented to letting me take Luke, but had to find a sitter for Jacob. She said all friends thought Luke was cute, but not Jacob. She also told me that I would need to dress nice. Apparently she thought I needed an definition of "nice", because then she proceeded to tell me exactly what to wear: a nice sweater, nice jeans or a skirt, my black boots w/heels, jewelry, makeup, and do my hair. She's an easy one to please. So I did all that this morning, got Jake off to a sitter, and got to the school less that 5 minutes late...totally on time for me. After sitting and listening for about 5 minutes, my phone rang...oops...my Adam specific ring, which is Isaac's voice yelling "pick up the phone" over and over. My bag was in the back of the room. I dove for it, scrambled through each pocket till I found it, and turned the power off. So embarrassing. I sat down, and then thought to myself, that was Adam, maybe he's done teaching. So, I went out in the hall, called him back...he was done, and headed straight over, a good 15-20 minute drives, but he made it in time...Emma was very happily surprised.

Luke was actually REALLY good considering it lasted about an hour and a half!

Click to enlarge....

The first few stanza's don't really rhyme, but by the last few she really got the hang of it!

Ok, so explanation on the homework part: one night Adam was helping her w/her weekly spelling word sentences, he was watching tv and only kind of half there, and she ended up getting a 2 (scoring 1-4, 4 being the best). She was not very happy about it. (Mom usually helps her get a 4) Anyway, I guess he's now forgiven, but she sees she should come to Mom for homework help and Dad for sports help.

Too bad I don't have a pic to go with this one...
Yesterday after I picked the girls up from school, I was going to run to the dump with the boys (yes, no garbage pick up here! Such a step back in time) I had the trailor all loaded (I should have been FIRED from this job after jack-knifing it last week and denting the Suburban!) and was ready to go, just ran in the house to grab some crackers for the baby, when Isaac came crying, holding up his bloody hand. He and Jacob (they claim they did this one together) shut the door on Isaac's hand, and it got his little pinky finger. It looked SO awful! Dripping with blood, and it looked all distorted. He could move it, but I was convinced it was broken. So I quickly gave the girls a few instructions, wrapped his hand in a paper towel and a bag of frozen chocolate chips, popped a tylenol in his mouth, left the trailor full of trash, and headed to the emergency room. At the emergency room we waited and waited and waited, just like a normal emergency room. After some time his finger started taking more of it's normal shape back. Then I started second guessing myself, thinking he was fine, but we were already there and had waited so long, might as well make sure. The choco chip ice pack warmed up and came in VERY handy for a snack. Went very well with the grahm crackers I had brought for the baby. All we were missing was the marshmallows. But as most of you remember, Workman's DON'T DO MARSHMALLOWS any more, not till Luke is 8! Anyway, long story short, Adam came over after work and stayed w/Isaac while I took Luke and Jacob back home to pick up the girls, then ran Em to swim practice. The x-ray's came back fine. I have to admit, this sounds terrible, but after all that drama and waiting keeping 3 boys entertained and out of the revolving door, I kind of wished we had something to show for it, more than just a bandaid!! I am very grateful that it was fine though!! Anyway, Adam and Isaac got home shortly after us, I unloaded all the leftovers out of the fridge, and then off to Bunco for me, and even being 45 minutes late, they were just starting. Phew!

By the way, the chocolate chip ice pack not only came in handy yesterday, but the half of the bag leftover came in VERY handy at Joannes today. Remind me to NEVER take my boys to the fabric store ever again!

2 Peas in Pod....
As you can see, Duchess is a pretty patient dog...Snow was in the forcast for us Mon/Tues, so Sunday after church we decided to get out for a little walk on the beach while we could. Not a warm barefoot walk on the beach, but a snow-free one anyway. Beats staying in the house.

We did get snow last night and today. This morning we were a little slow...and the kids weren't early to get out to the bus stop...not late...but not early. Anyway, after waiting 15 minutes, I figured they must have missed it and let them back inside. So, got everyone dressed and bundled up, out to the car, and couldn't find my keys. Then the light went on and I remembered leaving them in Adam's car last night. So I called him and called him (he later told me he had pulled out his cell to check the time while teaching because there was no clock in the room, set it out in front of him, and it kept vibrating over and over, he was a little embarrassed...I'm persistent when I need something!) Anyway, after class he called me back, drove my keys home to me, stayed w/the boys while I drove the girls to school....all to find out that school had been CANCELLED!! Hello, guess I should've turned on the tv, but there REALLY wasn't that much snow!! So, after my chaotic morning, I got to spend the rest of the day off schedule w/everyone home! It really ended up turning out ok though once I made a trade w/a friend, my 2 girls for her boy Isaac's age. I even got some reading done, and finished my book! I go on spurts, like 2 or 3 years w/out reading a book, then try to make up for it in a matter of weeks. I read the 3 Stephenie Meyers Vampire/Werewolf books the past couple of weeks, mostly while I was traveling to & from Houston (Luke and I took a much neededWONDERFUL getaway vacation all by ourselves to visit my Dad and sister for a week!!!), and the 1000 Splended Suns this past weekend. Just finished it tonight, LOVED IT!!! Such a good book, I HIGHLY recommend it!

CHRISTMAS PICS 2007!

I LOVE Christmas, but I also am happy that we only have one every 365 days! So many instructions to read, batteries to put in, games to figure out, trash to throw away, kids that need help....
Here's a few pics....
We got a new hoop from grandma and grandpa Workman. Poor Adam spent at least half the day getting it put together, but he suceeded before dark, and it was nice enough weather we were able to play a game.

Round 2 on the bunnies! Santa brought Isaac and Jake each a bunny. They are a new bread of bunny called "lionhead". They are so cute, they have a furry little mane, hence the name. Their names are Simba and Nala. We think Nala may be having babies in a few weeks. We need to get another cage!!
The girls got clip on pony tails in their stockings. They have worn them just about every day since. Emma does take hers out for swim team though.


The boys got a jeep. I have always been against them. My kids were going to get "real excercise", we weren't going to "breed lazy kids", but I have to say, after 5 kids I'm getting a little worn down. Whatever...if it makes them happy!!!

Me and my new running hat. It is more than cold enough to need one, and I'm still trying to outdoor run as much as possible for Duch's sake.

Luke took over pretty much all of Jacob's gifts. They were much cooler than his.

But Jake had a bunny, so he didn't mind too much.

I'm not sure how I missed taking a picture of the girls and their bows, maybe it was the dog poop clean-up/keeping up w/an 18 mo. old/trying to teach Jake how to drive a jeep that had me distracted. They both got compound bows though and LOVE them. I hadn't shot my bow in about 10 years, and have shot a few times w/the girls. I LOVE having a back yard big enough to do this!!!! There are plenty of days where I miss living on base housing--friends, calling housing when ever anything breaks---but I do NOT miss the yard!!!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas as well!!!

It's been a while!!! My computer broke a few weeks ago, so that's where I've been. Since then A LOT has been going on!! Black eyes, concerts, birthdays, Christmas.....

Christmas Eve we had the missionaries and our neighbor JoAnne across the street over for dinner, caroling, and short nativity play. My kids were so wound up all night, driving me crazy. I could not understand it. I swear, when I was a kid, I was bad all year long but one day of the year, CHRISTMAS EVE!!! My kids did NOT seem to get that! After we put them to bed, I sent Adam out to the shed to look for the coal. I was SERIOUSLY ready to call off Santa! And Adam was on board as well. We finally relented....but I have told the kids there will be no nativity play next year, nothing fun. We'll see if I can stick to it.
Mrs. Claus was painting walls this year instead of sewing. She ordered robes from Lands End.
Adam's Birthday...
A few days before Adam's birthday Isaac told me that he wanted to buy a tool from Home Depot for his dad's birthday. I agreed to take him. He reminded me over and over till the evening before, when I took him. The only thing I could think of getting him was a router...but they're expensive, so I rounded up all my gift cards and store credit I could find, Isaac brought his money along, and we went shopping. We found a router that looked like it would do the job. When we went to pay for it, Isaac started pulling out money, one crumpled up dollar bill after another, until it totalled $18.00!! I had no idea he had that much money! For my kids, that's a TON of $$, their allowance is minimal. It was his whole 5 years of lives savings!! And he was adamant on spending every penny of it. I was so touched. He was so excited. By the time I added gift cards/store credit, and Isaac's money, I only had to cover less than half of it. He was SO excited about it. Went right home and wrapped it. As you can see, his smile is from ear to ear in the pic!!! And Adam LOVED it. Emma's dream came true.....I had tried my best to get Hannah Montana tickets for the girls and I, but since they sold out in .005 seconds, I was unsuccessful. My girls were totally bummed, convinced that every other person in their school was going. I kept looking online, but couldn't find anything under $300 each, not a chance. Emma was pretty upset w/me too because before the tickets went on sale, she told her friends I was going to get tickets. So, her friend that was inviting a friend to go, invited someone else! Long story short, she totally lucked out, and about a week before the concert, her friend talked her brother out of going, and took Emma instead. It was for the girls birthday, so they had rented a limo and everything. I tried to keep it a secret from Sarah for a few days, knowing it would break her heart, but eventually it slipped out, and it DID devastate her! I felt awful, but what could I do. One of those life lessons, LIFE'S NOT FAIR. (thanks Dad). I did send Emma with money for a t-shirt for Sarah though, which helped smooth over the situation the next day.

I assigned Isaac and Jacob to wipe down the couch w/leather cleaner on a rag, in attempts to teach them how to work. It simple job I thought my 3 and 5 year old could handle. Well, Jacob got a hold of the cleaner, and sprayed it all over the wood floor in fam and lving room. I didn't get to cleaning it right away, since it didn't really show up on the floor, just left it SLIPPERY. Poor Luke, slipped and fell a few days later. Just hit a little wooden bucket. I debated taking him in for stitches, but it was late and I was tired and figured he'd probably have a scar either way. Adam has a scar in the exact place, I figured they could match. It's amazing the miracle a candy cane can work!!!