Friday Fragments–Guess What?!

Already Friday? This week really went fast.  Thanks to Mrs. 4444’s Friday Fragments, I can try to remember everything and get it all down before the weekend! 

• It’s been SOOO warm out that we actually turned on the A/C.  Fortunately I’m a big procrastinator and didn’t take the window unit out of our room yet.  Ahhhh coool, cool air!  North Dakota has a bad rap for being cold.  My dad likes to call this place “the land of extremes”.  This morning I turned on the heater in the car on the way to school.  This afternoon the A/C will be on full blast.  30 degrees in one day is not that unheard of.  But, alas, it will be snowing soon enough.  Sometimes before Halloween.
  
• Speaking of Halloween, Aria has decided she wants to be Rocket from the movie “Sucker Punch”.  I blame her dad.  I’ve started working on age-appropriate pieces for it.  I actually think this might suit her personality really well.
  
  
• Jackson likes to be a cowboy.  Daily.  He wears this hat, and a pair of handed down cowboy boots. Oh, and just some underwear.  I guess it’s not so much like Woody the Cowboy, more like NYC’s Naked Cowboy.  I wonder if the Naked Cowboy ever wears Buzz Lightyear Underoos?

• I convinced Daddy that he only needed to mow the outside lawn.  I asked him to leave the part inside our fence alone.  He uses the bagger to suck up all the leaves, and it looks so pretty beforehand that I hate to see them go just yet.  He was happy to quit early and leave me my pretty yard a little longer.  Anyway, its been so windy he’ll have to do the whole thing over again soon.

• I loved all the color so much I convinced my family, and a few clients to get their family photos done this past week.  You can see ours HERE and my other work HERE!
  
• It was our anniversary last month and the in-laws gave us a nice gift card to Famous Dave’s.  Never heard of it? If you’re not from the upper midwest, probably not.  It’s a FANTASTIC barbeque restaurant with delicious ribs and the yummiest sauces.  This is definitely NOT for a first date.  We used up all the wet wipes before the meal was over.  Instead of napkins, each table has a roll of paper towel.  They have this “Meal for 2-3” that is actually served on a garbage can lid (yes, it’s clean!).  There was so much food, we ate the rest for dinner.  Woody and JC joined us since the other kiddos were in school.  YUM!!
  
  
• Oh, yeah! Guess what?!  I’ve always joked that I like to spend at least half of our anniversaries pregnant.  This year was no exception.  We are expecting Fraase version 5.0 to be available this coming March.  I wonder who this one will look like…… Probably not me.

Join Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissing Time to link YOUR Friday Fragments!!

Friday Fragments!

It’s Friday! Which to all you working people means something.  To me it means my last day to clean before the kids are home all day for two days destroying the place.  Join Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissing Time in unloading the week’s events!

 

  

   

• The kids both passed their orange belt tests for Tae Kwon Do.  Max had said earlier that he wanted to quit after this test, but has since changed his mind and wants to stay in.
• Since they start a new session after tests, we decided to let Piper give TKD a try.  I think it’s going to be better than physical therapy for her!   (pardon the cell phone camera)

• I got myself a Nook Color with the money I made selling a professional camera I no longer use.  I bought a cool cover and a skin for it, too, before I somehow ruin it.  I REALLY love it.  There’s so much you can do with it!!

• Jackson and Piper were both sick this week.  Lots of extra laundry for pukey toddlers.  I look forward to the age when they can make it to the bathroom to vomit instead of erupting like a volcano where they stand.  Especially when they’re standing on my bed.  Lucky for you, no pics.
• Four of my friends had babies this month.  I hope to photograph at least two of them.  Unfortunately I won’t be able to travel to Japan to see one.  I’ll have to rely on Facebook pictures!
• There’s not much else to say…… I can’t wait for spring?  These –20 degree F days are killer.

Friday Fragments

Mrs 4444 at Half Past Kissing Time is here to rescue our brains from the clutter of the week (or two in my case!).  Drop everything at the door for Friday Fragments!!

• I have ignored my blog all week as I became an Ebay junkie.  Now, I’ve been a buying junkie for a while, but this was the first time I’ve sold anything.  I got rid of some photo stuff I don’t use anymore, AND two broken lenses.  They were both dropped (not at the same time….)and were completely unusable.  Apparently lens repair-types scour Ebay for parts.  I sold both lenses, as is, for more than I thought I would.  Since they are worth nothing to me, anything it pretty good.  The problem is, I couldn’t help but check in often and see where the bid were, and how many people had viewed the items.  It was fun!
  
• Besides being an Ebay junkie, I’ve become a Korean Drama junkie.  I mean a true junkie.  First thing in the morning I head straight over to DramaFever.com (some are at Hulu.com, too) and pick up where I left off.  Except one series called “Boys Over Flowers” which I watched non-stop for 25 hours (or more, each episode is about 1hr 5 minutes). Junkie.  My family was about to stage an intervention, but I started going to bed again so they backed down.  I took my laptop downstairs and set it up next to the sink and did dishes while I watched, cooked while I watched, I was on the elliptical while I watched, I even sat on the couch in front of the TV with head phones and my laptop and ignored the prime time shows for K-drama.  Maybe an intervention will still be necessary….
  
• JC keeps stripping down and running naked through the house.  I thought I’d try putting him on the potty chair since that seemed the natural progression for a diaperless toddler.  He sat on the potty (in front of the TV) for a good half hour, then got up, left the room….I should have followed faster……and took a crap on the carpet by his room.  He then came back to let me know.  After the 8th time I put a diaper and clothing back on, I decided duct tape was the way to go.

   nope…..  

so I resorted to putting his footie PJ’s on backward.  It seems to be working so far.

• We almost had heart attacks when we tuned in to the Super Bowl just before kick-off to discover there was something wrong with the local affiliate’s TV tower!!!  The screen said they were working on the problem.  Can you imagine how many ticked off people there would have been if they hadn’t gotten it up and running.  We only missed about 5 minutes of the first quarter.  I guess we also missed the Christina Aguilera trainwreck, but thanks to YouTube we really didn’t miss anything.  Whew…
  
• I’m sure I have more….but K-drama is calling my name!! Happy Friday!!

Friday Fragments

It’s been so long since I did a Friday post!  Thank you, Mrs. 4444 for letting us wrap up the week!

• I don’t know how you super moms do it.  Maybe its just the appearance of “doing it” that I’m missing.  My house is usually on the verge of “Hoarders” status.  I have ignored my blog more lately just to keep my head above the sea of laundry and dishes 6 people create.  I never want visitors to stop by without a good warning so I have time to hurriedly stash the mess before they arrive.  I wish I had the money for one of those organizers to come and have their way with me….I mean my house.  When my young neighbor came by every day for a week we made huge strides in getting my place cleaned.  She’s great at motivating me and she likes to clean.  (We had a small disagreement on the music to listen to.  I guess I’m the only one in this small town who does not in the least enjoy Country music.  Unless I’m at a wedding dance.  Drinking.)  Now that I really have no one to answer to, I have slacked off…..  Need. Motivation.  I did, however, use “Tackle It Tuesday” to get something done.  I think I’ll have to stick with it.
  
• I also don’t know why the dog puts up with JC.  I think it’s because he drops the most food on the floor.

• Aria had her first “real” basketball game last weekend.  The 3rd and 4th graders (boys and girls together at this age) played during the half time of the varsity game.  It was pretty cool, she did well.  I would have taken a photo of her during the actual game, but I was recording it.  I need more hands.  And more cameras.  At least she’s easy to spot with that hair.

• Princess Piper the Ballerina.  Even when it’s 20 degrees below zero, she will wear dresses.  I guess if you don’t have to go outside, it’s just fine.

• Max and his Mario obsession.  He went to the fridge, took markers, and colored these “Yoshi Eggs”.  Fortunately, after a few pictures, he put them back in the fridge.  We’ve been eating them all week.  Apparently the Yoshi population was ok with that.

• Lastly, would some of you out there PLEASE PLEASE learn the difference between “your” and “you’re”?!?!  I’m not the best at writing and grammar, but even when YOU’RE saying something very intelligent, YOUR IQ points slip away in my estimation every time you misuse those words.  The same goes for “they’re” “their” and “there”….oh, and apostrophes.  That is all.

Friday Fragments

Yep, here we are.  This week really flew by.  Thanks to Mrs. 4444 we can share all the little tidbits from the week with Friday Fragments!!

• We voted, did you?  We have to go to the next small town to do so, which means we had to eat out when we were done. Had to….
• On the way home, we like to travel off the beaten path and stop by Buttzville.  Yes, that’s really a town.  There are about 6 people living there.  Maybe.  I found a little post about it, with some neat photos, here: http://stephenbergmusic.com/id81.html

• Aria’s Huskyx3 friends and I have been having fun taking photos.

• All the ads are coming out for Christmas.  Once Halloween is done it seems the big marketing goes directly to Christmas toys.  I suppose there isn’t much beyond turkey that the stores can try to sell to us before then.  Piper keeps seeing toys on TV she wants.  Her best argument for a good toy so far is : “Well, it doesn’t spill popcorns.”  Not sure where this logic comes from.  Do her current toys spill popcorn?  Have I recently denied her a toy based on its propensity for dumping popcorn everywhere??
  
• Going to do some major food shopping and stocking up this weekend, I’m super excited.  I suppose its the mark of adulthood when you get excited about a full cart of groceries. And Sam’s club.  (Costco for you non-Midwesterners!)
  
• I painted Aria’s dresser with her new favorite characters, Husky x 3.  Pretty cute, huh?  Now if only she’d clean her room, I have big plans for it!!
  
• I painted just a slice of her wall to show her what we could do…if...she…cleans.  Our inspiration is HERE. 
• Our Alltel was bought out by AT&T so we are forced to get new phones (free).  I’ve had my CrackBerry for over a year and I really like it, but I’m leaning toward the HTC Aria, it seems like there are a few more fun toys for me to play with.  I’m just glad to get a new free phone :)

Fast Friday Fragments

I’m gonna see how quickly I can get all this out.  I have a house to once again straighten up before the babysitter comes for the night!!  Thanks, Mrs. 4444 for hosting Friday Fragments!!!

• My mom and dad came for a week-long visit.  It felt like a weekend and was over MUCH too quickly.  So quickly, in fact, that I took almost NO pictures.  Not sure what went wrong there. I usually have a camera glued to my face.  I hope she emails me hers (hint hint).
• As a surprise to my grandma, she was “kidnapped” by her son (mom’s brother) and brought the 12 hours up by car to visit.  She had no idea where she was going, just to pack for 3 days!!!  She was really happy to see my mom and us!
• Aria and Max tested for white belts in Tae Kwon Do.  I had no idea they tested for white belt.  When I was in it in college, it came with the uniform.  I say it’s a way for they gym to make another $40 per kid. Sigh.  The kids did great, though!  They even broke a board!!
• Halloween is here!!  There was a city party at the auditorium, so we had a dress rehearsal for the real deal on Sunday.  Max won “Cutest Boy” costume.  Aria didn’t win anything.  Her friend, an absolute sweetie, won for most original, I think.  She came up to Aria after the awards, told Aria she should have won something, and offered her a treat from her prize bag.  *sniff*  It really made Aria feel better!
• I’m working this weekend so I get out of won’t be able to trick-or-treat.  I expect lots of candy for me to sort through for breakfast Monday morning!!
• I started a Facebook album with Aria of “Adventures of H3” her toy Husky dogs.  The real Aome Husky even commented on them :)
• We had some crazy weather this weekend. There was a threat of snow, which we were lucky not to see much of.  Apparently our high winds were equal to that of a category 3 Hurricane!!!  We had branches down in the yard and had to find one of our garbage cans.  I found the other one under our garage door.  Our garage has really taken a beating over the years.  One of the 2 doors is a sliding door (we believe it was once a real barn).  The wind lifted the door off the rail and IT LANDED ON DADDY’S CAR!!!  The window was broken, but fortunately nothing else was damaged.  UNFORTUNATELY we both have places to work this weekend and only one vehicle between us.

• We grilled out at Daddy’s childhood friend’s farm.  It was really fun!
• Ummmm…. that’s all I’ve got.  I should get to work now!!! Happy Halloween everyone! Be safe!!

Friday Fragments

So September has come and gone…. That was fast.  And now its Friday!  Time for Mrs. 4444’s Friday Fragments:

• House a disaster, as always.  Must. Purge. (Stuff, I mean, not food.  I mean cleaning kinda makes me wanna throw up, but I could never do that.  Besides, then I’d have to clean that up, too.  So not worth it.  I just mean stuff.)
  
• Talked to a guy about getting our roof and shingles done soon.  Our insurance check is here so now we can actually do something.  With the roof, anyway.  The inside and water damage from earlier this year is still in the works.  SIGH. Bonus on the shingles: they guy said we can put whatever we want in the roll-off dumpster they get.  Purge time!!
  
• I GOT THE JOB! Okay, its a volunteer job, but still I’m pumped.  I was able to sign up for a shift during ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition when they are here in town.  I really excited to do this!!!
  
• I took lots of photos over the weekend, it never fails that my kids will sneak into a session (usually while the actual photographee is changing) and demand a few of their own shots.
• It was my mom’s birthday yesterday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

Yep, that’s us :)

• Yep, those are Disney Princesses flying Buzz Lightyear’s spaceship.  Leave it to a girl…..

• A friend made our kids each a crochet winter hat, complete with their names!! Cute, right?  Only JC couldn’t sit long enough for a shot of them.  But you get the idea.  He liked the hat, but he liked the slide and playground more.  (We went to “Little Yellowstone” yesterday, the extra kiddo is Aria’s friend L)

• Poor Piper wiped out on the sidewalk outside the auditorium where TaeKwonDo is held.  We were on our way home and she ran to the van.  Bad idea.  She not only fell and skinned her knee, but the lack of strength in her right hand allowed her to smash her face, too.  I saw it happen in slow motion.  Nnnnnooooooo……   I was afraid she would knock out a tooth.  She is such a trooper.  Teeth intact, we arrived home and iced her lip.  The kid NOT in martial arts is the only one getting injured.

• Hubby is gone for the weekend with the Guards, so I think this would be a good time to actually get the house clean.  I feel like I do a lot less when he’s home.  Also, he’s kind of like having an extra kid to clean up after, one who likes to cook and leave dirty socks everywhere.  Just sayin’.  Also, also, he almost never reads my blog so I can say stuff and unless you guys tell him, he’ll never know.