Football season

Have I ever mentioned Jason's passion. The man loves loves loves football. Seriously, obsession. He knows the Packers stats from the 1985 team. If he put as much brain capacity into science as he does into football he would have come up with a cure for cancer by now.
So imagine, if you will, standing in the delivery room. Now imagine him jumping for joy when he sees a baby boy pop out. OK, so there was no pop and we already knew it was a boy. So shoot me for embellishing a little. This has been a long time coming for JasonSome one may have told Mark this is called a 'spin move.' Hence the spinning.
Not to be out done by the boys.

The first hair cut

I have waited a long time for this day. Anna was determined to never grow hair. Then, when she did grow hair, she had a raging mullet. I've been waiting to cut it because once she finally got a little hair I didn't want to scare it away be cutting it. But this could wait no longer. It was getting very straggly looking. And no matter what I did with it, it still had mullet characteristics. Ever put a mullet in a pony tail? It still screams I am a mullet. Besides we are going on vacation soon and I didn't want Jason's family to think we don't like her. This is our beautiful son and we think the one with the mullet is a girl. We didn't want that.
So we went. Anna was a very big girl. She's seen Mark do this lots of times. She was sooo ready to try this out for herself. I've heard horror stories from other parents about their kid's first hair cut. I am happy to say that has never happened to us. We are fortunate that both of our kids go in a trance like state when their hair is played with.
The day ended with Anna's hair looking marginally less like a mullet. We are just hoping now the sides will catch up soon. I am also hoping she will start letting use barettes on her. She ripped out each and every one I have ever put in there. With each barrette assult also comes two to three or ten hairs. She's very lucky she isn't completely bald on top.
As for the men, well, they did what all men do in salons. Stay out of the way and try to be invisible. And hope none of their friends see them in here.

Hooky on the first day

Because I am an A+ student, I didn't have a whole lot to do on my first day. I posted my first assignment on Monday. I am not a teacher's pet, so don't even think it. That left my day pretty open yesterday. We decided to go look at fall leaves and visit a local cider mill. Yesterday will forever live in my memory as a really fun family day. We took the very scenic route to the cider mill. We stopped several times to view the sight along the way.
We stopped at the wind mill farm we always pass on the way to my parents. We have wanted to stop many times but always are in too big a hurry. This was just amazing. You don't realize how big they are until you are right there. Need perspective? That's Jason and the kids at the bottom. They make this loud woooshing sound when the blades spin. You can't help but duck even though they blades are thirty feet over your head. This was a very cool part of the day.
Then we drove on and saw some absolutely gorgeous leaves. Fall is really something here. Our final stop was the cider mill. They have a waterfall behind the building that was not to be missed. Just so pretty.
The kids really enjoyed watching them make cider. It was a unique viewing because the building and operation is so old. There isn't room for ropes to separate the viewers for the doers. We got a very up close look. It was a lot of fun. We will almost certainly make it a yearly tradition.

Back to school days

I feel like I am back in ninth grade. I'm having those first day of school jitters.

I hope I don't get lost on the way to homeroom.

Will the others kids laugh at my high water pants. I grew three inches since we bought them two weeks ago. It was a most inconvient growth spurt.

It would be the worst if I tripped over my shoes when I walk in the door.

I hope no one notices my grey hair.

Did anyone see me pull up in my "mom van."

I will tell you one thing, not a lot has changed since ninth grade. I still trip over my own feet. I still drive a "mom van." The big difference is now it's mine instead of my mothers. I have way more grey hair. I still go through growth spurts. But now, I go out instead of up. Yep. Online school will be good for me.

I may be a little absent until I get in my groove. I'll be back.

A love of Fall

After living down south for so many years I have really come to appreciate this time of year. They have some fall color down there, but nothing like this. It's one of the benefits of having a real winter. The leaves put on one last hu-ra before they die. And let me tell you, this year has been really something. The leaves are so bright it almost hurts your eyes.
But the leaves aren't the only ones putting on a show, in my yard, this year. This is a red twig dogwood bush I got back in June. All summer I have patiently waited for it to do its' thing. And now it has. Don't you just love that color. It makes that whole side of the yard just happy.
And I can't leave without telling about my other favorite thing regarding this time of year. Hats. I love hats. It's a sickness really. I have lots of wintry hats for myself. And I am constantly getting them for the kids. My aunt made these for the kids a few months ago. I couldn't wait for the weather to turn so they could wear them. I know, I'm just a tiny bit strange. But look! Don't they just look so cute.

I love this time of year.

I can't promise this is my last Fall post. We are supposed to go on a scenic drive tomorrow. We will go if it doesn't snow. Yes, snow. There is snow in our forecast for tomorrow. Which, if it happens, will be earlier than last year by a good two weeks.

You don't need a pool to make pool toys fun

So a weeks ago Jason came back from the store with a present for the kids. He does this a lot. He goes out in to the world and finds little treasures for them. They always delight in his findings. But honestly, this time, I thought it was a dud. He brings out these "wacky noodles." I did point out to him we don't have a pool. He assured me it doesn't matter.
The kids humored him for a few minutes. Then they put them down and went back to the sand box. Oh well, he said, they were on clearance.
The "noonles" (as Anna calls them) hung around a couple of days. No one really played with them. Then one day, someone (Jason) picked one up and whacked someone (me). Game on.

They have turned into the best toy we have. Score one for Daddy. They are some much fun, in fact, we went back and bought more. Still on clearance. Apparently, people don't buy many pool toys in September in NY. Go figure.
There are just all kinds of things you can do with a noodle. Sword fight. Yep. You can do that.
Pick on the swing people. Yep. Much to their delight.
Harass your mother. You can. But you shouldn't. Mommy fights back. Even when you are as cute as this one, Mommy takes no prisoners.
Leave it to Daddy to find a toy where you can beat the tar out of someone and no one gets hurt.

Took the leap

So last week I told you I was going to take the leap. This week I tell you I took the leap. I am a college student. Did you read that right? I AM a college student!! I start on Tuesday. It all happened very fast. I have been working like crazy to get everything done before the start of class. It's been a pretty hectic week. But it's all done now. I have my books. And am ready to go.
Now, let me tell you the rest of the story. Jason is starting school again too. In fact, he is the one who gave me that little push I needed. That's right he told me he was going to do it. That's when I decided to start myself. Not because I want to better myself, but because I don't want him to be smarter than me. He would walk around here with his giant smart head spewing forth knowledge. We can't have that, now can we. That's why I had to go too. I kid of course. He has been very supportive. He even took the kids and left for two whole hours so I could fill out the application in peace. That's love, baby. Have I mentioned, lately, I really like that guy.
Speaking of support, Mark asked me if Mrs. H. (his teacher) is going to be my teacher too. When I told him no, he said, But Mom, she is a reeeeally good teacher. I think you would like her. He's right. I would love to go to his school. I wonder if the GI Bill would cover that.

Taking the leap

When I graduated high school I knew I wasn't ready for college. I needed a break. So I joined the Air Force. It was one of the better decisions of my life. I got the break I needed. And I got an opportunity to see and do things I never would have been able to do otherwise. I also made some wonderful life long friends. Oh yeah, and I got a pretty great hubby out of the deal too. So all in all the military was a good choice for me.
The one thing the AF didn't set me up for is future employment. My job in the military isn't very marketable on the outside. I could go work for an airline. But they aren't hiring much right now. Besides there aren't many airlines in my tiny town.
The thing the military did do for my future was my GI Bill. I have a college education just waiting for me to take advantage of it. I've started school two times in the past. The first time I stopped because they called my reserve unit up. I deployed and was unable to continue my schooling. The second time I quit because I was two months from popping out a baby. Then came the sleepless night, feedings, and constant needs of a newborn. I just couldn't fit any college time in there.
I think, finally, at the tender age of 31 I am ready to go back to school. Now if I could just figure out what I want to do when I grow up. My employment search presents some unique challenges. It is important to our family a parent gets our kids off the bus. Since Jason works so many hours that parent is me. Another challenge is summers. I need to be home with them in the summer. Jason and I arranged our lives before we had kids so that I could stay home. I wouldn't want to mess that up now that they are starting school. We don't feel it would be fair to them or us. They will only be young this one time.
Now what can I do? I've always wanted to open my own business. I think it would be fun to take a newborn business and grow it into something more. But baby businesses suck even more of your time than actual newborns. They never sleep. What kind of business would I open. A restaurant? A boutique? Also something like 99.99% of small businesses fail in their first year. Am I really willing to risk our financial well being on one of my hair brained ventures. I don't know.
I've always said I want to work with kids. I think I still want to do that. The big problem is here in NY you need a masters to teach. Great for our kids. Not as great for someone staring down eight years of education before I can enter the work force. But when I really think about it that's what I want. I want to teach the little ones who are just starting their education. They are so full of fun and wonder. I want to be a part of that.
So I guess the end of the story is I am starting the admissions process for college. I may be a little absent around here for a bit. Just bear with me. I promise, I'm coming back.