Welcome to the Badlands

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Quote of the month...

"Standing tall is a very admirable thing. There are very few stories in history of heroes who slouched to the rescue. Likewise, most individuals don't look up to people who are drooped over."
from Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra by Obert Skye

my family

Thursday, November 29, 2007

A Give-Away

I was running through my blogroll reading up and in the comments came across Anne's comment {now I've dropped by her blog in the past} and I found that she is having a give away! Thought it might be fun. Click on her name if you'd like to go enter to win this DVD player.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Post 100!

Well, this is my 100th post {could have been here sooner but for my computer troubles!} I know that most people list 100 things about themselves.... but I'm not sure I could create 100 things.........Maybe I'll do 100 things abt me when I get to 200 {gives me a few days to try and think them up! :D}
I've had a request for a post on our 'old school' desks... here goes:
Well, I wish I had some wonderful story about how they came out of some one-room school house in the country, but the truth is I have NO idea about their history. One of the desks... the green chair one, I think... came from a co-worker of Troy's. The desk that is the favored hiding place came from our friends, Mike and Vicki {I don't know where they got it}. The other two came from our neighbor's garage sale. I was looking out the bedroom window and saw they were having a garage sale in the alley.... and they had desks! I was SO excited to see them so that we could have 4. All of the big kids could have their own place to do homework! yeah yeah! :D If I could have done back flips, I would have! I tols Troy I just wanted to see what they wanted for the desks.... {he came with, guess he didn't trust my 'just lookin'!} . They only wanted $5! So for $10 I got two more cool 'Old School' desks, that have been so much fun for Scott and EmmaLece. Each of the older children have a desk that they do homework at nightly.I do wish that they all had the wood tops {if I find another with the wooden top, I'm getting it! :D} We keep the color books and art supplies inside ... well that is the idea, but mostly they are arranged nicely {hahahehe} on the floor around the desks.

Savanna is a little miffed at EmmaLece who removed her homework to the floor while she was asking for assistance and climbed inside HER desk.
Robby wanted to see how well he could fit in the desk..... lookin a little big, huh?
This is kinda long, but you might like to watch and hear the twins creating tents....... {please excuse Robby's yelling}.
Just lying around!

Long Underwear?

Is is a BAD thing if your boxers stick out of your Pjs?! Scott loves Spiderman {case you didn't know! :D} and these are a size 6 {just a bit too big}, his pjs are either a 3 or 4T! Couldn't tell ya what the face is all about... just being a boy!
What a nice comfy place to curl up at! "See, Mom, I fit!"

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Blogging that hits the spot award




Thanks to someone who awarded me this honor. I captured it and saved it but now I'm having trouble remembering who gave me it... pause while go review those I read up on yesterday..... ummmm help please so I can give you credit, tell me please and forgive my missing brain!

Monday, November 26, 2007

some silly little tests....

Ok so Keeley had a bunch of these and well, here ya go!
I am Elinor Dashwood!

Take the Quiz here!



You Are Not a Dumb American

You got 8/10 correct.
You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong.
Time to go back to history class!




You're The Hobbit!

by J.R.R. Tolkien

All you wanted was a nice cup of tea when some haggard crazy old man
came into your life and told you it was time to do something with yourself. Now you're
all conflicted about whether to stick with your stay-at-home lifestyle or follow this
crazy person into the wild. While you're very short and a little furry, you seem to be
surrounded by an even greater quantity of short folks lately. Try not to lose your ring,
but keep its value in perspective!



Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

So, just WHAT did you do while you were absent from blogdom?

Well, it was SO thrilling, that as I lay there trying to convince EmmaLece to go to sleep I composed this wonderful {hahhehe} post to share..... then I had to rush down to the computer and type it out {otherwise it would be 'gone like the wind' by morning...}
So while I was away, my days went pretty much like this....
Hear the kids stumbling around at 6 am getting their showers taken, hair brushed, fighting and telling each other to get up out of bed or out of the bathroom, finally give up sleeing around 6:45 am, lurch down the stairs and plop. Then the did you dos and do you haves start: "did you brush your teeth? did you practice the piano? do you have NO pants without holes? do you have your homework? do you know where your gloves, hat and real coat are?" Once thoes are out of the way we say morning prayers and get out the door with threats of, "I better NOT hear you yelling at each other while you head to the bus. Boys walk in back girls in the front {or vis-a versa}. Do not leave your brother behind, look for cars BEFORE you cross the street and DON'T run!" By this time if it was a night Troy worked, he's home and ready to sleep {if not, then he's sitting on the stairs with me}. They are off to school and I'm off to the shower hopefully before the twins get up and before my charges get here. It is important for me to actually get a shower in right then otherwise I have parents dropping and picking up the kids in the evening while I sport my Eeyore jammies {not a pretty sight, as my 'twin tummy' doesn't look good hanging out of my jammie top ... OK TMI, I know! :)} Finally the shower is out of the way and if it's a good day, I put on jeans and a mostly decent T-shirt {it might have a paint stain or a hole in it, it's clean, I promise!:) some days I just settle for sweats ... but, hey I took a shower!}. I head downstairs for some chocolate milk making and water cups filling to get the day started. If the twins are up {and usually Em is} we get breakfast, which more than likely is Life or Kix in Dora and Spiderman bowls with long handled spoons and a bit of milk. Once Riley and /or Kyle have arrived it is now 8 am and Wiggles is on TV and I've plunked myself in my chair with a book. Within 5 mins of reading I've fallen asleep and dreaming peacefully while the Disney channel babysits..... until I come flying gracefully out of my chair to the soothing sounds of 2 and 3 yr olds trying to kill each other! After a few time-outs and threats to, "be quite! Troy's sleeping! and a few, "stay down here!" I resume the reading position and repeat the whole thing all over again until about 11:30 when it is lunch and then naps for the 2 yr olds {the twins don't nap anymore, on purpose}. By 1:30-2 pm Troy is getting up and looking for lunch {unless we have had a particularly bad time-out session that resulted in a whole lot of uncontrollable screaming and he was awakened early... which meant he took a nap again around 1:30 pm}. Between 2 and 4 the nappers are up and wanting their candy reward for sleeping. Then it is back to the reading, which I actually do read by this time since I've spent most of the day "napping". Around 3:45 the older kids arrive from school. Then it is time to fix something... anything... to eat. Usually Troy is right there helping. Then the moms are picking up between 4:40 and 5:30 pm {it's a good thing I only watch 2 extras}. After dinner it is chores, homework and more reading for me. Pretty boring day, huh?
I was going to add a picture to this but it is 1:30 AM and it said "a problem has occurred while setting up your new hardware and it may not work properly" and well, I'm too tired to figure out how to fix it just now, so, I'll work on it tomorrow. Night all

Sunday, November 25, 2007

What time of day are you?

You Are Midnight
You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits.Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle.Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it.You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.


Saturday, November 24, 2007

I'm Backkkkkkkkkkk! :-)

OK, I'm SO happy to be back on-line! :) I can't even begin to tell you how happy! There have been so many things that have gone on since our computer took a vacation I don't even know where to start...... {and I have SO much catching up to do... be patient, please!}
Well, first off let me say that our computer is still under the weather.. We took the hard drive out and sent it off to my very knowledgeable brother-in-law to see if he can retrieve all the info. We are thinking that the motherboard is toast and so will have to save our pennies for a new computer {or just wait til we get our tax return and use that.....}
The reason we can be on line again is that my mother-in-law let us borrow, for as long as we need, her dad's computer {he passed away last Dec. and his wife is not at all computer savvy}. Now we have to figure out what version of XP is on here so we can upgrade it to what we are use to {I'm hating this old style.. no tabs and I love my tabs! I hate having new windows opening up.} We are also trying to decide just which programs we HAVE to have ... ie camera software, picture software... ya know the important stuff! Yes I will be getting some sort of back up for the pictures and be backing them up on a regular basis! This has taught me that at least! :)
I have many pictures to share with you all in the very near future.
It has been such a challenge to survive these 20 some days without a computer.... not something I would recommend! I have read several books in this time frame, though! And I've taken a few more naps .. only to be awakened by screaming children {also not recommended... there is nothing quite like flying out of the chair to hair pulling and fists flying!}
Well, now it is off to bed... I will get to reading and catching up on all of you my bloggin' buds...

Friday, November 16, 2007

Still waiting...

So here I sit at the library AGAIN! Our computer guy called and it is not looking good. AARRGH! :( He is still trying to figure out how to make it hand over all the info it is holding captive. Mostly I just want my many pictures. I did try to get them onto CDs, but well I ran out of CDs and $ to get more way before I ran out of pictures.... like ya, know, I only take a few! :) Keep the good thoughts coming my way and maybe we'll have a small miracle and I can get my stuff back and get my diversion back! I miss all ya and it TOTALLY sucks to not have my computer! Hope all is well with all of you! (until my next visit to the library...)

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Don't be worried ....

Well, I'm sitting at the library typing this as my stupid computer has gone on hiatus! It is no longer communicating with important things like the monitor, keyboard and mouse! So we will be taking it in to at least hopefully retrieve all the stored info and bazillion pictures. I have been going into withdraw...... "see" you all when we get it figured out!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

All Hallows Eve

It was crazy hair day at school and I woke up to this nice do. Good thing it was also Halloween! Cody just worked into his costume.
Here we are ready for trick or treating... after tearing through the masses of costume makings, we have: Hanna Montana, Greek Goddess, the Jester, Pippi Longstockings {thanks to the pix of Steph's blog}, a pirate, Spiderwitch, and Spiderman. Troy doesn't dress-up... he said he was an undercover detective ... ie, he wore jeans and a t-shirt!
First stop was Grandma and Grandpa's.We trick or treated a fairly good sized area and then went to see Heather. One of our last stops was our favorite Pirate, Laura. She does a whole pirate scene out front and Scott is scared of it. He walked back out to the suburban with his face covered and Troy running interference between the pirate skeletons and Scott. Poor kid!
The haul! Scott fell asleep in the car and missed seeing how much candy we got for our efforts.
It was a fun night and the kids were pretty good only a few fights over who got to ring the bell... we had to make the boys be last cause they were pushing up in front Scott and EmmaLece.