Summer break is over!!!

And I know I haven't posted much. I'm still spending way too much time on my parening boards and facebook. That darn Farkle!!! So in any case, I really don't feel as much *need* to blog. But then again just tonight I was looking for a picture that I knew I posted on here (to figure out which file it was in on my computer) and I browsed through the entire history of my blog. I may not have frequent entries and a few large gaps, but it dates back a few YEARS now. The most amazing and bittersweet of everything is looking at the pics of my kids and how big they are now. Man. WHERE does the time go!?! I'm going to be saying that for the next 40-50 years aren't I? It is neat to go back and read all the little things I mention about them and stories I tell. So heck...somehow I need to blog. Plus I think I can get to blogger from work and pretty much all the other sites I visit are blocked. Maybe I should try to blog on my breaks at work...you know if I'm not already behind on charting.

So I cannot believe this summer is officially over. Elise starts school Tuesday. We have the long weekend left and then school. Crazy. She will be a first grader. We had her orientation today and visited her classroom and saw who her teacher would be. She is excited and doesn't appear nervous at all, like psht...piece of CAKE mom!

The past couple of weeks I've literally been trying to cram in as much activity and trips to parks and stuff as I can. It will be SO weird to have Elise in school all day, everyday. Last year was just 1/2 days. Poor Kaedon is going to be a little lost without her. I'm hoping to do a little bit of preschool homeschooling with him, but he doesn't seem to be interested. Hmmm....we'll see how it goes. The boy just NEEDS to learn some basic respect/listening/following direction skills or I'm going to go nuts. He still is TERRIFIED to poop on the potty for some reason. I mean literally shakes and screams and acts horrified it will hurt him. We are working on that. I forced him to sit there despite the trauma a few nights ago and he finally went on the pot. He'd been holding it for two days or more cause he'd been in underwear.

On the pooping note, we've still had bad constipation issues with Elise resulting in more UTI's and FINALLY got our long awaited (SIX MONTH WAIT) to a pediatric GI....for of COURSE the very first day of school. I will have to get her early, which will be quite hectic, but what do you do? It just irks me though. I really hope she doesn't have major issues this year at school and I'm stressed about what they are going to want me to give her. Ugh.

So as not to leave on that "crappy" note (heehee) I will post some pics from the summer (for some reason they are looking grainy and pixelated to me here):




Tired out after a long day on "vacation" at the water park.


Swimming in Lake Michigan at sunset!


Lake Michigan Sunset (@Kirk Park)



Getting ready to go fishing!


Dancing at the local botanical gardens and sculpture park!

Evidently I've reached the limit on posted pictures for my post cause it won't let me add more. I haven't done much with my Photoblog either, but I think some changes are soon to come!!

OMG I have a blog...

I nearly forgot! Ok, ok, I didn't forget. I just never get around to updating and blogging on a regular basis. I think I'm just intimidated by all the "cool" blogs out there and feel lame to just come here and ramble about my ho-hum, nothing interesting days. That and I just lack the energy. When the kids are finally in bed, I'm usually on the couch, under a blanket zoning out to stupid television shows.

Lets see, whats new. A little over a week ago now, I took a road trip with my Dad and step-mom to see my step-brother Mike while he was in the hospital for 3.25 days getting his chemo. It was good to see him and spend time with the family. My sisters were there for one whole day too but then they ditched me (long story but they had to get back home). So all of Sunday and Monday, including the trip home I kinda felt like I was 12yrs old again, stuck hanging out with my parents with no hope of getting away. I should've used some of that time just sitting around the hospital room to blog, but my own laptop was not working so I was just borrowing my parents for quick FB and email checks. There was a good amount of driving back seat riding involved and I swear I had jet-lag like symptoms even though it was all car travel within the same time zone. I was hoping for a tad bit more vacation like fun included in my rare time away from the kids, but it turned out to be just pretty straightforward hotel-to-hospital-back to-hotel time. No stops for ANYTHING, not even a wine cooler. Sheesh!! But it was good, don't get me wrong.

It was AWESOME to see Mike doing so well and in relatively good health. He'll be going to Cleveland Clinic soon for stem-cell transplants and will need a LOT of prayers and good vibes to get through all this.

The kids are fantabulous. Tomorrow E has her very first school program. She is the *farmers wife* and her line is: "I suppose a Turnip souffle would bake up nicely". For the most part each kid has one line and I think they will sing a few songs and it will all be followed by cookies and juice. Fun times. I'm sure I'll have pics. I can't wait.

I think KJ got constipated last week for the first time in his life becuase I am SO.FREAKING.SICK of him crapping in his diaper. So...I MADE him go half nekkid cause I knew he had to poop....but he would.not.poop. He would beg and cry for a diaper. Its quite the ordeal. Evidently he had a huge blowout Saturday at the babysitters. Bwaahaahaa. Oops. I do feel bad actually. So we are onto another week of potty training madness. I'll keep ya posted.