To whom it may concern

Dear bank teller person,

While I can appreciate the fact that you can see exactly how much money I have, where I spend it, what bills I have and whether or not I pay them on time; I am discouraged that you don't take the time to notice that my 3 year old really doesn't want to be here, that in 5 minutes I will be late to pick up my 8 year old and the fact that I have absolutely no interest in what new service you have to offer me each time I come here.

Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the drive through was for days when I am in a very big hurry, can’t get out of my car because I don’t wish to wake my sleeping toddler or simply am not in the mood to come into the bank and socialize with the people who know as much about my finances as I do. I thought the drive through was for speed and efficiency so when I finally get my turn, after waiting in a line 4 deep, and I send my quick little deposit through the tube I would not expect you to start asking me about my day and if I want to open a new low balance money market account on top of the one I already have. When I come to the drive through it REALLY means I am not here to chat.

So I would appreciate it very much if you would just finish what I came for in a timely fashion and stop asking me if I want to pay for annual rewards, if I have savings accounts for my children, how come I never use my visa attached to my account, if I want to move funds into another investment account etc.

Thank you for your cooperation,
You know who I am

Friday, Lovely Friday.

Just as we came home and Lauren knew she was in fact sick even though she tried to ignore it all day this is what she said:

“can I have a wet wipe for my hands and then my computer”

A wet wipe first huh, guess I am always a bit OCD when it comes to someone being sick in my house. I am at my worst when someone is throwing up. I have been known to literally walk around the house with Clorox wipes in both hands so everything I touch gets wiped and I touch nothing.

My poor daughter will be scarred for life – thinking that germs are the death of a house, computer, door handle, flusher, light switch, remote control, telephone, and the list goes on. I am Terra and I have OCD tendencies…just not in all the right places.

The bright side is she is all better already. It seemed to be a 24 hour dizzy/fever bug. There were only 4 kids in her class when I went to pick up her work today so it really took out the class. But they should all be hopping healthy on Monday ready to make up science tests, spelling tests and give I have a dream speeches!

Thanks for all your kind words!

A little of this and that

Hodgepodge post...lots of little things on my mind and nothing to really say...so I am going to just put it all out there:

First poor Lauren came home from school (at the end of the day) sick. She said to me in the halls "I have been cold and dizzy all day" when I asked her why she didn't call me she said "because I don't want to be sick" that girl has some will. She cried when I told her she was going to have to miss tomorrow and has been asleep on the couch ever since.

Second I read an amazing thing on this site, where a family is dealing with some very hard things, and I had to share this paragraph because I think we all need remember this no matter what side of the coin we find ourselves on:

"I am coming to a place in my life that I realize people WANT to do. My mom has told me that if I do not let people DO for me, I rob them of the joy they receive from DOING. So, I am learning to accept help. I am learning that I can ease my burden when I allow others to enter my life and do something that makes them feel good."

And lastly I wanted to share a few of my favorite LOCAL sites with all my friends in bloggy land. These sites belong to friends or friends of friends right here in Colorado. I visit them each once a day no matter what and I love what they have to say. I hope you will enjoy them too.

The Campbell Family

The Krape Family

Simply Persnickety

Life According to Bec

The Adams Family

The Casual Perfectionist

And the Rock Goes On....

The power of a 3 year olds imagination is unlimited. Want a pet? Find a pet...have a pet. Care for it, bath it, give it a new home and lots of water to drink. (because we all know rocks need to drink right?)

Hailey put so much determination into having a pet she invented her own...

Hailey Finally Got a Pet

Then she via her father she was able to give her pet a nice safe home

No Glass on this House

And then, after much begging and waiting, she was able to provide warmth and color for her beloved pet Rocky

Yes Mom, I sewed the rock a pillow - she asked me for 2 days!

and now Rocky has a pillow and a blanky (though Hailey and Riley are having blanky troubles)

Then it was off to paint the house, a must have for Hailey!

Rocky is behind the paint guarding the scene and Hailey has a little poptart on the side....

The artistry of a 3 year old

So, If you ever find yourself feeling a little lonely, or needing someone to hold on to go out and grab yourself rock, give it a name and a comfy cozy home and you too might be as happy as our three year old.

Wordless Wednesday

These are never truley wordless are they? Oh well.

November 26th 2003 I was proud enough of this to take a picture, January 26th 2009 I found the photo and laughed at myself. Not because I took the picture way back when but rather because 6 years ago was the last time I made a lemon merangue pie. Hmmm.

Hailey being Cute

I never got these photos up on the blog and fully intended about 3 weeks ago...so I am finally going to send them up for all to see. I love these pictures. Don't know why. I just do.

I wish I had tons of pictures of Lauren to post too! But she is suffering from Camera Grumpy Syndrome... Have you heard of it? It's when the minute a camera is pointed at you, you find the need to make the worst faces, look away and refuse to cooperate! I think it is partially because of her retainer and mostly because of her age...but I am hoping she will come around soon. I think I will stick her camera out in the open and maybe if she starts using it a bit she will become more OK with having her picture taken. Or at least I can pull out a "Proud Mommy Moment" and say "Hey, I let you take my picture now you have to let me take yours, it's only fair, and if you don't I'm gonna tell Grandma on you"

What I learned this week:

Jo-Lynn over at Musings of a Housewife is starting a new bloggy carnival. What I learned this week.... I am trying to keep my blog as close to its roots as possible so I stear clear of most memes and awards but in this case I think I will try to hang with the carny folk for a while and see if I like it, can keep up with it etc. So here goes...



I learned that in some ways homework is overrated.

Why? Well let me just tell you. I have talked before about how Lauren never has homework and if she does she can almost always finish it between school and home (15 minutes if there is traffic) she gets excellent marks and rarely misses a beat.

This is a bone I have picked with her school since first grade...where is the homework, how are they learning to budget their time against work and play etc. You would not believe me if I told you the response, well perhaps you would - but let’s just say it had something to do with busy schedules and parents complaining and the work not getting done....but then they would always say NEXT YEAR she will have more...then next year would come and I would bark up that same tree again and they started saying "well, she must get her work done in class, good for her" and I would argue not teaching her responsibility etc...

I finally quit barking, counted myself lucky she only has a short time left in elementary school and now we are just biding our time (poor Lauren)

Fast forward to...tonight; Lauren actually has homework. Something to do with Ute Indian Dances...she is supposed to research a Ute dance, make a poster board and potentially be prepared to talk about it in class on Wed. She had dance till 6:30 and came right home to dinner and home work –

She was enthusiastic and ready to go…until she realized that she still didn’t fully understand the POINT to what she was doing. Can you blame her? She is happy to go through the motions and do the work but she questions why she has to spend all this time learning about a dance the Ute’s did…again can you blame her? Some of her comments…Everyone is doing the same project “how silly”, what am I supposed to say about a dance?, I mean I read all this stuff, they use snakes and that is gross but what is the point to the poster-board? I just don’t get this assignment. I could just take some notes and talk about it right?

All that coming from a girl that LOVES to make things on poster board…

Ok…so back to what I learned this week: The moral of my story is - maybe not having homework is a good thing – at least she isn’t wasting time each and every night on pointless assignments.

Doggy Attachment Issues

Not me. I have absolutely no attachment issues to my "leftover Beagle" as Grams kindly refers to him. However apparently Sir Riley has some serious attachment issues.

Riley has always slept with some towels or other sort of blanket in his bed..

This dog actually manages to wrap himself up in his blanky each night and sleeps quite well that way. Often in the morning when he comes out of the room he is still dragging the blanket on his back. He can get it on just fine - but seems to have trouble getting it off.

It has never been a problem, just a cute thing Riley does...until this morning at 4:00am when he started barking. He has NEVER barked in the night even when his old buddy Preston (no longer with us) would get to howling at the moon.

This morning it wasn't really even barking. It was a well timed WOOF every minute or so...followed by some scratching at something. Eventually "he who would rather not be named" (but can't seem to stay off the blog anyway) got out of bed and went to investigate, 4:00am, 10 degrees out "he" pokes his head out the back door to see if we have a visiting coyote or fox or something. NOTHING.

Riley is still spouting off a well timed WOOF so "He" wonders to the dog room and opens the door....Riley is not in there...So he goes to the back of the room and opens the outside door...there is Riley and his Blanket...outside in snow and freezing temps...trying to get in but can't figure out how to bring his blanket back in with him.

Clearly Riley had gotten up for a midnight pee, his blanket went outside with him (probably clinging to his back) fell off and he could not figure out how to get it back in with him. Those well timed WOOFS were really well timed "HELPS" and the scratching was him trying to drag it back in...

Help, Help, Help it is 4am and I can't go back to bed without my blanky. If it is not the kids it is the dog...For Woofing Out Loud Riley...

A new blogger in town

There is a new blogger in town! Shelley over at Simply Persnickety asked me (through a friend) to help her create a blog for her Organizational Business! It is only the 4th blog I have been able to design from scratch (boy do I have a learning to do still!) but I love trying, playing with the design and making something happen!

She has some talent! She offers her skills to both in and out of state clients and can help you turn Major Messes (like the ones we had) into simply perfectly organized rooms! I should have called her before we started at our house!!

Anyway, stop by if you have time and give her some comment love. So far I can tell her blog is going to super helpful and fun to read!

DIY and major messes part 2

This project is the brain child of he who would rather not be named. Well, maybe that is not so true, it could be partially Lauren's fault. For about 2 years, off and on she has been asking daddy to build a book shelf with her. She wanted to work with tools. She has always enjoyed this a little bit, Grandpa has even taken her to a couple of the Home Depot Saturday Kids things to build something.

So after purchasing a new HP Home server to run our home network that would ultimately make most people cringe (with 7 computers, 3 printers, vonage, wii, direct tv and a sling box) "he" decided it was time to get all those routers, switches and other machines out of the office, off the beautiful shelves and into the broom closet for central location, ease of access etc.

It was time to build some shelves. Not a book shelf, because we don't have a single inch of space to add another bookshelf to the house but shelves in the closet to house the network. As a result two closets actually had to be cleared out (1 so we could cut holes in the wall to pull cables through and the other to make room for the new equipment room). Our living room and entryway became our coat closet for a couple weeks.


In the meantime daddy and Lauren have worked very well together and he took lots of pictures for me!!! Adams Family - this song is for you!!!

This new room will result in a lot more space on our office shelves for us to clutter up put nice things on and have them look presentable.

HEEEEEY YOU GUUUUUUYS!!!!

I AM SO EXCITED. Thanks to Parenting Magazine and the amazing advertising power of PBS I just found that The Electric Company is making a comeback. I could dance, I could jump up and down, I could probably pee my pants with excitement. I loved this show so much as a kid that I bought a soundtrack type CD when Lauren was little (and the one for School House Rocks too!!)
AND NOW...My kids get to enjoy the Electric Company "Recharged" so they say! It is not starting on my local PBS station until Feb 2nd So I got to set my DVR record the you know what out of it and watch my children love the show the way I did cringe and run away from the TV because their mom is such a dork!



Oh and by the way, to the folks over at Parenting Magazine (just in case you happen to reading - though I know you are not) You know all those silly little cards that all magazines insert, that most of us rip out and throw away before we even start reading?

How about trying something super useful with those cards? Add one of your very own...but instead of asking me to buy more, buy for a friend, buy something different make it a pull out card with all the WEB SITES you mentioned in that issue and the page number they correspond to! That would be SUPER helpful.

I wouldn't have to keep a list and lose it, fold corners to have them unfold, waste tons of stickies...and since I would be searching your magazine for my SUPER COOL WWW Card...I might actually glance at the others to make sure I don't miss it on my way through.

Just a thought.

Marley and Me and her and even her too...

I was not sure if I was going to take Lauren to see Marley and me so I decided I better read the book first. About 100 pages in I quickly decided that I needed to see the movie before I could let Lauren see it. I knew the dog died at the end and I was ok with that but I was a bit concerned with the trip to Italy and my 8 year old. I loved the book by the way. But ultimately decided I needed to pre-screen the movie. I also have a " You have to read the book before you see the movie" rule and I was not prepared to let Lauren read Marley and Me.

So, I was off to the Tattered Cover today to look for more books like Georges Secret Key to the Universe for Lauren and imagine my surprise when I found this


The 100% G rated version of Marley and Me. A bit below Lauren's reading level but she can finish it quick and I know she will love it! Still don't know if she can see the movie or not but I can wait for the DVD to find that out.

Then Hailey and I proceeded into the children's section to find a book for her. She was having a horrible time deciding. It is so overwhelming. I finally had to say pick a book in one minute or we are leaving without a book for you today (because you all know I really don't need anymore books in my house anyway)

At that moment she stomped off, looked around and grabbed a book and came back to me with a huge smile on her face and brought me this:

Ok, so now seriously. What a brilliant concept. Marley and Me for her and her and her too (or him I suppose) and the result of course is that we are now the proud owners of all three...

and soon to be owners of the DVD too I am sure. Way to go John...this is a brilliant way to milk it for all it is worth but for all the love you gave that feisty dog...I suppose you deserve it.

No Glass on this house

***UPDATED***

First it was a rock, on a playground, somewhere in Colorado. Then it was a beloved pet riding home in a car, it became a treasured friend that was supposed to sleep in the doll cradle but ended up in the bed, and dutifully came down stairs to sit near by when the sun came up...

At breakfast time the real nourishment was pushed aside so the rock (now renamed Rocky) could have a bath before school

Shortly thereafter talks of a home for Rocky began, consipiring between sisters to make it a bed and a home in a box. Mom later found "he" doing this

And Voila - Now Rocky has a home within our home. No glass windows on this house.

Can't wait to see what Hailey says when she sees it. More later.....

***THE UPDATE***

SHE WAS THRILLED!

Daddy made his little girl very happy.

The first thing she asked for was carpet and then she wants to paint it too.

She was dead set on wanting brown carpet so that is what she got...this rock may be around for at least a couple days!

Hailey finally got a pet

Poor little Hailey wanted a pet so bad when Lauren got her fish. Hailey decided she needed a frog in a frog cage. Unfortunately we have a no pet till your 8 rule around here (and frankly would prefer to not have any pets). Hailey was CRUSHED. First she made herself a Paper Pet complete with a leash and drug it around for a couple days. Then Grandma sent her a STUFFED Pet Frog - that she adores and sleeps with each night but did not consider a pet no matter how hard I tried.

Well, today she got her pet, on her own terms, on her own accord with no prompting or even approval from anyone.

We were at Lauren's School waiting for her after school French class to end and it was gorgeous out so we were sitting on the picnic table chatting with the teachers. Hailey used my phone to take this picture

Then she started playing with some of things on the ground, then she asked me if she could keep one and in a distracted moment I said "SURE". Then she showed me 10 and asked if she could have them all - I quickly gathered the better part of me and said "Oh, No honey, just one". She pondered, She chose, she put back and chose again...then coerced me into letting her pick one for Lauren too.

I had NO idea at the time what she was up to. It never dawned on me. Until we got in the car. That is when she said "Now I have a pet" to which I replied "you do?" and she said "Yes, My pet Rock, it's name is poodle" "Poodle needs some water, can I give it some water?"

I told her it could have water at home hoping beyond hope that she would forget.

Forget she did not. She watered her rock,

she bathed her rock,

she ate dinner with her rock

and she put her rock to bed in her cradle tonight (in the words of "he" 'so she can rock it to sleep' ha ha ha)

SO...Hailey has a pet. Though it looks like a potato and is named after a dog breed she has a pet. Poor Hailey.

(PS - Lauren dropped hers on the ground as soon as we left the school, on purpose and never looked back!)

Wordless Wednesday

Be careful what pictures you let people take of you, they just might find them when they are cleaning out their basement, scan them in their computers and post them on their blogs.

You know who you are!

Barack Obama hijacked my TV

Mr. Obama

I realize history has been made

I know you love the media

and the crowds

You are a very skilled public speaker,

and you are great at spending money

You have accomplished something.

But Please can I have my TV back now?

PS. I am not a fan.

January or June?

January or June? That is my question. It has been unseasonably warm the last couple days and we have been out riding scooters and bikes in the afternoon. Today however, the girls seemed a bit confused.

Notice the snow in the background? The winter appropriate dress an the amazing footwear!

At least Lauren had pants and long sleeves on, but once again notice the foot wear?

And there you have it.

Parenting at it's best.

No one stopped them,

we just let them play;

it won't kill them right?

DIY and major messes Part 1

The Incredible GROWING mess starts with a mess I made that refuses to shrink. This major mess going on is completely my fault. Shortly after New Years I decided to gut the playroom, rearrange, redo, clean out etc. As a result I piled everything we took out of the playroom in the middle of the basement floor. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of that mess before I cleaned it up but trust me you could not walk through it safely. The Playroom turned out great

Main view

The Built Ins - notice my computers are there (though I am in the family room right now ha ha)

The girls desks and computers near the windows...

The new Redneck Couch

The TV etc. that the Redneck couch faces

One of the bookshelves that got moved (actualy in the upstairs hall just outside the playroom)

My next step was to tackle the girls rooms and their clothes. You see having two girls 5 years apart means I have a lot of clothes to save for Hailey..they have taken up many shelves in our basement - tub after tub of shoes and clothes - I went through them and made them a new home in the empty trundle of Hailey's bed, this freed up a lot of storage space downstairs, so then I decided I better gut the girls closets and that just added to my mountain in the basement...But the girls rooms look great and they got a few of the toys removed from the playroom transplanted in their rooms

Laurens American Girl Tree House

Lauren's shelves full of books and doll stuff, oh and Phoenix the fish!

Hailey got my old doll cradle in her room

Along with another displaced bookshelf

Some of her American Girl Stuff

And the new CD player she had to have for Christmas

After that I was tasked with cleaning out the unfinished part of our basement, making room for new stuff to be stored. This included clearing a VERY messy floor, emptying tubs and deciding what stays and what goes, plugging in the Treadmil and pretending as though we may actually use it. This part of the basement rarely stays clean for long because it becomes the dumping ground for everything...however after this HUGE clean out I have freed up a lot of space and intend to keep it that way (for a while anyway)

Holiday stuff on the left, crafty cabinets in the center and all things that must be kept forever on the right hand side (notice one whole shelf is empty!).

Giant Cat in the hat. He is Lauren's - I HAD to have him when I was pregnant with her and now I find myself wondering what the heck am I gonna do with him?

The other side of the unfinished part...full of boxes, summer stuff, fans, paint and more (again 1 whole empty shelf and a parially empty one too)

But the Main part of the basement looks pretty good now. The wrapping paper is off the pool table, the gifts are gone from the air hockey table and some of it has been set up and ready for play time too

SO, in order to accomplish all the beauty you have seen above I had to go through the mountain I plopped on the basement floor from the playroom and the girls room, I had to clean out tubs, and floor space in the unfinished part and had to decide what stays and what goes. In doing this, the only way I knew how was to just kept throwing stuff in the spare room, kindly referred to as Grandma Mary's Room ...YEP- this is where I am shoving all the stuff I don't want to keep as I go through closets, shelves, tubs etc. I am now referring Mary's rom as "Mount Dumpall" you can't even tell there is a bed, television, quilt rack and nightstand in this room ..

So now I get to empty this very scary bedroom and decide for sure what goes and what stays, who gets what (good will, ebay, garage sale, consignment who knows...) Are you coming to help?

In the meantime - I have a lot of STUFF to do so....hopefully the end result Will be worth it. OH - and we can't forget the trash pile we lugged up the stairs and out to the curb tonight (sorry mother earth)


Still Coming:
DIY and major messes part 2
You know who you are
Lost and Found