Cutest Boy!

Here he is on his first day!!!

Jets first day of school!

So here it is ....almost a week since my last blog. I have been soo busy, I feel like I havent even stopped for air yet. We have a consultant in from CA who is coaching our team, and it is extremely time consuming. She will be returning home tomorrow night, so I should be back to my regular blogging self! Just a recap of the past week:

Tsehaye, along with a new receptionist Ashley started working at the practice this week. It is going so freakin well......I swear Tsehaye is like a sponge, and I couldnt be happier with the way things are playing out there. BIG changes are in store for our team, but so far they have embraced it with gusto, and I am pumped!

We went to Adventureland last weekend, fun times, no big stories.

I started to hiring process with a nanny...and am now thinking that I cant possibly leave my babies all day.....because I would miss too much. Just little things like that JACK STARTED WALKING TODAY!!! I am not kidding you- 2 steps to Papa, and I missed it. Plus might I ad that he is only 9 months old, so Im pretty sure that makes him a total superstar.

The headline of today is that its Jets first day of school. He has a new best friend "N", which stands for Ninja- but really its Inja cause Jettie cant pronounce Ninja. Too cute. Who is his best friend, and newest member of his family? A dead monarch that we found on the driveway. Jettie is totally in love. He wants to feed N, play with N, clothe N. You got it. N is here to stay!
He had a great first day, and even ate hot lunch! I am so proud of him, and will share more stories as he shares them with me!

Sorry I missed blogging yesterday. Not that anything huge happened, it just seemed like the day got away from me before I even sat down!
Jet went to meet his teachers and a few of the other students in his class yesterday. I ended up taking all three kids with me, and they did pretty well. I guess right before we left Jenica got into my purse and sprayed a quarter of bottole of my perfume directly into the carpet....but we quickly exited after that, and i dont think anyone was the wiser.
Jets teachers are all very nice, and I was totally relieved. Not that I would expect anything different from Montessori Childrens House. I love it there, we have yet to have a bad experience. Joey is quick to remind me that we are paying the price of college tuition to have our kids go to a preschool where the main focus is letting the kids teach themself, and even the disipline is all self regulated. The teachers declared Jettie the "leader of the class", just because he is 5 and has been to MCH before. He took this idea and ran with it, spending the rest of the hour policing the other kids....obnoxious, but really cute. He came home to tell Joey he is the leader of the school. =) I love it there, but will really miss my Jettie since he will go all day.

Also big news for yesterday...we are hiring a full time nanny!! We have had big Joe (my F-I-L) with us for over a year, and it has been a wonderful experience. Probably the best choice that we ever made in regards to the kids. They LOVE having Papa here. Its neat to watch their relationships grow, and to know that they are able to be so close with a grandparent on a daily basis. He doesnt even bitch about changing diapers or anything. (except one- when Jack shot liquid poop all over his lap =))

Anyway- with me going back to work full time we needed even more help then big Joe could provide. So we are in the process of interviewing nannies. The best part is that Joe will still be 20 hrs a week to care for the house and the kids. Its a win win.

Thursday nights Joey and I always go out. We took the oppurtunity to pick up my new Iphone (we decidedc to stay with AT&T), and hit up Baby gap for Jet and Jenica. It turned out to be tons of fun, since shopping is my favorite thing! Joey didnt even blink when our total mounted over $600. I found out later he didnt flinch because although signed for the whole thing he never even looked at the total. Oh well, it was fun!!

We survived our water outage with much less inconvience this time around, and it is back on and going!

Today, Jenica went to meet her teachers, who also are wonderful. She was very shy and reserved, but when Jet walked in like the local celebrity, she actually started to loosen up, and by the time we left she was her good old self.

Mom and I headed to the spa this afternoon, and then it was time to head home so Joe could leave at 3.

Jenica decided to coat jack in pink bubblegum toothpaste while he slept in his swing today....This time around I had to laugh...I just cant turn my back for a second!!

Big Boy!

Nothing revolutionary to report today...but I love those kinda days!!

Worked all morning. Took off to run errands before I had to take Jack to his 9 month well baby check up. Turns out he is fine. Big Surprise. Sometimes I think the philosophy that we need to see your child twenty million times in the first year is a little bit overkill. But, I go so that i don't feel irresponsible when all the other Mommies talk. Good reason, I know.

He is continuing to grow at an amazing pace, and is off the charts in terms of height. So that will make his Daddy happy, who seems bound and determined that his son will tower over him. I think its something about the basketball scholarship that he never got....LOL!

I ended the afternoon by hauling the kids off to the farmers market. Mom is getting ready for a dinner party, so she was totally game to meet us there and get some ingredients that she needed.
The kids obviously just went after whatever they could that had processed sugar..so within 5 minutes they were so sticky that they didn't need to hold their balloons, the ribbon would just stick to their arm. And I'm not even joking. I should never have dressed Jenica in white and handed her a red snow cone. Lesson learned. Mom turned to me and said..."you may need to spot her top when you get home". I agreed, but really am considering submerging the whole thing in bleach and leaving it overnight. Laundry is not my passion.

We stopped for pictures before we loaded up the kids, and Im sure everyone is totally annoyed by my constant insisting that we take pictures. On the potty, while eating (grandpa kem flashbacks), watching TV, anytime that it may be relevant to put up here, I whip my camera out!

We got a phone call that we will be without water again tomorrow. Nice that we were warned this time, but isn't this illegal or something? I mean can we be deprived of a basic need for survival? I am thinking of digging a well, or at least putting in the pool and filling it with drinking water...just in case!

Little Ms. Sophistocated
The girls...
CRAZY HAIR!!!
The pooped princess
So neglected...he never gets anything :(

SHOPPING!

After a long weekend, we took the day yesterday to relax, so sorry no news is good news.

The princess was at full speed today, requiring "big girl shampoo" in the shower, lotion, and a manicure & pedicure in preparation for her big day. She was adorable and all fired up! Today was the day Jenica got to pretend she was an only child and go shopping all day with GRANDMA!! Its a tradition my Mom started, she takes the kids individually, and lets the pick where they want to have lunch. Jenica picked to go The Machine Shed for lunch and then it was off to Von Maur. She apparently was extremely opinionated when choosing her new duds. She also decided she didn't need to get home to try on the clothes, and wore a heavy pink poodle dress over the top of her sundress while she shopped=). After clearing Von Maur of every outfit and shoe that she was the least bit interested in, Mom took her to the toy store. When I pulled up she was sitting at a coffee shop having lemonade and being extremely sophisticated with her new purse and cell phone. Mom also got her a little compact mirror, and she was totally enthralled with herself.....a girl after my own heart!

She passed out on the way home, and I just poured her into our bed to nap. Jet was extremely disappointed that he didnt get any clothes. I tried to explain to him that he got to go last week with Grandma and picked out everything that he wanted. I guess he thinks his shopping trip should be a daily occurrence...go figure.

I was at the office today, and decided that probably I will need to be there MUCH more in the future to accomplish the goals we have set. Fine by me.

Also, now the neighbors across from us are putting in a pool it seems too. Our neighbors behind us are just finishing up theirs, so in the spirit of keeping up with the Jones....we will begin to design ours this winter and break ground as soon as it thaws. Im pretty excited. Anything that lets our family have a relaxing time without a lot of fuss is a dream!

Painfully Ok

Broken.....its a weird feeling. Its not that any one thing is really a big deal, I know its not. But life is not a series of isolated events, its more than that. So here I am wondering if this is a predictor of something more, or more simply...it is what it is. Not that I doubt myself, or my ability to recover and grow, and be happier because of the experiences that I have had in my life. I have been in the same place many times, and each time have come through it stronger. But when I am in the middle of it, it seems endless. Its not that I am depressed, or even outwardly sad. Just broken, and empty.
Like the feeling of being homesick when I am sitting in my own kitchen, or being in a room full of people, and feeling totally isolated.

Wondering if I even know the people that I believe are closest to me....or even know myself. Have you ever looked into someones eyes that you feel like you are close too, and its not the person that you thought it was that looks back at you? Maybe I try too hard, to make everything perfect, to mold people instead of just accepting them. But in that case, do I continue on, or realize my mistakes and start over? Do I even know my own limits? My own passion? Do I know what I need, or what my values are?

It is easy to sit back and judge others errors, but I know I have faults of my own. Maybe the people that surround me are just bigger people, willing to overlook my shortcomings, and here I am holding everyone else to theirs.

Or maybe I am a pushover, or too intent on a security that doesn't exist. Maybe this is the Universal way of reminding me that it can all be gone. Maybe I will continue to be tested until I am totally ok with not being ok, and in that is the beauty of the TAO that I have been seeking. Maybe this is just one more lesson along the journey.

Or maybe there isnt a journey, or a God, or an end. Maybe this is it, this is life. Maybe we have all filled our souls with hope for something more, because we cant bear the pressure of only getting one shot at life. Or maybe ashes to ashes and dust to dust means what I have interpreted it to mean. Maybe I will go on, forever in a eternity. Maybe we really are all one, the same energy.

And people that I too quickly judged and pushed away, are now coming full circle in love. People that I didnt think I knew and after all realizing that I always knew them, and that nothings changed. And that the love of a family, or people I choose as family is induring. And my beautiful children who really do adore me, and their amazing patience with a mom still trying to figure out her own life, while shaping theirs.

Its alot to think about, and nothing all at the same time. And moving ahead, and going back to a normal that was never even there.

CATS OUT OF THE BAG

So for anyone who doesn't yet know (and that may very well be quite a few of you) I am going to be an AUNT again!!

I know...I already have the most beautiful, talented, might I add pretty much potty trained (at 14 months), genius of a niece every born. And I love her so much, and I have her picture right above my computer so I always get to see her during the day. But, its like having kids...you think you can never love another one as much as you love the one that you already have, but its not true!!! You have limitless love, and so I cant wait to smother Lindsay's new baby with love. I plan on spoiling it so ridiculously that I will for sure be the favorite aunt. I don't care what it takes. I am also considering on sending extensive amounts of CDs with my voice reading stories so that the baby knows me before she is even born.

Also, I have a prediction.....I think its a girl. Obviously know one knows but the baby at this early point, but I just have a feeling about her.

Honestly. Lindsay and Dan have had to jump through years of hoops to get to this point and we are all so excited for baby Fontana. It is hard to live so far from her right now, but I will be flying back and forth as much as I can to get to know this little one. Also I am going to flood the mailbox with love so that everyone there knows how much we love and support them no matter what happens.

I am posting their picture, and as silly as it is, looking at it really does make me a little teary. I know.....I'm a sap, but I just love this little baby (whichever one it is =)) so much already.

"Aunt Ari loves you Baby Fontana....stay safe in Mommy's tummy, I cant wait to meet you in 245 days!"

Butterflies....

I am sooo excited to watch Shani jump tonight...thats pretty much all I can think about.

I worked a lot today, and then had meetings regarding our health insurance. Pretty boring.....

The party last night was pretty interesting with no water, but it worked and the food was good.

Well this is for sure the most borning blog of all time. Im just keeping on keeping on here. I kind 0f like not having the excitement, and being able to flush the toilet.

UGH...

8:08...still no water. I have gone to the sink to turn it on about a hundred million times. No luck. Washing up dinner was interesting.......No baths tonight.......I am half tempted to jump into the neighbors pool.

They have crews up their working on replacing the main, last time I drove by they were apparently on break. I felt like screaming out the window......no breaks allowed....I need to flush the toilet, but I used restraint and instead just barely nicked their heels with the Hummer...hehe.

All I can think of are those African villages where the woman carry the water on their head. At this point I would gladly hoist a 100pd bucket up there if I just knew where a well was.

If you could shower with bottled H2O....

So crazy day here so far....to be expected. Thursdays Joe doesn't get here until 3, and then he usually mows.

Since I am always around the house Thursday, its always the day that I wash all the sheets, scrub the couch etc. The cleaners come on Friday and I always feel better to know that EVERYTHING is clean after they leave.

The day started out normal. Dropped the big kids off at school, ran to Target to pick up things for the party tonight, came home, turned on the faucet and NOTHING CAME OUT!

So of course I went around the house trying out each and every faucet thinking that in some strange coincidence someone had broken all the faucets in the hour that I was running errands. Contrary to popular belief, no, I am not that dumb. Its called denial, and I had a MAJOR case of it. No way, there is no way possible that we didnt have any water. Maybe if I just waited 5 minutes and then tried again it would come gushing out.......no luck. I was having people over for dinner.....I had all the sheets off the bed. MY HOUSE WAS A PIT THAT NEEDED WATER TO CLEAN IT.

So I called the city of Urbandale to see what the heck was going on. Oh, but first, I checked Wells Fargo to make sure we paid our bill. Wouldn't that be embarrassing.....calling pissed off raising hell only to realize your service was CUT OFF because you forgot to send a check.
Once I checked bill pay to be sure that indeed, they had taken all $236 dollars of our money a mere 2 weeks ago, I called.

The lady on the other end of the phone was obviously annoyed-- why are people bothering her at the water utility just because they don't have water????...I mean whats the big deal????...you don't need water to live or anything!!!!!!!!!! After she pulled the stick from her ass and decided to check the computer she did indeed confirm that we had no water. No shit. That's why I called.

After much probing I found out that they had shut off the water main to our neighborhood to widen a street. Some how due to "a small glitch" in the system we hadn't received the customary letter a week prior or the phone call reminding their customers to plan accordingly. Whoops...... I would call that a huge glitch in the system when you are the one who wasn't contacted. She then offered to have a worker bring out some bottled water. They would just assign the charge to my bill. Well, as sweet as that is......unless you can bring out 100 cases, pre heated and somehow plug it into the water line that services my house, I am not interested. I cant shower with bottled water.....

Oh no!! Not the ICE CREAM!!

This is what happens when I come into the office to blog......

Then when I go to clean the chocolate ice cream mess up....(so nice that they were both wearing white) I hear Jack crying (where 2 seconds earlier he had been snoozing peacefully in his swing). So I come running out of the bathroom to find him totally covered in Vicks vaporub. COVERED...like globs of it in his hair- and all over him. Even his tears beaded up into little balls under his eyes instead of absorbing into his skin. I would have taken pics of that too, except that I felt like I needed to get him and the culprit (Jenica) into the tub ASAP. I scrubbed and scrubbed but to no avail. As my husband so obviously pointed out to me a petroleum based product is not water soluble. No shit Sherlock.......but what am I supposed to do dump gas on the baby? At least I felt like I was trying to clean him up. An hour (and half a bottle of rubbing alcohol) later, his hair still looks like a greasy grandpa, but at least you can start to see his scalp again Ill take pics tomorrow, but tonight I'm exhausted. I thought stay at home moms were supposed to eat ice cream and watch TV all day.

My little farmer =)
Yes...she is double fisting the hot dogs....






Best Buds


Ready to go home....

A FAIR Day!!

Well, after getting the kids all ready to go to school today, I decided that I really wanted to spend some time with them having a fun time........So where did we go?? THE IOWA STATE FAIR! (for the 3rd time)

When Papa arrived I informed him of the going-ons of the day and we headed off.

My main goal was to see the animals. We went last weekend but honestly, got totally distracted by the giant slide, trampoline, ice cream etc. and never saw the animals, so back we went.

We started in the Elk Barn and Jet loved it! We also saw ponies and rabbits, along with some stinky piggies. On the sides of the barns, there is one row of stalls that are covered in blue curtains. It is where the Ag kids have cots set up to sleep. I never realized that they SLEPT at the fair, but whatever. I never claimed to be a 4-H'er. So as we are walking out jet pointed to the curtains and says "thats where they put the dead people". Not only does he think that at the fair they so carelessly dispose of their dead, but appearently he doesnt think a thing of walking right by the corpses. At that moment I realized.....this kid plays WAY to many video games. I took him to the side and explained the whole sleeping thing, and he got annoyed and said very sarcastically "Sure Mom, they're not dead...can I have some ice cream?" We left with him thinking those people were for sure dead, but he didnt care because he was at the FAIR and wanted ice cream.

The next stop was to see the baby animals. We watched the chicks, and then went went to see the pigs. Jet came running down the ramp yelling "Mom, Mom I gotta tell you something, we have got to get a baby pig at our house!" He was very earnest in his request, so I tried to hold back the chuckles and tell him sure thing. We did see baby goats (cutest thing in the world) and little lambs (or sheep I cant tell the difference), but they were exceptionally cute as well.


We then stopped to eat, the kids wanted corn dogs and hot dogs I was hot and tired, so I agreed and watched them double first the dogs gleefully.

On our way out we stopped at the shoppers mart to look at all the CRAP for sale. Luckily we made it out only purchasing 2 stuffed animals and a football. Not to bad for a days trip!

As we were climbing into the car I got the call of death.........thats right, I almost made it home, I was so close.....but Joey caught us and sounded utterly disappointed that he wasnt there. The fair is his favorite place in the whole world to go (besides maybe Kinnick) and I didnt have the heart to tell him where we were headedwhen he left for work in the morning. I know....he goes off to work his ass off all day to support us and I head to the fair for corndogs and mini-doughnuts. It seems unfair to him but I went through labor 3 times...that has to count for something doesnt it??? =)

This is how the day started...Ive had days where I have felt this way......


He is always happy......

It was all smiles by the time they needed to go to school!

Super Tuesday!

Well, its pretty damp and depressing here in Iowa this morning, but I gotta tell you.......I am so far from depressed.

Jenica woke up with a bad attitude this morning and screamed at me for some time before reluctantly climbing into the tub, bu even that didnt dampen my mood.

Our business is really starting to shape up. Its crazy at times, and we are having to take major leaps of faith, but for what ever reason I really feel totally optimistic about what is to come.

After chugging to the grocery store and home I fed the kids, put them down for a nap and then headed onto ebay to look for a few select items. Not much luck, but I will find what I am looking for, I just know it.

On a super-duper happy note.....Tsehaye leaves for China tomorrow, and well its not happy that she will be gone for a week, its very happy that she is taking a huge empty suitcase and some money to bring back tons and tons of designer purses and shoes (Shani called to tell us that Coach purses are like $25 bucks.....literally). So I kinda feel like christmas is coming for me.
When T was over last night, we pulled up the olympic schedule and found that Shani jumps in her preliminary at 9:40 on Friday night!(or at least the is when it will be broadcast) I have butterflies for her!

Got a new phone also last night. I dont love it like I did my Iphone, but hopefully US Cellular will at least allow me to make calls without dropping them every 5 min...which is more than I can say for AT&T.

My first blog...

I realize that "everyone is doing it" is a stupid reason to do something. But what if you really like what everyone else is doing? Am I still a total copycat?

I am inspired by my one and only sister Lindsay. She started her blog a month ago or so, and I am totally addicted. Not only am I addicted to her blog, but also the blogs that she reads...and that those bloggers read and on and on. So, here I am.

Today I fould out that my best friend is coming to work for us. Total dream come true for me. Not just so I can go to the office and chat, but because its someone that I adore. There is nothing better than being surrounded by the ones that I love and trust. Now I will be surrounded by them at our office to as well as home..... So YAY!!!

On the family front......we spent all day yesterday boating. It was amazing. I am the girl that never ever burns.....and I totally fried. So that backlash is pretty fun for me today, but well worth the price.

This is the last week of summer camp for the kids. I am excited for them to start their year, but I will really miss afternoons with Jettie.

Well, Monday is Joeys day off, and he is on his way home so I better scoot!!