I sit here wondering where the summer went, I don't think it was nearly long enough. My kids are all back in school, Allie is a senior scheduled to graduate this following May, Tim is now a Junior, and my baby, Brittany is a freshman in hight school. The time really does pass by quickly. This year Brittany is taking a class called med-prep, she is one of only two freshman in the class, they will be studying the cause of a fictitous woman's death, they will witness an autopsy, disect a heart (probably a pig heart as it closly resembles a human heart) and other interesting labs. This is a very exciting course for students who are interested in the many medical fields. This yea will be filled so many school activites, as well as preparing for Allie's graduation.

Today marks the one year anniversary of the death of my children's friend Anyssia. We remember her today as a beatiful young lady with star talent. Anyssia was on her way to visit family and friends (my children) from Arizona when they were invovled in an accident which took her life instantly. Anyssia is missed and loved by many, my children plan to write a message to her, tie it to their balloons and release them this afternoon. God Bless you Anyssia, you touched so many hearts in your young live, we love and miss you!!!

My friend Steph decided on a home birth for baby number four, she has two older boys and a daughter who is three years old. Well the due date came and went on October 9th, and she was really going out of her mind, and let me tell you she is a very small framed lady, so she looked to be all baby. She couldn't hardly walk these past couple days.

This morning while at work, I was running around like crazy doing end of the week activities, when I noticed I had a missed call on my cell phone. I didn't recognize the number as it was from Steph's, kid's line. So I called the number back and when I heard he voice I was like oh Steph, how are you? She said oh I'm fine, sounded tired but didn't sound excited, then all of a sudden she said, "I had the baby at 3:30 this morning!" Oh my gosh, I was so happy for her, she was really getting worried and was afraid she would have to go to the hospital to deliver. She didn't get to do the bath delivery because as soon as her body went into the water, her contractions stopped. Poor girl, so four intense hours after she woke with labor pains, Lilyanna Lynn made her entrance into her parents loving arms. Lilyanna is 20 1/2" long, and 9 lbs. 3 oz. And for Steph that is just a really big baby. I asked her if the baby was crawling yet, she just laughed. Steph said that the kids slept through the birth and that her throat is really sore from screaming, I guess this one was really painful, but baby and mom are doing wonderful. I can't wait to see Lilyanna and hug my friend Steph. Welcome Lilyanna!!!

So this year my kids are really doing well in school, Brittany is going for straight A's and so far has six A's and one B! She is in advanced orchestra, chamber orchestra and is auditioning next month for honor orchestra. I have started her in private lessons just to help her improve some of her skills. Her instructor said that she is just really doing good and has a lot of potential, he wants to see her doing some ensamble competitions this year as well. Brittany can't wait until she turns 14 next year because she will start volunteering at the hospital that her older sister volunteers at. She will use that to help obtain scholarships when she graduates high school. She is still doing Girl Scouts, this is her fifth year, she is looking at scholarships there too. The girl is just amazing and I am very proud of her.

Tim is doing so much better this year in school, he is working hard at keeping his grades up. After such a rocky year last year with his illnesses and surgeries, he really has to buckle down. He is also putting a lot of effort into his AF JROTC class, he has advanced one rank above his big sister, he brought five ribbons home last night (activiities, longevity, and I can't remember the other three, I need to write them all down). He has joined the saber team this year and wow does he look sharp in the uniform. He has decided that he wants to be a paratrooper in the Army after high school. This does scare me with what is going on in Iraq, all I can do is pray that it gets solved soon, he wont be out of school for another two years, then he has his training to go through before he could be sent out. Please pray God will keep in safe what ever path he takes.

Allie is a Junior in High School, oh my gosh she has just one more year and she will graduate and off to University she goes. This year was sort of rocky for her at first, she has had some gall bladder issues like her brother, but has not had surgery yet. The doctors want to wait and see how it progresses, ok so she is a guinea pig, nice. Anyway, Allie is really doing good about keeping her grades up, she is wanting to earn scholarships so she can go to school, she wants to be an OB/GYN!!! She knows it is going to take a lot of really hard work and that she needs to take some pre-req classes in high school. She is taking Chemestry right now and is really enjoying the class. She is doing great in AF JROTC, and is due to receive ribbons for acheivments, as well as is challenging her self to reach that rank above her younger brother. There is alot of competition there, and is fun for me to watch. Allie is in still volunteering at the hospital and hopes that will help her earn scholarships for college as medical school is really going to be expensive.

Justin is doing really good away at Job Corps, it was difficult at first to let me oldest fly the nest, but wow what a great young man he is becomming. It is so nice to carry on adult conversations with him, he is truly an amazing young man, and so smart. He is doing cable installation and once he is finished with that he wants to stay another year and do fiber optics. He was pretty homesick at first but knowing that we will always be here for him and he can always come home when he wants really helps him get through it. We don't talk much on the phone, someone stole his cell phone and pawned it, so we mostly email each other. Justin's counselor really praises him and says that he is a leader, he has so many girls that just love to hang around him. They like the fact that he is their friend and doesn't try to put the moves on them. I love to read his myspace and see how well liked he is.

So as you can see I am just really in a happy place with my kids right now, they are all just doing so wonderful. I sent money to school with Allie and Tim, it is picture day for AF JROTC, so I will post new pictures as soon as I get them back. I am just really loving my children right now, and am so proud of them. I know there are still chances of bumps in the road, but we will get over them like we always do. God Bless!!!!

Summer is over and the kids are back in school, yahoo. We did a lot of fun things this summer and so it really went by too fast. We did several fishing trips, and a few camping trips, amusement park, zoo trip, and golfing. I have so many pictures but just can't upload them all right now. I will add more later, still have about 600 to download to my computer. Oh my!!

My oldest son came home for his two week break, not nearly enough time to much but we managed. We took a trip to Elitche's in Denver, that was a blast. I really must say I had so much fun riding the roller coasters with my now adult son. He is a lot of fun to be around, so calm and mature for 18. He surprises me all the time, and the kid is just so smart.

My three other kids went camping for a week with church, so there were no kids home, talk about wow, so quiet, almost too quiet for me. They had a blast, the boys were on one side of the lake and girls on the other. The boys went rock climbing propelling, mountain biking and took canoes out on the lake. The girls did hikes, swiming, and also took canoes out, and told ghost stories around the fire. Both camps did church devotionals that left my kids with an awesome spiritual feeling that they said they will neer forget.

About two weeks before summer ended, we moved to a bigger house, it was supposed to be sooner, but was delayed as the old tenants had really left a mess. This house is awesome, we have really done a lot with it since we moved in. It has four bedrooms, an office, living room, family room, three bathrooms, two car garage, is four levels, and the yards are just awesome. The kids are supposed to be in different schools but were able to do permits to stay in their old schools. Brittany wanted to finish her middle school years with all her friends, and the Tim and Allie wanted to stay at Mitchell High as they have AF JROTC and their home school doesn't have that available. So I drop the kids off at school in the morning, it is on my way to work. On the days I work late the girls take the city bus home and Tim does weight lifting so I just pick him up. He is getting ready for the wresting season, and trying to drop 40 pounds, I want him to drop no more than 20-20 pounds.

This past weekend, I was saddened when my dad contacted me and told me that Dixie, the horse I used when I was a teenager for 4H horse shows, had a stroke and would need to be put to sleep. This really made me sad, yet I understood that it was best for her, she was now blind in her right eye and could not walk straight, she had even fallen a couple times. My brother made the arrangements for his vet to take a trip out to my parents. The vet said that she would not make it through the winter, he was shocked to find out that she was 38 years old. He thought she was younger, she looked pretty good for an old horse. Dixie had another stroke while the vet was getting the injection ready to put her to sleep, this really made everyone understand it was time to let go. Dixie didn't go easy, she wasn't ready to give up, she fought the injection, she never fought like that before. Finally when the injection started to work, her body started to fall one way and then she jerked and went the other way. My dad was holding onto her halter so he could ease her head down, and was not ready when she shifted directions. His hand was caught in the halter and lost a good portion of skin on the back of his hand. It was physically and emotionally painful for everyone. Once she went down, it was all just so peaceful and she was just relaxed and went off to eternal sleep. Dixie, I miss you and I love you, go ride those clouds and wait for us, tell Tonya hi for me. If you would like to visit the memorial I have created for Dixie, you can visit:  http://www.critters.com/main.php?action=view&mem_id=5048&logoff=true.

Until next time....

Well allergy season is in full bloom, and I have really had a difficult time this year. I found out that I do need to get my bird out of the house as that is what is causing me issues. I knew I was allergic birds, but felt that it wasn't that bad, it gets worse as it goes. So I am in the processes of finding my Blue Fronted Amazon, Jewel, a new home. I will be so sad to see her go, she yells mamma when she wants me to sit with her, and she whistles when she hears the blow dryer. She also really likes Tim's whistle for some reason, she will whistle for hours with him, but he gets tired after about an hour. She is loud as all big birds are very loud, they like th yell and screetch, but she will be missed. I hope her new family will keep in touch with me and let me see her now and then.

My husband talked to his son's Chris and John this past week. They mom is so cold blooded and mean, she has been fighting with these two for several weeks and this past week she actually went too far. In one of the screaming matches, she actually told John that my husband is not his dad. The dad he has known all his life is supposedly not his father at all. How could one person be so hateful and mean? She actually tore his heart out and stomped on it. She told him his entire life has been nothing but a lie. My husband has suspected that John wasn't his, but he has always raised him as if he is his son. So I told my husband all he can do is continue to be there for John and let me know that no matter what he is dad. I also suggested that once John calms down he talk to him and let him know that if he has questions, they can do a DNA test, and that no matter what the results he will always be his dad. If John has any questions at all, he needs to have them answered, he needs to know too that his dad will always continue to be there for him. That woman, just makes me so angry, she plays with everyone's hearts, and minds, she is just evil. How could you do that to your own child? How could anyone be that dang mean? Grrrrrrr I am just steaming now!!!!

John has to know that no matter what he is still loved by his dad, and no matter if they are blood or not, he is dad because he has always been there. And yet my husband has to know that if John is not his, and if he wants to find his real dad, he is going to have to step back and allow him that space. This is worse than a soap opera, because it is really affecting someone I love, several people I love. My kids are even tore up over this, they can't understand how she could do this to her own son. I just don't get some people.

I will catch up when I am feeling better and have more engery. Hope everyone else is doing good.

My day was going really good, then I received a phone call after lunch from my son, he crashed his bike. He needed me to pick him up because his head smacked the ground, his bike was trashed and he was really hurting. He was only about a block and a half from my work, and lucky for him, his friend had a cell phone. He was walking around dazed and confused, he had road rash on his scalp along with a nice size bump, road rash on left shoulder (the one that may need surgery, go figure.) and he was complaining about severe pain in his right elbow. So off to the Emergicare center for x-rays and evaluation. He has a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder (more physical therapy added on to what he already has), a concussion, and a hair line fracture in his right elbow. He was not wearing a bike helmet so he is lucky he didn't walk away with scrambled brains.

He is still wanting to join the Mountain Bike club, but now we have to buy a new bike, and they are run any where from $500-$1200. Ouch, but the coach said he may be able to build one with a couple bikes he has at his house.  Tim was still able to get up on his own this morning and was the first one of the house to finish his finals, they will officially be out of school for the summer around lunch time.

What a blessing to have my kids start their summer break on my birthday!!! It sort of over shadows the day because I am attending Brittany's award ceremony and taking Allie to get her state picture ID so she can work the concessions at the Air Force Graduation. Pres. Bush will be speaking so everyone there must have a picture ID and be searched before being admitted to the stadium. She is very excited as this will be the first time to work concessions at the Air Force Academy, and you all know how hot those cadets look in uniform. LOL

Once I am done running the kids around, I am going to take the rest of my birthday money and go shopping at the mall, there are some really good sales going on. Yay.

Have a great day!!!!

Justin called me last night and let me know that he will be graduating with his GED, they are doing the entire cap and gown thing. He is still working towards completing his high school diploma via Job Corps. I can 't make it to his graduation tomorrow as I just found out last night, that had me bumbed out. I will however make it to his next graduation which will be for his high school diploma and his trade graduation. I have to find something special to do for him to celebrate that he accomplished this first mile stone and is moving to the next. Any suggestions? I wish I could drive out there over the long holiday weekend, however, I promised a friend of ours that we would keep an eye on their dogs and house while they are on vacation to Kansas. So he is graduating on my birthday and I will be finishing my BS degree on his 19th birthday next year how cool is that?

I am also trying to get him to find out how much his pictures are going to cost as well as his class ring. Lots of money going out and I can't be there. LOL He understands at least, I might not, but he does. 

Have a wonderful day!!!

My corporation that I work for just laid off our director because he is a high overhead risk. I charge a lot of my pay to overhead because I deal with a lot of facility related task. Our new director stated that we are not currently at risk of lay off, however we should always look toward other opportunities outside this corporation. If I am laid off this summer, I have already decided to take six months unemployment and stay home to enjoy my kids, do some projects around the house like clean from top to bottom, change carpet and paint the walls. The only thing I worry about is that I carry the only health insurance for our family, and with my son having issues with his stomach and shoulder and facing additional surgeries, this puts me on edge. I am sure we will see it through some how, as I would really like to take a break and enjoy my chldren as I have been working since Brittany was six months old, she is turning 13 this August.

So no matter what happens, I will not cry and I will not worry as I will have time with my children.