Updates...

Wow!  Has it really been almost three months since I've posted?!  I guess life got in the way like it always does!  Since I've last posted....

• I graduated and recieved my certificate in phlebotomy (blood drawing) -yay me!
• LKS graduated from her program and recieved her degree - yay LKS!
•  We've had 4 visits from family
• My house got really messy (okay, it's always been messy, lol)



Lots more has happened, but I can't think of it all right now.  The kids and I just returned from a LONG, fun, LONG, exciting, did I mention LONG, weekend in Pennsylvania at Blue Knob State Park on Monday.  Me and my kids; Leah, Gene and Sarah; Matthew, Taya, and their kids; Dad and Kay; Gramma Baldwin; and Mom and Tim all went camping together.  Yup, two sets of divorced and remarried parents who hadn't seen eachother in oh.....eight years or so, and my Dad and Kay, and Gramma, had NEVER met Tim.  Considering that fact (yikes!), it was a really fun time and I'm so glad we went.  The kids all got a chance to hang out together, and mommy had a chance to relax and not worry about both boys 24-7.  Yes, there were many awkward moments, but isn't life all about those awkward moments? 

No??  Oh. 

Oh, well....lol!

So now that I have mountains and MOUNTAINS (there literally is a mountain of clothes right now in my laundry room!) of laundry to do, what did I decide to do instead?  fart around on the computer, yeah!  That's a good idea.  Maybe not.  I hear the laundry calling my name.  I think it's actually starting to creep out of the laundry room, slowly so I won't notice of course, and wind itself around my legs.  Ok, laundry, OK!  I'm COMING!  Sheesh, that laundry is impatient.  Alright, blogging can wait, back to real life. 

No fun.  But here's some fun pictures!  And oh yeah, I turned 29 again-hah!

Why I Love Fall....

No words.

And What Are Your Qualifications for the Job?

Have you ever felt totally unqualified for your job? That is me today, totally unqualified to be a housewife. I have absolutely no motivation to clean the house, do dishes, or laundry. Instead, I just set up 2 big long racetracks in the kids room and we're racing matchbox and hot wheels cars. I mean really, dishes? Laundry? Who wants to do those when your two cute little boys are sitting there making screeching noises and (for the most part) getting along so well?

Oh and by the way, guess what I'm blogging on.....duh duh duh duh......this!



Adam FINALLY got us a laptop, only after YEARS of begging, lol. Anyway, back to the subject at hand.....

What are the qualifications of a housewife? Are there any, or is it just make it up as you go along? Cause that's pretty much what I do! If there are any qualifiactions, someone please let me know. I need to get qualified. Or at least motivated.

Things I Have Realized Today.....

1) Clorox bleach pens and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are my friends. They can get out ANYTHING.

2) I started this blog about me, and most of the things I've written are about the kids. Oh, well!

3) Steve Wilcos freakin rocks.

4) It's 12:30 at night and the birds are still singing outside....weird.

5) There are things that I want to write here but can't because I don't want them broadcasted on the internet. It makes me think about what people want others to see, and what they're really like inside. Cause I know from what I write, and then read, although it's my life I'm writing about, if I didn't know me and I was reading my blog, I would think I was different than I am. Does that make any sense??????

6) I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off me because my friend emailed me back and told me her feelings. I hadn't realized just how horrible I felt about what was going on until now.

7) I'm taking a bath and going to bed.

Prayer of the Day

It is so nice out today! I have all the windows open, I can hear the birds.....I love living down here, in the wintertime, of course. The summer sucks ass.

A has this movie called All About Big Red Fire Engines that he LOVES, and he wanted to watch it this morning, and well, I feel like crap still, so I said OK, and I decided to do something I've wanted to do the first time I watched this movie with him. It was shot in New York City in 1993, and I've been meaning to look up and see if any of the firefighters were killed on September 11th. I don't know why, just....I guess so I could pay tribute when I watch the movie maybe? Seeme silly now. So anyway, I found this website, and this is what I'm going to be thinking about and praying about today - all the families of these 343 firefighters. The sad part is, out of all those 343, only 29 are confirmed dead. Gives you somethin' to think about, huh? Here is the link in case you're interested:

http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/091101rescuers.html

Just looking at all those faces, I can't even imagine. They could be your husband, your neighbor, your husband's buddy who comes over to drink beer and play pool. It's crazy. You never know what will happen. Just a normal day, I was driving to school, I was just passing Star Dental Center on Rte 13 going towards Dryden coming out of Cortland when I heard about the first plane crash on the news. By the time i got to school, every single TV was turned to a news station. I think I went to one class, then they closed the school and sent everyone home. I remember going to the Skillet at some point that day, I remember sitting on the couch watching the news, actually glued to the news, I remember watching people run on TV, but I don't remember what order all that happened in. Anyway, just thought I'd let everyone know what I was thinking about today.
I'm also going to try and make wheat bread. We'll see how that goes....if it turns out good, I'll post pictures. I have a (supposedly) really good recipe:

Wheat Bread

Dissolve 2 packages dry yeast in 1/2 cup water with 1/2 Tbsp honey or sugar. Mix the following ingredients (with the dissolved yeast) in a bread mixer.

3 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 cup oil
4 beaten eggs
3/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp salt
1 or 2 cups white flour
about 10 cups whole wheat flour

After kneading in the bread mixer, let rise until doubled. Divide into 6 small loaves. Knead and shape. Let rise in greased pans. Preheat oven to 400F. Reduce to 300F and bake 1 hour.
I think I will probably halve the recipe for the first time. Nothing worse than 6 loaves of gross bread :p
Oh, and here are the long awaited pics of my bathrooms! Yay. Enjoy!

Bathroom 1 Before


Bathroom 1 After


Bathroom 2 Before


Bathroom 2 After


Yup, they weren't that dirty before, but....oh, well, it was fun anyway! Oh, and by the way, I didn't find anyone from his movie on the list. Thank God. I'd never be able to watch it again without crying!