On the road, in the mud and snow and no visa card!!

This weekend the Watts family got out and about with our tent trailer. We went to Yakima because Jeremy had to work over there on Sunday morning.
It was a fun trip. Lots of issues arose making it an interesting weekend. We left to find that jobs our employees were doing doing were not going so good. We were at the top of Snoqualmie pass when we remembered we had to stop at the grocery store.
We got to Yakima and stopped for dinner which Dylan was desperate to get his hands on anything he could. He got a hold of my burger and well - lets just say I ate in pieces.
We made a trip through the local walmart.
We were now in the dark and Jeremy got to our camp site and realized that since he had to work he would have to disconnect the truck to do that and that we would have to back our trailer through the woods to our spot. Yikes. Dylan was screaming and Jeremy was frustrated. After we just went through the firepit - we just called it good and got set up. We got inside and realized that we had mice during the winter. So the next hour we were cleaning.
We had snacks and watched a movie and went to bed.
Saturday we woke up to snow!!! So, we went for a drive. Wishing we had packed sleds!!
We tried to get Dylan to play up on the beds, but he wanted nothing to do with it and kept crawling off the edge. A bruise to forehead later and we were in our playpen again.
Sunday Jeremy went to work. Everything went good. We started packing up and realized we were in a huge mud hole!!! Well, let's just say I am glad Jeremy has a lot of experience with mud!!! Then we had to deal with ice hill to get out of the spot.
So, (just because the weekend was going so well) we decided to go home a different way. Bad idea. After about an hour we found out the road to our house was closed and we were going to have to drive about 100 miles out of the way. Yikes!!
So, we stopped in the small town of Elbe at the Elbe restuarant and found that it was more of a bar than a restuarant, but we were unloaded and going in anyway.
Food was not great, but we ate it. Went to pay and found out that their phone lines were down and they couldn't take our credit cards and well the cash machine was down too. Then, they wanted a check. Does anyone carry a checkbook anymore??? I haven't in a few years.
No cash on us. The lady wanted us to call someone to bring them 22 dollars. UHHH!!
Here we are about an hour from home with 3 kids and the dog and they want us to sit there until someone can bring us 22 dollars!!
So, we finally agreed to mail them a check.
We got to Graham and Jeremy was on the phone and we turned the wrong way and ended up making a 35 mile loop back to where we were.
We finally made it home!!

Sign him up for the SAT's

JJ has always been an exceptionally smart kid. He went to kindergarden running circles around the other kids. He was exceeding all expectations on his report cards and was getting in trouble out of boredom. At the end of last year, he was accepted in the Individual Achievement program set for kids like him to grow and learn at a different level than other kids his age. Well, November conferences came around and parent teacher conferences came. We, as parents, were really nervous about how Jeremy was doing. Well, it turned out that he was meeting expectations and we were happy about that. Mrs. Titus gave us lots of suggestions on things Jeremy needed to work on. I know you are thinking what??? But, we wanted him to be challenged and have some room to grow.
Well, winter report cards came home today. All but three things were exceeding expectations. The three things he was just meeting expectations you ask??
PE
Music
and Spelling (blame his dad - mom was always in the spelling bee)
I cannot believe how smart this kid is. Its totally amazing.

She is in Texas, I am in Washington but we could be twins

I have a childhood friend, Jessica, who moved away to Texas against both of our wills when we were both 6. My dad used to walk us to school everyday, past the downed powerline (which we had to stop and look at everyday - not that it changed). We wrote for several years and now there is email and its great. Much more instant.
I have been reading her Blog (www.jesferris.blogspot.com). The same things she writes about, I could so relate to my life. Its crazy.
I come home with crazy stories of things people say and do and she has the same things happening to her. Whether it be a crazy driver or something funny someone said at the store.
She recently wrote about taking the stairs at her work to avoid having to talk to people and I do the same thing. Its the fear of the confrontation. I hate going to the bus stop. I might have to talk to another parent. Its crazy.
We both have brown hair, we both love popcorn, we have the same unconditional love for our fathers and angst for our mothers.
I wish we lived closer so we could get together. But, for now we will keep reading eachothers blogs and take comfort in the fact that we have someone like us out there.
Take care Jes!!

So, I always thought of myself as a girly girl

When I met Jeremy, I was a girlie girl. Hair, makeup, clothes (oh the clothes). I spent every dime on hairspray and lotions and hair barettes and everything that screamed girls. Always in a dress. So it was quite a shock to end up with a boy and then another and another. But I was thinking tonight as we were sitting in the school gymnasium watching the "REPTILE SHOW" with snakes and crocodiles and lizards and turtles how much my life has changed. I was wearing Jeans and tennis shoes (unheard of unless you were doing sports back in the day or were dressing slobby - cute slobby - you know what I mean), my hair in a pony tail (again uheard of unless we were in the middle of a volleyball game), watching my boys and actually being fascinated myself over snakes and lizards. (NO!! We are still not having one in this house.) I have learned that this is a role I am becoming comfortable with and I don't know how I feel about it.

How things change and you don't even realize it?

FREECYCLE

Never heard of it!! Me either until this past week.
This is a great website.
www.freecycle.com
Then pick your area. Its stuff that people are just giving away for free.
At first I was like how junky is this stuff. Well, a few days ago I was online and someone was giving away a 1988 plymouth voyager because she was frustrated that it would not pass emissions. A van people!! A perfectly good car that needs a little work. I have found playstation games, bicycles, blankets, coats. You can post things you want on there too. Its crazy and its all free minus the gas to pick it up.
Check it out.
I would suggest not getting the email updates. The first day I had about 55 emails.

OFF TO THE RACES

Yesterday, Jeremy Jr competed in his first Pinewood Derby with his Cub Scout troop. What a blast. Those kids had such a great time. He didn't place, but had a ton of fun. Tyler snuck his Bronco into the mix. He wasn't supposed to race, but.... His car wasn't heavy enough to keep up, but he still thought it was pretty cool.

Pinewood Derby  

Jen's brother Bill, Mom Janet, and the Watts Family at the Aquarium 

Birthday Party for Jen's Mom

For Jen's mom's birthday we treated her to a day in Seattle. We went to the Seattle Aquarium and saw all the sea creatures. Then we went for dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory.




Jen's mom's birthday at the Old Spaghetti Factory 

I ate the baby!!

One of Jeremy's favorite movies is Austin Powers. He always walks around saying "I ate the baby!"
Dylan has discovered this baby for the duplo lego set we have. It has a big round head and he can barely get it in his mouth, but he does and then pulls it out and it makes a funny noise.

A whole new meaning for "I ate the baby!"

"I would, but I don't have a garage."

My husband's answer for everything. We have a shed, not to be confused with garage. I am a very creative person who asks Jeremy to a lot of around the house projects. Unfortunately, I get told a lot "I would, but I don't have a garage." I think he just wants a garage.

Excuses to get a garage:

The kids can't keep their toys and bikes nice.

We need a new lawnmower cause the old one sits outside all the time.

My tools are getting rusty and lost. (Can't be kept in the shed cause that is work space)
Therefore, I must buy new ones all the time.

All projects require the purchase of a new tool and I don't have anywhere to keep them.
(Should be noted that he buys the tools anyways.)

I can't work on that today, because it is too cold, hot, windy, rainy....

I have to park a car in front of the carport at all times so our neighbors don't see the mess I have going.

I don't have anywhere to keep all the machines for the business.

I need storage that isn't exposed to the weather.

I can't keep an excessive stock of oil change filters and motor oil.

I bought wood for projects and don't have anywhere to keep it.

The list goes on and on. Everyday its something. Something tells me that if we get a garage the excuses will change to reasons why we need to buy more things.

laundry soap and milk??

What is deal with laundry soap and milk? Sometimes a gallon of milk will sit in our fridge for a week and no one will touch it, but the minute it is gone - all of sudden we can't cook, we can't make cereal, everything needs milk. Same with laundry soap. I go a few days without doing laundry and the minute we are out everyone needs something washed or we are out of towels. Its crazy to me how this works.

the post office won't mail small things

Just for your information - I was recently informed that the post office will not mail small envelopes. The boys sent valentines out this year to their cousins and friends. I didn't know that you could send the small envelopes through the mail. Funny thing about that though. I mailed 9. 2 were going out of state. Well, seven of them went through just fine. The other two (out of state) ones came back. So, I went to the post office to complain that they mailed the other seven so why wouldn't they mail the other two? They wouldn't take them. I was informed that I was either lucky and they got mailed to the person or the person sorting the mail threw them away!!! Threw them away!!! Can they do that?? I was told that small envelopes jam the sorting machine.
Well, whats funny to me is that the 2 that were returned were in my mailbox. They didn't put them in a larger envelope to mail them back to me.
Conspiracy - I think so.

Why doesn't our microwave keep time?

So, just before christmas our microwave died. So, to get through the holidays, my mom let us borrow hers. Very nice of her except it doesn't keep time. Its crazy. I think I have narrowed it down though. When you use the timer the clock stops. So, I have to keep reminding Jeremy not to look at that clock.

Dylan update

Well, gosh...
This morning I set Dylan on the floor and went in the room to make some phone calls (you have to do that when you are a mom) and the next thing I know here is Dylan at my door. I guess we are crawling today. I will have to start baby proofing now.

Mud mud and more mud

What is it about boys and mud? Our house is next to this giant field. A few weeks ago they came and bulldozed it and created a HUGE mud hole. So, every boy in this house is being magnetically pulled to it. Jeremy has had the Bronco in it, the F - 150 in it, J and T have had their little monster trucks in it. Its crazy. My washer is hating the extra loads of laundry though!!

Funny thing about DVD's

With Jeremy gone, I have been letting the kids watch a whole lot more TV than they are used to. So, this week we have picked a DVD to watch while Dylan naps. Well, they never watch it. Yesterday, their movie was Monsters, inc. I put it on - they went and played somewhere else. Not very quietly I may add. So, last night, we made our fort and JJ is flipping channels and guess what's on TV. They watched the whole movie twice. ?????? A few days ago it was Toy Story. I don't think Tyler watched one minute of it. Tonight they are glued to it. PJ's, blankies, pillows, teeth brushed. So, does this mean I don't have to spend the money to buy these movies on DVD anymore?

Four chairs and a blanket

Remember when 4 chairs and a blanket was the greatest thing on earth? Jeremy has been gone all week and I just can't take another night of kids being kids. So, we took the dining room chairs, grabbed a few blankets and they have been quiet ever since. They put their pj's on. They grabbed their micro machines and they are building a secret city in their tent. Even if it only lasts an hour - this quiet is wonderful. Who needs expensive toys???

Ummmm Yeah

First things first. Cookie dough should be a food group. I have been eating the whole thing for 3 days.
Well, lets see. Last night a cupboard door in the kids bathroom fell off. And this morning JJ let Dylan crawl into his bowl of cocoa krispies and they were everywhere and he was rolling around in it. Did anyone come tell me? No... I get out of the shower to that. Minutes before we have to be to the bus. JJ is crying over his cereal and Tyler is crying cause he can't button his pants and Dylan is just happy and giggling covered in chocolate from head to toe. Welcome to my crazy life.
PS Jeremy ran all the way from our house to the bus stop, but he made it.

Is today any better - umm no

So, I was saying how all heck breaks loose when Jeremy is gone. Well, today when I was making JJ's lunch, I picked up the bag of popcorn seeds - They were open and they went everywhere. Under the stove, under the fridge.... yeah all over. A few hours later, I tried to make cookies. I don't know what I forgot, but they didn't cook right. The dough tasted good though. So, I left 15 minutes before I had to be at JJ's school. Well, 45 minutes later - no valentines treats left in the whole city of Enumclaw and 30 minutes late to school. So.... after hearing the speech from JJ who was more upset over the cookies than the fact that I was late - I decided to leave the kids with a neighbor to finish my errands. Whew!! What a relief to spend an hour away from them. Well....so I thought. When I got home, I got the kids came inside - went to make Dylan a bottle and the whole can of formula had spilt in the diaper bag. Does it ever end??? We ended up with TV dinners and PJ's and bed at 8. Hopefully, tomorrow goes better.