Created by #1
Volcano Island
Volcano Island
Latest Pics
#2 after her first day of school
#1 and Hokie hanging out
I like food!
Looks like #3 found the tailpipe of the car or something just as dirty (reminiscent of when #1 did the exact same thing around the exact same age)
The garter snake I almost stepped on in the backyard. Didn't get a pic cuz it was too fast, but almost stepped on a copperhead off the front stoop the following day!
Helping with the dishes
#4 getting in the spirit of Hokie game day
Sweet Sleeping Sisters
#2 with my sister
Me
Oh the Insanity of it All
With a cold, skin rash, and stomach virus hitting our house, I am finally beginning to climb out of the mountain of laundry. Two kids with the vomits is not a nice thing...but I can be thankful that is was only 2 of our 6 family members who came down with the nasty bug. Now the sun is shining, I can almost see the floor of the laundry room, and we have a jam packed weekend of fun in store for us. We have a dentist appt for all kids thanks to Saturday appointments, a soccer game, a birthday party, and a visit from a Great Grammy and Aunt!!!
As for that previous Ebay post where I was "so excited", well my excitement has turned to annoyance. My first Mimzy sold at a terrific price and I was elated until I got an email from the winning bidder several hours later after another Mimzy auction ended. Yep, he was bidding on both of ours and won the other one for cheaper so he chose to pay for that one instead of mine. He claims Ebay notified him he was outbid by another bidder, but I don't quite buy that excuse. While I am waiting for the whole "dispute an unpaid" item claim to work itself out, I put another Mimzy up on the auction block. All was going well until I received an email from the highest bidder who asked for his bid to be cancelled because he is new at this whole Ebay thing and thought he was bidding on the other bunny (which I assume is the collector one). Canceling his bid brought the current price down a whopping $30. It has 24 more hours to go and I am going to try to stay as calm as possible in the hopes it will sell well and I can make a tiny dent in my debt. Isn't it lovely that I am selling what was meant to be Christmas presents for my kids to pay off my debt and hopefully afford a haircut and highlights before I find out just how many grey hairs I really have??? Luckily they don't have to worry about my selling their Harry Potter Lego castle or KidKraft doll house They can rest assure Daddy will be up late on Christmas Eve putting together the doll house and I will be wrapping that Hogwarts Castle and putting it under the tree.
Yes, I have started my holiday shopping. I can't stand the thought of spending the month of December fighting every other holiday shopper with kids in tow picking up every bug around. Plus, we have #4's birthday to celebrate Dec 10th. I would much rather be able to relax and enjoy celebrating the first birthday of my last child (which will be a "Toys for Tots" donation affair because while I insist on making a big deal over the one year mark, there are more needy children in this world other than my spoiled tots) and get into the true spirit of Christmas than spend it stressed out buying anything I can get my hands on just to have a gift to give.
Hokie, the wonder puppy, is doing well. She has definitely fit perfectly into our family. We absolutely adore her. Kiwi seems to be handling it quite well considering her more mature age of 8. Hokie has taken to her as a bit of a mentor and of course a chew toy as well. It is even more wonderful to have my sister raising Hokie's sister, Haley. I look forward to watching these dogs grow up together. I can't imagine my life without my labs!
As for that previous Ebay post where I was "so excited", well my excitement has turned to annoyance. My first Mimzy sold at a terrific price and I was elated until I got an email from the winning bidder several hours later after another Mimzy auction ended. Yep, he was bidding on both of ours and won the other one for cheaper so he chose to pay for that one instead of mine. He claims Ebay notified him he was outbid by another bidder, but I don't quite buy that excuse. While I am waiting for the whole "dispute an unpaid" item claim to work itself out, I put another Mimzy up on the auction block. All was going well until I received an email from the highest bidder who asked for his bid to be cancelled because he is new at this whole Ebay thing and thought he was bidding on the other bunny (which I assume is the collector one). Canceling his bid brought the current price down a whopping $30. It has 24 more hours to go and I am going to try to stay as calm as possible in the hopes it will sell well and I can make a tiny dent in my debt. Isn't it lovely that I am selling what was meant to be Christmas presents for my kids to pay off my debt and hopefully afford a haircut and highlights before I find out just how many grey hairs I really have??? Luckily they don't have to worry about my selling their Harry Potter Lego castle or KidKraft doll house They can rest assure Daddy will be up late on Christmas Eve putting together the doll house and I will be wrapping that Hogwarts Castle and putting it under the tree.
Yes, I have started my holiday shopping. I can't stand the thought of spending the month of December fighting every other holiday shopper with kids in tow picking up every bug around. Plus, we have #4's birthday to celebrate Dec 10th. I would much rather be able to relax and enjoy celebrating the first birthday of my last child (which will be a "Toys for Tots" donation affair because while I insist on making a big deal over the one year mark, there are more needy children in this world other than my spoiled tots) and get into the true spirit of Christmas than spend it stressed out buying anything I can get my hands on just to have a gift to give.
Hokie, the wonder puppy, is doing well. She has definitely fit perfectly into our family. We absolutely adore her. Kiwi seems to be handling it quite well considering her more mature age of 8. Hokie has taken to her as a bit of a mentor and of course a chew toy as well. It is even more wonderful to have my sister raising Hokie's sister, Haley. I look forward to watching these dogs grow up together. I can't imagine my life without my labs!
Back to the Grind and Ode to a Tree
The grind is back into full swing, only more than ever before...#1 has started soccer with 2 hour long practices a week (at 5pm which makes dinner plans for a family of 6 quite a debacle) and a game every Saturday. 
Why is it my first day of school pics turn out so miserably? Last years pics were terrible, but at least then I was able to blame it on the lack of sunlight due to the downpour. Luckily, this school year began on a much brighter and drier note...both the sky and my eyes did not shed any tears this time. Instead of crying as the bus drove away, I was smiling with excitement for what this year has in store for #1 (PE, art, music, and spanish classes in addition to his favorite...lunch in the cafeteria). So far, I love his teacher who has set the theme of the room up as a Hollywood set with the kids name on stars, a red carpet, and a directors chair draped with feather boas. She seems to really be in tune to the needs of the children (a note even came home saying the kids could have water bottles on their desk all day and to bring in a sweater/jacket because the room can often get a bit chilly).
The first week of school brought the usual bumps...a lost drink container on the first day that turned out to be zipped up in the lunchbox and a lost lunch box on day 2 that was apparently left on the bus after #1 threw a fit when dad put it in his backpack cuz he insisted he carry it separately like everyone else. Well, he swore he hung it up on the hook in his classroom and then it disappeared...big surprise, it was left on the bus because he forgot to pick it up...so much for supposedly hanging it up in the classroom...my apologies first grade teacher for the time and effort you put into searching the classroom for a "missing" drink container and lunchbox.
#2 had her preschool open house last week and starts this Wednesday. While at the open house, her love interest arrived. The 2 lovebirds acted as if they didn't know each other and perused the room with barely a glance in the other's direction. Although the two may act coy in person, they spend a good portion of their time in their respective homes speaking of each other. #2 has plans to marry this boy and has gone so far as to get into my jewelry box and steal my rings. One of them has ended up in the hole of a tree in our backyard that we must now chop down...don't worry...this ring incident has brought to our attention to the fact that the tree needs to come down...we don't go around chopping down trees for the fun of it. The hole that the ring somehow "accidentally" fell into is at the base of the tree and caused by rot.
Taking down the tree will not be something that comes easily (except it would be nice to get the family heirloom back in the confines of my jewelry box that will soon find a higher, more secure resting place). Ever since we got our playground in the backyard, this tree has come to be a special part of our daily routine. You see, #1 and #2 have learned how to swing by themselves. #3 is still a little young for the skill level necessary to accomplish the swing pump. Since the backyard by the playground is a bit buggy and woodsy, I often hang closer to the house with #4. #3 has devised a brilliant plan to get me to come down to the swings and push her. She climbs the tree with the hole that we are now aware of, gets "stuck", then hollers for help. As soon as I help her get safely to the ground, she runs to her swing, climbs in, and says "Pull Me!" (#2 started saying "pull me" instead of "push me" and now #3 does the same no matter how many times I correct them with the proper playground term). It should be interesting to see what #3's next tactic will be once her current partner in crime bites the dust and turns into mulch at the recycling plant.
Why is it my first day of school pics turn out so miserably? Last years pics were terrible, but at least then I was able to blame it on the lack of sunlight due to the downpour. Luckily, this school year began on a much brighter and drier note...both the sky and my eyes did not shed any tears this time. Instead of crying as the bus drove away, I was smiling with excitement for what this year has in store for #1 (PE, art, music, and spanish classes in addition to his favorite...lunch in the cafeteria). So far, I love his teacher who has set the theme of the room up as a Hollywood set with the kids name on stars, a red carpet, and a directors chair draped with feather boas. She seems to really be in tune to the needs of the children (a note even came home saying the kids could have water bottles on their desk all day and to bring in a sweater/jacket because the room can often get a bit chilly). The first week of school brought the usual bumps...a lost drink container on the first day that turned out to be zipped up in the lunchbox and a lost lunch box on day 2 that was apparently left on the bus after #1 threw a fit when dad put it in his backpack cuz he insisted he carry it separately like everyone else. Well, he swore he hung it up on the hook in his classroom and then it disappeared...big surprise, it was left on the bus because he forgot to pick it up...so much for supposedly hanging it up in the classroom...my apologies first grade teacher for the time and effort you put into searching the classroom for a "missing" drink container and lunchbox.
#2 had her preschool open house last week and starts this Wednesday. While at the open house, her love interest arrived. The 2 lovebirds acted as if they didn't know each other and perused the room with barely a glance in the other's direction. Although the two may act coy in person, they spend a good portion of their time in their respective homes speaking of each other. #2 has plans to marry this boy and has gone so far as to get into my jewelry box and steal my rings. One of them has ended up in the hole of a tree in our backyard that we must now chop down...don't worry...this ring incident has brought to our attention to the fact that the tree needs to come down...we don't go around chopping down trees for the fun of it. The hole that the ring somehow "accidentally" fell into is at the base of the tree and caused by rot.
Taking down the tree will not be something that comes easily (except it would be nice to get the family heirloom back in the confines of my jewelry box that will soon find a higher, more secure resting place). Ever since we got our playground in the backyard, this tree has come to be a special part of our daily routine. You see, #1 and #2 have learned how to swing by themselves. #3 is still a little young for the skill level necessary to accomplish the swing pump. Since the backyard by the playground is a bit buggy and woodsy, I often hang closer to the house with #4. #3 has devised a brilliant plan to get me to come down to the swings and push her. She climbs the tree with the hole that we are now aware of, gets "stuck", then hollers for help. As soon as I help her get safely to the ground, she runs to her swing, climbs in, and says "Pull Me!" (#2 started saying "pull me" instead of "push me" and now #3 does the same no matter how many times I correct them with the proper playground term). It should be interesting to see what #3's next tactic will be once her current partner in crime bites the dust and turns into mulch at the recycling plant.
Go Figure
So all that excitement over my first Ebay sell has been mired by frustration. The winning bid came in at 127.50, BUT the winning bidder declined to pay up. The claim is that Ebay notified him that he was outbid by someone else so he bid on the same item being sold by another individual (bullpoop!). Well, I had noticed (thanks to my Mom's watchful eye) he had bid on another Mimzy before my auction ended. He obviously was playing both of us sellers and went with the one that he got for less. Evil, pure evil!!! So my first Ebay selling experience has turned into a huge debacle. I have offered the runner up a "second chance offer". If that is declined, then I have to file an unpaid dispute so that Ebay can credit my money back that they take for the transaction, but of course an unpaid dispute can't be filed until 7 days after the end of auction. As if my life isn't busy enough already!!!!
Posts
