Well, Looky looky.  I'm here!  I don't know what's up with me. I had in my mind that I needed to start blogging, I needed to use my blog to get some dates for my scrapbooks.  I could NOT, not even to save my life or yours, think of Xanga as the home of my blog.  I lost all my book marks when I wiped out the computer so I couldn't think of it until this morning!

I've been reading and trying to catch up on everyone... I'm not even close, but it's a start.  Congrats Grandma Chris and your granddaughter is BEAUTIFUL!! 

Darla... no way Brody is almost 18.. geez.  I need to visit your site to see if you have a recent pic of him.  

LE---where are the kids starting PK?  And did they start today?  Whatever will you do with your alone time... oh wait, Tony will still be there part of the days... don't answer that question.

Update on us!

Gaston is in 2nd grade (7 years old) and doing well.  He's becoming quite a busy little man.  He's a wolf cub on Tuesday nights (Cub Scouts)...  he's a RA (Royal Ambassador) on Wednesday night at church.   That boy keeps us busy.  We just recently allowed him to join RA's.  like 2 weeks ago.   I dont' want too many activities to clutter homework time or play time.   He's beginning to slim up, THANK GOD~  I've always been worried about him but with a smart SANTA it's working.  HE was becoming too much of a homebody not even wanting to go outside but Santa fixed that.  He gave them a trampoline.  Now he comes home from school, does his homework, and goes to jump on the trampoline (if it's not wet).  It's great.  He's getting exercise, and having fun too.  PLUS I don't have to be on him constantly to finish his homework.  He will breeze through it!  Plus he knows if I have to NAG him too much he will miss either Cubs or RA's and he doesn't want that.

Ryan is 4 years old and the biggest ball of energy.  I am usually exhausted on days that I have to entertain him.  Usually he is an independent player.  He will go outside and play with his football or tball set or soccer ball (get the theme).  Then he'll come in and give me the SCORE recap and tell me who won and most often it's him or his team but not always.  So he knows how to lose.   Or he will go to his room and DESTROY it, but he finds things that he hasn't played with in a while and play with it all day.  I've even caught him in Gaston's room doing the same thing.   But 1 hour before we go get Gaston I have to remind him to pick up the mess in Gaston's room, since he made the mess.  He gripes but he does it.  He doesn't like anyone to mess up his room.    Ryan didn't get into Prek this year.  He was on the waiting list for the one at the elem school but still no call and I haven't even asked the teacher where he stands now.  Though I did find out the other day that she has 2 more students than she started with and I would like to know why he wasn't one of them.  It was my understanding that he was at the top of the list.  But Ryan's fine with the fact that he's home, because we've talked about him being in school full time next year and he's excited.   He even told me that I could watch my craft shows when I wanted to..... since now I have to fight him to let me watch anything or he'll send me to my room to watch.

Mike and I are doing good, keeping busy with the boys.  He's still working and not so much overtime right now... though I think they will pick up again in the summer.  I'm still PTA president and i've finished 1/4 of my term.  It's been okay.  The officiers are okay but I have concerns about them at times.  In fact I just found out that my treasurer is going to leave next year so I will need to find a replacement for her.  I have a person in mind but I can't pick them... I have to form a nominating committee.  I can't even suggest anyone!

Church is going well, Mike isn't the chairmen of the Deacons this year OH JOY~~  He was getting stressed and it wasn't right for him.  After all it was only his second year as a Deacon and then that.  It was too much at one time.  He's back to his self again, it was getting a little tense on Deacon Meeting Sunday or when special meetings were called.

I have now taken the roll as Church Clerk!  and I've dropped Church Historian.  With Church historian I was given the books and said Here ya go!  I've looked through to see how they organized them and it was a mess.  I would ask the Pastor for pictures of this or that (I know he has them) I asked him for information for our homecoming (info on speakers, etc) and I asked for note burning ceremony memories (we paid off the church~) and I haven't gotten anything.  So for 2 years there is only bits and pieces of info I could add to the book from what I have and I didn't think I did a good job on it.   

I prayed long and hard about church clerk.  I think this is just what I need...I mean I'm at every business meeting anyway, so why not take notes.  It's few things other than business meetings that I will have to do but I'm ready. 

HA Kerri... you're too funny.   Not playing well with others.  It's going pretty good now.   But then again the school year just started.  I have no problem assigning duties and checking to make sure they are done.    My officers seem to be good and I've had lots of parents tell me to call them for help.  SO I will definately call them.

LISAE!!  Join!!  You don't have to attend all the meetings, but joining means so much to the school. Did you know that if your school gets so many people to join, someone, usually state PTA will reimburse your school for those dues!    You are volunteering during the day and most of the time that is where it's needed the most.    I'll be glad to keep your boys for you to go to the meeting (If it's not on the same night as mine!)  If you sign up and help in fundraising, you've done your part!   Some committees you could join and still help out during the day.   I know the President (or at least she was President not sure if she is still) at your school.

Hey guys... Guess who is still living and around.   I cut my online time down quite a bit, but I should be back a little at a time now.

I LOVED my scrapbook job.  Did you catch the past tense?  I quit on May 20th.  I just couldn't do it anymore.    Driving 45 minutes with Gas prices soaring!  OMGosh   then to add having to pay for Gaston in daycare for the summer.  I wouldn't have made anything.  So I resigned.

A few days before my last day at work I got a call from Gaston's teacher, the PTA president and a teacher/friend of mine.   They were getting ready to elect new officers for the PTA and I was asked to consider being president.   OKaY... I considered it and agreed that if I was chosen I could handle it because I was back to being a SAHM.   SO the very next day I went to the PTA meeting and voted.. and was elected PTA president for 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school year.

So I've been busy this summer with meetings with the past president and the principal, fundraising reps.  Running off papers, meeting with the other officers and preparing for the new school year.  We had open house the other day and it went well.  We had 20 people sign up for PTA!!!  and we had lots of people say.. I signed up last year and was never called to do anything.   FOr those people I promised that we would contact them and I put a star on their membership envelope to make sure they were contacted.

So we start school on Monday.  Gaston will be in 2nd grade and Ryan is on the waiting list for PreK.... (if you're the praying type, pray that he gets in).  

We're still doing good here in Henderson!  I've missed you all and I'm trying to read up on everyone to see how everyone is doing.

JIM  congrats on the ESL in China.  Enjoy the many experiences you will have with your family there.   Best of luck and many prayers for your family!!

Long time no BLOGGING!   I haven't been on the internet lately though.  Life just got in the way.  I went full time for a short period at work... now I'm back to part time.   Though I loved the bigger paychecks, I missed being home with my family.

Work:   IT's going great!  I'm having a blast... learning new things and getting lots of scrapbook pages done.   I worked a few saturdays ago from 9:30-3:30 then from 4-midnight I stayed and cropped.  I had a blast and I will be doing that at least once a month now.

The boys:   They are doing great.   Ryan's learned the routine.  We remind him when I work and then he's ready to go to the sitter.   Gaston's doing really well in school.  He is also doing alot better with his shoe inserts.   We only make him wear them every other day... instead of everyday.  His running has improved, and no more complaints of his legs hurting when he walks.

Mike:  He's a trooper!  He's doing so well being a great dad when I'm working.  

So that's it in a nut shell!!  Good to be back.

Leaving for Vacation in 2 days....  we're heading to Myrtle Beach!!    Do you think I'm ready?   HECK NO.. well I'm ready to get out of town and relax, but I haven't packed anything.    Most of the clothes are clean.  I have one load that needs to be done, and one that I'll do so I won't have to do it when I get back.

So today I'm going to straighten up the house (AGAIN) and start everyone's TO PACK pile.   Hopefully I can go ahead and pack everything except the bag from the bathroom.   But the bag is still in there so Sunday morning after we've showered, I'll throw the last minute stuff in there.

I'm loving LOVING my new job.    I've learned alot... I notice I'm asking less questions, although I asked one yesterday and she told me, no we don't search like that.... (it was for a product that didn't scan, and I couldn't find it on the upc sheet, so I searched it)... but after we found that invoice on the computer, I did it right anyway so SHEW!    THEN I found it on the upc sheet.   GREAT!

But starting in August I will be closing by myself!!!  Tomorrow I open with the manager so I can learn how to do that.    But starting in Aug...  I will be on rotation to close!!  But honestly closing was SIMPLE compared to learning the paper (types of paper, which scans, what doesn't, what it's called, where it's found, why,,, blah blah)...   But she "quizzed" on the paper and I only missed a few, but I have them down now.

The boys are enjoying going to my cousins house.  They complain about going then when we pull up in the yard, they say "Bye Mom" and get out the car.   If I don't run to catch up they would just leave me in the car.   And she takes great care of them.   I'm lucky she's willing and able to do it.

Mike is loving it so far too.  He gets time with the boys alone certain nights... and some nights it's only about  3 hours, but other nights he does the bedtime routine with them and he and I get to spend time alone when I come home.  and the weekends I work... oh they go to  putt putt, or fishing, or swimming, or to the movies!!   But after the movies they bring me back some popcorn!!

Well that's it.!  I won't post again until we get back from Vacation!  Hope you all have a great weekend and beginning of next week.