Whew!

Well, after being so proud of myself yesterday for being on-time 2 days in a row, I woke up at 6:16 today.  Seminary starts at 6:30.  I threw on a jean skirt and a shirt and ran out the door.  I pulled into the parking lot at 6:29 by my clock, breaking every driving law along the way.  Luckily, my classroom clock said 6:26 still, so I was not late.  I have really pushed the kids to be on-time and make them sign in what time they arrived.  Today we made a deal though - for every day I am late, they get a free late day.  Hopefully tomorrow will be less hectic.

Ethan is sure growing up.  He has a new fake laugh with a little pout.  It is hilarious.  He also likes to pretend to blow his nose with baby wipes.  I told Doug we need to get a video to post - it is just too cute.

I guess Newman likes the family down the street better than ours now (the ones who take him home).  He slept outside their front door all night last night and didn't come home today until those boys were off to school.  I give up chasing him down.  He came home with his tail between his legs and refused to come in the house like he knew he was in trouble.

Monday was Brenden's first full day of school - last week was 1/2 days.  He decided he wanted to buy lunch, so I put $2.75 in a little sandwich bag in his backpack.  Last week sometime, I paid $60 for the year so he could eat whenever we didn't have time to make lunch or whatever, but I thought he would like to pay for his own lunch and it would make him feel so responsible.  So, then Monday evening he told me all about buying his lunch, but decided he wanted to take his lunch Tuesday.  Tuesday morning was hectic and I forgot to make him lunch.  Doug had to be to work early, so he dropped Bren off at the bus stop on his way.  I guess when Brenden got to school, he realized he had no money and no lunch and thought for sure he was going to starve.  He cried.  I felt terrible.  I am usually really good about letting him know exactly what his day will hold and I was in such a hurry to get Doug and Bren out the door that I totally forgot.

A little piece of good news

The "mean dog" was not so mean today.  When I picked up Brenden at the bus stop, we walked home and Molly (aka mean dog) was in our yard.  She immediately jumped on him and knocked off his implant (which I did not discover until later and we had a big hunt to  find it).  Today she did not bite!  After that, Cosmo and Newman put her in her place and she was very calm and actually played with Brenden.  Whew!  For a few days now he has refused to go outside incase she might wander into the yard.  When he has seen her, he has immediately run in the house screaming.

Right now Brenden is trying to get Nolan to venture out.  I might go supervise that...

So far so good, but it is only 9:30.

I HATE to get up early - and there are few things I can say I HATE.  I LOVE to stay up late, and do - very late.  Today was day 2 of 6:30 seminary and getting up at 5:15.  So far, so good.  I have been on-time and even took breakfast!  This is also day 2 of 5 hours of sleep, so that trend is going to have to change.  I have 9 kids in my class, most of them are sophomores.  I teach at the Nikiski High School in a classroom that belongs to one of our ward members.

On other news, I kept it quiet, but two weeks ago Ethan's hearing aid was lost.  I like to blame it on Ethan, but Doug likes to blame me.  I found it this morning!  Doug took Ethan's booster seat off the chair last night and when I put it back on this morning, the hearing aid was sitting under it.  I am so relieved!  Ethan likes to eat them and throw them, so he has to be watched very carefully.  Now if I could find half of the other things in my house...

Onions in our grass

Brenden: Mom, look, we have onions in our grass.  Grandpa had these, but he didn't take them in the house and cook them, he threw them in the trash.

Mom: Onions?

Brenden: Yeah, come look!

Mom: Do you mean mushrooms?

Brenden: Yeah, what did I say?

Mom: Onions.

Brenden: They aren't onions, they are mushrooms.  You thought they were onions?

Mom: No, you thought they were onions.

Brenden: Mom, they're not onions, they're mushrooms!  You're silly.

Wedding Day

Today was Greg's wedding.  I was so sad to miss it and jealous that Doug and Nolan are there.  I am also jealous that Doug gets to hold our new niece.  We don't see many girl babies in this family!

Well, Greg and Kirsten, you better not be checking my blog on your honeymoon, but if you do, CONGRATULATIONS from Erin, Brenden, and Ethan.  We love you and hope you had a great day!  Have an even better honeymoon (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)!

Industry Appreciation Day

Today was Industry Appreciation Day in Kenai.  They basically have a big community fair with free food and a bounce house and all sorts of free stuff.  They have contests (like who can pull in a fishing net the fastest - nothing normal) and give away prizes.  They have a special bicycle giveaway and give rides on a utility truck.  They have all sorts of construction trucks and a fire engine and police car for the kids to check out.  There was a band and all sorts of companies advertising.  Brenden, Ethan and I went to check it out.  Oh, they also gave away a $500 gas card.  Who couldn't use one of those?  We arrived pretty late, so we missed out on most of it, but still had fun.

Freecycle is my new best friend.  Over the last 2 days I have rid myself of LOTS of stuff.  It is a website where you can post want ads or give away items (for free).  Yes, garage sales would be more lucrative, but I just wanted to be rid of a few things and no one comes this far out for a garage sale.  It is so refreshing to get rid of stuff.  Check out if you have freecycle near you.  You might find a little gem (for free)!

Hilarious

Yesterday one of the links on AOL's homepage took me to "10 dumbest laws in America."  I laughed out loud at this one:

Texas: A recently passed anticrime law requires criminals to give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and to explain the nature of the crime to be committed.

The others:

-Georgia: Donkeys may not be kept in bathtubs.  Well, where else am I supposed to keep him?

-Nebraska: If a child burps during church, his parent may be arrested.  Uh...my fault?

-Illinois: You may be arrested for vagrancy if you do not have at least one dollar bill on your person.  I can't tell you how many times I would have been arrested by now!
-Wisconsin: Margarine may not be substituted for butter in restaurants unless it is requested by the customer.
-California: Animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship.  No, Fido, No!  A tavern?  Come on - PEOPLE do that.
-Florida: A special law prohibits unmarried women from parachuting on Sunday or she shall risk arrest, fine, and/or jailing.  If I weren't married I would be there breaking that law right now, okay, 2 days from now.

-Virginia: Children are not to go trick-or-treating on Halloween.  Why not just say, "Halloween shall not be celebrated?"

-Colorado: It is illegal to ride a horse while under the influence.  Partially understandable, I guess.

-Nevada: It is illegal to drive a camel on the highway.  Dang, and that was my sole form of transportation.  Guess we'll take the side roads.