Another Monday?

Well, it was a weekend.  We did a lot.  Some of it was fun.  Some of it was less than fun.  I'll give you a list and you can see what we accomplished this weekend.

• Nick and Turbo went antelope hunting and got a doe.  they left at 5:30 am on Saturday and were back in town by 9:00.  And that's with an hour and a half drive both ways to get to the hunting area.
• I got the laundry done on Saturday (I had towels left but they don't count).  
• Nick went through some of his art stuff and culled down the pile.
• I went through my scrapbooking stuff and got quite a bit ready to send off on the paper swap I'm doing with Stacy from SLMPeterson.
• Turbo had a friend over Saturday morning and then spent the afternoon with that friend.

And all that was just Saturday.

Sunday we:

• Moved thigns around in the attic and got rid of some stuff that we really didn't need.
• Reorganized and moved some stuff up to the attic that will be better stored up there.
• Introduced Bruiser to the attic.  He loves it.  We have created a monster.
• Saved a lost dog for it's owner, and then the owner found us and her dog.
• I got to go to the used book sale at the library.
• turbo spent the day hanging out with his friend again.  They rode bikes and played with their Bakugons (which I learned more about than I ever wanted to).
• I vacuumed the living room.
• Nick vacuumed the family room.
• We got some of the meat from the antelope ground into burger.  It's wrapped and in the freezer.

All in all a very full weekend.  For all of it Bruiser was a typical two year old.  We had tantrums, obstinate moments, sweet moments, moments were I would have gladly sold him to any bidder.  I love him dearly, but wow, he is definitely two.

So, what did you do this weekend?

Confession Friday

Time to fess up to what I've been doing this last week. Ithe weekend will be better if I do--right?   Mamarazzi says it will.  So here goes:

• I'm a sucker for the bonus material for movies and TV shows.  
• Turbo likes them too.
• He also likes the simple games that come on DVDs too.
• Bruiser has been an impossible two year old recently.
• Then he goes and does something cute like this:

• I've been snacking on sunflower seeds.
• In and of itself this is not bad.
• However my kidneys may not like it.
• It's the salt.
• But I'm drinking water so maybe that will help.
• It's time to do the laundry tango again.
• I am sad.  And just a bit happy.
• We moved Bruiser to the toddler version of his crib.
• We will be moving him to a real bed by Thanksgiving.
• He did not fall out of bed, but I had to put him back in bed three times the first night.
• The kid sleep walks just like his older brother and his dad.
• Lucky me.
• I took the polish off my toes Tuesday night.
• It's time to admit that sandal weather is over for the year.
• As if two bouts of snow haven't shown me that one.

Well I think that covers my confessions for this week.  If I think of anything else, I can always add it to next week.

Spinning Halloween

So Jen has asked for Halloween themed spins this week.  In looking back through my archives, I did one of these last year which you can see here--Halloween Hits.  So that means I get to go a different direction for this Spin.
Halloween has always been a fun time--trick or treating, parties, get togethers.  I have enjoyed the fun and just a bit creepy side of Halloween.
I'm not a great one for scary movies.  Once, in the very tiny first apartment Nick and I shared, he had some friends over and they brought a scary movie--The Candyman I think--and I knew I would not, could not watch it.  I didn't have a lot of choices so I sat and read a book in the bathroom.  Nick didn't do any more scary movies after that--I think he felt just a bit bad about my hiding sitting in the bathroom.
So if we don't do scary movies, what do we watch for Halloween?  Well, there are some great creepy movies out there that keep things light and funny but just a bit creepy/scary without the blood and gore.  We enjoy watching:

• Young Frankenstein, 
• Ghostbusters, 
• The Nightmare Before Christmas, 
• Hocus Pocus, 
• Abbot and Costello meet the Mummy, 
• the Mummy (with Brendan Fraser), 
• Jurassic Park
• any Scooby Doo

We do have to be careful and not watch anything with Zombies.  Turbo still doesn't do well with Zombies.  This year we will be carving pumpkins and doing various activities around town for the boys. Turbo and Nick are thinking bout creating a haunted house in the garage for Halloween.  It will be fun and interesting to see what they come up with--I foresee a trip to the dollar store for props.

So what are your plans this year for Halloween--what do you do for the season--what movies do you watch and can you stand the really scary ones?

Swapoween Stuff!

I got my box of goodies from Kathy at A Tiny Cottage on Grand.  Boy, did she ever come through for me!  Check out the goodies:

The box of goodies!

Bruiser was thrilled with the Halloween stuff.

All the good stuff.

Rats and spiders and pumkins, OH MY!

A pair of adorable pumpkins!

Handy, batty kitchen stuff!

These guys are so cute, perfect for the table.

There were some spider and skull rings for the boys and creepy fabric for decorating and since Turbo has about talk Nick into a haunted house on the garage, the spider and rat will have a home there soon so we can give the creeps to the neighborhood kids.
This swap was brought to us by Beth and Angie--thanks guys!

WWTK--Anger, Movies, and a Splash of Danger

Answer up the questions and join in the fun.
This week's questions are from Mamarazzi:

1. When was the last time you lost your temper?  I have minor losses of my temper every few days, but for a big one?  The last time I was truly angry was last weekend over the drama about Turbo and the neighbor girls.  And it wasn't yelling swearing angry, more offended, appalled angry for Turbo. 
2. What 3 words best describe you?  Intelligent, introverted, Mom.
3. What movie could you watch over and over and never get tired of?  Oh there's lots of these, The Princess Bride, The Goonies, any Indiana Jones movie, Star Wars, Hello Dolly.  I watch movies over and over a lot.  Drives Nick nuts.
4. If you could do something dangerous, just once, with no risk, what would you do?  I like to say sky diving, but really, who wants to jump out of a perfectly good air plane?  Maybe go set off explosions with the Mythbusters.  It would be interesting and a bit of a rush to be close to one of the explosions they set off.
5. Which is more important: intelligence or common sense?  I've said before intelligence is nothing without common sense.  You have to have common sense or you can really do nothing practical with all the intelligence in the world.  My vote would be common sense.

So go see Mamarazzi, Queso and Crazymama for more nosy fun.

Random Tuesday Thoughts--Talking About Nothing

So time for random thoughts.  Cause it's Tuesday and all.

• Yesterday was one of those weird days where we got to see just about every type of weather Mother Nature could throw at us, snow, rain, wind and sunshine.  I expect a lot of those in the next few weeks until winter hits, oh about the middle of November.
• A good night's sleep can do wonders for you.  I just need about 100 more of them, I might feel all rested up by then.
• Nick finally got the hole in the laundry room fixed.  I won't have to dodge that spot when I'm putting clothes in the washing machine now.  This is awesome!
• Do you ever have a really good idea for a random post and then when you sit down to type--poof it's gone?
• I swear my butt grows roots at night.  I just have no energy after I get dinner done.  Moving around becomes something that hold no appeal.  Unfortunately Bruiser is on a campaign to make sure I don't sit for long.  He wants this or that or he needs something else, all designed to make sure those roots don't get to deep.  I should thank him, but really I'd be happy growing those roots.

Well that covers my random, go see Stacy for more.

Also go see Shawn and Impulsive for Talking to Us Tuesday.  Yep, double dipping again.

Happy List

The things that make me happy this week are:

1. Watching my boys play together, as long as I can watch from a distance.  Up close I get a bit tense about the rough and tumble nature of the games.
2. Having the dishes done, especially if I'm not the one who does them.
3. Getting a good night's sleep.
4. Having my hubby home.
5. The new back screen latch.
6. Wood stacked for the winter, and stacked well by Turbo.
7. Reading good books.
8. Watching Bruiser be a goofy two year old--giving his Pooh a piggy back ride.

And that covers my happy for this week.  Go see Mamarazzi for more Happy.

Almost Good to See Monday

This last weekend had it's ups and downs.
First the ups:

• Nick got home Friday evening, safe and sound.  He had a successful trip to Dallas.
• Bruiser had a successful solo over night at Grandma's house.
• Nick and Turbo had fun hunting--they didn't get one this trip but they plan on going next weekend so hopefully they can get an antelope then.
• I got some cleaning done--vacuuming, dishes, random laundry.  
• I also made pumpkin pie bread, and granola.  Both turned out pretty good.

And for the downs.  Well really only one major down.  We had drama with the neighbors again.
They have a dog they got from the pound and this dog had puppies.  All the kids in the neoghborhood like to go see the puppies.  Things have been tense between the kids since another family moved in with kids.  It's like there has been an unspoken competition going on about who would get to play with these kids.  Turbo almost always lost out.
On Saturday, Turbo want to to play with the new kids in the neighborhood.  They told him they had to do homework before they could play.  Turbo passed the time by riding his bike around the block.  He cut through the alley on one of his trips and heard kids voices in the back yard of the neighbors with the puppies.  He went and knocked on the back door to see what was up.  One of the little girls who live there opened the door and the mother dog got out and chased Turbo up the alley and bit his knee, tearing his sweatpants in the process.
The mother came down to see what had happened and to tell us that we really needed to have Turbo call and he was not to open the door at all.  We had to get the story from Turbo on what had really happened because the girls down the street had tried to blame the whole thing on poor Turbo.  And the mother was really believing that her little "angels" could have done nothing wrong.
The up shot of the whole thing is that Turbo will not be playing with them for quite a while.  It really has been time to back off a bit any way.  The older girl there really doesn't get along with Turbo all that well.  She has learned how to push his buttons and reduce him to an angry, crying mess all the while looking like an innocent party.  So we are just not going to be doing as much with them.  I think it's better this way.
It is sad because they could have been and really have been friends.  But I'm not putting my kids in the line of fire because her kids don't want to get caught doing what they know they aren't supposed to.  It just takes more effort to get Turbo to friends' houses now.
So after that bit of drama Saturday night, I'm really glad that Sunday was pretty uneventful.  And I'm almost glad it's Monday.  Oh no, did I really just say that?  I may need more help that I thought.
How was your weekend?

Confession Friday

Time to confess again.  Friday comes every week and is the most appreciated day of the week. I know I like it--especially going home time, cause you know, the weekend starts then!

• Nick comes home tonight.
• He was gone just long enough.
• I'm giving up on the thought of potty training right now.
• Bruiser has absolutely no interest.
• He's not three yet.
• He'll learn eventually.
• There are very few high schoolers in diapers at graduation.
• I've decided to pick my battles.
• Turbo's parent teacher conferences went well.  
• We like his teacher this year.
• That is such a relief.  
• We hated, extremely disliked, loathed, did not see eye to eye with his first grade teacher.
• I really wonder how many of his problems stem from the fact she did not like him either.
• Reading is still an issue.
• But the kid has loads of self confidence.
• I really wish I knew how to make cute banners.
• I am all thumbs, software impaired, whatever, when it comes to that stuff though.
• The University I work at is having Homecoming this weekend.
• Rah-rah!  
• I'm hoping to hide at home and not have to deal with the crazy out of towners in for the game.
• I really like the powdered Donettes.
• Looking forward to a glass of wine tonight with my hubby.

That's gotr my confessions for this week.  Go see Mamarazzi and share your own confessions.

Spin Cycle--Firsts!

So this weeks's Spin Cycle is firsts.  Any first you want to pick, first kiss, first date, first love, first day of school, first job, any first at all.  In looking back through the archives I found that I had done a post for this when it was a topic over a year ago.  I wrote about our first apartment.  I'm going to keep with the theme and tell you how we got our first house.
Nick graduated from college (the first time) in May of 1997.  The house we were renting had a lease that would run out in August.  We were not really keen on finding another place to rent.  We had a cat and a dog so options for apartments and houses were limited, even in our college town.  We talked it over and decided that trying to find a house of our own would be the best thing.
We headed off to the realtor's office and talked to them about the process.  We learned that we would qualify for a first time homeowners loan and should go get pre-approved so we would know how much house we could buy.  Once we had that done off we went to look at prospective house in our price range.
There are some scary houses out there.  In a town that has lots of rental potential, there are lots of small houses that had been rented.  We looked at one that had maybe 500 square feet on the main floor and basement, but it had been divided into three apartments.  There was another that had two separate furnaces--one in the main living space and one wall unit in the kitchen.  Another had a nicely finished dungeon basement solely for access to the octopus furnace.  Scary places.  But finally after about three weeks of looking we found the place that talked to us.  It was a three bedroom, one bath house with a "finished" basement, detached garage, on a corner lot.
We wanted this house--it was the best we had seen.  So we immediately put in an offer.  That was Sunday.  We waited and on Wednesday I got a call at home from our realtor.  I had to wait until Nick came home from work for lunch--he worked construction, no way to contact him on the job--cell phones were still not common then.  We headed to the realtor's office and found out that the sellers had counter offered, but that there was another couple who had responded before we did.  We couldn't have the house.  So we settled in to start looking again, when another agent came and asked to talk to our agent.  They stepped out of the office and when our agent came back she told us that a mistake had been made and the other couple had turned down the offer and if we wanted to accept the offer the house was ours.  We jumped on that one and started the inspections process.
Since we were using WCDA(Wyoming Community Development Authority) money for our loan, the inspections were a bit more rigorous about things that would incur high costs to us as new home owners.  The concrete sidewalk was pretty buckled and the house needed painting.  We made a deal with the owners so we could live in the house in return for fixing the concrete and painting the house ourselves.  They took it and with help from Nick's work(for concrete forming and such) and the realtor (for a discount on paint) we had the sidewalk fixed and the house painted in a month.
We are still living in that house.  It has had some remodeling, but we have an advantage there in that Nick is so very handy about that stuff.  Every now and then Nick gets antsy about wanting a bigger house, but then he remembers our small mortgage and he decides that our house isn't so bad.
Go see Jen at Sprite's Keeper for more first spins.