SO, over it.

I got the bright idea to 'play around' with the new blog template designer tonight.
Yeah, BAD idea.
I was tired and cranky to begin with so, trying to learn a program that I am not familiar with so late at night was not very 'bright' if you catch my drift.
I can never start something without finishing it so I spent over an HOUR trying to get it right, and yeah... well, it's not what I had in mind really.
After changing the template, and browsing a hundred backgrounds I decided that I really didn't want to mess with it tonight, and decided to just go back to what I had before.
Only problem? I have NO IDEA how to do that.
So, I've been sighing, and stressing, and complaining, and freaking out.
I've FINALLY come to this conclusion: I think it's time to just call it a night, and maybe try again tomorrow.

Anxious boy.

Layton got his practice uniform and equipment this last weekend for his football season which starts in 2 weeks.
As soon as we got home, he begged me to let him try it on.
Since Saturday, I have found him in it more than twice a day.
I jumped in the shower yesterday and he was in his pajama's.
I get out, and find him like this:

So, I think it is safe to say that someone is a bit excited.
I also think it is safe to say that someone is pretty stinkin' cute.

It's moments like these when I love him the most.

Bentlee has quickly become the baby in the family, and he totally takes advantage of it.
Lately, he thinks that he can get on the couch, sleep on the bed, and sit at our feet while we are eating dinner.
I swear we have spent the last week CONSTANTLY scolding him, and punishing him.
Truthfully? He has been driving me a tad bit crazy.
But tonight was a little different.

I was outside in my car windexing my dirty windows after the sun went down.
Lee came out of the house to take out the trash and Bentlee followed behind him.
The next thing I know, the dog has jumped into the car, and planted his growing butt on my seat.
Before I could say: Bentlee! OUT.
I looked over at him and my heart melted.
He was looking at me with his adorable 'puppy dog eyes' (Literally) as if he was saying:
"Okay, Mom. Where we going?"

So, yeah. He might get on my nerves at least once a day, but when it comes down to it?
He really is the best dog. EVER.

She has something new this year: an oppinion.

I have vowed that this year, I would be done with school shopping by mid-August.
I have been taking out a little each paycheck, and putting it toward anything that the kids will need for school.
Happy to report: It's going as planned.
Kaylee and I spent some time the other day shopping for clothes.
This time around she had her own 'style' in mind, and she didn't need my in-put like usual.
(Which I expected.)
But, amazingly it went way better than I imagined.
Once I got passed the skinny jeans, bright colored scarves, and crazy printed hoodies, I realized something:
This girl of mine is growing up to be quite the little individual.
She's creating herself on her own, with no worries of what others might think of her, and THAT there makes me a pretty proud mom.
So, if she prefers neon colored converse, with tye-dyed socks (which she DOES) then that's fine by me.
Because afterall, if she is totally happy with who she is, then honestly? That's all that really matters.

This must be why God gave me a 'manly-man' for a husband.

Every once and awhile our cat Patches is known to totally FREAK OUT in the middle of the night.
She will spend hours running around, and literally bouncing off every single wall in the house.
We used to just throw her crazy ass outside, but now, she's figured out how the doggy door works.
So, that is obviously no longer an option, and it totally bites.

This morning I woke up to her doing that exact thing.
I was lying in bed, wide awake, and beyond irritated.
I was lying there for about 3 minutes just listening to her romp around by the front door when I heard it.
The sound of her batting something around, then a super high pitched 'squeal.'

My first thought :
OMG. SHE HAS A MOUSE and it is IN MY HOUSE!
I froze.
I listened for another second.
Thump... thump... thud... SQUEAL!

It took me about, um... ONE second to shake the living crap out of Lee.

Me:
Babe! Wake up! The cat... uh... holy crap, she is playing with a mouse and it's still alive! DO SOMETHING!

Lee: (half asleep)
Geeez, calm down. I've got it.

So, for the next few minutes, I stayed in bed, with the covers OVER my head, cringing at the thought of a MOUSE.BEING.IN.MY.HOUSE.

Lee somehow held back his urge to laugh at me, after coming back to bed.
He then assured me that it was NOT a mouse, but instead a tiny baby bird that she dragged in from outside.

Uhh, still GROSS, but I guess it's WAY better than a dirty, disease infested, mouse... IN MY HOUSE.

So, as you can see, I do NOT do well with un-wanted nasty little critters anywhere near me.
I am deathly afraid of (hint, hint)... Mice, and big  hairy spiders.

(Just to prove at how grossed out and bothered I was about it, I even had to get up and dis-infect every SINGLE INCH of the area that she was playing in.)

Some people constantly tease me and tell me that I am 'SUCH a girl.'
Um, all I have to say is: when it comes to those TWO things?
Well, yeah people... DUH.

The game face.

So, Layton LOVES the X-box.
(Typical boy, I know.)
I thank GOD, that Lee actually 'grew out' of that stage in his life where he wanted to play it ALL.THE.TIME.
Luckily, Layton isn't quite there. We have rules to hopefully prevent that from EVER happening.
But, yesterday I was cleaning house while Layton was laying on our bed getting in his game-time for the day, when I glanced over and noticed that he has the cutest 'game face' that I have ever seen.
Now, I know that I'm his Mom, so I of course am going to think that, and more than likely not everyone else will agree, but compared to Lee when he used to play 24/7...

In MY oppinion?
This kid totally has him beat. :)

Gettin' it off my chest.

Most people know that I am a little 'obsessed' with reality t.v.
I catch a lot of crap from Lee for watching The Bachellor and The Bachellorette, but I can't help myself, I just love it.
For those who don't follow it, you won't know what I'm referring to, but after watching the interview last week with last seasons couple, I just have one thing to say:
Jake is a TOTAL A-HOLE, and I'd give almost ANYTHING to get to punch that guy in his face.
So, there. I feel better.

Great, this is just what we need.

Bentlee has broken out in 'dog hives' (or so we think) this week.
He looks like he's stashing marshmallows under his fur.
I'm scared to even take him anywhere, in fear that people will stare, and think he has a disease or something.
We took him into the vet the other day, and of course it's an allergic reaction to something (or so we hope) anyway.
It might be quite the task to figure out just what that is though.
Oh, joy.
She said they should go away within a day with a little benedryl.
We've found that they get better while he's on the medication and HORRIBLY worse without it.
We plan on watching him over the weekend, and taking him back in on Monday if he still has them.
Just PRAYING that this won't end up costing a fortune.

Always easy.

One of my GREATEST friends is visiting this week.
Jhonna and her cute kiddo's are here, and it's been so nice having them around.
We only get to see each other once a year, but we always pick up right where we left off.
She is hilarious, and crazy, and I just LOVE her!
We stayed up til 3 in the morning catching up, and laughing harder than I have in forever.
It brings back memories of years ago when she still lived here.
I miss those days sometimes.
She's just a great girl, and I feel so blessed to have her as my friend.
Love you lady. (:

The adventure.

Last Saturday, Lee informed the kids (and me) that we were going on a 'surprise' adventure.
Of course, they were stoked, and me?
Well, I HATE surprises.
He wouldn't tell us where we were headed, and he wouldn't give us any clues.
After about 20 minutes of me complaining, and begging him to just TELL ME ALREADY, I decided to just suck it up and try to enjoy it.
We ended up in Woodburn for breakfast, then to Portland.
The kids totally freaked when they saw a roller coaster as we pulled into Oaks Park.
I had never been, but was SOLD as soon as I realized that they had a roller rink.
I have been wanting to take the kids roller skating FOREVER.
It was one of my favorite things to do when I was younger, and I miss it sometimes.
Made me feel like a kid again.
Kaylee & Layton amazed me, at how quickly they caught on.
It took Layton a little longer to get the hang of it, (and I have a huge bruise on my rear from him crashing into me, to prove it.) But he had a BLAST the entire time.
We learned rather quickly who 'follows after who' in the thrill-ride department.
Layton is FEARLESS. Absolutely scared of... nothing.
He went on every ride more than once, and his favorite happened to be the FREAKIEST ride I have ever set eyes on. (Pictures to follow.)
Him and Dad went over, and over...
Kaylee and I?
We cringed.
We also discovered that Kaylee takes after me.
She fears scary rides.The only difference is she fights her fear, and tries them anyway.
That made me proud. I actually wish I could be a little more more like her when it comes to things like that.
I'm a total wuss. It's just a fact.
(Although, I did find one ride I really enjoyed: the disco.)
Totally AWESOME.
We enjoyed spending the whole day there. (and I mean the WHOLE day.)
Roller skating, riding rides, and playing games.
We left with a few stuffed animals, leftover cotton candy, and memories that will last a long time.
So, All in all, this little adventure that Lee planned?
Well, It was pretty much perfect.

Hello, little one.

Last Friday we had the honor of meeting the newest addition to our family.
Little Miss Kaelynn is absolutely adorable.
It was nice to get to hold her, love on her, and play with those cute baby feet.
Oh, how I miss when mine were that little.