Busy and stressed

These last few weeks have been the most stressful I think I've ever had. I love my kids but being with them 24/7 can really make you crazy. So, Saturday night they spent at Grandpa and Gege (Carol). Mackenzie just started calling her that on Friday! Too cute.

With the kids at my dads, Marty and I had the night to ourselves to do whatever. When I left dads, I had a massage appointment. It was much needed. I had never been to this place before so I wasn't sure what to expect but it was very comfortable and relaxing. I had an hour massage and it was only $55. The cheapest I have seen around. I was so relaxed by the time it was over, I almost walked out without paying. Whoopsy!

After my massage, I picked up Marty and we met up with friends Tim and April at London Grill for dinner. It was pretty good, but not as good as we remember. But decently priced so not terrible. After dinner we had a drink at a small bar in town that Marty and I had never been to. Nothing special, but made huge long island iced teas. As big as a beer, it was pretty crazy. From there we went to Tim and April's for a while. I learned to not drink chocolate wine after anything. It was yummy, but I payed for it all day Sunday. I'm not a wine drinker so I'm not used to any of the after effects.

Sunday was a very lazy day. I took a 2.5 hour nap, Cameron slept for 1.5 hours and Mackenzie napped for 3.5 hours. Marty spent that time to work on his car.

All in all, it was a nice weekend, and I'm way less stressed out and feel like I could deal with anything these kids throw my way.

Today, they're going to Grandma Shelly's for a bit while I have a meeting for a ski lift operator job tonight. It's not a guaranteed job but something to get us some extra money for Christmas will be nice.

The rest of the week will be spent with Mackenzie at school and getting ready for Mackenzie's birthday parties and her birthday which is all next weekend and next week. And getting the house ready for my Mary Kay holiday open house which is on Sunday! Hopefully that will be successful!

Happy Halloween!

We had a good Halloween weekend and Monday.

Friday Marty got home at a decent time, for dinner we ordered my somewhat newly favorite pizza, the New Yorker from Upper Crust. So yummy!

Saturday Marty and I took the kids to the annual Halloween carnival at church. It's the first year that we went, so we weren't totally sure what all there was. They had a lot of games and the trick or treat trail. We did the trick or treat trail but not the games. They were all a bit too old for the kids. We are planning on going back next year, and Mackenzie should be able to play some of them then. After the carnival we took the kids to see Grandpa Mike, Marty's dad. After there, we did grocery shopping and came home for a late dinner. We also learned, Mackenzie can not go all day without a decent nap yet. After the kids went to bed, Marty and I finished carving pumpkins. Mackenzie carved hers on Thursday.

Sunday came and Marty left for work :( while the kids and I went to church. The rest of the day was spent relaxing at home.

Monday was of course Halloween!!! The kids were in there costumes by 3:45. Cameron was a little monkey and Mackenzie was Cinderella! They were so cute. Marty's mom came up to see Morgan in her school parade. She was a character from Monster High. I have no idea what that is. Then she came over here to trick or treat with the kids. They have the businesses in town hand out candy before homes in town so we trick or treated there. Once Marty got home, we went trick or treating to houses and handed out our candy until around 8 when we ran out of candy.

All in all, it was quite a nice weekend with the whole family together.

Decided and sick

I did all of my thinking about cosmetology and decided I was going to do it! Then my childcare fell though, so that decision really made itself. It must be God telling me to not take Mackenzie out of school.

So, I have put in a few applications for part time work just to get some much needed adult time. Now, it's time to wait and see how all of that pans out. At least I can work around Mackenzie's school.

Today I'm just now getting over this nasty sinus cold and cough. It's nice because I'm feeling better, but Cameron's got it horribly. I'm constantly wiping his nose, he's sneezing like crazy and he can't have his binky to sleep because he can't breath :( Poor guy. It's seem, as well, that it's trying to get Mackenzie as well but she's fighting like crazy. I really hope she doesn't get it, but who knows.

I'm not going to my Mary Kay meeting tonight because Cameron is sick and so is Grandma Shelly (Marty's mom), and she usually babysits on Monday evenings. Hopefully staying home and out of the chill will get these kids healthy so they'll be ready for trick-or-treating in a week!

Every year at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, they have the Zoo Boo. You get to see the animals that are still out, ride the train and do the trick-or-treat trail. It's a lot of fun for the kids. We took them for the first time this year, and Mackenzie had a blast! Mackenzie is Cinderella this year, and Cameron is a cute little monkey! I can't wait for Halloween this year, she's going to have so much fun!

A lot to think about

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Like a lot of people, it's tough to pay everything and still have anything left over to enjoy later. Also, I want to work, but without being able to finish my nursing classes because of the waiting list, I can't get a decent job that pays for daycare plus more money to pay the bills. So I've been looking into other things with less schooling and decent pay.

I have found...cosmetology. I've visited a couple campuses in town and got a lot of information on both programs. If I decide to try this field, and of course finish nursing once I'm accepted, I have the choice of one of those schools. The other school does not accept student loans. However, I liked all things about this school better, tuition is just more expensive.

So now I have choices to make. Kind of exciting to try something that's completely different from everything else I've done. It makes me nervous though, it's completely new! I'm not a perfectionist, I'm just very competitive. I want you to do well for yourself, but I feel like I have to do it better than you :)

I'm gonna take a couple days to think about my decision, but at this point, I'm leading more towards doing it!

Not A Lot

This week has been kinda busy but I don't have a lot to share.

Sunday, the kids and I went to dads house for dinner. Papa, Grandma and Grandpa Scotty all came over too. Dad made beer butt chicken. We also had some awesome green beans and red skin potatoes. Carol got a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert, which was delicious! I'd love to have it again soon.

Monday, Marty was home most of the day, so we enjoyed spending time with him. He had the kids for me while I went to school and filled out my nursing application and attended my Mary Kay meeting. Marty took the kids for chili at his moms. After my meeting, I met them there to pick the kids up and he left for work.

Tuesday, Mackenzie had a good day at school. She only broke down once and she participated a lot better during songs and group time. She loves playing in the noodle bin and didn't want to stop. At the art station she helped me put together a picture book. It will help her communicate with everyone. She'll be able to point at pictures if she can't say or sign them. It will also help her learn people and names.

Today was our lazy day. We all spent the day at home reading and playing. I made beef stew for dinner and Mackenzie loved it. It was the first time she's had it.

Tomorrow she goes back to school. And Friday, we're supposed to go to Gull Meadow Farms with Grandma and Aunt Jo to pick apples! Mackenzie has never been there either, so that will be a fun afternoon.

Austin Porter Remembered

Austin Porter was my neighbor since I was 5 years old. He was 1 when we moved in. I've known him for 20 years. Growing up, he had 2 older sister who were my age, so we played together all the time. We would all play barbies in Holly's room and play house in the basement. In the summer we were everywhere in the neighborhood. We rode bikes, swam in their pool all day long, played Cowboys and Indians, baseball, football and basketball. We rode the bus to and from school together and when we were old enough to drive, we carpooled.

 Austin loved Tae Kwon Do. He was a 2nd degree Black Belt

Thursday, September 15th, started as a completely normal day and ended in a total shock for me, and many other people. Austin was running late for work. A train was coming. He tried to go around the railroad crossing arms and while on the tracks his car died and he wasn't able to get out the way of the train. Of course, a car-train accident will be on the news, and I watch the news almost everyday. When I first watched that news clip, I thought, what an idiot. 2 hours later, I found out on facebook, that "idiot" was Austin. It was a shock. I was just catching up with him a month ago, when I went to his parents house and he was home. Mackenzie had formed a little girl crush :) Totally cute! Her and his daughter, Gabby, are close in age, so they like to play when we're around.

Austin and his daughter Gabby

I hadn't been to a funeral in 5 years now. I never thought the next one I would be at would be for someone my own age. I attended his funeral yesterday. I really was a nice funeral, as far as funerals go. It was at a Lifestory funeral home so they made a video, pamphlet and even a web page all about Austin's life and the things he loved doing. He spent most of his free time with his friends, when he wasn't able to see Gabby. He also spent much of his time with Tae Kwon Do and hip hop dancing. He loved his life and everyone in it.

I will always remember Austin as the little boy next door. (Every time the news said the 21 year old man, I told the tv he wasn't a man, he was the little boy next door :) But I won't forget the time spent with him as a kid or even just a month ago.

Fair Time!!!

Saturday, Marty and I took Mackenzie and Cameron to the Allegan County Fair. It was the first time for Mackenzie to go! (It rained last year so we didn't want to take her.) This year, however, I think she loved it!

She got to see all the animals and feed some of them, as well!

 Kangaroo's

 Cows

 Looking at the goats

 This goat thought her sleeve was food :)

 Feeding the goats

 Marty feeding the goats

 She liked the smaller goats a bit better than the big ones. The big ones got in her face a lot more

 He fell asleep about 2 minutes after this picture was taken

 The donkeys named Dora and Jackie

 Petting the horses butt

 Mini horses

She liked the rabbits

Next she got to sit on the tractors, which she enjoyed immensely!

 This one was huge!

 She really liked this one, more her size

 He didn't really care about the animals or the tractors :)

She loved all of this. We seen a horse out of his stall and she really liked that. Then we checked out the cows and pigs. She didn't really care about the pigs, it was nap time for all of them while we were there. And she always likes cows, even though she gets to see cows at her grandpa's house all the time. She had a hot dog, which she always likes to eat. And she loved her first taste of an elephant ear, she just couldn't get enough! And I won both of the kids stuffed animals. Cameron got a little snake, and Mackenzie got a bright blue dog and a big tiger!

 Where your pork comes from

 Looking at the sleeping pigs

 Where your beef comes from

 Checking out the cows

Feeding her big tiger her pickle. Hard to tell, but Cameron is back there trying to eat his snake :)

We really had a great time at the fair. I can't wait when we can put her on a little ride and see how she likes that!!!