The best gift ever.......

See, Uncle Brandon, this is how you ride....
WEEEEEEEEE, he can take good pictures.
You think I'm kidding but at this point he asked for a Barbie helmet.....and when asked at school what his favorite gift was he answered a pink Barbie bike.
The expression didn't change much all day.

December

No, he will hate this picture more.
Mr. Cruz did Christmas around the world for December and had a fiesta for his class party.
Say that again and I'm gonna have to bite you.

Notice Jack on the floor, he gave up early on trying to get a good Christmas picture.

Our gift to Mimi

Random pics of the kids

Vivian at her choir concert

The Showgirl Turkey....it made it through Thanksgiving so this is what we are having for Christmas.
Jack during Vivian's choir concert

Meet the Newest Member of the Romans' Family

This is Gabriella Romans or Gabbi for short, she is Dave's christmas present....I know it is early.
She was born August 24th.
And so far has been wonderful except for the slight gas problem.
This dog is lazy. I held her on her on her back like this for an hour and she did nothing but sleep.
I don't have pics of Jack with her yet but he loves her as well.

Thank you for letting me be myself

Happy Birthday Connie

Connie,
Is it time for cake yet?
Love, Jack and Vivian

What I did on vacation

I spent my vacation painting and I textured the living room.....never ask the guy at Lowe's painting questions. I wish I could take credit for this corner but that has to go to Dave.

found a new setting on the camera
sorry, forgot to rotate the picture before I posted it and don't know how to now.
Then last night I couldn't wait any longer and had to put up the Christmas tree. We are used to having a huge tree but we just don't have the room for it so we downsized, I hope this one can handle all the ornaments.
I also am in the process of doing the bathroom, I have the paint on the walls but I am waiting for Dave to hang the mirror and new light.

New Pics of the kids

A picture of the kids on Saturday morning. In the morning Jack doesn't care what he wears as long as he has a book to read, just be glad he is wearing clothes in this picture. Do you know the names of Snow White's Dwarfs? Dopey, Doc, Bashful, Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy and Tired.....at least in Jack's version.
Vivian is wearing a halter dress with white capri pants and her fur coat to read to her little brother.
In case you didn't really think Vivian was the shortest in her class.

The snowflakes in the Nine West store in Richland Mall.

Lunch at Jefferson

I ate lunch with Vivian at her school today out in the garden, her kids meal came with a game so we decided to play.

Q 1. Who is your best friend? Brandon
Q 2. Who in your family makes you laugh the most? Uncle Brandon
Q 3. What is your favorite thing about everyone in your family?
I like Jack when he gives me hugs. I like Daddy because he buys me candy and ice cream but I don't like when he spanks me, (like he ever does) and I like Mommy when we cuddle.
Q 4. What do your grandparents do?
Granny is a nurse and a chef, Connie teaches and Grandpa stays home and cooks for Connie and does what she tells him to do.

November and in trouble again

I know this will shock all but V has gotten in trouble for talking. She is normally such a quiet child, this is really not like her at all. If you believe the last sentence YOU DON'T KNOW HER AT ALL. I knew this note would come one day and was actually surprised it didn't come sooner.

Things often heard around my house

M- Jack, clean up
J- I'M READING
M- Jack, clean up
J- NO, I'M READING
M- Jack, I said clean up
J- No, I still reading mommy

V-Can I wear a sweater because I always get hot

J-I wanna watch Scooby Dooo

M- Jack, do you need to go potty
J- I coloring
M- Let's go potty
J- I coloring
M- Go potty now
J- I already did, can I have sticker

Week 10

Quotes from Jefferson

1. Mr. Cruz isn't cool but he is a good teacher
2. The lunch-lady stated V never gets in trouble to her knowledge and all the kids spoke up to say, "she used her bad finger like this" with the exception of Hunter, he said she was his bf and she never does anything bad, that's why he likes her. His daddy told him to only be friends with nice girls.
3. Her new bf told me that if you make a rhino mad it will remember your face for 57 days....that's true cause his daddy told him

I have watched the kids play with her on the playground for the last few days and I know why they all want her to play tag with her, she can never catch them because her legs are soooooo short. She's fast and she has spirit but those little legs were not made for tag.

In Addition To

We took Jack to be tested for foods today. In addition to the list from last year (peanuts, soy, trees, grass and English peas) we have added chicken, lettuce, bananas, root beer and watermelon. Yes, I said chicken, the only meat Jack will eat.

Potty Training

Jack-Jack has a new stance for going potty, he puts his foot on the potty as he sprays not only the wall but all around. He almost looks like he has discovered new land because he has one hand pulled behind his head. He poses almost like a Greek god, "The Jack".
Little boys are so frustrating to potty train, by this stage I didn't even have to buy pull-ups for Vivi because she was begging me to let her sleep in her panties and hardly ever had an accident, never at night. Jack will wear his underwear wet and not care.
We are also having trouble with him biting again, 3 days in a row he bit the same little girl. I went in to pick him up on Thursday to find that he had gotten in trouble again.
M- Jack, did you get in trouble today?
J- I no bite Delaney, Mommy, I push Sunny, can I have my sticker?

Boy in a Bubble

I have often thought of looking on EBay to see if they have a bubble for Jack to live in because everything breaks him out. Dave took Jack to the allergist and we now have to go back on Monday for a new round of food allergy testing oh and our favorite place the pharmacy for 8 new prescriptions....yay!
I can admit we don't limit his diet like we should because the boy loves to eat and you can only break his heart on food so many times. For dinner we went to Wing Stop, if you haven't been you need to go. Jack ate several strips with a dip of ketchup, ranch and honey mustard (all in one), when that wasn't enough his Parr side came out and he started taking shots of Ketchup, it was so gross. He must get that from his Connie because I really don't think even a Hickerson would do that, okay maybe some of them would.
Do they actually make a bubble for people with allergies to live in because if not they should.

Read aloud

"TENJOOBERRYMUDS" (We've all experienced this!)By the time you read through this YOU WILL UNDERSTAND "TENJOOBERRYMUDS"... In order to continue getting-by in America (our home land), we all need to learn the NEW English language! Practice by reading the following conversation until you are able to understand the term "TENJOOBERRYMUDS". With a little patience, you'll be able to fit right in. Now, here goes... The following is a telephone exchange between maybe you as a hotel guest and a call to room-service somewhere in the good old U S A today.....
.Room Service : "Morrin. Roon sirbees."
Guest : "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."
Room Service: " Rye. Roon sirbees...morrin! Joowish to oddor sunteen???"
Guest: "Uh..... Yes, I'd like to order bacon and eggs."
Room Service: "Ow July den?"
Guest: ".....What??"
Room S ervice: "Ow July den?!?... pryed, boyud, poochd?"
Guest: "Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry.. scrambled, please."
Room Service: "Ow July dee baykem? Crease?"
Guest: "Crisp will be fine."
Room Service: "Hokay. An Sahn toes?"
Guest: "What?"
Room Service: "An toes. July Sahn toes?"
Guest: "I... don't think so."
Room Service: "No? Judo wan sahn toes???"
Guest: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo wan sahn toes' means."
Room Service: "Toes! Toes!...Why Joo don Juan toes? Ow bow Anglish moppin we bodder?"
Guest: "Oh, English muffin!!!; I've got it! You were saying 'toast'...Fine...Yes, an English muffin will be fine."
Room Service: "We bodder?"
Guest: "No, just put the bodder on the side."
Room Service: "Wad? !?"
Guest: "I mean butter... just put the butter on the side."
Room Service: "Copy?"
Guest: "Excuse me?"
Room Service: "Copy...tea..meel?"
Guest: "Yes. Coffee, please... and that's everything."
Room Service: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, crease baykem, Anglish moppin, we bodder on sigh and copy... rye??"
Guest: "Whatever you say."
& nbsp; Room Service: "Tenjooberrymuds."
Guest: "You're welcome"
..Remember... I said "By the time you read through this YOU WILL UNDERSTAND 'TENJOOBERRYMUDS' ".......and you do DON'T you!!!

Week 8

This week has not been great as far as school, Dave called Tuesday to tell me Vivi gave someone "the finger", what bothers me the most is she did it correctly and on purpose. BTW, she picked it up at school not home if you seem confused.

Lunch at Jefferson

I was off during the week for the first time in a long time so I decided I would go have lunch with Vivian. I stopped to pick up chicken nuggets and headed for the school. All the workers in the cafeteria told me how sweet she is and she actually ate all her lunch so, I decided that she might deserve an ice cream cone. When I got in line, there were 2 girls in front of me (Hispanic and African American).
H-Is that your momma?
A- NO, my momma black she's not white

Week 6 part 2

1. Vivian ends every sentence with, girl.
2. Her boyfriend looks like a future politician.

Week 6

1. Vivian is doing so well at school that we don't have to have the parent teacher conference, she is one of 6 in her class that is right where she should be.
2. Jack is doing even better on the potty training.
3. Week 5 we had lice and now we may have Chicken Pox, school is sooooo great.
4. We have finished our first fund raiser and sold enough for her to attend an ice cream party.

Week 5

1. We started out by keeping Baby Caden on Saturday. The kids fought over who was going to hold him until I said I thought he would spit up and Jack very quickly moved far away from Caden.
2. We have experienced lice. I highly recommend that all parents should have the Rid metal comb on hand if this occurs in your home. The comb in the box doesn't do anything so you have to use your fingers but the metal comb, WONDERFUL.....available at Walgreens.
3. Vivi had to go to school and tell the boyfriend this week that her daddy said they could only be friends until she graduates medical school. He's such a big talker. I think she just told her daddy she did that.
4. We have started fundraisers. They should just mail the paperwork to the parents because at that age they don't understand they have to sell people stuff to win prizes from Dollar Tree.
5. When Connie told her she had pretty hair she responded that her mom said she didn't have bugs anymore.

I have a 5 year old

As most of you know my daughter recently started to Kindergarten. Viv has ALWAYS been a sweet little baby girl, ok, maybe not always sweet but today I discovered something..... she is no longer a baby.
I got Viv up around 6:45 for school, got her dressed fixed her hair and there it was......LICE. I freaked, trying hard to not let her in on it. I peeled her clothes off, washed her hair and we were out the door by 7:10. I took her to school because I'm sure that is where she got it. I came back to the house, pulled sheets off the beds (minus mine because Sleeping Beauty was still asleep), bleached hair brushes and tried to wake Dave.....useless. I spent the next few hours at work placing the apologetic calls giving everyone the warning. I called my husband around 12 with him still blowing this off for him to call me at 2:30 saying I really wish you had gotten me up this morning....this is important. DUH.....I can't complain too much I worked a 12 hour shift while he deloused the house.
I did get one bonus from Viv having lice.....the husband learned how to take sheets off the bed, the first time in 7 years.

I always wondered

I had my doubts about having my tubes tied after Jack until tonight. Baby C was wonderful don't get me wrong, the smell and how he felt in my arms....I loved it but I lived in a constant state of panic that my two would in some way land on him or make him go deaf. I have a new respect for moms that can handle more than 2 kids at a time. Dave did come to the rescue although he added to the jumping, running and screaming.

The big highlight was seeing my little boy hold the baby and sing Jesus Loves Me. It melted my heart and I was content that all was as it should be.

Week 4

1. Vivian has been selected to be the Mail Girl for her class. She takes money to the office and runs errands.
2. She has had her identity stolen by a boy, when I asked Ms. Rachel (the lunch lady), she said, "Vivian is a girl?" Hello, either that or that boys parents are cruel.
3. Mr. Cruz told me that she has a boyfriend. Her comment was, "He told me I was his girlfriend and I was kinda impressed".
4. Jack has worn big boy underwear everyday for a week with no accidents.....the trick is they have to be on top of the diaper. He also feels the need to use them for pants only.
5. Princess pj party was a big success, we walked in and she said, "I don't care what the other moms do, I want you to stay". Vivi, this is Elizabeth and Amy, they want to do your hair and nails. "Bye Mom! I'll see you when you come back"

Week 3

1. She doesn't eat her school at lunch because she feels the need to share with her daddy and if he eats her lunch then she can trick him into getting her something from Wendy's. Or Dairy Queen.
2. The principal told her she had good manners when a little boy pushed his way past her and she very softly said excuse me.
3. Vivian now knows the names of other kids in her class and refers to them as her friend.
4. She thinks Mr. Cruz has very pretty earrings.
5. At night she feels it is her duty to teach her little brother that if he needs to go potty he should stand up and go. I always wanted my daughter to lead by example.

********************************************************************

Jack, my little stickerho, has gone potty 5 times this week at school and has done it 3 times at home so I guess big sister is really helping....plus the fact he will get a sticker.

Week 2

1. Mr. Nelson is the Music teacher.
2. We still don't know the names of other kids
3. We don't share food with others.....Grandpa gave other kids Vivi's chicken nuggets and she shared that lesson with him
4. We can make anyone feel guilty about leaving us by crying but I think she already knew that
5. Children's choir serves fried chicken and broccoli-I don't believe this

Tiny Man

Before Dave got ahold of my child:
After:
you know it's too short when you walk in to pick up your child and don't recognize him when he comes up to you.

Cheerios

Vivian: Mom, can I have more Cheerios? They have no cholesterol

Carni people

How does one aspire to be in the category of "Carni Folk"? I have thought of this often, well whenever a carnival comes to town and I have to deal with "Carni Folk" well, today my son dealt with them. We went to the carnival after church today, OK, it was called a "State Fair"....it doesn't make the workers any less gross. Dave thought he would try and win the kids some cute toys that were over priced so he gave the man the money and began to throw the darts, 3 darts and popped 4 balloons. The prize was this cheez crap toy and he gave it to Viv telling Dave that if he wanted to throw more darts at $2 a pop he could get a better prize. Dave pointed out to the guy that he should actually have won 3 prizes since he popped all the balloons so the guy pulls out a set of dice for Jack....cool toy for a 2 year old right so Jack threw the dice at the man.....being a good mom I know I should have told him not to throw the toy at the man but under the circumstance I was proud of him. As he threw the toy at the man he demanded a dog. The man picked up the dice and handed them back to Jack with his response being I want the dog. We didn't have to pay anymore money, long story short Viv now has a dog and Jack loves his dice although his daddy stole them and has them displayed in his truck. These things happen

One week down, how many to go?

We have survived the first week of KINDERGARTEN........
A few quotes from the smartest girl at Jefferson Elementary:

1. I can't eat my lunch because there isn't enough time so they told me to just eat my chips.
2. I like school, I would just rather go with you.
3. My music teachers name is Mr. Singer ( I still don't know if that is true or not)
4. Mom, I learned what P.E. is, we go to the gym and talk then play.
5. At school, they make me write my name over and over until I get it right.
6. I just don't know about this back to school stuff, I'm pretty small.
7. I don't know anyone elses name but I know my name.

Can't wait to hear what happens this week

Later that day

I know half of what my child says is crap but this is what she had to say about school

1. I don't know my new friends names but I know mine
2. They really don't give us time to eat, we have to sit all by ourselves but we aren't in trouble
3. I couldn't eat my lunch today because my friend Brandon kept hugging me
4. I enjoyed school but I'd rather hang with you all day
5. Small voices inside TALL voices on the playground
6. Hands and Feet to yourself

After school I took her to the park and she had a blast.....notice the very white bod

Watch out Jefferson......

Welcome the Class of 2020.......

Last night was meet the teacher night at Jefferson Elementary, I don't know how to take this but we said this is Vivian and he said OHHHHH, OK. I could understand if maybe she had been at Jefferson before and this was 1st grade but she is just starting kindergarten.

The morning went pretty well, I'll add pictures later. We dropped Jack off and I started to cry but I didn't want to make her cry so we talked about the first day of school. We got to school, parked and walked into the cafeteria with a lot of other clueless children.....I was doing fine, she was doing fine. Mr. Cruz came in and lined up the kids, there are some kids that are OK, I just hope she enjoys talking to every ones belly buttons because they tower over her. The principal came in and did the pledges and then they started to leave for their classrooms. We had almost made it with no tears from Viv but then she started crying and I started crying, you know it's bad when a first grade teacher comes to comfort a parent. I know she will be fine, me on the other hand, I can't wait until 3.

abcd

I was getting Jack ready for church this morning and of course the boy has a poopie diaper so he starts singing.

abcdefghijklmno"poopie"qrstuvwxyz.

His dad and uncle Brandon will be so happy

LOCKS OF LOVE

Today Vivian donated her hair to Locks of Love. The hair cut went great, she is beautiful, a real trooper. She is running around swinging her hair from side to side.

This is a great organization and if you don't know anything about it you should google it.

Target

Me: What does everyone need from Target?
Vivi: Jeans, shoes, jewelry, school supplies all pink, shirts.....
Well, this could go on it is Viv
Me: Jack do you need anything?
Jack: A book

He definitely gets this from his Connie

Dinner

Dave: Jack, use your fork to eat your spaghetti, it will be much easier.

Jack: No, Daddy, I no use my fork I use my poon. (Spoon)

The first of many complicated sentences for my stubborn son on how to eat his food.

The Date

NO SPILLS

Our trip to Vegas

Here are just a few pictures of the kids from our trip to Vegas in July.

The anniversary of our first date

Eight years ago today Dave and I had our first date at ElChico, I guess that is why we love it so much. So many things went wrong on that date; he was 2 hours late due to the fact he had thrown a rod on his bike and was sharing a car with Ellen, he spilled hot sauce on his shirt and then we went to a club out by the lake and his ex was there......after this I still went out with him again. If you truly know what has happened over the last few years it is really nice to celebrate the corny simple things. Tonight we will have Ellen watch the kids and we will go to ElChico and sit where we sat 8 years ago......and yes, he will probably still spill hot sauce on himself.

Asking Dave

I titled my blog this because I asked Dave what a good name for the blog would be and his answer was ABLOG.....well, that being taken I chose Never ask Dave.