The Neverending Story....home reno edition

So we have been in our house for a year as of the end of June. Some parts have seen major overhauls while others still are lagging behind in 1982 somewhere. Someday my prince will come (and by prince I mean a contractor for a great price who will make my home beautiful) and I will be able to sit back, relax and enjoy my palace.

In the meantime here is what has been going on around here.

So when we moved in we were priviledged to not only have 1 but 2 but ugly half falling down sheds. About a month after we moved in the first one came down and this spring number 2 met it's demise.

the shed that stood for a year. see the lovely hole above the right window? rotten!
the shed that lasted about a month. you can't tell but the whole bottom of the right side is rotted out
the lovely shed this spring

don'tcha love the gravel and the non-functioning light standard???? Tell me you do!

So in April that puppy came down! It was so rotten I could punch holes through parts of it. I kept getting my foot stuck in holes where the floor caved in! Awesome!

so we poured cement up to the back corner of the house...now the BBQ isn't against the wall anymore!

this part is where the shed will go

inside of the shed..pool equipment was still not hooked back up. lovely cement floors that will not rot out!!!

ah organization!!!!

the new shed...and Shawn's home if he misbehaves! LOL

We also installed a small retaining wall around the garden to keep the dirt from washing away into our pool. We turned a back corner of weeds into a garden (we are still warring with the weeds however) planted grass seed and some other plants around the area.

these will one day be nice big white lilacs.....if i don't kill them first

the back corner..it's starting to fill in nicely. Shawn bought me a korean lilac as it's "centerpiece"

the big retaining wall. we used 2500lbs worth of brick...my arms still hurt!

this was an afterthought using some bricks that were left here....looks good i think! this garden has exploded as well. I'm going to have to re-arrange several plants next year!

Other projects we have done so far include the electrical panel, a ton of painting (and still more to go) I changed the countertop and sink and painted the vanity in one bathroom, we replaced some carpet, cleaned the unusable fireplace and chimney, and soon we are tackling the kitchen. Got lots of great before pics for that post! LOL Then we will start on finishing the bathrooms and the remainder of the painting. Then replace the doors...and the grage door....and on and on and on (hence the title of this post) Here are some more pics of the house

Our room

the front garden that has since exploded
haven't done anything in this room yet except change the dining room light fixture....but it's hopefully getting a new coat of paint this summer!


the new panel....all switches, no fuses anymore, no double tapping, and lots of surge protectors. I know it doesn't look pretty but to me it's beautiful!
this is the vanity i fixed...she wasn't pretty before...now i love her!

At any rate I will be expanding on this post in the months (and most likely years) to come. I hope you enjoyed what you have seen thus far and hopefully I won't be such a slacker with these in the future.

Wow...........I really suck! LOL

Ok so to most it appears that I have totally abandoned my blog. It's not so. I just haven't has a clue as to what to write about. Call it bloggers block.

So I decided a recap was called for. So out comes the dayplanner as I try to remember 6 months worth of life in the LaFrance household!

So in January Shawn and I went away to Niagara Falls for a couple of days. it used to be a tradition of sorts for us but alas has gone by the wayside with things like life getting in the way. We stayed right on Clifton Hill and were right in the middle of the action. We ate at Ruby Tuesdays. I had an AMAZING steak....truly yummy! We went to some of the ultra cheesy attractions that Niagara has to offer and then went to see the light display by the falls. The falls are always a tricky thing for me. I think they are as beautiful as it can get and I am in awe of the beauty and the power of them. But I am also terribly afraid of heights and shrink away from them whenever I get in their vicinity. I have panic attacks when I bring the kids to them. I am always afraid one of them is going to fall over. It's enough to give a girl nightmares! That being said, it was a wonderful mini getaway albeit a little short. Nice to have some couple time!

You saw the post on Jenna's baptism...still wonderful to think about. At the end of the month we went and visited our friends Chris and Heather to celebrate the fact that their daughter Chloe's adoption had gone through and that she was officially theirs. It was a wonderful day, full of lots of friends and it was nice to see that they were in fact and official family of 4!

Lets see...February......Not much happened there. The Korvers and us went to Buffalo for a weekend. That was a lot of fun. We learned that sleeping in 1 hotel room isn't always good for sleep but certainly good for laughs. We went to the military road outlet mall and Walden Galleria. Eating at the Cheesecake Factory has to be a highlight of the trip. Great food!! On the way back to Canada we stopped at Fort Niagara and learned what the Americans think of the war. We all know who really won! LOL Other than that not a whole lot to write about!

March....Shawn got us tickets to see Movin' Out. It was great, but we were a little confused. We assumed it was a muscial. What it actually is, is interpretive dance telling a story based on the songs of Billy Joel. While we thoroughly enjoyed it.... I think a play would have been more my cup of tea.
One of my former Young Women, who is currently in college used our house as a fim location fora school project. It's amazing how much work goes into a project like that! I got to be the makeup person and watch the process. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed having Jess and her cast in our home. That being said...I still have to see the final product.....Need to get Jess to send me a copy! I wonder what my home looks like on film???
Shawn decided to be a girl and shop on a whim. We needed a new bed frame and Shawn wanted to get a new head board. So off to the store we go. However when we get there he lies down on a mattress for all of 2 minutes and declares he is buying it! I was flabbergasted but not going to shoot a gift horse in the mouth. So we buy the bed. It is truly a great mattress and box spring and I am grateful for Shawns spur of the moment decision.
I was super excited to go to a party at my friend Emilia's house. It was Twilight themed to coinside with the release of the DVD. A lot of our friends are super huge Twilight fans and it was a fun night full of twilight treats and trivia and what not. Thanks Emilia!!!!
Our dear friends Marni and Dave celebrated their daughter Marie's first birthday. It was a nice day and it was wonderful to share in their joy.


April....ugh April. Spring is here which means WORK! The old ugly shed was demolished to make way for the new one (post to follow) and we did some spring cleaning. I also turned 33 in April. Can't believe how fast time flies! Easter was good. Lots of food which we all know I love! We also started pricing some future reno's like our kitchen...which I hope happens sooner rather than later.

May we went to the neighborhood fair and fireworks. It's nice to live in an area where you can walk to things like that. We went on a ton of rides and ate funnel cake. I love the fair. And who ever they got to run it this year...much much better than some companies. All well dressed and about 98% of them still have their teeth! LOL They were really good to the kids too which is HUGE! You treat my kids well and you're good in my books. The fair is a 30 year tradition....word is they are going to cancel it....I hope that doesn't happen and this becomes something we do with them every year.
In May we got a lot of our reno done. I will make a seperate post on that....but we worked hard and so far it's paying off. I am really starting to love our backyard.

June was a busy month. Kids had 2 school trips each. The pool was hooked back up. My sister and my mom moved so that was a lot of work. School was on until the end of the month but I took my summer break a little early so I could have a little me time. Our friends Rob and Victoria left at the end of May to go to Florida with their kids. Owen, their oldest got a Starlight wish. He went to Disney for Star Wars weekend and got to fight Vadar. Vadar even gave him a signed lightsaber! I was trying to read a lot of books too. I started going to a bookclub and am really enjoying not only the social outing but getting a chance to read some really great books!
We celebrated our 12th anniversary this month. We went to this tiny little italian place for a nice dinner and then went to the movies to see Angels and Demons. It was a fun night!

And now we are into July. I am trying to survive life as a stay at home mom again. Not too much going on. Loving living near the library....that will come in handy this summer! lol Went to visit my sister Sarah for the day. That was nice. Her new apartment is looking really nice. We reapplied for our passports and I hope they come soon. We have plans to go to New York state and go camping at Darien Lake at the end of the month. I am hoping we can make a side trip to Palmyra but that remains to be seen.

Anyway, I realize this post may not be up to par.....but at least I am now somewhat caught up. If you are still reading this I thank you and think you are possibly a little nuts to keep hoping I will write something! LOL I promise to get back on track. Thanks for reading. New post coming soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8 is Great!

Our youngest daughter Jenna, was baptized on Sunday the 18th of this month. It was a wonderful day. All of our family was able to attend. I am sure it's a little odd for those family members who aren't LDS but it was a wonderful experience all the same. The dress we intended to use for the baptism was the one she wore for the wedding last year but her legs had other plans. Alas she had grown too big for it! So fortunately our friend Tracey Cerisano stepped in and let us use her daughter Lauren's dress. It was almost too big...coming right to the floor. But since longer is always better with a baptismal dress we went with it.

We asked Rob and Victoria Korver, 2 of oiur best friends to speak at the baptism as well as Marni and Dave Korver to offer the prayers. Melissa Hobbs played piano and Gina Neilson led the music. Jenna requested "Teach me to Walk in the Light" and "I am a Child of God" to be sung. Quite fittingly those were the songs Ethan requested for his baptism.

Shawn and Jenna were dressed in their whites and both looked like angels to me. Shawn led her down the steps into the font and her Daddy baptized her. I will never be more grateful for anything in my life than the fact that I have Shawn, a worthy priesthood holder as my husband. I was so proud of them both that day. The funny part was though that even though that dress was super long it kept floating up! It took 3 times for it to work! I keep telling her that she is super clean now!




After she had been baptized I had to take the poor shivering little thing into the washroom and get her changed. It was freezing in there which expedited our mission. She put on her normal dress and then after the talk by Rob, Jenna was given the gift of the Holy Ghost by Shawn. In the circle with him were Rob Korver, Dave Gravis and our Bishop, Tom Ayers. After the ceremony we all went back to our place for a little party. It was nice to have family and friends in our home to share in our joy. Nothing in this world could have made this a better day. We are now a family of 4, all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints. What a blessing that is!

Fun stuff!

I know that I haven't written anything in a dog's age on this thing...and you would probably rather have a real update....but I found this on another blog and thought it was cute so I did a little copy and paste action and here you go! You bold the stuff you have done in your lifetime. You guys should try it too! Would love to see your answers!


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (does a craft count???? I taught myself cross stitch!)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (does the Venetian hotel in Vegas count???)
29. Seen a total eclipse (I think I have...I remember something in highschool with a welding shield and a video camera in art class...not sure if it was a partial or full eclipse though..been a while since I was in highschool!)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (it wasn't fun!)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Seen the Lincoln Memorial in person
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (sort of...i am pretty sure i had a broken toe once)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (I have tried...I will some day!)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else’s blog to your own

Hope you enjoyed this little snippet into my life! I promise to update soon. I have so much to catch up on!

Grammie

My Grammie and Grampie on their 50th

Today would have been my Grammie Corkum's 90th birthday. Tonite I am going out with my Dad and the family to celebrate her special day. Unfortunately she won't be celebrating with us. She passed on 7 1/2 years ago after a long battle with cancer.

My Grammie was an incredible woman. She lived at home (with my Aunt Marge after Grampie went) up until the bitter end. She dealt with many physical difficulies over the years. Her foot was crushed when she was younger. She had knee and hip problems. Cancer took her breast and then eventually took her life; but nothing ever stood in her way. She went about her daily life without so much as a groan. I remember fondly a talk we had when she lost her breast to cancer. She didn't want us to be afraid so she showed my sister and I her scar and explained why she had the surgery. Obviously she was getting on in years and her skin was not as tight as it once was so she had this little piece that came out on one side. She said to me "Look Rach! I'm growing a new one!" That was her sense of humour. She always made me laugh. She never wanted us to be afraid of things or shy away from her.

Grammie loved having her hair played with. I spent hours upon hours brushing her hair and pinning it back for her. She always wore her hair the same way. She loved to cook too. So many of her dishes I look back upon fondly. I can almost taste her fish, her cinnamon buns, her tea biscuits. She made the best food! All real traditional comfort food. We used to snap beans and shell peas from the garden. Pick strawberries and raspberries. She taught me a lot about growing things. I have certain plants in my house and in my garden that I have to remind me of her. Makes missing her not quite so hard.

Grammie loved her soaps. If I watched them with her and the couple on TV kissed she would always say something to make me blush. Kissing was so gross back then! It made her laugh to see me.

Grammie was also ambidexterous. She had great penmanship with either hand. I got my left handedness from her (that was her natural hand....school caused her to become two handed). It's something that I take pride in. She also always kept these little pink peppermints in her hutch. It was a real treat to get one of her candies.

My Grammie and my Grampie had a great love. They were both stubborn as mules; that was quite evident especially in their early years, but nothing or no one could ever come between them. They used to kiss in a certain way. They would rub noses and then kiss and rub noses again. It is truly the cutest thing you ever saw. I loved to see how much they loved one another after all those years. As they got older and infirmities set in it used to touch me so deeply how they would do all these little things to make life easier for the other.. They were the essence of true love.

My Grammie and I were both born with a terrible affliction. We call it being born with your bladder behind your eyes. We could both cry at the drop of a hat. Our yearly visit out East was always so wonderful and meaningful. Leaving them was always so hard. My Grammie and I would cry and cry forever on leaving day. Saying goodbye to her was always the hardest part. Something I never quite got over.....especially the last time.

So cute together

The last time I saw her was in 2000. I was newly pregnant with Jenna and Ethan had just turned 2. She loved to spend time with her great grandson. I know he meant a lot to her. I wish he could remember her. In 2001 her health took a bad turn. She was riddled with cancer and her body was just tired. She had fought the good fight and went to be with my Grampie. I rushed a picture of Jenna, who was a newborn, to her so that she could look upon her great grandbaby before she went. Her picture was taped beside her bed. I'm glad she at least got to see what she looked like before she died. It was a blessing that she went. She had been through so much; but it is hard living in a world without her in it. I haven't been back to Nova Scotia since she passed. I am scared to deal with the fact that she really is gone. If I go there then I have to face it. Right now I can almost pretend that she is in Nova Scotia and all is well. I plan to make the trek out there this summer and I know it will be painful...but I have lots of wonderful memories of my Grammie and I know her spirit lives on with my Grampie where she belongs.

Happy 90th Birthday Grammie. I miss you more than you will ever know. I will love you always and look forward to being with you again someday.

Love Rachel

September thus far!

What a wild and crazy month we've been having so far! With me back at work we are slowly progressing to a new "normal" around here. I'm starting to get used to my job but would still love something that is more "me". Food service is not where it's at! LOL

The kids are adjusting well to school. Ethan's teacher Mrs Kuttenkueler or "Mrs K." for those who have issues pronunciation- is a FANTASTIC teacher. She is working well with him. She even spent her Saturday watching the shows that Ethan talks about so that when he starts going into his little worlds she can better reach him. Amazing attention to detail! He has even made a friend named Trent which is a HUGE deal in Ethan land. It's hard to play in his world because it's so hard to understand. I'm his mother and I don't get it half the time! We're hoping come soon there will be play dates with Trent and that this is only the beginning of a great friendship to span the years at Mt Albion.

Jenna has been doing well. Her teacher Ms. Harwood is pregnant and leaving soon (this is teacher #8 in her school history). And due to a huge influx of new students Jenna is now being switched to a new grade 2 class with a whole new teacher. I am hoping the work will stimulate her more. Right now she's bored and never gets any homework. I think she would actually like some homework. I really sense a desire in her to learn.

Shawn is still successful at his job. He keeps making his company lots of money which keeps them very happy. LOL He is doing a wonderful job as the gospel doctrine teacher. I am amazed at his capacity to teach and speak in a public forum like that. I have absolutely no desire to do so myself. I think I would faint before I got up there! I am very proud of him and the hard work that he does. So grateful to be his wife.

My dear friend Marni turned 40 this month and we celebrated her birthday with a huge dance at a local hall. Lots of people turned up. Friends DJ'ed and we partied like it was 1999! LOL The theme was hawaiian and it was great to see those who did dress for the occassion. She's an awesome person and deserved to have an awesome night. I hope she liked it!

Still no more progress made on the house....we're terrible! We were all into it for a while and now we just can't do it anymore. I'm still hoping we will find our way back to it soon. Lots to do! Keeping my fingers crossed. Anyway, thanks to all those who still read. Sorry my entries have been sporatic at best. Wishing you all a wonderful fall!

My "little" job

So once the kids are back in school again for the year I get a little job to keep me busy while the kids are in school. This year I started working at Quiznos a few blocks from my house.

So far it has been a rough go. I am absolutely exhausted and I don't think I am doing as well as I should be. Maybe I am being hard on myself but there are moments every day where I feel like the STUPIDEST person on the planet. I thought a place like Quiznos would be easy but I was so wrong. There are like 30 different recipes you have to know by heart, then there is the "easy" register which I always manage to mess up, and all the food prep that keeps you busy throughout the day.

I'm working Mon to Fri from 9-2:30. So while it's only a 5 1/2 hour shift I am pooped at the end for being on my feet the whole time and I never have a break. We're just too busy.

Now that being said I really like the people I work with. I could not have a more accommodating boss. I have 2 days off next week because the kids have a PA day and Ethan has an eye appointment. I have learned a lot and feel like I have made strides...Just wish it came to me easier.

And then there are the aches and pains of us 30 somethings. When you're 21 nothing hurts and once you hit 30 it all hurts. My wrist is in a permanent state of pain and my back has knots up and down it. I am going to have to invest in better shoes. And maybe find a way to get gloves over a wrist brace. LOL That should be fun!

I got my first paycheque today though and that was a nice treat. I'm going to get a few things for myself...all that work deserves a little treat. I am thinking a nice purse would be awesome.

So I'm gonna tough it out a little while longer. If anyone knows of a job that pays decent and requires much less pain...let me know and my views might change! LOL

Anyway, this new job has me exhausted! Hope this message finds you all doing well!

Boy am I ever behind!

Alright, I admit it....I suck at keeping this thing up. I shall try to do better in the future. In the meantime, lets put the berating aside and I will catch you up on a few things happening the LaFrance abode.

So we have finished the little bathroom upstairs as much as we can for now. The shower rip out/replacement will have to be a spring job as I don't have it in me financially or energy-wise. But I have fixed the vanity, painted it a beautiful chocolate brown, installed a new countertop, sink and faucet (YES ME!! lol) new fixtures, lighting and painted it. To cover the HIDEOUS shower we painted the outer tile white (we aren't using it so it shouldn't scratch) and hung a shower curtain to hide the awful 80's glass door. So now it looks like a beautiful spa getaway. The mood is so much calmer than the old yellow and blue theme. I love those colours but the tones were harsh and made you feel anxious. Just glad it is done for now and hopefully it won't be too long until we have a new shower in there.

In other house news we tore down the one shed and now have much more lawn. Turns out there was a HUGE dirtpile hiding behind the shed so we have turned that into a new garden that will have some pretty annuals but will mostly be a fruit and veg garden. My dinnerplate hibiscus is out in bloom and I am so excited! I wish I had pictures to download. Soon I promise! While the vast amounts of rain were crappy for our social lives, our basement (ugh...don't even get me started) and our pool time; it did wonders for our plants. Next year we plan on builing nice retaining walls around the beds and raising the dirt level to ammend the soil so that they can do that much better next year. I never thought I would be that into plants....go figure!

The master bedroom remains undone. I think Shawn and I are just exhausted....maybe at some point this month we will tackle that one. Maybe by then I will have some photos! LOL

My sister Sarah came up to visit for a few days. It was great to see her again. We hung out by the pool, went shopping, got my haircut and went to the Winona Peach Festival. It was an all round good visit. I often wish she lived closer so we could do things like that more often. It's hard not having family close sometimes.

We took the kids to St Jacobs the weekend before school started. The Lego store there is one of their most favourite places in the whole world. Got some yummy veggies at the market and toured the stores in the village. Then we took a quick juant to Waterloo where there is a great park with a zoo of sorts and a splash pad. It was a fun visit made all the more fun by our travelling companions the Thompsons. Their kids went to our kids old school and over the last few years we have been fortunate to become friends with them. We love our visits and the kids really love seeing the people they miss.

We have been given Church callings now too! Shawn is now the gospel doctrine teacher and I am activity day leader for the girls (formally known as achievment girls leader) I just got called this last Sunday so I have yet to do anything as far as my calling is concerned, but I am so proud of Shawn and how well he is doing in the calling. Think I would get in trouble for flirting with the teacher??

The kids started their new school on Tuesday. So far things are going well. Jenna has adjusted well (as if there was any doubt) and Ethan has had a few bumps but it hasn't been a bad transition. The teachers are very involved and are easy to work with. It's always nice to know that you have someone with a vested interest in having your kids succeed and be happy working with you. The LRT has been FABULOUS. She spends time with him every day so far. I hope that she continues to have a close working relationship with him. I am not sure how much of that he got before.

As for me, I started a new job this week at Quiznos. Now I know this isn't anyones idea of a dream job but it's something to keep me busy while the kids are in school. I work from 9-2:30 Mon-Fri so it is perfect as far as letting me be the mom I want to be. We will see how things like holidays and PA days go, but for now it suits me. I feel a little overwhelmed still. There are over 20 sandwiches I have to learn how to build, and learning the routine has been interesting. I never get to sit down which is bad in one way and good in another. I hate being bored on the job. We had a lot of that post Christmas rush at the portrait studio. But man I am exhausted!!!! It's go go go all day long. I am having the hardest time remembering things and getting the hang of it. I am sure it will come. The boss said during my interview it takes about 3 weeks to a month and I am only on day 2. So hopefully it won't be too long before it all kicks into high gear and I become a sandwich making phenoem! Wish me luck!!

In other news....my bro in law and his lovely wife, and our friends Rob and Victoria are buying a house (not together obviously! LOL)!!!!!!! I am so thrilled for all of them! I know how happy we are to finally have a home of our own, it's nice to see others have the same kind of happiness.

Anyway, after a long day or work and kids that's about all I have in me for now. Sorry I haven't been doing my blogging duty. I will try to make it up to you soon! Thanks for reading!

Back to work blues

So now that the summer holiday is nearing it's end it's time once again for me to find a job. It's very difficult because of what I want and need from a job makes it nearly impossible to find. The kids are in school from 8:40 until 3:00 so I need to find a job that will only book me within those hours because there is no one to watch my kids. I have no family or friends nearby and with what I would make at said job would not cover the cost of daycare. So that being said I stand a good chance of also needing PA days off because of the kids, and holidays that aren't closed. I know....good luck Rachel! My job last year at the portrait studio was great as far as allowing me that opportunity but I am not going back there. I am not looking for full time work or something that keeps me super busy but with the kids not home all the time it's nice to have something to keep you a little busy. Plus now with the house we could use any extra income that we can get. Even if all it does is help pay for Christmas and incidentals. So while I haven't officially begun my search yet I hope and pray that something comes my way that lets me be the mom I want to be yet also lets me help contribute a little bit financially. Wish me luck! I have a feeling I am going to need it!

Lie to me!

What is it with the incessant need that kids have to lie? At this point we haven't dealt with any major lies in this house ala "this party is adult supervised and there will be no drinking" kind of vibe but it happens all the same.

Take this morning for instance. I must have asked Ethan 5 times to brush his teeth. Every time I would say "Ethan have you brushed your teeth yet?" and he would reply that yes he had....Well he obviously hadn't because his toothbrush was still dry and his mouth smelled like my kitchen garbage can. So after the last bald faced lie I called him out on his lying behavior.

There is not much in the world that a mother hates more than when her kids lie. And they all do it, it's human nature I guess....but man do I hate it! And they start so young! The "I didn't do it's" and the "I don't know"'s start pretty soon after they learn how to talk. Is there some innate reflex that tells their little minds that Mom is stupid enough to believe that the ice cream on the couch just walked itself over there? Do they think we will not figure it out? It's worse when there is more than 1 of them....because then you are never 100% sure who the culprit is.....and they team up too. "Look if neither of us cracks then she can't punish us because she won't know who to punish!!!!"

So we had a nice long talk today about how it's not good to lie. Laid on the the guilt a little thicker than normal but I think I got through to them.....if only for today. (if only for the next hour? LOL)