It's a called a Quickie

As I still, yes STILL wait for my new computer. This is sickeningly RIDICULOUS PEOPLE!!! I have but a couple of pics to share from the past week. There are many from Christmas that I've got to share before I am disowned. However, I'm not much into the late hours lately and it's very late and I have little to show for my time sitting here.
I won't get started on the ridiculousness of the shipping of my new computer tower. I mean I really will NOT!

At any rate.
I love this one. I had to antique it b/c it reminded me of an old shot from way back. Cody putting his "letter" to Santa on the mantle. Hey, I'm sure Santa could read it even if I could not. Cody knew what he meant! Aren't those trap door jammies to die for???? They love them, so do we!

Shannon, don't show SUe please!!! She'll be on the other side of the sofa soon!
Did I mention we got a lap dog????

That coffee cup is really Kade's.

Cody needs no coffee. Thank you though.

Not a lot of anything going on here at the moment. Tired. Annoyed. THankful.
Oh... well okay I lied.
There is ONE big thing.
Of great interest to anyone that has no children. OH wait... I mean that the other way around. ha!
Cody, who went on potty hiatus after we arrived, is now VERY much almost potty trained!!!! He just had to be left the hell alone. He goes all by himself and does NOT want your help! This is very helpful since his favorite outfit is his nakedness.
He's SO proud of himself too. We've not used any sticker chart or rewards at all. Nothing but unending fanfare. HE's good to go. Not on purpose, it's just the way it has played out. For the time being, he seems pretty satisfied with just getting a big deal made of it. This is only b/c he must've heard me tell Mike that apparently we should just ignore it and act like it happens everyday. Due to this recent development...we now also have to scream and jump and hi-five for Kade as well. Hey, if it gets me out of putting the pull ups people's grand kids through college...I don't care. I'll go outside and scream it to the whole damn village if they want me to.
I'll write it on my car. I'll blog about it. hahaha
We're proud of our little guy and I really need to video him. Not in the act obviously...but when he comes out of the bathroom b/c it's pretty damn cute if I do say so myself. MAN is he ever proud of himself!!!!
He is even napping naked. Yeah... hey don't ask me. It's what he's insisting on. I hope he finds an open-minded wife when he's grown. hahaha!
At any rate, that is our excitement here.
The boys have been doing fantastic which is honestly what I LEAST expected since they've had this LONG break from school. Mike is back to work this week and running 12's no less, which sucks. So he's not really seeing the boys much at all other than me keeping them up past bedtime to see Dad for half an hour. I shouldn't I'm sure, but I can't help it. I feel bad for all of them.

Okay seriously though. I've got to get to bed.
Now I'll be a grump tomorrow b/c I was up so late. I've figured that much out already. ha!

More to come... but don't wait on the edge of your seat... ha!

Job Well Done.

I know that when this is the reaction I get when I point a camera at my four year old... I'm raising him right.
That's my BOY!

Oh yeah and...

I thought I should update since I've complained about it so long. My coat FINALLY arrived just over a month later. How pathetic is that?
I suppose I should just be happy it doesn't take that long for packages that WE send to get out...MOST of the time granted. Not always. It is so up in the air. So, we can't try to skimp on airfare and ship ourselves home for a visit. Damn.
Anyway. I do now have a coat. My question is, if the return policy states 30 days, and I got here it a month and a half after I ordered it b/c their shipping SUCKS BALLS, does it count? I mean seriously? I'm not sending it back, but it was a thought.
Anyway. I was wanting it to hurry and get here when I ordered it, which there is NO REASON AT ALL it should've taken so freakin long to get here, to make sure it was warm enough. Well...it's more of a fall/spring jacket than a dead of winter coat.
*sigh*
Certainly not worth the trouble or the time it would take to return it though.
Jack asses. I will NEVER order online from there again. Part of it was our mail system, but the majority of that, was the store itself. Thaks so much for that upgraded shipping. (If only I had a great photo of someone flipping the bird, however it IS Christmas so I suppose I'll can it).
I'ts here, it fits so that is all.

Now if my NEW DAMN COMPUTER WILL HURRY UP!
It was supposed to be here a week and a half ago to two weeks. Here yet? Nope. Can I check its tracking online? For some reason. NOpe.
Why? The evil people that are working at the post office on base are probably playing some dumb computer games on it and making it act stupid so it will be good and messed up by the time I get it. I"m sure it will arrive just as the warranty runs out.

We still have a few packages that were sent to us that are not here yet as well. Luckily...the boys will just be excited they still have more stuff to open!

Hopefully someone will come through and give me my computer soon! I'm loaded down with photos and videos to share, but just not the patience to make it happen so I can share them.

Um.
Hmmm....that bitching came out of nowhere. I just felt I should say that my coat FINALLY arrived and I"m waiting on MORE stuff to get here.

Have a lovely day :)

Happy Holidays!

Now that it is well past my anticipated early bedtime, I just wanted to come on and wish everyone a very happy and safe holiday.

I did not get to send out Christmas cards this year, but am actually working on something else, so please don't feel left out. NO ONE got one!

Until now.... it's just online! Via blog, e-mail or otherwise. Hey, it's more environmentally sound anyway! No paper, no trees, no fuel to deliver it, no power to recycle it. So on and so forth.

This environmentalist stuff rubs off on you quick!

We had a great day, the first year Kade really "got" the Santa thing and we still had to remind him he had stuff waiting downstairs, that we had to rush down and see what Santa brought. Still, they went straight for the stuff they opened yesterday, completely oblivious to the new things under the tree or the stuffed full stockings, missing cookies and apples and empty milk glass.

They missed it all.

However, they were very excited when we showed it to them. So I have no doubt though, that NEXT year, we'll have to keep our ears open for them because I have a feeling this was the last year we don't get pounced on at 4 a.m. to go see if Santa has come yet.

At any rate, it was grand. We missed our families terribly and it was kind of tough, at least we were able to talk to most everyone on the phone. I guess I am going to have to mail my Granny a letter to let her know that is ME calling! ha! Damn caller ID, backfires on me sometimes!

So, here is your very "Green" Christmas Card! Pretend it came in the mail...

A beautiful moment I will never forget...

There will certainly be more posting for Christmas, much much to say, but...I'm in the middle of cooking, so it will have to wait.
However, I did take just a moment because there was this moment a short while ago. I think it made up for my feeling lonely and missing all of my people back home today. I'm certainly not ALONE by any measure, but talking to my sister yesterday, I really really wanted to be at home with everyone. We are there in spirit and they with us, so...hey what more can we ask for?

At any rate, I got this fantastic gift I've been dying for, but as usual won't spend the money on, so I'm in the kitchen enjoying my new iPod player thingie. So much easier to cook and be banished in exile to the steamy kitchen if there is music to dance and sing to. Yep, it's a hot sight me in my pj's still shaking my money maker to Eminem on Christmas day.

In walks my baby Cody, in his red trap door jammies sent over by Granny which I LOOOOVE. He asks to be held so I pick him up, he lays his head on my shoulder and melts into my chest, as I hear Norah Jones' "The Nearness of You" start lulling out of the iPod.
So we danced. We slow danced to every sweet word of that song, him hugging in tighter and tighter the whole way. Next I heard Etta James' "At Last" and we continued to dance through every wave of that timeless beautiful tune.
I can only remember a few times in my life, that my heart has welled up with so much genuine happiness. It brought tears to my closed eyes, a smile across my whole face as my baby of 2 snuggled into me as far as he could, just as if he were a newborn still, slow dancing with me on Christmas Day in my kitchen in England.
Cold and dreary outside, but warm and sunny on the inside.
It came, just as I stood in the kitchen, thinking of home and my Grandma's busy bustling house FULL of family members fighting over turkey and dumplins and at my Brother in laws house where the screeches of laughter from all the little ones, the thumps of their feet across the floor as they chased each other around and around and the relaxed chitter chatter of all the adults above the children, and of course... at least a few of us making fun of Shannon for wiping a hole in the counter again.
My baby boy came in, and reminded me, wherever we are together, even if it were in a snow storm in the wilderness somewhere, we're still home together.
It is one of those moments, that is now bottled up to savor and look back on when I need it. Likely when I'm at the end of my rope with him on the many occasions to come! ha!

More on our holiday festivities in a bit... seems everyone back home is just waking up, getting around, except a few that I know were up hours ago slaving away on all those yummy holiday treats.


Merry Christmas!

Chops Last Stop -- The Newest Payne

Yep, meet the newest member of our family. Chops.
I've searched obsessively for a dog in a rescue since we got settled into our house. I knew we'd be getting one once we got here, now just to get that chubby Sue dog over here (hahaha!) Our family will be complete. Anyway I've been extremely annoying, more than usual yes it is possible, about finding the RIGHT dog for us. My hours and hours of dog hunting have done just that. I believe we've found the PERFECT match.
I was, and still am, so shocked that MIKE picked him, I sort of slid him in at the end of my short list and Mike chose him hands down. So y'day we packed up the boys in the car and headed up North. WAY up North. Granted...had it been in Texas it would've taken us all of maybe an hour and a half MAYBE to get there. Nooope. Not here.
Make that 3.5-4 hours one way. Long day. LONG day for the damn car DVD players to QUIT WORKING!!!!! Argh! Not to mention super smart parents we are, could've just gone ahead and bought Co one of his Christmas gifts early and let him have it for the trip and wrapped some cheapies to open on Thursday. He'd never know. ha!
Anyway, the boys did good and we also realized that up North of here, isn't really the pretty part of England. It was nice, don't get me wrong and it IS the middle of December, but just didn't seem as nice in the countryside as other areas.
Anyway.
We are all absolutely head over heels for this guy. He's fantastic with the boys, he's a great watch dog already (he'll give the postman a start tomorrow I'm sure of it), he has had us laughing most of the day, and he LOVES toys! I love it when dogs love toys!!! He's just wonderful.
Kade is REALLY obsessed with him, but..well he was like that when we first brought Cody home and we all know that phase passed. haha! (Not a whole lot though b/c he still wants his brother with him all the time).
Anyway, last night I got more sleep than I've had in ages, and apparently I wasn't done b/c I've gone completely brain dead and my lids are so heavy I can hardly keep them open. So...nothing funny, fancy or creative at all.
Just wanted to show off the newest member of the family.
We're all simply smitten. Some silly fools out in this world have tossed this poor guy back and forth. So he's been abandoned, picked up as a stray, taken to rescue, fostered, adopted, taken back, fostered, adopted taken back, and fostered, almost adopted, then fostered same house and finally with us. What is the reason they all had? "He's too big."
Actually, he was smaller than I thought he was going to be when we got there! He doesn't even come ALL the way up to my KNEE!!!!
So it will likely take him awhile to realize this is it. This is IT though. It's only been a day and a half and we are all so smitten with him. Cody is a little less interested, but he's still excited and happy to have him, just not as into the whole dog thing. He calls him "dog" most of the time instead of his name. THe way he says it sounds like he's trying to remain unemotional about the animal in the house. haha!
Anyway, here's the "dog". LOL

My sister has dubbed it 80's month

Well, now that she's told me for the 5th time that she hates some of my tunes on here, I decided I'd make a little game for her. Now I have updated and even removed a few tunes. She has to figure out THREE that were just for her. I could make it easy...but no. Why would I do that?
I could've just added 3 from that era and left it so easy, but seriously as I got busy looking around for them, I found many that I do like.
So it is now officially 80's month on the blog. Make that 80's Month with some of the stuff that is on here already because I'm too lazy to find it again later. ha!

So, with that...for some of you regular readers of mine, obviously the ones I know - you might find a tune on here that I might have put on here with you in mind...can you guess the right one?
Try it and see!
I'll tally it up at the end of January! :)

So, sorry for anyone that finds some of my songs obnoxious. You can just hit the "pause" button on the player, you can probably turn it off too, or just mute. hahahaha.
Hope not, if nothing else I just like to open my blog and listen. LOL

XOXOX !!!!!!

Miss ya sis!!!!
(okay and one of these songs WILL be easy b/c it makes my skin crawl and she KNOWS it).

Are you disappointed in me?

I would be. This is the sorriest blogging month yet. I simply don't think I've had much to say. haha! I'm feeling rather boring still. I might have a touch of Christmas Blues maybe. . . I don't know. I don't feel like it actually, but perhaps that explains it. More than anything...I just have absolutely nothing of interest to say, little time to be creative in coming up with something even remotely creative and simply little time to even sit here to type out more than "I...".
My children have been sick, then I have been sick, then my husband has been sick, and my kids were sick again - you read that right... THREE males in my home sick at the same time. I survived, pat me on the back. Oh and then I got sick AGAIN.
I honestly can't think back to exactly what year it was that I was not sick during the holidays. I KNOW I will have some sort of funk on Thanksgiving and I'll get some other form of funkier funk for Christmas. When is the last time I got to sit AT the table with my family for turkey and dressing? Instead of being banished to the laundry room?
No, I'm joking of course - they love me enough to tolerate my infectious nature. To a degree of course...
At any rate. I'm disappointed in my lack of blogging this month. My only excuse is illness and a busy month and lack of computer time etc...

Tomorrow is a pretty exciting day for us, hopefully I'll be sharing some neat photos after tomorrow. We're off on a bit of a day trip tomorrow and get to see some new countryside, so I'm very excited about that!!!

The other exciting thing is the computer fairy really DOES exist! I have been waiting and waiting and ARGH!!! Dell don't make me take back my love proclamation for you! It was supposed to be delivered from last Thursday to this MOnday. HELLO it is FRIDAY!!! Still no sign.

Oh and to add to THAT frustration... I have NO COAT STILL!!!!!! I ordered in mid/late November and oh what's that? It's the end of DECEMBER AND I AM COLD!!!!!!!
Jack asses.
All of them. Every damn one of them. Thank God we did not get orders to Antarctica or something. Oh man.
COME ON DELL!!!!!! COME ON COAT!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE PEOPLE!!!

Okay.
That is all. I have to get up early and we all know how well I do that, so I should take this opportunity to sleep a bit.

I'll even pick up my camera. Now that I've cleaned off my 10 gb's of cards (lalalalalah....).

I bid you all farewell....

BOORRRR-ING!!!!

That is just how I feel lately. Absolutely unequivcally boring. I don't know when I've ever been so boring. Not really bored, just boring. I'm sure I've been boring before, but it was my delusion that I was not so leave it be!
I have not picked up my camera since Kade's birthday! Can you believe that? It has sat up on my desk for ten whole days untouched. I'm sure it has felt so neglected and unloved. I'm sorry Canon, truly I am.
So I have no new photos to share, although I know there is a plethora of old ones I've never shared but eh... frankly I'm too damn lazy to go hunt them down right now. Doubt they've even been converted yet. Blah.
Can we all have a big collective BLAH?????
I'm in the holiday spirit though. So it is not that. I wonder if it is S.A.D.? Maybe I need to go hit the tanning bed a few times. That is a good idea self! That might just do me wonders! Okay, then it is settled self, tanning we will go!
See? Lord. I am so boring I even bore myself.
It would worry me if there was a case of S.A.D. coming up already because we've got a LONG LONG way to go! Yikes! No, I'm sure I just need some serious mental stimulation that'd do me wonders. I was curious though if KIDS get it. Like little kids like mine. Kade hasn't been to bad but oh that Cody. *sigh*
He's just been sooooooo aggressive lately. He's very wound up and grumpy a lot. Maybe I need one of those sun lamp things I've seen. I almost find this condition and the treatments for it sort of fascinating. I must research it. I can surely believe it though, it is so hard to deal with it getting dark so early and staying dark so late. I always feel so tired, as if I've been up way way past my non-existent bedtime. We left to go to Mike's Christmas party last weekend and I felt like we leaving the house at 8 but it was only 5.
The weather? It is cold as hell. That's all I can say about that.
So you know in Texas it has to be below freezing for what? 48 hours or 72 hours before anything will stick to the roads? Well it is not freezing or below all day everyday, but if it frosts over at night you can bet your sweet arse it is going to be slick as owl... well my my isn't that some good ol' Texas coming out in me? hehe.

My current state is hope and excitement. Santa is landing a puppy in my stocking, but not a little puppy. I'll so pass on the chewing, shitting, pissing, whining training stuff. Thanks but no thanks. I've had babies and diapers and plenty of pissing and shitting and whining to last me a long long while. We've even tried to decide if rubbing Co's nose in it when HE pees in the carpet is child abuse or not. I'm going to lean toward yes, but don't think the thought doesn't cross your mind sometimes. Oh you think that is awful? Well I'll send him on over so he can piss in your carpet a few times.
Anyway, I've obsessively searched every single dog rescue for the entire flippin country for the majority of the time we've been here, once we got our house that is. I know every dog at every rescue backward and forward. I narrowed it down to five or six and then had Mike narrow it down further. We were down to a red dobie male pup, a female dobie mix and a boxer/mastiff mix. I was absolutely beyond FLOORED when Mike dropped every other dog in an instant when he saw this big huge pooch. I've always tried to sweet talk him into these enormous dogs (any enormous dog I swear the uglier and slobbier the better) but he's always adamant that we will NOT own one. While he's not a giant mosterous pooch, he is a bit on the big side. I dont' think he'll end up any larger than Elvis was.
Anyway. Cross your fingers that everything works out. You KNOW if Mike is so smitten with him he's got to be a special pup! He's normally so aloof about it, but he's smitten for sure. The description of this pup is just dreamy. That is all I can say and so I'm hoping we'll have him snuggled up with us on Christmas morning! Cross your fingers, I swear I'm almost giddy!!!
It has been such a long tedious process and I've honestly obsessed way too hard over it, but I really want another doggie. Sue needs a sibling, she loves having another dog around, so how neat will it be when she gets here to have a big "little" brother? She'll be in heaven!

So yeah.
That is the most of my excitement right now. While sure it is exciting, it is sort of sad too. ha!

I swear, I'm not even humorous or anything right now.
I should probably go get the kids from school, who knows what the teachers will do to me if I subject them to Co's temper longer than necessary! ha

I Stand Corrected.

I apparently named my blog here incorrectly. It still holds humor for me though so it shall stay. Regardless, I have to say I've not once heard a single person say, "cheerio!" since I got here. I guess it's not even remotely cool. Maybe that damn cereal took the lustre out of it.
No, they actually say, "Cheers Mate!". I feel so rude not returning the sentiment, but man it feels like such an ODD thing to say to me! NOt sure why, I just can't imagine, especially with my fantastic Texas drawl saying, "Cheers Mate!"
I think that stands for, bye, see you later, thank you, you're welcome ... so on and so forth. Apparently a term with a broader usage than "aloha". Never thought that would happen did you?

I always feel I should explain

Of course I love country music, and there are a couple on my player. However, one song in particular might stand out. A little Conway Twitty. Sadly some of you are like, "WHO??". Come on folks!
Anyway I always feel like I should explain. That song is the first song Mike and I ever danced to. How fitting huh??? hahahaha! I can remember everything from that dance, the whole conversation. He was impressed that I knew who sang it. Puh-leeease! ha!
Anyway.
Most of my tunes have some significance if you had ever wondered, which I highly doubt you have...but just in case. ;)
I should add some Christmas tunes. Hopefully I'll remember to get them off of there before NEXT Christmas! :)

A Birthday Serenade...

Anyone that has heard about it, or heard snippets through the phone has been dyin gto see this. I have finally, FINALLY succeeded in getting it loaded!!!! YAY!
Ugh. Finally!

Without further ado... Kade's singing debut.
"Bob the Builder - the theme song". (in his own words of course).

My Biggest Birthday Boy

Did you know that you turned 4 today? Four years old, it is honestly unbelievable that you are already so old. I won't say it just seems like yesterday, but maybe only a year ago that I held your tiny baby body in my arms. The story of your birth is one that is still remembered in the Labor and Delivery Ward where you were born. You are so special, you had to make one heck of an entrance! You most certainly did do just that!
You have always had this aura that is hard to describe, it surrounds you completely and always has. You are tender, empathetic, giving and very very animated! I have recently decided that you will be a wonderful actor. You love to play bits from movies you see and pretend you are characters. You do it so well too! Your artistic side has been blossoming lately and it makes my heart swell. You can make anything out of anything, you love to find shapes in the clouds and make intricate works with things only an artist could use. Your creativity is endless. You are always the first to rush to someone that might be sad or injured to be sure that they are okay. When Mommy's heart hurt so bad last year it broke even more because you were so concerned, you sat and cried with your arms wrapped around my neck telling ME it was going to be okay. A mere three years old, and you consoled your Mommy when she could not hide her hurt from you.
You offer up the tightest hugs at any given time, and never ever refuse a smooch. You have always puckered those lips out a mile to give a good kiss, since you were a little baby. Your eyes, those beautiful beautiful eyes, see the world differently than anyone else does. There is no denying that, just the way you look at things, the way you stare off in the distance, it seems you can see the whole world right in front of you. You have always been such a clown, you make me laugh every chance you get, and perform for the family when you think no one is looking. One of my greatest joys is watching, watching yourself in the mirror when you think no one sees. You are most definitely MY son, no doubt of that! Not only because you look so much like I did at that age -- but boy-ish of course! So many of your mannerisms, expressions and actions just remind me so much of me when I was able to be free.
You are, honestly, so much greater of a big brother than I could have ever expected. You are so proud of your baby brother, so protective and so loving. Of COURSE you guys fight, but you are supposed to. You fight less than you love and play together and that is what is important. You've stood up for him from day one, even though he can take you down already, you still don't hesitate for one moment to stand up for him, speak up for him or just give him a kiss and hug when he is afraid.
I dreamt of you.
I dreamt of hearing you cry, holding you against my chest and of staring at you. Just staring at you. The whole time I was pregnant with you, that is what I would day dream about. Just staring at you. I did plenty of that when you got here too. I love to watch you be a kid, I love to just LET you be a kid. I wish and hope that you only ever know the freedom of being yourself to your core. I hope that you appreciate and love the person you are and the person you are becoming. I hope that you never once question who you are, and if you do...that you can quickly find him again. You never cease to amaze me with how intelligent you are, how creative and just how simply beautiful you are inside and out. There are times that I look at you and cannot believe what I did that was so good, to get such an amazing son as you. I'm not sure how I deserved you, but I'm sure not going to question it much! I am thankful to no end, that I was blessed with you. Blessed with a healthy beautiful little boy who has a heart of gold, who is happy, helpful and loving.
This age is so wonderful, an age your Daddy and I have always looked forward to because you are such a big boy, you can tell us things all on your own. So the first time you randomly said, "Mommy, I love you". all on your own nearly had me in tears. The time I laid you in bed and you looked up at me with those enormous eyes and said, "Mommy, you're my BEST friend!" I will never ever forget that as long as I live. It was one of those moments that Mommy's look forward to and always hold on to.
I will admit I was pretty sad that this year, we were not surrounded by our family and friends on your special day. I was afraid that you would think it was not as special or important because they were not all here. However, you were so proud of it being your day, so proud of your "Birthday Boy" button you wore all day and so proud to be able to READ your name on your birthday cake. You never once got upset that it was just us four. You loved it. You loved your gifts and your cake and your ribs. Everything about you, you loved it so much you asked again when you went to bed, if we could have your birthday again tomorrow.
You are just happy to be with your family and have them making a bit more of a fuss over you...that's my boy!
We all love you so much, are so proud of you and so very blessed to have you in our lives.

I love you so much my little Monkey. No matter how OLD you get, I will never stop calling you that so get over it!
My wish for you, is for you to always know how very very loved you are by everyone.
EVERYONE.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!



Here you are on your way to school sporting your birthday boy badge!
You got to take cupcakes to school, you requested chocolate so Mommy made you devil's food with triple chocolate icing! If we're going to have chocolate...why not go all the way?

You are such a big boy!

Your current favorite food is ribs! You silly boy, but you eat them like they are going out of style! So you, of course, had your favorite meal tonight!

We then had your chocolate birthday cake with red on it. Per your request. :) Someday Mommy will make a straight cake!