Mid Life Crisis in our Early 30s

So my husband and I have really been struggling for the past ooooo 16 months with our current situation.
Right before the economy took a dive and we had our third baby. . .my husband got a huge promotion. it was great. celebration time. . .we were moving from this humidity filled no fence, sidewalks, country living life to Denver, Colorado. We were on top of the world. After we had baby we went house hunting. . .found a house. Bought a house. told everyone. Put our house on
the market. etc. etc. etc. Loads of traveling, leaving our kids, traveling with a newborn.
Then the economy went down down down. So first to go was the move. It was placed on "hold". That was fine we got out escrow with our new house took the old house off the market. . .okay. well at least he still had a great job! Right. . .right?
No about a month later they "decided" his new job was no longer needed. Explosion. Thankfully
he was able to shift right back to his old position. So we had a baby, hubby got a promotion, bought a new home, lost our new home, lost his promotion. . . I know we were lucky that he still had a job. . .but fast forward a year later.
We are still in our house. He still has his original job and things are starting to look bleak in some ways.
So do we just "settle." Honestly we do have a great situation. . .but do we have a great situation? How would we know. . .it seems fine. . .but then again what if its not? We have great neighbors. Great schools. Interesting people in the community. But we just don't know if it us. We moved from Monterey Bay area straight to Kansas City. . .I mean Monterey is great if you have money. but we didn't. So kansas city seemed great! now have we gotten snotty or should we look for more? So you see this is our midlife crisis. . .

These boots are made for walking

So my youngest name is Ellie. She is our only girl and she is letting us
know that in every situation she can. Ellie will be 16 months here in the
next few days. . .she just started to walk.
Now there are a few new things for my husband and I. . .both of our boys
were walking by their first birthday. . .so mind you when Ellie's first birthday
was upon us and she wasn't even pulling herself up! That concerned us somewhat
but we tried to just relax. . .then finally!!! I say she began to pull herself up. . .then
very slowly (we are slowly learning Ellie takes her time) she began to stand by
herself. But no walking at all! Not even a step. Well this had been going on since
Christmas or even before. . .she decided to take her first steps early January.
We had a big break through at my sons birthday party and now she is a walking
queen. . .there is no stopping her. She is doing laps around our kitchen and main
living area!
It makes me so proud. . .my little baby is walking! And she is just so darn cute
doing it! Hands up to help balance her. . .it is just the cutest thing every. And the
only thing cuter is her walking naked!

Introducing myself part 1

Since the superbowl is on and I love football but just really don't care about who wins I decided I needed to write a post.
It has been a crazy few weeks. My oldest son, Colin just turned 7. 7! 7 I said. . .I just can't believe. I remember walking into the hospital about to have the little man and now he is standing there looking like a little man. I still just get blown away with the idea. As everyone else hears enjoy every minute because it goes by so fast. Most of the time it feels just like a crawl but then you look up and reflect. While you reflect you see your 7 year old and think wow where did it all go?
I remember when Colin's father/my husband of almost ten years and I brought our little Colin home. He was in his infant car carrier seat. . .we placed him on the window seat of our rental house and looked at each other. . .and thought at the same time two things. . .1.)now what? 2.) please don't wake up until grandma gets here to tell us what to do.
My Colin was a bad sleeper all his life. He still is. So the only way he would take naps is for me to lay down with him on my chest. We did that until he was about 3! So unlike most moms I was well rested just nothing got done. Then at 3 he just gave up on naps almost entirely unless he was at school. I just can't even hardly imagine those days. He would sweat so much. . .my little Colin. Now this is what he looks like.

Mean People do Suck

So today. . .somehow even when we confined to our house because of nasty weather. . .my feeling have been hurt.
It was partly my fault because I was facebooking. . .just too much. Well so I go to check the home page. . .and there is a fellow mom whose son is friends with my son. My son is in first grade but when he was in kindergarten he ran around with a pack of boys there were four of them. They always played together etc. We try to get the boys together every so often. . .maybe I don't participate with that enough who knows. But today she decided to invite the two boys not my son over for a sleep over right on facebook where everyone can see. . .now she knows I am going to see that. . .we are all friends with each other on facebook. The thing is her actions really don't bother me. . .and of course I didn't tell my son because that is just cruel. . .and honestly he has his brother and I don't think he would really care. What bothers me are two things. The feelings that this has brought up for me. . .that childhood feeling of being left out. I hate that. Plus it is ten times worse because it is your baby. . .and if you are a parent you know it is one thing to mess with mama but to mess with mama's baby now you have done it! It just got me thinking I can't let this upset me. . .what am I going to do when it goes to activities like sports, or music, or whatever he is interested in and he doesn't make the cut?
I don't want to be like what I was exposed with as a child. . .that was not fun. Not only was I rejected but then my mother would question me as to why I was rejected. I wouldn't hear the end of it for days, week, months. I am not kidding. Parenting is hard. Man o Man.

Two Front Teeth

All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth.
So last night my husband and I were snuggling in for bed. . .actually I was
dozing off and my husband was watching on of the zillion bowl games. . .when
our almost 7 year old came in and wanted help with his front tooth.
His front tooth was very VERY loose. Now mind you this
child has lost four other teeth. . he knows the drill. Right? NO sir. My husband
has this thing he won't yank them. So we are gentle with him telling him how to get
it out and he can do it all by himself. After 15 minutes of trying to talk him into taking
care of it himself. My husband finally gives it a good yank. He got most of it out but this
stubborn corner right in the center is just holding on for life. Now my son looks like a
hillbilly with a crooked tooth. He is freaking out. . .I decide it probably hurts more in
there than just pulling it out and getting it over with. Flashback to my youth. . .I made
a promise to myself and my future children I would NEVER DO what I did to my poor little
6 year old last night. My parents would just hold me down for anything. . .to pull a tooth, to get a thorn out of my foot, to pop a zit. . . what ever. My mother would get a thrill out of it!
So back to last night. . .I decide to hold my VERY strong boy down while having my husband
yank. . .do you think we got the damn tooth?
NO! It is still there! So here we sit watching the movie UP and my son is still playing with his crooked tooth that is sitting in there by a thread! I am hoping we have a tooth fairy visit by tonight. Just another chapter to add to our parenting book!

Can you say FREEEZING!!!!

It is freeeeezing out there. We are in for a high of 12, 12, 18, 0, 12, and then hopefully the end of this! We live in Kansas City not Alaska for a reason. The kids returned for one day of school only to have it canceled for the rest of the week I am sure!
Here is my question what do they do in Alaska? or International Falls, MN? or any where in Minnesota when they have these subzero temps? They don't cancel school every time do they? I ask you blogger world?

Yum-o

Happy New Year Everyone!
Well I decided yesterday while shopping at our local store to buy blackeyed peas for New Years Day. . .for luck. . .because who couldn't use a little extra luck? Really?
After our 2009, we could use some luck. It was not the best year. . .not the worse. . .but far from the best. So here is to looking forward. So today. . .I delayed in making it only because everytime I attempt to make a bean based dish it is extremely bland!
So 5:30 everyone is asking what is for dinner so I caved and started to attempt dinner. I had a fall back just in case of french toast muffin from Pioneer Woman.com. They were great. But I actually had success with the beans and rice dish I made. It was fairly easy just used chicken broth to cook the rice. Cooked the beans in water drained. Cooked onions and garlic in garlic olive oil. Then added the beans back along with chicken broth. After that added seasoning. . .some celery salt, salt, lawson seasoning salt, pepper, a dash of red chili powder. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Yum!
So I call that a success. . .now the luck better come! right?
Well Happy New Years to all better run my little girl is making me a very nice present!