I know, I know I've already posted about Robin Williams, but seriously, I've never been so affected by a celebrities death before. Not to say that I usually don't care, because that's not true, but I've never been so sad to see somebody I have never met pass away. Usually I'm just like, "oh that's sad." and move on. I did cry when George Harrison died, tho!
Robin Williams was just.... Such a good guy! I've been watching his movies my whole life! I kinda feel like my grandpa, or father just died. I guess it's a bit silly.. He really was one kind. I know I'm going to miss his work. I've been sharing his greatness with my kids. They LOVE "Hook!" ,  They love to run around the house yelling "Rufio, Rufio, Rufiooooooooooooooo!!!" So funny.. They also love "Aladin",  but who wouldn't?? I have been so sad, and seeing all the tributes all over Facebook and Twitter, they just make me sad all over again. I've read them all!! So sad...

Robin Williams

Yesterday was a sad, sad day... Actor Robin Wlliams passed away. The saddest part?- he committed suicide. You would've  never think of him as a depressed person. He was a comedian! Most of his movies were fun and uplifting. He did so much good for our troops overseas. My favorite movies of his were/are- "Flubber", "Hook", "Jumanji", "What Dreams May Come","Night at the Museum"  and "Mrs. Doubtfire". I'm sure there are more that I've loved, I just can't think of them. It makes me so sad to think that he was so sad. I see posts from people like "it wasn't depression that killed him, he killed himself". I guess if you look at it literally, he did, but I also think that's a very insensitive way of putting it.  I know not everybody goes thru derpession, so they can't understand what somebody who is depressed is feeling. After Cam was born I went thru post partum depression. I never wanted to harm myself of my children, but I remember laying in bed wondering "if I died tonight would anybody other than my newborn and two year old notice?". It's completely unfair to Danny that I had such thoughts, but I did. Often... I didn't feel anything but sadness. Something that was supposed to be one of the happiest times of my life, and I was sad. I can't imagine how Mr. Williams must have felt. Feeling like his life wasn't worth anything. Feeling like nobody would care, or nobody would miss him. Depression is debilitating. It makes you feel worthless. It makes you think you're useless. It makes you feel unimportant. One thing that I hear people say is, "why dodn't you just get happy? Why don't you just make yourself happy?" Do you really think it is that easy??!! Depression is a medical condition. It's not like a cold that just goes away on its own. With that being said, Robin, you made the world a better place. We're short one less incredible man. May you rest in peace and feel Gods arms around you.

 

The Fourth of July

This year was the first in two years that Danny didn't have to work. He worked the night of the third, so he slept most of the day. We were invited to my cousins house, but we didn't make it. I wasn't going to brave all four of my kids in a big pool alone, where they could drown! We also got invited to some friends house for a BBQ and some swimming. Danny and I decided it would be fun and the kids would love it! They did love it, mostly.. Cam was sure he was going to drown! We had fun! We came home so Elyse could take a little nap before we headed to the fair grounds. At about 8:30 we headed to the fair grounds to see the fireworks. I was worried about Jonny and Elyse being cranky (because it was past their bed times) and afraid of the fireworks. They were niether! They were so happy, and good, and they loved the fireworks! I put Elyse to bed as soon as we got home. We took the boys outside to light the fireworks Danny had bought from the Indian Reservation. The sparklers didn't last as long as we remembered them lasting when we were little. The big fireworks were pretty cool, though! Danny didn't realize they were the ones that shot up into the air! There was a small incedent where the firework pack tiped over. We started a tiny fire in our weeds (Ooops!) We had our hose ready for any reason we may have needed it, and we did! We put the fire out and shot off the rest of the fireworks, then we sent the boys to bed. In Alex's words, that night "was EPIC!" Danny and I stayed up until 2:30 in the morning, talking and watching "Supernatural". I love our 1:00 a.m. coversations! They are my favorite :). We are both usually really tired and goofy. I especially get super silly when I'm tired. Danny likes to laugh at my craziness. It is when I have my best thoughts, after all! I love any holiday that we actually get to spend together! When Danny has to work, it kind of puts a damper on things, but, I am very greatful for all that he does! He works his tail off, so we can have food in our bellies, a roof over our heads, running cars, and the clothes on our backs! I really can't complain too much. Life is good..

Total Randomness

Photo cred- Pinterest

I LOVE looking at these abandoned beauties. Here in Logandale/ Overton, there are only two homes that I can think of. One of them being down on Rice Road. I've always loved to drive by and check it out, and another house, I call it the Blue Beauty. It is across the street from Ace Hardware, next to the old Hospital, wich was also once a cool "abandoned" place. It's been fixed up in the recent years, tho. The Blue Beauty was moved down here from St. Thomas, one of the homes they were able to save from getting drowned by the lake. It is beautiful and everytime I drive by, I think of what it would look like if someody were to fix it up (that I'd love to be the person to do so.), and of all the stories it could tell if it could speak! I love to hear old stories and when I see these old abandoned beauties, even the non-abandoned beauties. Homes that are 100+ years old! The happy times, the tragedy, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I LOVE these stories! Some of them are horrific, tales of murder, torture, and abuse. Some are so sad. Rarely, you'll hear about the really happy stuff. The stories are usually of a young lady, who falls in love with a solder, who leaves for war and never makes it home, and the young lady so depressed, poisons herself. So sad!! For some reason, these stories always end up with somebody poisoning somebody. I just LOVE old stories. It makes me wonder what kind of tortured people lived in these homes. I'd love it if walls could talk! That is all...

This Week of Summer!

A couple days ago I decided I was done with diapers for Jonny. I'd tried to potty train him a few weeks ago, but he wanted nothing to do with it! Then, he got diarrhea. There was no way I way I was going to scrub that out of the floor, furniture, or clothing! So, I decided we'd try again when he was feeling better, and feeling more up to it!  He just decided he was ready! I put his little potty toilet where he can get to it easily, and he runs around naked all day (gross, I know, but! It works best with my boys..). When he needs to go, he runs to the toilet, and goes. So far he's loving it! Every time he goes I sing for him. Have you seen "The Lego Movie"? Know the song "Everything Is Awesome"? I changed the words to "Jonny Cakes is awesome! Cause he goes potty in the big boy toilet". He LOVES it, and gets him excited EVERY TIME! I'm so proud of him! He's done great! I'm hoping he'll be out of diapers %100 by Fall, but I'm not going to get too excited yet. I kow how  potty training can flip a switch, when they decide they're tired of it and start going in their pants again. Hopefully he doesn't, but he'd be my first to NOT!

Elyse is starting her terrible two's. She is only 15 months old. I get tired of her temper tantrums. She really is such a sweet little girl, and I love her so much, but there are days I'd like to put her out on the curb with a sign "free to a good home". There are days I'd put her brothers out there with her. I don't know what it is about Summer that makes me cranky, and short tempered. It's probably the heat and our crappily insulated house. Not only is it hot outside, it's hot in the house, and the a.c. runs and runs. The a.c. can only keep up if the temp stays under 100*. Any hotter and it just works so hard. If it get's over 105* it gets around 83. The hotter it gets outside, the hotter it gets inside. We hope to fix the insulation soon. It just takes money we don't have. I did put tin foil on the back windows and it keeps the sun from cooking us thru the back all Summer. It hasn't gotten as hot as the last two years, and our house cools off faster after the sun goes down. 

We have enjoyed sleeping in this summer, We're rarely all up before 8:30. None of us like mornings. I miss our big pool that we only got one Summer out of, before the wind bent it in half. It kept us all happy and cool last Summer. All we have this year is a little kiddie pool. I hate public pools. That many kids swimming around makes me really nervous. 

I really wish I could post more pics here on my blog. We got a brand new computer for Christmas and about a month after we got it, Danny tried to download something that had what I think malwear, and we've not been able to get online since. We have been paying $20.00 a month for something we can't use. I find it frustrating.. I have an Apple Ipad, Droid phone, and Dell computer. Most of my pics are on my phone, and I can't get them onto the Ipad, which is where I blog from. I rarely take pics on my Ipad, so that's just that. I will get my computer fixed, I will download photos. I will post pics, becuase my blog is more of a journal of my feelings and my kids' childhood, which is quickly passing by! I like pictures. I like to look at pictures! Someday things will be working again...

Summertime!

I got Elyse a new amber teething necklace becuase the claspe on her last one broke. It seems to actually really help. Which is good!

Elyse got some new yellow jelly flip flops. She really LOVES them! She has super tiny feet and wears a 2! For those who don't know, that's typically 3-6 moths... The smallest size shoes we were able to find was a 3. Thank goodness they ran smaller! They will fit her though out the Fall, which is perfect!

Doodles got new flip flops (yes they are on the wrong feet..)! He loves them and says they make him run super fast!

Jonny did not get new flip flops. He already has a nice pair that are in really good condition, and they still fit him!

Alex also got a new pair of flip flops! It's so nice to not have to deal with shoes durig the summer!

So far this Summer has been pretty uneventful... I've written up a daily chore list that consists of "school" work and "helping" mom clean. They'll get better at doing it, eventually haha! Alex has had a bit of and attitude this Summer. He got in big trouble the other day, so he's been doing better. I don't know why he was being so hornery.. I tried to get to the bottom of it, but he's been doing better. I understad kids have bad days, and I'm completely understanding when it comes to that. It was everyday! He's good now. Alex loves having chores. He loves vacuuing and dusting. He just loses intrest pretty quickly.. Doodles isn't so eager to do his chores... He'd rather NOT! 

Alexis a little sneaky sneak!! I have to watch him! He is always trying to get into something.. He is a very sweet boy, though! He does not always like to help mom and usually gets in trouble once a day! He loves to run and catch bees and wasps. I keep telling him he's crazy and WILL get stug one of these days. He still thinnks they are fascinating...  

Doodles has turned into such a sweet boy! He isn't nearly as stubborn as he used to be. He loves to help in any way he can, as long as he doesn't have to clean, and even then. He does it, he just complains while doing it!

Jonny doesn't like to talk.. He loves playing Angry Birds on my Ipad!! I think he's a little obsessed.. He is so sweet. He thinks it's hillarious to steal my seat on the couch. He'll try to take it while I'm still sitting in it, the little stinker! He thinks he's pretty funny, tho. That's all that matters, right?

Elyse is cutting all types of teeth right now! Two molars and recently the rest of her front teeth. She was a late teether. She didn't get her first tooth until she was 10 months old. She is now pushing herself up to sitting from laying on the ground. She does NOT like to stand, but I make her. This girl does NOT want to walk! She honestly has no desire... She doesn't crawl. She rolls or scoots around on her butt. It is strange to have a non-crawler, but it's good!

     Summer break is going good! The kids are getting along pretty well, so far. I've kept them entertained, whether it be swimming in the kiddie pool in the back yard, watering the grass, jumping on the trampoline, playing in the club house that is not quite finished yet, but they love running up and down the stairs! They play with cousins once a  week, play on their tablet, dig "massive" holes in the back yard, and catch bugs!

 Cousins Devri and Lucie came down the other week, for Devri's 7th birthday. The kids had fun playing with them, since we only see them once a year!

I'm getting anxious to see who Alex and Cam will have as teachers next year! I still can't believe that I'll have two in school! I'm so over Summer heat and ready for Fall cool down! Only a few months to go... That's what I keep telling myself!

Doodles Graduated from Preschool and Alex Completed First Grade!

Cam had preschool graduation a couple weeks ago!! It was quite the chore, getting him to put on his cap and gown!! According to him, all the boys looked like girls, and he didn't want to look like a girl!! I some how convinced him to put on his gown and his teacher got him to put on his cap. Once he walked into the room, he was fine and no longer throwing a temper tantrum! He is so stubborn...  Preschool has been so good for him!! I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to him starting kindergarten in the Fall, tho.. Having two kids in school is kind of giving me some anxiety!!

Today was Alex's last day of first grade!! It has been hard keeping him engaged this last trimester! Getting him to do homework. Just trying to keep him wanting to pay attention!! He is a very smart boy and catches on quickly, so hopefully things are good! His report card is good, but Mrs. Barlow noticed that he'd lost his ambition a little. Today was a good day, tho!! We got up and I got Alex to the bus for the last time this school year! After the other three kids ate breakfast we hurried and got ready to go to Bobby's fifth grade gradutation! I can't believe that he'll be in sixth grade next year!!! Right after his graduation I ran next door to the school to drop off Mrs. Barlow's end of the year present. When I walked into his class room, he ran up to me and threw his arms around my waist, like he always does! He wouldn't let go this time! I barely was able to pry him off me long enough to get a pic with Mrs. Barlow!! Mrs. Barlow told me that I could just take him with me, because it was close to the end of the day. I took him with me and we left! I took him to McDonalds to "celebrate" his last day! Then, we went to Aunt Noni's house to swim! The kids had a great time swiming! They swam until Elyse started to get fussy. All in all, it was a good time!! Cheers to Summer break... I'm not sure if I'm excited or not!