Out with the old... in with the new....

I have no idea what it is that I find so motivating about a new year. Maybe it's the feeling of a clean slate. I clean like a crazy person before Jan. 1st. I don't like starting the new year with things on my to do list. Unfortunately that list ALWAYS has things on it. But... the house is clean. I wish it was as easy to take care of everything on that list. Oh I think today I get rid of that 50 lbs. Ok great... now I can cross that off my list! HA
I don't make resolutions. I always have a list of things I would like to improve. Who needs a new year to reflect on things that I need to change.
We are headed over to a friends house for the evening. Should be low key. The Nichols are very sweet friends. We will eat and play games. Hope to be in bed before the new years is very far under way.
I had this weird thought last night while I was laying in bed. I have been struggling with my annual sinus/bronchitis issues. I started on an antibiotic 2 weeks ago. I just could not kick it. So yesterday I went to Mediquick (couldn't get in the Dr. office). Seems it had progressed to pneumonia. I felt much better when I left the office yesterday just from the breathing treatments. I was laying in bed thinking about how fortunate we are to live at the time we do. Many of us would not live to the age we are now if we had been born at an earlier time. There was a day that I may not have recovered from that little cold. It is a strange thing to think about your mortality. I was nice enough to share my germs with the rest of my family... 4 of the 5 of us are on an antibiotic. I'm hoping this means that 2009 will begin with a healthy Fuller family.
2008 was another year that left my family facing changes. I know that many of you have faced interesting twist and turns in your life also. I hope that 2008 was a year that you were able to see God at work in your lives. I am often surprised by the direction my life is heading but I am never disappointed that God is faithful to hold my hand through it all. I hope that 2009 has a few less twist and turns but I am thankful for a faithful Heavely Father.
Talk to you next year! HA I know... corny!

Christmas morning....

Just a few pictures....I have more I can post later.
I had the flu for a couple of days before Christmas so I wasn't very ambitious this year. It was a pretty laid back year.

I'm a bum...

I am working on editing Christmas pictures. Leland gave me a Flip camera for Christmas. I took a couple of videos of the day. I'm working on figuring out how to load them... if this works out you should see a video of the kids opening the hit gift of the day....

Merry Christmas...

Once again I can't believe how fast Christmas came this year. Good thing I was basically ready for the big day because I spent all day yesterday bowing to the porcelain throne. Thats right... the flu struck. It had to happen to someone so I guess this year was my turn. Needless to say this brought my plans to a grinding halt. I was official done getting ready for Christmas. Now I need to get myself up and ready and see what I can salvage of this day...
I hope that you have a wonderful day with your family and friends. Have a Merry Christmas!

Have you heard this song?

Man it brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it...

The kids are going up and I'm not sure I like it....

Makayla went to Snowball dance tonight with Keifer... no we are not revisiting that relationship again...they went as FRIENDS (So thats the story they told me anyway). She is growing up WAY too fast! Who votes that we slow time down? ME me me ohhh me!

This week in pictures...

Well something like that...
Hannah had her last basketball game this week...These are about the best pictures I have... gyms are not great for picture taking...Jordan had his Christmas program... isn't he the cutest thing...and a Christmas party...and Leland and I went to his Christmas party... aren't we the cutest thing... ok don't answer that!Well the kids are out for Christmas break... Hannah's school basketball is over... Jordan's basketball just started... both girls start USA volleyball now.. and Hannah has a traveling basketball that starts next week... I have Christmas shopping left to take care of... thats about it....

I am not a proof reader....

I am not a great speller... I HATE proof reading... so... if you are still reading my blog... I'm sure you are wondering how the heck I am going to teach children. Well that is a good question... I guess I'll take my husband to work with me to point out my errors....
Hey Tammy I am a red through and through.... I am not feeling ANY of that blue.

I'm torturing myself...

with that Christmas countdown! Only 7 days until Christmas? What? How can that be? No way!!!! Cher and I would like to turn back time! Haha hopefully you know that song otherwise you think I'm a dork... oh maybe I shouldn't put that out there... I'm sure some of you think I'm a dork for other reasons...
Ok... back to Christmas... why does this happen to me every year? I have not even started... well I do have Makayla done. She is only getting 2 presents this year. They are big ones though. The other two... well I had better get on that!
We haven't even done our annual family trip to see the lights. Somebody slow this life down! I'm not even getting to enjoy it...

Snow day #3...

I can not believe we are out again! I am going to have to find something for my yahoos to do today so they do not drive me crazy!

This is why I want to be a teacher....

This one is for those friends and family members who live in ID, KY, IN and MI. This is all it takes to get 2 snows days in Joplin MO! This is the fringe benefit of being a teacher. Who couldn't resist a job like that? And summers off to boot! I can't believe there is not a line of people wanting to teach... oh yeah... there are those things called kids to deal with everyday... and test to get the kids ready for.... and vomit to clean up when the flu is going around.... well I'll just have to be REALLY glad when we get some snow days right?

This is it's way...

I really don't mind snow... I love a snow day.... but ice? Really again? I'll have to go to the store tomorrow along with the rest of Joplin... We are out of milk and a few basics. Good thing I've got a good book to read!

All that stands between me and the end of the semester update....

I like checking things off my list.... it's probably an illness. You should not write things you've already done on your list just so you can check them off!!!!
Anyway.... one final test and one paper... it's a dandy of a paper though... just 10-15 pages. Have I started that puppy yet you ask? Well... no... but I will today. Hopefully typing that will make it happen! It's my goal for the day..... surely I can do just that one thing today!

Minosa baby....

Did you see this story? Mimosa? Really? It's fun to say... mimosa.... but it's the color for 2009? It will not be influencing what I wear... or drive for that matter! Green will do all the influencing for me next year or maybe the lack of green (if you know what I mean)....

All that stand between me and the end of this semester....

Pedagogy 3-5 page paper
Geology test
Geology final
Reading Development 10-15 page paper
Have I started any of this.... haha NO!!!!!!
I will get it done.... I always do... but I will not be having ANY fun the rest of this week... sniff sniff

Sure didn't see that one coming....

Who ordered up the snow? Unless it snows enough that we have a snow day tomorrow so we don't all have to go back to the real world... well I just rather not have the mess!

Reality...

sometimes reality stinks. Like after a great Thanksgiving break.... reality is the kids and I have to go back to school on Monday and Leland has to go to work. Reality is we will be back to running around like crazy. Reality is we will be back to homework and housework. But then it dawned on me... I only have one more week of classes. Oh man.... one more quiz... one more project... one more paper... and two more finals. Then I can put this semester behind me. Maybe I can make it???

Turkey comma...

Even Gerti was stuffed... and after a spread like this who wouldn't be stuffed.... We ate and sat then ate then sat.... you get the idea. There might have been a nap in the too:)


Remember this pile? Well now it looks like......
This..... I just need 2 more of those totes and we will be all organized. I even found Makayla's baby book. Now if I can just find Hannah's I can quit nagging Leland to help me find the thing! Hope you had a great day today!

Happy Thanksgiving friends....

My contribution to the turkey dinner...

In case you were unaware... I am not a baker. I hate to measure and be precise. Probably why I can't sew either. I don't like to follow directions.... I like to throw things in and hope it all turns out ok. My mom is the baker. I'll let her do that. Leland has even taken up the cookie baking at our house. I'm ok with that too. Hey remember I have my talents too. I can wash, fold, and put away 17 loads of laundry every week. Anywho... Hannah and I like this cold pumpkin pie... I don't have to be exact... I don't even HAVE to follow the directions... and sometimes I don't... it is still good. It may not be pretty... hey I'm not Martha... I've also never even been to jail... I know that was a low blow but I just couldn't resist. Hannah and I may eat this thing all by ourselves. It makes me feel like a good mom when I make her something she likes to eat. She only has about 5 things on her love to eat list!
This is my todo list for the day. Notice... I cleaned my carpets today. Remember I read a 500 page book today too! Also notice the tree are not up yet... dad called and distracted Leland with the lure of power tools. It will be done before I go to bed!
I also provided an oven for a turkey to bake today... we never have enough turkey for leftovers. I'll also make a greenbean casserole. Hey... dump and bake... thats how I roll. And hang on... I'm also taking the homemade bread... ok so it's from a bread machine... oh ok full discloure... Leland makes it... you have to be so precise. Just can't do it!

Wasting a perfectly good day....

It is beautiful outside.... we have a ton of chores to be done.... and I'm doing laundry and reading a book. The book reading makes the laundry doing less painful! I am about to make a confession and I am fully aware that this confession will make you shake your head and wonder about me... 2 Wednesdays ago I started keeping track of how many loads of laundry I do. The grand total is 34 so far.... is that crazy? I think that is too much laundry!
Now on to the book.... ok I LOVE to read. I don't have time to do it very often anymore. Makayla started reading a book. Leland and I about fell over. She has never read a book before unless there is a grade somehow attached to it. I was not very excited about her choice.... It was Twilight. I'm sure you've heard of it. She has now started the 3rd book. She is cranky when she is reading it. So I decided it was time I check it out. I started at 10pm last night. I layed it down at 3am and finished it this afternoon. It was ok. It was an easy read. The teacher in me was excited to see there were some words I had to look up in the dictionary. I am all over the idea of expanding your vocabulary. I'm not addicted to the books. I didn't get cranky. But I can see how a teenager would eat this story up. Young love... them against the world... you can be anything you want to be... There has been a lot of talk among the mothers at school about this book. I'm not sure if I would recommend it... probably wouldn't. But what do you do with 16 year olds? In 2 years she will be gone... making her own decisions. So I guess I'll be happy she is reading... expanding her vocabulary.... and I'll be reading the next 3 books in the series.Just a little Thanksgiving humor.....:)

That Christmas counter....

really might be freaking me out!!!!! Just wait until the tree goes up.....

A peek into the weekend.....

We cleaned the garage..... this may not look clean but you should see the pile that is at the curb, in storage, and at DAV. And I can park my car in the garage. It been WAY too long since that happened. Oh I've cleaned the garage at least 3 times, just me and the kids. We would get it all cleaned up then something would happen and once again I couldn't get my car in there. This time I got the attention of Fuller and we made it happen. Now there are a few piles for each one of us to go through.
This pile is bikes... they will stay, the dryer is going unless I can talk Fuller into hooking it up for me. Wouldn't it be great to have two dryers? We are always waiting on the dryer to finish up before changing loads. This is my pile of "good stuff" haha. It is all kids school papers. I have yet to be able to throw anything away. If I could help it not one sheet of paper has been thrown away. I know there is something wrong with that. But hey we all have something that is weird. I am going though all those papers and only keep the special ones. I mean Makayla is in 10th grade. Thats a lot of papers!I was gonna brag and say that this is Leland pile... but then I saw a couple of things that are "ours" but most of it is his junk... and this is after 2 truck loads of computers went to recycling last weekend.We went to church with mom and dad today. I love this little church. I wanted to go back when the leaves changed.... we missed it by a couple of weeks. It just looks like the little country church that is in my head. There is even a cow and a pig in the yard right behind the church. I should have taken a picture.
On the ride home Makayla played with the camera. Hannah was in the other car.... Have a good week! I'll be back later!

One more just for Susan....

I added the Christmas counter just so you will know how much time you have to be stressed out about Christmas. Think of it this way... it may be 35 days until Christmas but it's only 35 more days to worry about what you'll do about Christmas.... I'm always looking on the bright side of things!!!! Hey I could have put a picture of Scooby-doo on here but I didn't want you to cry....

See that slideshow over to the right?

Would you think I was REALLY dumb if I told you I've been trying to figure out how to do that for over a month? And I've been working on it tonight for almost 2 hours. Man you would have thought it was brain surgery or something. Once I gave up doing it the easy way and just started pushing buttons it started working.... go figure. I was trying to do it the right way. Leland hates it when I just push buttons on the computer. It usually ends up with needing him to spend several hours fixing what I did. Well I guess I'm growing up! I did it all on my own! Now I'm sure it would have been wiser to have written one of the 6 papers that is due in the next couple weeks... but nooooo I was thinking about you Susan. I wanted to make sure you have something new to look at in the morning. See it really is all about YOU! Even if you won't take the time to figure out how to post a comment. Christina even loves me enough to post a comment every now and then...
Oh and what do you think about the new background? Just thinking of YOU!

Someone told me today....

to update the blog already.... So here you go my dear loved ones.....
We are watching basketball games....
writing papers....
cleaning house....
working.....
blah... blah... blah.... blah....
I ran across these today. I saw them a while back and they cracked me up all over again... If you don't have the kind of sense of humor that makes you start giggling when the bridesmaid passes out at the wedding (yes I did see that and it might have been a warning to the bride and groom... this marriage is doomed... hint they are no longer married) anyway.... if that sort of thing doesn't give you the giggles... until you cry during the prayer.... well.... this just might be funny to you.... so you have been warned....(ps did you notice how much I was really into the "..." thing tonight... hehe just felt a little bit excessive tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I've got nothing....

I don't have any pictures to share and I don't really have anything to say. I realize the later is a shock to most of you! I'm trying to figure out the classes for my last 2 semester of school. I'll have FULL loads. I'm thinking of adding a middle school certification. This is messing up my plan. Just ask my husband how I handle messed up plans. Hint: not very well! So when I mess up my own plan it is really more than I can handle. I'm trying to figure out if it is worth the headache or maybe I should just add a 3rd semester. I CANNOT imagine doing that. I really am holding on by my fingernails because I have it in my head I'm done next Dec.
The kids are good. Everyone has free time again. It is weird to eat dinner together. Well almost together. Leland still works nearly every night. Somebody in this house needs to be responsible after all. OK you all know that is a joke right? Everyone knows I'm the responsible one and Leland is the big kid. Man my life is messed up right now!
Hannah is not enjoying basketball. I am making her stick it out..... bad mom, I know.
K that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Wrapping things up....

I love finishing things up. I'm a great starter of things.... not such a great finisher. So when things do get finished and I wrap things up I LOVE IT! It's like I can breath again. One more thing not hanging over my head. I already told you we finished up volleyball and football. Today I finished up one of my classes. I still have a paper to write but that is no big deal compared to the lessons I have had to prepare and teach every week. So one more thing I can check off my list!!!! I love checking things off lists. So yeah to one more thing off the list.....