October 10th

Why do they go and change good shows and make them goofy. For example the Ghost Whisperer. Seriously I am a fan, or was a fan. Then last year they get all goofy and this season no better. Ugh so frustrating.

Today was fun. We had a soccer game in the morning, and it was not to bad. I had to be assertive with a parent form the other team. He was coming on the field to yell at his son. I told him to get off the field, he gave me some lip. Then I went to the coach to tell him to back the parents up. I was all ready to kick him right off the field. But my kids did GREAT! I am in love with my team.

Lexy’s game was good too. She did well, I can not wait till she is in U-8. Once they start working together instead of just clumping the ball, she is going to be a star. She will not fight for the ball.

I was playing around in photo shop. I could work for those inspirational poster company’s.

Whoa Where have I been?

LOL It has been so long since I last posted, since then the re vamped word press. I could not find the log in spot.

We have been doing really good. I have just been having trouble finding time to update. When I have a free moment, I have been cooking or running. So much has happened in the 2 months since I posted that instead of going back and updating on all that is happening, I am just going to start fresh.

Today should be pretty busy. Gryffan is at school already and Lexy is getting ready to go. I have been going out for my run once I put her on the bus. I can now run 10 laps straight. Ok running is relative and it is more like jogging, but speed will come eventually. The most important part is that I am going. I have recently dropped another 10 pounds and now I am successfully in a size 12. I have not been a 12 in forever, and I really do not want to stay that size for too long. So every weekday I go up to the track and put in 10 laps. I am very proud of myself.

Hard to believe that Lexy is in school now. She has grown up so much in the last few weeks. Just the way that she is talking is older. She loves going to school and she loves her teacher. She gets the bus around noon but she is ready to go around 11 and then asks every 2 minutes, is it time to go for the bus.

Gryffan is doing very well in school. We had a meeting the other day with his GIEP teacher and his regular teacher. He is going to be competing in the Odyssey of the Mind this year. He is very excited about that. Today is an enrichment day, so he was all smiles to get on the bus.

Tonight we have a soccer game, Gryffan and I. Our team is doing really well. I am so happy that I signed up to coach. It has been very rewarding. To see the little ones work together and use what I have been teaching them in practice out there in a game is awesome. Gryffan has even scored twice this mini season. We only have a few more games left till the end of the fall season. I think I will be lost then, what will I do with free time. Hehehe maybe update my blog more often.

Gryffan also has karate tonight. He has been moved up to a yellow belt. He loves karate and it has been very good for him. I think that he is completely done with wrestling, and I am not really sorry about that. Karate has been so much better for him.

At Codorus State park 10-3

August 6th

I was a nervous wreck all day long. I was so worried about my first pracitice being a coach. I think I was worried for nothing. I was supposed to have 10 kids, but one was put in the wrong age group and the other one did not show up, so I had 8 kids yesterday. All smiles all ready to get out there and practice. Unfortunately there are no nets up yet on the fields because of the fights with the mini football jerks, there are also no lines painted yet on the pitch. Which really makes it hard to coach. Tim and I had spent a couple of days downloading and printing out drills and games, and I found that some work great on paper, no so good in real life. My only real goal was to learn all the kids names, which I think I have, get the kids to know the names of their team mates, which I think they have. And to have a name for our team. Which we now have. There were plenty of names in the running, pandas, dragons, dolphins, koalas, mad dogs, super heros (a personal favorite), but in the end we went with the Champions. This way we have theme music. OMG these kids are hysterical. And I figure even if we do not have wins in our field at least we are still champions, right?

You know what I am saddest about though, I wont have any good pictures of practices or games, cause Tim is very bad with my camera. Very B A D.

We still have not heard anything yet from Lexys soccer coach, but when I went up to the field they were having a meeting with one u-6 team asking some of the parents to coach. Uh WTH I signed up to coach u-6 too, why do I not have a team and you are asking parents to do something they did not sign up for? Makes no sense to me, but what do I know, it is my first year. Maybe you can only coach one at a time. We did get Lexy her cleats and her socks so she is already to go. Now we just have to wait for a coach to call.

The only picture I am willing to share. Yup they are bad!

August 3

The summer is really keeping us busy. July went by so fast! Hard to believe that the children will be going to school in a few short weeks.

The weather has been playing tricks on us, and so much of our plans have had to have been put off because of it. I wanted to camp a few times this year, but with a rainy June and a colder than normal July we haven’t. June and July are our free months in the summer, try and pack as much into them before the chaos of school and soccer happens in August and September.

I have lots of pictures of thing we have done in July.

My princess

On the 12 of July we went to the annual MCA Elementary wrestling picnic at Locust Lake. The kids had a great time, but the lake smelled really bad. Like dead fish bad. I did not want to get in it at all. Tim says that I a spoiled about what kind of water I swim in, I say if I can not see the bottom, I am not getting in.

Not sure if he wants to go in or not.

I have been debating on going to school for photography. On the walk back to the car the kids stopped at a playarea and Gryffan informed me that he would gladly be my model for school. With looks like his, I think it would be smart to take him up on his offer.

Ahh my love!

A friend of mine asked me to make her a rag doll for an upcoming baby shower for sister. She liked how the doll came out so much that she helped me inlarge the pattern to make a bigger doll out of it. Lex just loves the bigger doll, but she can not decide on her name. Some days it is Love Blossom and some days it is Apple Blossom.

Momma and new dolly

We have been spending nice days outside. This is one of my favorite pictures of the summer. I have a thing for kid feet.

Happy hippie feet

Then we took a day trip down to Hickory Run State Park. We had such a good time! Unfortunately it started to rain around 3 cutting our day short, but it was still a good day. The kids loved playing in the woods by the creeks, Boulder Field just fasinated Gryffan and the water bridge got the thumbs up too. They also liked seeing wherre Tim and I got married.

by a creek

Another of my favorites this summer.

Take my hand, it will be ok

Gryffan in the water bridge. Lexy was afraid of the rushing water and would only go in it with daddy, and she did not stay long enough to snap a picture.

How could you not pinch those cheeks?

Then over to Boulder Field. Gryffan wanted to keep going out farther and farther, but Lexy hung out on the edges with me (I was in flip flops) and said she thought that there would be snacks and spiders out there so she was happy where she was.

Lexy at Boulder Field

Then we went over for lunch at some new picnic area. They really have done a ton of work up there. Either that or we just have not been there in ages. They expanded the beach though, that I know for sure is new. And the bathrooms, now those are nice.

Finding a quiet spot to chill

And then it was off to the beach before the rain came 20 minutes later. lol

helping each other

There has not been too much creative coming out of the kitchen lately. But we did try the Banana Pudding Bars recipe from the July Vegnews and it came out wonderful. The kids and hubby liked it, and it made me weak in the knees. I ended up making it again this weekend for a family bbq. Quick and easy and kid helping friendly.

mixa, mixa, mixa (blues clues)

The biggest news of July had to be that Gryffan lost his very first tooth! It took about 48 hours to go from wiggly to out. He played with it constantly and it came out after he went to bed. Silly boy did not tell me that it came out, instead he put it right under his pillow. About a half hour later, he was very upset because he could not find it, and that was when he told me it came out. I informed him that he HAS to tell me when they come out so that I could call the tooth fairy. lol About a week later the second one came out as well, and now he has a super adorable gap. He went to the dentist last week and the dentist said that his teeth look healthy and strong! He has been taking very good care of them.

it is hard to get a picture of a mouth.

Lexy’s dance class also performed twice last weekend at the picnic in the park. They are all just too cute for words. She did well. I am very proud of her. How could you not be, look at her!

Beautiful

After dancing they went to play in this amazing bubble area. Which was great fun for them till it got in the eyes, and the man supervising sprayed them right in the face with a hose. I think that was his fun for the day. After that they came to me to wipe out their eyes.

Playing in the bubbles

By the end of the month, the summer is starting to lose all the fun aspect to it. Both kids were getting “bored” and starting to drive me up a wall. Think of the Staples commercial with the parents excited for back to school and that was me last week. I decided to open up Gryffan’s balcony and let them play up there. They made it into a fort and we made a little flag for it. (speaking of, I have to remember to take that down soon, ) That seemed to perk them up for a bit, and it was really nice to see them working together again with out any fighting.

The Super LookOut Club

Ahhh I am going to be in trouble someday. Look at those eyes!

Mommy I want a pony, Yes dear what ever you want

This past weekend we went down to Uncle Donnie and Aunt Jane’s down in Hershey, where Gryffan took his place in a long line of Clyde blooded men and rode a dirt bike. Part of me was so nervous I could puke, and the other half of me was proud of him.

My monster

In the gardening front, this year has been horrible for us. Nothing we started from seed survived. We picked up a flat from the aution in Hometown and some of the stuff is really doing well. I have a ton of pickle cucumbers, and lettuce out the wazoo, but no eggplants or peppers. I think we will have a bumper crop of brussle sprouts when the time comes and tomatos will be plentiful, if they ever get red. Tim planted a rose bush earlier in the year and it is just taking off. Here is a picture of the blooms that we got already this year.

kordus perfecta, i think

I am going to be coaching Gryffan in soccer for sure this year. I got the call the other day, and tomorrow I will know for sure if I got Lexy’s team as well. I am a little nervous about that, but excited too.

Well till tomorrow. lol C-

June 6th

After a rainy day, nothing is nicer than a beautiful sunny day. Tim had work so it was pretty much just the kids and I for the first half of the day. First off we had the very last soccer game of the season. It was a wonderful game. Gryffan played really hard the first half, including stopping a ton of shots on goal. It was totally in Gryffan fashion, wait until the last few games to really show what we know what we are doing.

Some pregame streching.

After the game we went to one of Gryffan’s friends birthday party. This little boy is one of Gryff’s best friends, and yet when we were at the store and I asked, “What does D like?” the answer I got was, “I don’t know, gross stuff.” In response to that, and as revenge for all the horrible gross jokes that the kid brought home all year. I went all out with the gross things, and they were a HUGE hit. lmao, it really was funny. And really makes me think that they truley are great friends because he knew exactly what D would like.

Picking clover flowers at the soccer field

When we got home, Gryffan and I, we headed out back to play. Tim and I had picked up a golf set for the kids to play with and they wanted to go out and use it. Figures that the one time that Gryffan actually swung a great baseball swing, was when he was trying to golf. He totally gets all of his lack of sport finesse from me. I totally take credit for that.

action shot

Later on the kids played out front of the house with the neighbors kid and granddaughter.

Best part of the day was that there was NO tv.

Gryffan – no tv

Lexy – no tv

Constance – diet/yes – exercise/no

June 4th

BWAHHHHHH! ( best attempt at an evil laugh) The vegan cupcakes were a huge hit. No one knew that they were anything different then plain old cupcakes. So there ( I am sticking out my tounge and blowing raspberries) to everyone who ever said that vegan cooking and baking is gross. Also the “chocolate cupcakes” were in fact not chocolate, they were carob! More evil laughing!!!

In general they day was awesome. The kids had some friends over, and they are the best kids I know, so it was fun. I had picked up some wooded pencil boxes and some acrylic paint, and we did them up. The little girl says to me that she loves coming to our house because I always have something fun for them to do. That makes me feel good, and a little less nuts. I swear other people think I am crazy, but it is cool when kids like me.

After they left the kids took a nice long nap. Someone forgot to tell Gryffan that you sleep in when there is no school. He was up at 5:30! OUCH! I need to get him a clock for in his room. I had made him black out curtains, but the down side is that it is always dark in his room so he has no sense of time. Tomorrow he will have my stop watch and he has very strong instructions NOT to get out of bed before 8. I have been waitting 9 months for this, I want to sleep till 9 gosh darn it.

Lexy had dance today and they learned a new routine. They are going to be dancing at this thing in the park, called picnic in the park. Kind of self explanitory. I got to peak in and watch her dance to FootLoose. She is tons of fun to watch, she can really shake it.

Then Gryffan had a make up game, which at the end of was the end of season party because the coach will not be there on Saturday. The season really went fast. Gryffan played goalie the first quarter, after very explicit instructions not to play goalie from me. But he stopped the ball both times it came near him. So it wasn’t to bad. Second quarter he was up front and he did awesome. People who have watched him play all season would think that I am lying, but he actually ran after the ball! He moved and helped out his team mate, and he took a shot on goal that hit off the posts. It was fun to watch. Third quarter he was out, and fourth quarter, nothing came near him. I think it was a really good season.

Gryffan checking out his trophy from this season

Tim is at his motorcycle saftey class tonight. Hopefully he will pass wonderfully and we will be able to go for a ride. It has been forever since I was on the back of a bike.

 

Running tally-

Gryffan – tv- 45 minutes to watch Mythbusters – 30 minutes of Diji- Finished one book and is half way done with the next        TOTAL 45minutes tv/1 hr diji

Lexy – tv – 45 minutes to watch Mythbusters  TOTAL 3hrs 15minutes

Constance – diet/yes – exercise/no

June 2nd

my take on the soccer portrait.

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood. I went out for a run this morning. I had taken last week off due to the crappy rainy weather we were having. Today I paid for it though. I was up to 6 laps of running, which is 1.5 miles, before I needed to walk a bit. Today the most I made was 4 laps. Ouch! I would like to get up early in the morning and run first thing. I think it will be cooler and calmer and the building block of a great day. There is just one thing that stands in my way. I hate mornings. lol

Lexy and I made the icing for cupcakes that I am making for the soccer party on Thursday. Unfortunately I did not have enough green food coloring, so they were put on hold. I am going to make the cupcakes tomorrow. Tim thinks that I need 40, I think 24 would be enough. I mean I have never had a piece of cake at the end of season parties. Hopefully they will turn out in real life like I think they will turn out. Fingers crossed that tomorrows post will have pictures of some kick butt cupcakes.

Also day 2 of no tv for Gryffan, we have been to busy really to watch anything once school is over anyway. But he played in the sandbox after school, and read a few chapters of his new book. He is in love with the Magic Treehouse books. He also had a free day at school, and I know that he played in some running around capacity. He told me all about their game of Super Villains.

The only time that the tv was on when it was just Lexy was when Tim and I watched WWE Raw. ( slightly hides face in embarrassment, but I can not help it, Randy Orton is HOT!!) And really she does not pay any attention to that. She thinks that Santino Morrella is funny, but that is it. I let her play her leapster for about a half hour today, but that isn’t so bad, because it is an educational toy.

So our running tally is :

Gryffan- 0

Lexy – 1 hour approximately

Constance – Work out- yes/ diet – yes

Holy cow, it has been forever!

With the school year winding down and the sport season in full swing, seems like I don’t have a free minute. We have been so busy. Last week we had sign ups for next years soccer season, and guess who will be coaching? Thats right, I did it, I took the plunge. Hopefully I wont be absolutely terrible at it.

Gryffan has been doing well this season at soccer. He scored a goal at a game last week. I think that it totally took him by surprise, like hey what did I do?

We also had track and field day up at the “stadium” last week too. Gryffan competed in 4 evens, 60 yard dash, obstacle course, tennis ball throw and stomper relay. It was so much fun to watch him compete and interact with his friends. He did a lot better at throwing than we thought that he would do. Apprently playing fetch with Em has helped him in that department.

Lexy has been keeping busy too. She has been going to dance class twice a week, and they are getting ready for a preformance at the town park picnic this year.

We also have been working on her “school work”, to get her ready for pre-k. Although really, I do not think that there is much to get her ready for. We had to go over what her last name was, because she thought it was Dyann Jane. lol She has taken it upon herself to learn how to count in different languages! She can count to 10 in English, Spanish (thank you Dora), Japanese, French and German! She is going to be a little smarty pants like her brother!

Tim has been doing well with school. He is maintaining a A average in both classes that he is taking, and he is thinking that he may take 3 classes next time. He just wanted to get his feet wet before he really jumped in. We are all very proud that he is going back to school.

And what is new with me? Well besides running around with the kids like a nut, I have been running. lol I am up to 2.5 miles in about 38 minutes. I figure it to be 10 laps around our track and I can run 4 laps before I need a bit of a break and have to walk. I am really happy with how far I have come, considering when I started 2 months ago I could barely make one lap. Also the biggest news, or I guess getting to be smaller news, is that I am back into a size 14! I was so excited the other day when I went shopping for pants! The scale has not reflected a big loss, but I know that I am shrinking in certain areas. I am hoping that I am gaining muscle. And considering I started this whole thing almost 2 years ago at my biggest, a size 22, I am very happy with how far I have come, and confident that it will stay off. Slow and steady win the race, right?

April 16th

Gryffan is back to school. I think that he will be happy to be back into the routine. Yes it was fun to be home, but now give me structure. lol

We had soccer practice tonight. They had made a mistake about when games start. They may start next weekend, they may not. Thanks for the heads up.

Gryffan took a major ball to the face. We were worried for a moment, as we saw it from the side line. But face quickly swelling, Gryffan gives the assistant coach a thumbs up and finishes the quarter. Ahh Pele would be proud. Sadly the rattle did not losen any teeth. What is this kid going to have to due to lose one? I have a feeling by the time the first one falls out, he will not believe in the tooth fairy.