The final "4"

Deaglan's birthday is tomorrow. He's going to be 5.... one whole handful of fingers. Chris told Deaglan, "You'll never be four again." Deaglan replied "I don't wanna loose my cuteness!" I'll edit this and post pictures of his birthday in a few days, just thought you would all think that was cute.

"Good night noises everywhere"

Okay, I know it's been a while since my last post so here are the newest updates.

We found and bought bunk beds for the boys room! For those who don't know, the second floor is dormered and the ceiling slants on both sides so a regular bunk bed just won't fit. Well, we went to IKEA and found a "reversible bed" that is only 46 inches high (just tall enough to fit in the room). We put Deg and Ricky in one bed upside-down so Deg is in the top bunk and Ricky's in the bottom bunk. Joey's bed is "the right way" so he can throw blankets over it to get some "privacy" if he wants it.

Here are the pics:

Now on to the really funny stuff.

Last Saturday Joey wanted to go play with his friends. I told him yes and he asked if he could ride his bike. So we took it down and as I was filling the tires he asked if he had to wear his helmet. "Of course you have to wear your helmet baby." "OK, it's a little tight though." "OK so we'll get you a new one." And then as if the light bulb suddenly went on.... "I know why I have to wear my helmet mommy!" "Yeah, Joe, why do you have to wear your helmet?" "So I don't break my arm again." Trying not to laugh out loud I sent him on his way. I walk into the house to tell Ed(Gunga). As soon as I finish telling him Deaglan waddles out of the bathroom with his underwear pulled up and is struggling with his pants. I tell him Bear, just take your pants off for nap(it was after lunch and nap time comes after lunch) and he says but what if I go outside?

Later that day Joey's friend Conrad comes over with his sister Jenny. Conrad is in 4th grade Jenny is in 2nd like Joe. They're all playing the Wii and Deg decides to put one of the controllers in his mouth (long story short he puts everything in or by his mouth, yes he is almost 5), so he gets grounded from the Wii. Well, because he can't play he turns the game off while everyone else is still deciding what game to play next. Joey, Conrad and Jenny all decide to go to the park. Well there's a small park about 4 blocks from the house, I know where it is but Ed doesn't so he decides to take Ricky for a walk to find it. 10 minutes after he leaves the rest of the herd decides they want to go, so Conrad calls his mom and tells her the change in plans. She agrees and I decide to let Joe and Deg do a really big kid thing. I let Joe take Deg to the park without a grown up. Ed was at the park so I felt okay with the whole thing. Deg was so proud to be able to go to the park without a grown up and so did Joey seeing as how he got to really "look out" for his little brother. They're growing up too fast!

So, Sunday, Chis comes home from work and I have the great idea to run to Ikea in Bollingbrook (for those of you who don't know the store that Chris works at is in Bollingbrook, coincidentally right across the street from Ikea) and pick up the beds. We left the house at 7:20pm and the store closes at 8. Without traffic it's a 35 minute drive. We made it to the store at 7:55, bought the beds, dropped them off at home and then drove to my mom's to pick up a mattress for Ricky.

Monday, Chris has the day off with no kids because we had parent teacher conferences for Joe. (He's doing great! All A's and B's). I got home from work at 5ish and we started putting the first bed together. I had to watch my girlfriend's kids so she and her husband could go to their son's parent teacher. So I got home at almost 8, just as he and Joe were finishing. We put the kids to bed and all was well.

Tuesday, I got off work early and as soon as Chris got home from work at 4:30 we started putting the second bed together. We finished around 8 and put the kids to bed. I went to help cheer on a friend's husband in the Karaoke Olympics at a bar not far from the house (he didn't make it to the finals) and received a text message from Chris at about 10:30 stating that I had to guess which child decided to free fall from the top bunk. (It was Ricky). He jumped 46 inches from Bear's bed to the floor, without injuring himself (Thank God).

Wednesday. Chris picks the kids up from school because again he had the day off with no kids. They get home and he tells the boys to go in the front room, take off their shoes and put their things away. Deaglan decides to kick his shoes off and one of his shoes flies into the window breaking one of the panels. Chris heard the crash and ran to find out what happened. When he asked Deaglan what happened, Deg said "Dad, I was taking off my shoe and when I kicked it off if just flew into the window." Classic Bear.

Thursday (today). So thanks to all the shenanigans that now go on upstairs at bedtime, I will take up the role of "The old Lady Whispering Hush" (Goodnight Moon) sitting in my rocking chair knitting, at bedtime.

Speaking of knitting. I have been working on an absolutely gorgeous shawl for myself and I have taken up another small hobby. Knitters commonly use a small ring called a stitch marker to mark a group of stitches on their needles. I made a few this past few days and I have to say I like making pretty things. The first picture is the shawl I'm making myself, the second and third pictures are the first and second set of stitch markers I made, and the last picture is the set I made using the boys birthstone colors. It kind of looks like a pastel Irish flag doesn't it?

Just Because

So, I was walking through Target today and I saw something the boys HAD to have: foam pirate swords. They were perfect. Nothing hard all foam and soft. So when I got home I gave them their new toys and sent them to the basement to beat the snot out of each other. Worked like a charm!

Our Anniversary (Renamed Valliversary)

Today Chris and I have been married for 8 years, and I have been trying to remember what the gift should be for this year. This is what we have so far.....

Year 1: Joey was 6 months old so.... new baby.
Year 2: Chris's coat got stuck on the turn signal arm of the Civic and it broke off = $240 repair.
Year 3: I took Chris to dinner and was pregnant with Deaglan
Year 4: I think I got a well written card.
Year 5: Same as year 4.
Year 6: Same as year 5.
Year 7: Chris and the boys sent me a dozen purple roses. It was very sweet.
Year 8: Friday the 6th the garage door decided to jump the track and buckle, so it needs to be replaced. ($500 if we do it ourselves). When I told Chris that he was buying me a gift this year he said "I am a new garage door". I said "no, this isn't a repair gift year". I told him I wanted a mother's ring and he said OK. Last night the Civic finally drew what we think to be it's last breath. So guess what I'm getting for Valentine's day/our anniversary? Yep another vehicle repair.

So for year 9 I take him to dinner again, years 10,11,&12 I get a nice card, year 13 I get roses and another repair for year 14. I'm starting to dread our anniversary it's way to expensive every sixth year.

Edit: OK, so he's the best husband in the world. The boys made me breakfast in bed, and went to the bakery and bought me a cake.

They have made a new holiday just for me, Valliversary. We went to a play last night and then out to dinner. When we were leaving the boys just kept saying "Happy Valliversary Mommy!" He showed me the cake when we got home and I wanted to cry. As expensive as the repairs are that seem to haunt our "Valliversary", I wouldn't trade him for the richest man in the world.

Grass Angels

Deaglan walked out the front door and was thrilled to see that the grass wasn't gone, it was back. On the way home from work this evening Deg stated that he can't wait for summer so he can make grass angels. After dinner he demonstrated how to make them.

Enjoy the Deaglanisms that keep us rolling for hours!

(WARNING: Knitting Content) K.A.

Hi, my name is Jennifer and I have a problem. They say that admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. I am an addict. I can't live with out it. I have to have it all the time. It makes me happy. It relaxes my nerves. It soothes my soul. If you are seriously concerned, don't be. If you know me then you are giggling, maybe even laughing. I am addicted to my knitting. There I've said it. It feels good to get that off my chest. I knew that I enjoyed it, but I didn't realize I had a problem until this past Friday.

It started out as any other Friday. I got up and left to go to work. I had all my stuff with me, my purse, my gym bag, my phone, and my pattern book. I realized when I got to work I realized that I had my pattern but not my project. I had nothing to knit while I sat and watched the door and buzzed people dropping their children off for 2 hours. 2 whole hours I had nothing to do! OK. Breathe. I found a catalog to peruse to pass the time. Crisis averted.

Nap time! Yay! My time to catch up on my...... knitting. Damn! I left it at home. What to do with myself for 2 and a half hours? I found a skein of yarn that I had at one point wondered how it would knit up and 2 crayola water color brushes (because they"re the same size). I then proceeded to knit. I was surprised at how even the stitches were seeing as how the brush handles were tapered., but it worked.

The Great Escape!

For those of you who don't know, we have 2 corn snakes as pets. Their names are Chocolate and Viper. I've had Chocolate pretty much since he hatched and I got Viper as an afterthought. They're brothers (yes I've had them checked and I'm positive there will be no babies). They were my mom's snakes' babies. She had gotten 2 corn snakes herself and thought they were both the same sex. She had no intention of breeding snakes.


Viper was given to a friend of my sisters. He was very hand shy and skittish. One of her roommates left the tank open and he got out. (so he's kind of experienced with escape) He was only a few months old. She gave him back to my mom. Mom didn't really want him so she offered him and a bigger tank to me, saying that Joe and Deg each needed a pet. Whatever.


Fast forward to our trip to Wisconsin Dells. The snakes turned a year old back in August (or somewhere around there) so they are now both about 3 feet long and an inch around. Ed was snake sitting while we were gone (which was hysterical because he hates them and keeps asking when they'll be big enough to be belts). Monday evening when we got home I checked the tank and they were both there. I went to visit my Grampa in the hospital on Tuesday and when I got home Viper was gone.


So, I had to make time to clean the office (it's a train wreck) because that's the warmest room in the house and I figured he'd be there because that's also where the tank is. So I moved an empty shoe box that I use to separate them when feeding and there he was. He was cold but alive. Joe was so happy. He told me last night that he missed Viper.


This is Viper.

This is Chocolate.

This is where I found Viper.

This is where I found Viper in relation to the tank.

Reunited.