What's up!!!

Okay, so as is my normal excuse I have been very, very busy, then this morning on the radio they said nine days till Christmas and I said to myself, "Oh Crap, I never did a post about Thanksgiving." As you know I do not consider it to late, till the next holiday has past. I guess that means I only have a few days at between Christmas and New Years.

We stayed home this year and had our family and friends come over. I was one of those shoppers out bright and early Thanksgiving Morning shopping at Kmart, but with games buy 1 get 1 free, what else could I do. Anyways, Mark wants Hungry, Hungry Hippos for Christmas. Yes, I must have dropped him on his head when he was a baby. How do I know that - What 15 year old wants Hungry, Hungry Hippos as a Christmas Gift.

Here is Karl carving our yummy turkey, a 26 lb. bird that gave up "the goose" to a good cause --our hungry tummies!

Here are some pictures from during the dinner, the table was full, but boy did we eat.

The next morning, I was one of "those crazy" shoppers hitting the stores at 4 am. This is the first year I let Katy go with me. We were up at 3 am and in line by 3:30.

We had a great time and shopped for nine hours. A long, but fun day.

Since then we have been busy with swim, and swim, and did I mention swim. Katy, Steven, and Becca are all swimming so we are at the pool 4 nights a week for 2 hours. In my spare time I am slowly getting ready for Christmas. (It is good that I have about 3 weeks left, I will need every minute, LOL).

Some of you have been asking to see pictures of our kittens who are now 7 months old and still love to get into everything, so here you go:

Tobin is the black kitten, Kiva is the tan kitten, and Cody is our 15 1/2 year old black and white cat. As you can see, we can't leave any food sitting out, because Kiva will find it and want to share. This time is was butter with Cody. Now if I could just train the kids never to leave anything out. Kiva even ate Chili a few weeks ago, what a "joy" that was for the next few days. Bean and Cats DO NOT mix.

Kiva loves boxes.

Tobin is our talker and our snuggler. He also likes to get into everything.

It took several months, but all the fur balls are friends and will eat together and "play" with each other. Though when Tobin tries to play with Cody, he just looks at him with an expression that says, "You have got to be kidding, and walks away." Kiva is also the Great White Hunter, he found this deer on the tree the crazy humans put in the house just for him to play with!

I hope everyone is having a great time getting ready for Christmas, we are enjoying the season, and all the Christmas movies and music. Have a wonderful holiday. Love to all.

LOOK AT ME I'M 40!!!

This is my cake this year. I asked Karl for Ice Cream Sandwiches, so he got creative and also picked up Cherry Garcia to make the zero, we lite the candles twice to get the pictures. Luke loved blowing out the candles!!

Okay, so I know I'm strange, yesterday I turned 40, and yes, I just consider it a number on a page. Until this morning.......when I was getting breakfast for myself after the kids were gone. I was putting leftovers from last nights birthday dinner on my plate when I said to myself (If you didn't know already, I talk to myself), "In ten years when I turn 50 I'm going to Ruth Chris Steakhouse for dinner."

Then it dawned on me, I'll be 50 in ten years. Now I know it is only a number and some of you are close to or over that number, but it knocked a pause into me today. I thought back to when I was kid and how old 50 was. So then I started thinking back on some of the stupid things I have learned over the years, so here they are:

1. Don't play with yellow snow
2. And on the same mind frame - Everyone poops
3. Little Brothers are still happy they are younger then you and love to tease you about it.
4. Movie popcorn needs to smothered in butter or its just not as good.
5. ET invented Reese Pieces and a Reese Peanut Butter Sundae at Friendly's is still yummy.
6. Watching snow fall takes all the worries of life away.
7. I still like to watch movies multiple times (yes, I saw Twilight twice this weekend).
8. Your kids always think you are a little crazy.
9. Chocolate is good hot, cold, solid, or liquid.
10. Dark chocolate is better.
11. The dishes do not disappear overnight no matter how much you pray for it to happen.
12. Kids will always get clothes dirty and use the towel only once, then ball it up in a corner to let the mold grow before you find it.
13. Families are Forever, no matter how much during certain times of the month you want your husband to take the kids, leave you the check book and go away on an extended visit somewhere else.
14. Smiles are contagious.
15. So are hugs.
16. Your teenage son might not want you to kiss him, but a shoulder rub or pat gives them the same message.
17. A good book is a good way to pass a day or a weekend or a week.
18. They always want dinner.
19. You need a vacation from your vacation.

And most important........

20. 40 is just a number, just like the rest of the numbers, they come and go, its all how you act.

I hope you enjoyed my top 20 list. Gotta run, Thanksgiving is this week, plus some snow tomorrow. Gotta go make sure I have milk, bread, and eggs. You know 2 inches of snow means it might be awhile before I can leave the house. (Yeah, right, I need to find that person and get them some snow tires.)

Love to all.

Halloween Pictures, okay okay okay, I know I'm late but....

Okay, so this month has been as crazy as last month. I keep saying that I need to add pictures from Halloween to my blog, now it is mid November, Thanksgiving is two weeks away. So here you go. I was lucky this year and went away for the weekend leaving after the kids went to school, on Halloween, so I asked Karl to take some pictures. Well, I'm not sure who is tryng to teach who, but I'll keep working on him. So here you go the Dymond Kids Halloween 2008:
Drew went with me to my mother's but here he is a week before all dressed up


Mark was the first one to dress up that, looks ready to fight evil doesn't he!?!

The costume was really Luke's, his Grandpa Pitcavage bought it for him, he wore it for about two weeks straight.

Katy wanted to go as a girl from the 50's, she was really cute. She called herself the "Good Sandy" from the Grease movie.

Steven of course went as Ainken Skywalker, but this one is from the Clone Wars Movie.

Becca went as a pink puppy, some people thought she was a rabbit so she would show them her tail and say, "Rabbits don't have these tails."

And now for the evening picture, yes only one. (Though I will give him credit for sending one to my phone) We need to work on the picture concept with him. So you can see the kids had fun trick or treating with their friends, and Karl survived through the surgarred up kids for the weekend. Since it is not Thanksgiving yet, Happy Halloween to everyone.

Why I should win the coffee maker.

Okay, how is that for a heading. Drew and I went to visit my mom for the weekend (Yes, Karl did Halloween, more to follow later about that.) and on the way home they were talking about a contest to win a coffee maker. They were looking for the person who had the most crazy mornings......Yes, that is me, here is my weekday morning:

5:30 am - Get Drew up for Bible Study Class
5:50 am - Leave house to take Drew to Class
5:57 am - Drop Drew off
6:05 am - Wake Mark up so he can take a shower
6:20 am - Wake Karl up to take a shower
6:40 am - Go pick up Drew
6:50 am - Drew is done, come home
7:00 am - Get Luke up, and into the bathroom, change Luke's diaper (don't forget he is about to be 14), get Katy up, get Steven up
7:04 am - Get Luke dress while he yells at you for being up, not taking him to Wal-mart (the best store in the land according to him), etc.
7:10 am - Wet Luke's hair down and brush his teeth, when he is done with that he walks around the house telling you how mad he is at you.
7:13 am - Drive Drew/Mark to bus stop
7:20 am - Bus arrives, go home to meet Luke's Driver
7:30 am - Try and get Becca to wake up, tell Steven to turn off video games and come dressed (Don't forget you have to make sure to tell him to change his underwear he is 8 after all, and boys at that age don't believe in changing under ware every day or week if you would let them get away with that.)
7:45 am - Finally get Becca awake and moving, remind children that breakfast is something they need to eat, not just a passing thought.
8:00 am - Katy, Becca, Steven eat breakfast (Steven is still missing at least on shoe at this point)
8:10 am - Find Steven's shoe, have everyone brush teeth (Have to remind them to use toothbrushes), brush hair
8:15 am - If everything went well then all we need to do is find coats, but while everyone is sleeping the coat fairy takes the coats from where they belong and puts them in hard to find places.
8:20 am - Found coats, book bags on, out the door, into the car, and to school.
8:30 am - Mom comes home and sits down to watch the news.

So what do you think, do I win the coffee maker!?!????? Don't forget this repeats itself 5 days a week. This is why I love Saturdays - I don't have to do any of that, and I can be lazy or busy my choice. Let me know if you think I would have won.

A VERY Busy FUN Weekend

Okay, what more could you ask for, good books to read, a long weekend, and lots of family around you. So I'll start with the easy part. When I last blogged I was just part way through Twlight, now I'm half way through Eclipse which is the third book. The series is wonderful and YES I have been ignoring my children and housework. Yesterday, was the day I was going to get ahead with the laundry, but the book called and this is what my bed looked like at bedtime. Karl was laughing at me as I was finishing the chapter by flashlight. So you know that I'm not joking this is what my bed looked like when Karl was ready to go to sleep:

Yes, I need an intervention, but don't worry only 1 1/2 books to go, then I'll be done, and my mom is coming to visit and she says that I can't ignore her and read a book. Oh well, who needs sleep.

Steven has spent a long weekend with Mom and Gunnar and has enjoyed his first "Private Vacation" this is him when he left:

This weekend Karl's whole family was in. It has been a while since everyone has been together. It was fun to sit back and watch everyone enjoying being with each other. Everyone is very busy with their own thing, but when they are together, we all want it to go on. I always wanted sisters, but I only had a brother - so it is fun to be with Karl's family and all of my sister-in-laws, I enjoy visiting with the "boys" to. Of course the oldest "boy" is over 30 now. But they will always be the boys shooting ice chips at the old lady in the restaurant. Here are some pictures of the party we had on Sunday.

Here are some of the family together: Karl's mom with all her Granddaughters. For a LONG time we wondered if there would be any girls, now look at this beautiful group.

All of Karl's Siblings: Jim, John, Ed, Mike, Karl, Rebecca and Chris

This is the newest edition to the family and my Great Niece, can you believe it a Great Aunt and I'm not even 40 yet! Her name is Tenley May Lane. Of course babies come in groups in this family so Congrats to Ed and Lynn and John and Valerie they are both due in April!!

This is a five generation picture. Grandma B, Betsy (Mom), Chris, Ryan, and Tenley.

So you can see what a beautiful weekend it was, fun was had by all. Katy and Becca loved having their girl cousins around, and Karl enjoyed having his siblings around.

On another note, Drew submitted his Eagle Project Proposal for Scouts yesterday, so we are just waiting now to hear if it is approved. More to follow.........

Love to all, the book calls - and I need to go do dishes, you know mom's coming gotta clean up. Think she will notice if I just throw all the cups, bowls, and plates away so I can keep reading, she wouldn't mind eating off the table or floor would she?

Life goes on

Okay, I know that I haven't written anything in a month, you would think that I would have lots of free time, the kids are in school, I have several hours a day with quiet, but as normal I'm always busy. I want to know where those women who watch TV, eat Bon-Bons, and take it easy each day live so that I could move there.

This week I started, okay yesterday I started reading Twilight and now I think I'm obsessed with it. What a great book, I can't put it down. Lots of people recommended the book and finally I decided to buy it, and boy I did not know what I was missing. Now forget housework, and the kids stuff - I just want to read.

I'm making myself sit down and write this, just to prove that I can walk away, so anyone who is looking to lose yourself for a little while in a great book, have at it. When I'm done I'll take some time and write about the kids. But I know they can last several days on water and bread, except I'm out of bread, good thing Karl can run to the store for me. Gotta run, the book is calling.

American Idol Concert

Anyone who knows me knows that I love reality TV and one of my favorites is American Idol. On Monday, September 8th Katy and I went to American Idol Concert at the Wachovia Arena, which is the local sports venue. AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME!!!!!!! Mom and Gunnar were suppose to go with us, but with my Grandmother's passing, they were still in Vermont, so Katy was able to invite two of her friends to go with us.

Abby, Vicky, and Katy before the concert started.

As you can see they were already having a good time. I have been looking forward to this concert since American Idol ended in May. The singers this year were very entertaining, which made the show a pleasure to watch. Here are some pictures from the concert:

Chikizie and Rami

Michael Johns and Kristi Lee Cook

Brooke and Brooke at the Piano

Carly!!!!!!! Rock on Carly!!!!! As you can see, she was one of the ones I liked.

Okay, so now you know who I liked, I'm not posting pictures of Jason Castro or Syesha, because well, they were boring, and slowed to night down. At least they gave people time to come back from the bathroom before the best parts of the concert started.

David Archuleta was amazing, the stage lights turned blue, then the stage filled with smoke and David came up through the floor playing a baby grand, wow does he know how to belt the songs out. By now 2 1/2 hours into the concert I have no hearing due to the girls screaming next to me, my voice is almost gone from cheering and we had one performer left:

DAVID COOK!!!!!! Now he was amazing, the whole place erupted with applause as he came up through the floor. WOW does he know how to put on a show. I had my reservations about him winning, but after seeing what he can do in person, hands down America you picked the right winner!

At the end the whole group came out one more time and did a group song, that was great also. In the end David Cook went back down through the floor. The concert left me wanting more American Idol. So now I get to wait till January for the next addition. Oh well, I'll be fine Survivor and Amazing Race start soon.

I thought you might enjoying seeing some of the concert, the first clip is of Michael Johns, the second David Archuleta, and the third part of the final group number. I tried to tape David Cook, but my camera keep cutting out so it was not worth putting on here.

Michael Johns - Dream On

David Archuleta singing Stand By Me

Top Ten at the End of Concert