i need to grow a spine.

I caved. I completely caved. And I'm failing my child. I can come up with at least 10 reasons why starting "operation no no to nunu" should never be started on a day like yesterday.

Erin closed the restaurant, Rachael had a topic test to study for, Erin had homework, I needed to make dinner, I had to fold laundry, the boys needed baths, lunches had to be packed, the birds were completely annoying me with that damn Andy Griffiths tune they sing, the dog was whining and Trevor asking for that Nunu was a little to much for this momma to handle.

7pm, I caved. I will try again tonight.

this is a warning...

We are about to start operation "No No to the Nunu". For all those not in the know...a Nunu is the term we use for pacifier.

This week, we will give the Nunu only in the evening. No more daytime time Nunu.

Yesterday I realized we had a real problem brewing, when he spoke absolutely perfect baby-glish from behind the nunu. In fact it was so clear, I sunk my head in complete and utter defeat. I started thinking that he may go to Kindergarten with the Nunu.

Ready for this...Trevor told me. "you no me nunu. me nunu. not you nunu".

I made this announcement to the three olders on the way to school. They all told me they didn't want to come home. You see, Trevor asks for the Nunu, the second we pull out of daycare.

It is gonna get ugly ....

she is a goofy, goofy, goober ... yeah!

Rachael had a birthday party for one of her soccer friends this past weekend. Unlike most sleepovers, this Momma was locked and loaded and ready. She had everything set up for the party and she had all these super activities planned. She apparently knows what happens when 10 year old girls get together and have nothing to do .... they fight!

One of the super awesome activities was the blind-folded make up game. You tie one of the girls hands behind her back and you blind fold her partner. You then give the blindfolded partner crazy makeup and tell her to go apply some lipstick ....

So this is Rachael's lovely makeup face...It looks like she had a blast.

For the love of the kids....I've been so busy. I got this idea that I could paint my entire house, inside out in like a day or so. WRONG! It's going to take weeks. My arms feels like it should be cut off at the shoulder. It hurts so bad. I'll post pictures when I'm done playing painter girl.

My friend Laurie tagged me yesterday. I've never been tagged, so I thought I would do it. I've put on my thinking cap. Here are 10 random facts about me.

1. I love country music and the Jonas brothers. I chose Country and my daughter chose me to love the Jonas Brothers. Basically because I have the bank account to buy tickets & Cd's

2. I have a love / hate relationship with soccer. I love my kids to play it, I love watching it. I love being on the Board of Directors. I hate losing my household and life to it. I hate when coaches show up at my door at 10 pm at night for guest rosters, I wish I could tell them "tough cookies", but the inner nice person in me comes out and I remember it is for the kids. That inner nice person is a real pain in the a$$.

3. I burn things all the time. I'm a decent cook, but I tend err on the side of caution that the food is done cooking, and because of that, things burn.

4. I hate the fact that my husband is Dr. Doolittle. I feel like I live in a farm some days.

5. I'm in the middle of the biggest diet of my life. It is working very slowly, but it is working.

6. I drive a minivan, this is my 3rd minivan. Each time the van gets a little bigger and wider. Currently I am driving a Nissan Quest. It is huge. My next car will be a crossover-something-or-there.

7. My kids call my BFF Michele, Aunt Michele & Uncle Joel. Her kids call us Aunt Joanne and Uncle Erin. We are both transplants to Florida. This is our family coping mechanism.

8. I clean too much, too often, and I am neurotic about it. It is to the point that I am closing in on drill Sergeant material.

9. I have a starbucks addiction. I can quit anytime. So back off. I like it, and that's that!

10. I'm scared that Rachael is a 5th grader & Kasey is a senior.

I tag Beth .... sorry :) Let's see what ya got!

my bean beans.

I try very hard to get my children to eat healthy. I don't always succeed. But I try very hard.

But it isn't that hard with Trevor. Trevor is an eating machine. He will eat you if you stand still long enough and he can get his little vampire teeth into you. But by far, Trevor's favorite food is Green Beans. Or what he calls, bean beans. He will eat them out of the rubbermaid container in the fridge. He will eat them cold, warm, as a side dish, as a snack. He doesn't care. He just wants bean beans. I have even caught him trying to climb into the kitchen cabinet to get them.

Trevor wanted a "nackie" before bedtime last week. I told him to wait one minute and mommy would get him one. Apparently waiting wasn't an option. I found him in the kitchen sitting on the floor in his Nemo PJ's with the green beans again. We call it his bucket o' beans. It was so funny.

again!

Let's go way back .... Remember last year, Rachael received the Student of the Month for exhibiting the trait "joyful"...... yup, it was for "joyful"

Well, she is student of the month again. But she is a little confused why she is ...

My daily phone call just came in.

me: hey sweetie, how was your day?
R: good, I'm student of the month.
me: That's awesome. What is this the theme this month?
R: I don't know, but all I got was a pencil and green cup.
me: Well, you must have done something to deserve receiving the award.
R: I don't know, maybe because I'm just that kind of kid. People like me. That's just how I am. I'm like-able...

How Seinfield did that sound? She cracks me up ...... I don't know what to do with her?

Maybe it was the class clown award.

grandparents breakfast.

Last Friday was Grandparents Breakfast as school. We are very lucky that Pappy spends a great deal of time in Tampa and loves to come to breakfast with the kids. This was Pappy's 6th annual Grandparents Breakfast. And, sadly, it is Rachael's last. Next year my little girl will be a 6th grader in Junior High School. But, Pappy, you are in luck. Erin still has a few left!

Pappy was a little late this year, but it all worked out. Rachael even gave him directions to the school and didn't get him lost! Here are some pictures of the big day. Rachael said she always gets sad when Pappy brings her to school because she misses him! oohhhhhh......so sweet. But Pappy knows how to make her smile, a little bribery goes a long way!

How cute are they in the "Spirit Friday" T-shirts ..