Sorry been MIA...It's # 100

My life has been super CRAZY since I started this semester in school. I have not had time to do anything. This is my 100th post but did not have time to write 100 things about me. I will do a 101st post instead. Want to see my crazy schedule:

Monday-

- up at 5:30 am to get ready for school

-Organic chemistry from 7:30-9 am. Got some daily homework in class.

- home at 10 am. Signed into my English online class.

- Found out I had homework first day of English so took 2 hours to finish it.

- Cleaned for an hour

-Got ready for my Nursing assistant class which started at 4 pm. Took me 45 minutes to get there.

- had My classes form 4-10 pm

- Got home at 11 pm, had to finish my Chemistry homework and read a chapter.

-Went to sleep at 2 am.

Tuesday

- up at 5:30 am

-Organic Chemistry class from 7:30 - 11 am (had lab). Got homework

-Got home at 12 noon.

-had to finish reading a book for English while I sat outside watched the kids play.

-Got ready for my class....went to my CNA class from 4-10pm.

-Got home at 11 pm just to have to do more Chemistry homework.

Do you see any time in my schedule I can actually post. I don't. :)

This went on and on like this with me getting only 3-4 hours of sleep this whole week!. Crazy.

I will be so glad when my CNA class gets done. That 4-10 pm every night is killing me because after 7 or 8 is when I usually do my homework. I am having to push everything out until I get home from my class. I have hardly spend time with the family and James has been picking up the slack a little for me. Thanks James. Only 2 more week of this insane schedule and I am done with my Nursing class.

Today is my cleaning day to catch up from this last week. I also have decided to get all my English homework that is due next week done tonight so I don't have to have to crazy week I had this last week. I also plan to do the same with my organic chem class. Organic Chem will be done tomorrow night.

I will find out in 2 weeks if I got a interview for the Pierce College Nursing program. I hope all this work pays off.

I probably won't be posting that much until this Nursing class is over. I have posts from my friends still in my feed box of outlook I have not even looked at. Will catch up this weekend.

Better run. Rae has her friend over today and I want to spend time with the kids. :) See ya.

A Vastbinder Record

Do you know how frustrating it is to have a family record of breaking things. Well my kids just set a ALL time record of breaking something in oh lets just say in 15 hours. Yes OH yes.

TJ wanted a Wii for his birthday (which is tomorrow) so we bought one last night. The kids played it for 2 hours last night and then we have let them play it all morning. So in reality they have only used it for a total of 5-6 hours. Well they got fighting and decided to push each other around just enough to step on the Wii and break the dang thing. I am fuming right now. All 5 of them are sitting up in their room waiting for James to come home (he went to swim laps at the local pool) to see what we are going to do about this. Maybe James can mess around with it to see if it will work. I can't get it started and the kids broke the jack to where you put the old Gamecube controllers in too.

It just kills me!

I was smart and paid the extra money to buy a extended warranty on it because I know how this family is.

On another note...my big 56 inch TV went out too. Luckily I did the same thing and put an extended warranty on it.

Ok on to the happy dance side of today. I went to ghettoville (Walmart) in Covington yesterday and bought myself a pair of scrubs. I has searched on the net and found scrubs but did I want to pay a arm and a leg for them, NO WAY! I got my baby blue scrub (for my Nursing assistant class) for a whole 20 bucks. YAHOO. Walmart I love you!

Deep Lake

A few weeks ago we went to Deep Lake to enjoy some swimming. The kids had a blast in the water. Here are some pictures of the day....

B-I-N-G-O and bingo was his name O.

Last night was girls night out with my good friends.  We splurged a whole 15 bucks (ok I spend a little more then that)  to go play bingo at Muckleshoot casino. Our good friend Carrie is moving away and so we wanted to spend our last day with her just hanging out. Some might not agree with playing bingo but we had a blast and some of us even won some money.  Ashlee won $550 bucks and Darcy won 150.  Darcy and I did win 20 bucks because we were sitting next to Ashlee when she won her loot.  WOOHOO.  

Thanks Tami for setting up our girls night out.   We all had a blast.   Gotta do it again.  

Ready, Set, Go

Why is my title Ready, Set, Go.   It is because I am about ready to do some insane school these next few weeks.  I am insane!!!  I found a way to take all the 3 classes I need to be one of the first picks for the RN program. Why am I doing this to myself?  I don't know.    I found a 3 week CNA program up in Des Moines from 4-10pm every day but weekends starting on the 16th.   That way I can take my Organic Chemistry class M-TH at 7:30 am. And don't forget my English class which is an online one.   I am going to go insane these next few weeks.  Another Girls night out is in order after my CNA class is finished.

All I can say is I better get into this RN program at Pierce College.  :)  If not at least I will have everything done for next year application rounds.   I will probably take a Nutrition course this fall just to cater to those programs that require it too.  After that I don't have any more classes to take until I get into a program!

Another reason for the ready, set, go title is because I started Weight Watchers on Saturday.   I am ready to get this dang weight of AGAIN.   The funny thing is I have already lost 4 lbs.  Don't ask me how I have done that in 2 days.  All I have done is stick to the points  counting and drinking TONS of water. I have not even exercise because of my hip.  I am sure I won't loss more then that this week or just maybe a pound more.   I am excited to get fit again.   I will be glad to see a size 8/10 again like I was last summer.  UGH.  

Another happening,  I finally got an MRI on my hip Friday.  Love my doctor! He does every test possible to find out what is wrong, unlike all the other doctors whom will say "oh it's just muscular" without even doing a single X-ray.   If it was just muscular it would have cleared up with time,  it would not hurt for 2 years straight.  Messed it up when I was running 8 miles a day back in 2006.  Ok even now I think that was insane.   Will find out this week what is wrong. 

Ready, Set, Go also means the kids are getting out of school and I have to prepare myself for chaos.   AHHHHH.   I do not look forward to summers I have to admit.   I know some mom would say they love it but not me!!!   I am going to have to make sure I have some order to my house this summer so I don't go insane.  Chore charts, play times, play dates, etc will be all planned out on a big Chart.  

On to church happenings.   Yesterday was combined priesthood/ relief society and we had a lesson on becoming computer savy.   I have never for the life of me had a non spiritual lesson at church.   It was all on learning about computers-firewalls, windows operating systems, gadgets etc.   It was kind of cool.   Welcome to the 21st century.  :) 

I have to record on here (journaling purposes, don't mean to brag) that I got a 92 on my test I took yesterday in Microbiology....I have a 97% in the class now.  

Well enough of me just babbling.....babble babble babble. 

14 yrs ago....

James and I  tied the knot and got married in the Washington DC Mormon temple.   I can't believe it's been 14 yrs.

I am a day late in posting as I was trying to get my scanner running so I can post some pictures of our wedding day and some of our first things...  As soon as the scanner is fixed I will post some pictures...

Our first things...

We first meet....at Church Institute at the end of April in 1993

First dance....Young single adult dance,  I actually thought he liked someone else and was jealous....:) 

First date ......was going to an amusement park called Seabreeze w/ James.  

First Kiss.... was at Sodus point in Sodus, NY right off the pier.

James proposed..... in February 1994 in Utah on Y mountain.  :)

James and I got married..... May 27th, 1994. 

First car....  we packed up James 1989 maroon Pontiac grand am to the brim and drove cross country to Utah to start our live at BYU. 

First apartment....  was the hottest dang apartment I have ever lived in but it was ours! 

First pet...  We  got a black lab pup named bear when we where in our second apartment what a mistake.  :)

First home purchased...  we moved back to Newark NY in which we bought a 2000 sq ft house w/ 1.7 acres.   We still have the house!

Children..  we have been blessed with 5 wonderful children.

Life has been very eventful and great.  Thanks James for 15 years of putting up with me.  :)   Love you tons.....

The many faces of EJ...

When I was taking pictures of all the kids, Ethan couldn't help but ham it up a little.... And look at that Green mohawk...:)

Game Freak Geek House

Tonight is friday night movie/games night.  The younger 3 usually ends up watching a movie while the older 2 plays either the xbox 360 or World of warcraft.   Tonight we are all sitting downstairs playing a mad bad game of Halo 3.   That is the life with a house full of boys, poor Sydney!

I remember when James and I were just married, the Internet was just barely out.  Our being poor BYU students spent our date nights playing M.U.D. (multi user dungeon) games. Do you remember them? They are the online games where you enter commands to play  by typing in the computer.  There was no graphics, only code.   That was way back 14 years ago.   We use to play that game until all hours of the night.   It was such a primitive game but just as fun.

New technology has brought us the MMORPG  (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game) which includes World of Warcraft, Asherons call, Dungeon siege, etc.

James and I got into Asheron's call back when we first moved to Washington. We use to play it after the kids went to bed until all hours of the night.  I even got to level 78, go figure! :)

Next game Dungeon Seige...  James and I played it for a while but our boys have liked it the most. 

Over the years, the more kids we have had the less time we have had to play any type of Role-playing games.   These games have been taken over by our boys.

We still do like watching the boys play.   It brings back memories of all the time James and I battle those aliens over the years till wee hours of the night..  

Random pictures.....

I have not put any pictures of the kids up in a while so I thought I would write another post for today with pictures from the last few weeks. I was uploading all my digital from my canon and found a few kids in the family had used the camera to take pictures of things. There was a lot of nonsense pictures and then a lot of Rae and AJ hamming it for the camera.

Here are some random pictures:

AJ- we call this look the "devil in his eyes" look...

AJ happy look....

This is where I found Aidan yesterday after he asked me to go outside to play with the dogs. (its a tree in our front yard)

Rae

Rae and her brothers found robins eggs....

CJ and AJ (taken on Saturday at Lacrosse game)

CJ at the lacrosse game on Saturday

EJ playing Attack on his lacrosse team

TJ playing in the Middie position on his lacrosse team

Check out the purple net (he wanted that color:) )

I did not know my bushes in from yard bloomed flowers! I know have flowering bushes this color, plus a few that are purple all over the yard.

Why am I up at 2:40 in the morning?

Why am I doing this to myself. Why? I was doing homework and was busy doing a chart for the lab I have to do on Saturday and I didn't even realize it is 2:30 am in the morning.

I am going to be SOOO very glad when this class is over.

In my class the teacher asked you to answer objective question related to the 2 lesson you have to do a week. Usually it end up being 30-40 question per lesson so in a week you end up having to answer 60-80 questions. An these are not the question that you can give short answers for. These are question that end up being 1/2 - 1 page long. I have written 120 pages of objective questions just in the last 2 weeks. It has taken me every night and all day long for a few days just answer them.

On top of it, I have to do a discussion question every week and then response to other peoples posts.

And then I have to prepare for the lab on Saturday which includes a prelab which consist of another 15-20 questions that I have to turn in on friday night and then I have to prepare a lab journal with the To do's, notes, lab procedures and then the post lab questions (which are another 10-15 questions). The lab journal usually ends up being another 25-30 pg total in length for each lab.

Ok so does your brain hurt yet?

Ok now onto the testing portions. I have to do a lab test after the Saturday lab class and then every other weekend I have a unit test that is only 4 lessions (need I remind you that the test in on the 120 pages of objective questions I just answered). Do you think I will retain any of this after the class is over....I don't think so, I am hardly retaining it now as it is just WAY to much info for a brain to handle in such a short timeframe.

Why oh why did I think I could do this.....

I have not slept in days, because I have to get up at 6:30 am to get EJ to school.

The sad part is this weekend is the weekend for my 3rd unit test and so Mother's Day is down the drain for me.

:(

Ok so I just need to smile and say it will be over in 4 weeks.........:)

Stranded....

What do I hate more than James being right? Being stranded because he was right! :) He is always telling me to fill the gas tank when it gets half full instead of waiting until it is empty to fill it up. I hate getting gas because I have to sit there and watch 125 bucks go down the drain and the fact I don't want to take the time to do it doesn't help.

Well what happened tonight just drill it into this stubborn brain of mine that James can be right sometimes, and he did not even have to remind me of it. He didn't even rub it in, either. :)

About 2 1/2 miles from my home, in the middle of farmland, our car came to a slow stop in the road. I did not even have time to pull it over as the power steering was out at this point and I could not turn the wheel. So it was sitting in the middle of the road at a stop sign.

Remember that James is Mr. Gimp right now so guess who had to walk 2.5 miles to go back home to get a can of gas. IT WAS ME. I deserved it anyway's because I left the car empty of gas. So TJ and I, left the rest of the family and started to run/walk home.

I did call my in-law to come save us, and by the time I was about 1/2 mile from the house they meet me to pick me up. We got a gas tank and went back to the car to put some gas in it, drove the truck to a gas station about 3 miles away to fill up.

By this point I had been gone for 45-50 minutes so the car looked like a jungle gym and three ring circus when I came to back to it. The kids where hanging all out of our stranded vehicle windows while EJ was directing traffic because Mr. Gimp was not able to walk. EJ even drew an arrow on the back of our dirty car to show which way to go. He is too funny! :)

So after spending 125 bucks on stupid gas (can you believe gas is so high now) we decided to continue our Family night and went to McD's splurging on some ice cream w/ grandma and grandpa.

Sighhhhh..... Ironman will just have to wait for another day.

Mr. Gimp for the next 3 months.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of James with my Iphone right after surgery. I even told the nurses it was for my blog. HEHE So I'm a little obsessed. :)

Today James had Meniscus Knee surgery on his right knee. He is just falling apart at the seams. This is his 3 surgery!. He had a meniscus surgery on his left knee back in 2003 and then in 2005 he had rotator cuff surgery on his left arm. Poor guy! While on the operating table this time, they found that he had arthritis under his knee cap and so they cleaned that up and broke his knee cap a little to let the marrow form some new cartilage. He also had a bone growth taken out right under his knee that he has had since he was young. I guess his growth plate under his knee formed to much bone so they took that out which adds another 6 weeks onto the recovery time (3 months total).

James went to the Team sport medicine/orthopedic Doctor of the Seahawks, Elias Edward Khalfayan, M.D, hoping that he would be able to run afterwards.

The Doc told him that his days of running are OVER, DONE, GONE. He told James that all his knee problems are due partly to genetics because usually a 37 year old man does not have arthritis already! He has it in the left knee also.

So big hugs James. Ouch he is hurting right now. Boy, is he going to get pampered! :)

On another note, I came back from surgery and 6 friends on my feed list on outlook posted a blog entry in one morning/day. That is a record! :) Good posts everyone!

SLEEEEEEPPPPP.....

Ok so why do I want to be like Papa Smurf...I WANT SLEEP. I have been burning the candles at both ends as of late because I have been studying till Wee hours of the morning (1-2 am) and have been getting up at 630 am to get EJ ready for school. I started this insane sleepless nights last Friday, and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Only 6 more weeks of this darn Microbiology class. Can't wait. Papa Smurf has the right idea. :) Going back to bed before I take AJ to story time at the library.

American Idol opinion according to Kari:

Ok so I watch American Idol last night, I was a little shocked that Carly is gone....I thought for sure it was going to be Brooke. My prediction is that the last 2 standing will be both David's. The girls I don't think have a chance, and Jason, uhmmm Jason...He is only an OK singer to me, I think both David are far better singers. Jason is just not consistent as a singer. He is also not the "beautiful boy" as Randy thinks. I actually think he is not cute at ALL even if those dreads where removed off his head... David C. will go far even if he does not win because of his diversity and being a true rocker. David A. Will probably win but will not be the super star as David C. will be. That is my prediction.

Ouch, a plant you don't want to mess with.....

Ok so this is the plant from H E double hockey stick!. Can you figure out what it is....It's Stinging Nettle and I am feeling the pain from it right now....YES, YES. The moment I dived into it I immediate felt that pain, let me tell you. My arms, around my ankles, neck and a few spots on my legs are all rashed up because of this seemingly innocent-looking plant.

So how did this happen....

If you read the post that James wrote you will see that he complains about the OH SO many things that he has to do, that he perceives I don't do right. Well did he forget to mention that his lovely wife, goes out with this dear husband of her's to cut wood in our forest. Yes, oh, Yes. Isn't that suppose to be a "MAN" thing?!!!! :) (can you tell I am a little annoyed about his post :) )

Well, little Miss Kari, helped James cut wood, load the wood on the tractor, drove the tractor to house, dumped it 4 times over then stacked the dang wood in the garage. Mind you, I also mowed the 3 acres of grass in the yard afterwards. While loading the wood, I happened upon a grove of stinging nettle (James must be immune to it because he was standing in it too and it did not bother him)and have been in pain ever since.

So here ends the tale of the Stinging Nettle giving me a HUGE Rash and feeling unappreciated. Hey, at least I WILL do a "Man's Job" and have the stings to prove it! :)

My 2 partners in Crime, keep your journals away from them.

EJ

TJ

Yes I have a pair of partners in crime in my house. And who do you think they are? Yep EJ and TJ! They are best friends, best enemies, do everything together sort of brothers, including cause grief for their poor Mother. :) It does help that they are only 15 months apart. You will see these two going from best friends to rolling on the floor wrestling each other down because they are mad at each other. They are also the best partners in crimes.

They always planning things out like Wrestling attacks on me-wresting me down to the ground-so I will, as a "Raised with boy's" mom, started wrestling right back with these 2 brut's of mine. These 2 boys (TJ is actually is the same height as EJ now) are almost as tall (ok so I am only 5 ft 4 inches, a little shorty) as me and are starting to get TOO strong for me. I can take one of them down but not both. HE HE.

Another thing they like doing to their dear poor mother is scaring her half to death. They actually plan out things to scare me with.

So on to my next partner in crime activity from my 2 boys. So a few weeks ago, I found my EJ and TJ hiding in one of their rooms reading something laughing. Well low and behold, they where reading my journal from College. I was an Avid Journal writer in college. I wrote about my first few days at college, my first boyfriend and first kiss at college, all my feelings (Boy, I was a sappy girl, so unsure of myself and wishing for someone to love me), dances, other boyfriends, roommates, good friends. The journal ends with meeting my husband, James, getting married in the DC temple and having Ethan. I had not read the journal in like 10 yrs or so. So forgot what was in it until I actually read it after my boys got their hand on it. Wanted to see what they had read.

Those sneaky boys of mine. They thought it was hilarious that I actually was single once and kissed boys. :) When I tried to get my journal back, my 2 preteens decided to run around with it saying kissy kissy kissy, having tooooo much fun with it. Anyone that knows my 2 boys, know they are little jokesters. :)

So be a warning to all those mothers out their with college journals full of stuff you not sure you want your kids to read until they are grown. :) HIDE THOSE JOURNALS! HE HE.

My Brain Hurts!!!!!!

How much can a brain hurt. Mine is pounding right now! The picture above depicts my brain right now. :) So why does my brain hurt. Maybe because I have been studying my BRAINS out for my Microbiology Test. And I got a 92%!!! Yah! That is good enough for me. As long as I get that A I will be happy. Actually for this class I will be happy with a B, it just is better of course ( on my GPA) if I get that A. So I am happy but need to veg a little and watch some SciFi flick. NO Chick Flick for me, it's SciFi all the way. :)

Oh another note, EJ passed the sacrament today, I tried to get TJ to take a picture w/ my Iphone but he would not do it and I was not about to be caught in the act of taking pictures in the middle of Sacrament. I am so bad!!! Trying to get my son to do my dirty work for me. HE HE

Ok forgot something. Lacrosse Score updates....

The boys team won against Redmond 12 to 2. EJ scored 3 of those goals. TJ was a starter and Captain yesterday at the game. They give out awards at the end of each game for the kids that showed the most sportsmanship and EJ got the award! It was so hot out there as it was 73, we all have sunburns because of it. You should see James. He looks like a Lobster. I, on the other hand, went to church sporting a sunburn on 1 side of my face. :)

Cow POO ...

Ok got your attention. No seriously today the odor of cow poop was everywhere around here and it was VERY strong. That's what I get for living in the cow pastures of the little town I live in. Wouldn't change it for the world, but it was my first glimpse into what I will be smelling and what I am going to smell like all summer when it gets hot and steamy out there. HE HE.

Today we went to the Science center. I went and picked up my old neighbor and drove up to Seattle for a few fun hours there. We saw the IMAX of Antarctica at the end of the day and it was amazing what those men went through. They were stranded for almost 2 years on the ice. The captain eventually went on a wild journey just to save his ship crew by crossing seas w/ hurricanes in a life boat (7 days at sea)and then walked 30 miles across the icy tundra (Took them 36 hours to cross) just to get help for them. What an amazing story. I don't know if I could have done that.

Well anyways, here are some pictures of today activities, I even got some of EJ, my camera pooper (instead of party pooper). :)

Minutes later......

Well I went looking for my camera and it's in the car still and I am to dang lazy to get my bum up and get it so I will have to post them tomorrow... My brain hurts from studying all night again and so have no energy to do much more then post another babble.

Wanna see what a $175 book looks like.......

Yep this book is only a 900 page book. Can I already say it is 900 pages of a pain in my &*^$&^%&%. Ok so I can't swear but I thought about saying that word, so probably just as bad thinking the word then just saying it. :) I did not think this Microbiology class would be so intensive. WOW Boy was I wrong. I have been studying non stop this week and I am still behind already. The class is very reading intensive and my brain is hurting. HE HE. Had to watch my Stargate Atlantis (ok so I am a Scifi nerd on top of being a student Nerd) at midnight last night just so my brain would stop hurting so I could go to sleep after studying for 3 hours straight. The instructors gives us 30 or more objective question per chapter that we have to answer in details. Just Chapter 2 was 20 pages of questions and my answers. Plus I have to prepare prelab question (15 of them) due by Friday night before our lab class on Saturday. This week alone I have 2 more chapters I have to study and answer objective questions not to mention I have my first unit test ( chapter 1-4) I have to take this next weekend. I don't know if this is all because it is an part online class or if I was in a regular class it would be this intense. I also have to do a case study this quarter in the class in which I need to put up power point slides,etc. Dang it all I missed that class during school and when James tried to explain how to do a power point I space him out. So on top of it all I have to learn to do a power point presentation.

Can I already say I like Chemistry so much more then this class. Quit honest I don't know how people take more then one class with kids, especially this intense of a class. I am so glad I decided against taking the Organic Chemistry class on top of this class this semester. HE.

Well anyway! This week as WE ALL know is spring break for the area. My kids have been running around saying they have nothing to do so tomorrow I plan on taking them to either the Science center or the Zoo depending on how the weather is. I will post pictures afterward tomorrow. I still am trying to fit a camping trip in this week even if it might only be a day or 2 long. We will see, not sure if I want to go over to Cle Elum where it might still have snow. Might have to wait to go camping until summertime.

Saturday EJ and TJ had their Lacrosse game against Magnolia in MV. They bet them 23 to 2. It was kind of a pathetic game as the MV team just crushed Magnolia. I like it when the game is neck to neck and you don't know who will win until the end. EJ made 3 goals, TJ made 1. :)

Here are a few shots of the Kids I took this week including the big kid in the house :)

CJ, Rae, and AJ playing dress up:

TJ playing World of Warcraft and not liking me taking a picture of him:

EJ trying to hid from me so I would not take a picture, I caught one of him :):

Daddy just waking up from a nap, he doesn't look to happy does he. HE HE

UHMMM..what more can I say :)

So I went in CJ and AJ's room to check on them as I had just put them to bed 15 minutes before and guess what I found them doing....:) Had to take a picture...

They laid out books in nice neat rows on every inch of their room including the dresser.

AJ was surprised to see me. I just had to take a picture. :)

Too Blessed to be Stressed!

My last post of the month....

Ok know the expression. Running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. Well that has been my day so far.

Today I got home around 2 o'clock after driving all over Seattle trying to find South Seattle CC to sign up for my Microbiology class. I have to say I am so relieved that I got into the class. After practically begging the enrollment advisor on the phone (I can be very persuasive and persistent) she finally let me in the class and told me to come right up to the school to register. I was standing in line at Green River with my Microbiology book in tow about 4 people away from paying and so I am very happy that I was able to finally get into that Saturday class. It will make it easier on my family if I am gone only 5 times the whole semester (as it is part online) then 4 days a week for 10 weeks. :)

On my way up to the college I got so lost and had to call the school to guide me in. While at school I got my 1 Book which cost me 175 bucks. Yep you heard me right...

So know I am officially going to South Seattle CC. My 5th college and bound to me more by the time I am done finding my prerequisite courses.

I then picked up AJ from Wendy P. as she was babysitting him and we went to lunch. Came home, sat around and was lazy for a while and then started to clean as I always do. Never ending clean!!!!!

I am about ready to cook dinner....but maybe I am going to be to lazy and order in something. I have been trying to be Betty Crocker for the family but tonight I think I am going to take it easy, order something and maybe even take the kids to a movie for Family Night tonight.

Life is good. A little stressed but good. We are definitely too blessed to be to stressed. That is for sure!