Truly...I have updating issues.

So, in an effort to get right to the heart of things, I will lay it out there. I did not get this updated like I said I would. LAST YEAR. How sad is that? I could sit here and tell you there were many reasons, such as kids, work, hubby, life, blah, blah, blah, but everyone has those things, right? That's how I feel about it. No excuses from now on. :)

Now, back to those long-awaited updates. Not sure if anyone actually reads my blog, so I may just be putting it out there for me, but who cares? Not this girl. Anywhooser, the kids are growing like weeds! Bry is now a strapping sophomore who plays football, xbox, raises piggies, and spends 99% of his time away from his parents. Typical teenager. Payton is a cute, sensitive, caring 2nd grader who thinks the world's best game is arguing with her mother. Her mother is not amused. Talum is in 1st grade, and loves to snuggle still (thank goodness), play basically anything, and looks up to his big brother like crazy. Then there is Avery. Avery, Avery. I feel like she will be the child who everyone knows by first and middle name, much like one of my sisters. She is a firecracker, determined to make her own way in the world. We wouldn't trade any of their unique traits for anything.

As for the hubby and me, we are in a much different place than when I started this blog. He no longer runs a bread route, and has began work in a manufacturing facility in our area. It is a great job, and he spends quite a bit more time with us, which is great. He has went back to school, which I am unbelieveably proud of him for, continues to cheer on all of his fav teams (Go Seahawks), and has made us resort to buying bread like common folk. Has anyone priced bread lately? Especially for a family of six?? Crazy prices people! Crazy prices! I shop at the thrift store, freeze bread (can you hear the collective gasp from bread men around the world), and am seriously considering how I can make it myself or go bread-free. Ha ha. That will never happen. We go through a loaf a day, and that gets EXPENSIVE!! We are loving his new place in life, but I miss the days of old, where I got premium bread, or those fancy breakfast breads all of the time. :( Oh well, I suppose it is worth it to have him at home more, right? Right.

Me? I am now a working woman. A woman of the world. A woman who has grown-up conversations during the day, who goes through most days without spit-up, drool, or who knows what else, on my person. I currently help people find work (the irony), and love the fact I can still teach aspects of life without the stress of lesson planning. I may return to the world of education someday, but for now, our life is trucking right along.

As I figure out what direction this blog will take, I hope you join me for the ride. I am currently reading Sense and Sensibility (on my nightstand), The Brothers Karamazov (on my desk at work), and Moby Dick (on my phone). All great, but tedious when you have other responsibilities, so I did a quick read (as in one day) of a fun little ditty called Searching for Someday by Jennifer Probst. It was, as her reviews go, "a little bit naughty and a little bit nice". LOVED IT. Great filler for the still lingering 50 Shades let down. I highly recommend it if you are searching for a entertaining, quick read. Here is a link to it...
http://www.jenniferprobst.com/books/searching-for-someday/


If you got all the way to the bottom, thanks!! I love ya! Nichole

Time for an update...

As I look back at the last post, I realize how quickly life can change. I am looking forward to starting this blogging thing back up and running. Ta-ta for now, changes coming right up, as well as a riveting update on all things related to babies, books, and bread!

Ahhh....Spring Break

Now, this title and content of this post may not be news to anyone, but I know of no student who does not love spring break. Not only have we actually had a few spring-like moments, but actually having to not go to class as opposed to skipping is a beautiful thing. We got to take the kids to feed the ducks yesterday, with a ton of bagels that Jacob had from his stores. Easy, fun, and better yet, free entertainment. Little Miss Payton, however, could not truly relax for fear of the geese who were so not afraid of her. A few photo ops, lunch, preschool, and Avery took a really good nap that day while it rained away the afternoon.

Just a quick update on our lives: Payton started soccer, Bryant just started track, I am starting softball, and everyone else goes along for the ride. I cannot wait for summer, now that I have had a taste of sunshine. Some of it artificial, I admit, but hey, I have a wedding next weekend, and I am wearing a black dress. I need to look a tad healthier, and a little less albino.

My only wish over this wonderous break, is that I could actually accomplish all of the goals I had set for myself. There are many assignments that need to be done, and I really wanted to finish off a couple classes to clear my space for the final push to my degree. What I can exactly do with that degree remains to be seen, but having it will make me feel like a part of myself is complete. Not a bad feeling. So to all of you spring breakers out there, have fun, relax, and never forget the power of procrastination. I can feel it just eating away at my last Sunday of break!

Privacy and Procrastination

First off, let's begin this post by saying I should not be posting. I have one child who needs to go to bed (the youngest who refuses), homework to do, and a kitchen that is begging to be mopped. However, procrastination sounds so much more fun. I have been methodically searching for a new truck on craigslist, reading blogs from classmates that don't know I read them, and wasting precious life moments on the facebook. How's that for a fun time? While doing these things, I began to wonder, have we as a society lost our privacy? I mean, I can read all about the aforementioned classmate's life, while she literally has no idea that I think she is so much cooler than me, and I wish I could be her. I always wanted to be the cool chick. This is not in my destiny. As for facebook, I can look up people for hours on end, with no repercussions. Fun stuff!! Who hasn't looked up an old boyfriend or two (or all of them, let's be honest), or the girls who you really hope are now fat. I have, and I am only ashamed to admit it most days. Whatever happened to privacy? There are some things that need not be said, and while I appreciate getting updates on life, jobs, kids, etc. from various social sites, it is not the place to put the little details of your life that should remain private. It is like the phone. You don't always have to answer it, that is why caller id was invented, and it does have a power button. Sometimes, I just want an entire day of privacy, anyone else?

Ready for a New Year!

While I do recognize that this is almost half a month into the new year, I finally feel ready to begin. Week one of school is down, kids are all back in school, and I have decided which New Year's Resolutions I am scrapping, and which ones are hanging around. I hope everyone has a great 2011. We have decided to stay put for awhile (I am beyond tired of moving), finish school, and get reaquainted with the L-C valley life. I have some really exciting things to look forward to this year, including a friend's wedding, a new niece, nephew, and babies galore from other important friends and family. It is a good thing everyone else is having these babies; takes the pressure and desire off of me to have any more!! So here's to a great year filled with happiness, health, and laughter!!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!!

I have never been a fan of rain. I feel like yes, we need it, yes, I would like a green lawn, but no, I do not want to walk around in the mud all day. Adding to my seasonal depression (I don't really suffer from it, but I do like the sun, it just makes things happier), the rain does not help. Why does the weather have to wreak such havoc with our moods? For example, I have so much to do, and really have no time to do it in, and all I want to do today is crawl back into bed and sleep. The rain is soothing, almost like having a fan on in your room when you sleep. It just begs to be watched and not actually gone out in. Oh, if only I could sit and watch the rain. Life has other plans though.

This weekend, I am going out of town for my sister's baby shower. We are having a spa day. I think this will be a great time, as I had one of these showers myself when I was expecting my third. However, the weather being as cold and temperamental as it has been has wreaked havoc on my legs. They have not needed to be seen, therefore they have not needed to see a razor. In a long, long time ladies. You know how it goes, winter comes, pants go on, and we all take a break from the daily shaving craziness of the summer. So in addition to making sure all of my children are packed, I have all the requisite shower necessities (did I mention I was throwing this shower in the middle of my semester?), and the roads aren't closed, I must worry about the appearance of my legs. I will just pencil that in, knowing there will only be one person who will care, my husband who has begun to think he is married to Bigfoot or some other significantly hairy animal person thing. Love you honey! You will have your wife back in let's say, May. Possibly June. Just make sure you put a pretty little razor under the tree for me so I feel obliged to use it.

Brrr.....

Ok, we all know the possibility of having snow in the Lewiston-Clarkston valley on Christmas is very slim (if it were greater, there would be no Diamond Shop Giveaway), but having snow and freezing cold temperatures before Thanksgiving is too much for me. My family just moved back from Spokane after the worst winters Spokane had seen in a hundred years or so, so I thought I was moving back to my temperate, wonderfully snow free homeland. Don't get me wrong; I do like the snow, but I do not like having it in my driveway or having to deal with it. Three winters of shoveling my driveway daily was enough for me. I prefer snow I can visit. At least this weather allows us to all bunker down and have an excuse for sitting in our pajamas all day. Now, if I could only get the turkey to defrost by Thursday....