Ten on Tuesday

1. Last week we took or attempted to take our family picture for our Christmas card. I was really excited this year because I actually have a nice camera. I was even more excited that my mom called me jsut a couple days before that and was wondering if the boys would want her antique sofa and stuffed chair to put in their fort in the attic of the garage. OF COURSE I wanted it! Not sure if I'm going to let the boys have it or not because I love it- I just don't have room for it in the house. So I got this good idea that it would be awesome to have our picture taken on it, and to bring it into town to shoot the photos in an alley. I was shocked when Ben said o.k!!! So the morning came that we would take the pictures. I got all the kids ready and tried to attempt to make myself look presentable. Ben loaded it up and off to town we went. My sister met us ther to take the pictures and the whole thing was just a mess. It was freezing (35 degrees) and windy. Audrey was acting up and Ben wanted it to be over before we got there. So before we got to try any other poses he had that thing loaded back into the pick-up and we were on our way home less than 15 minutes later. I was hoping, hoping that we would end up with at least one good one. But they all pretty much had problems. From not being focused to the kids squiming and not looking at the camera. But I did end up being able to edit one that ended up on our Christmas cards.

2. I finished ordering my Christmas cards yesterday, along with taking pictures for 2 of my sister and designing cards for them and my other sister. So happy to have them ordered. What a relief- I don't think I've had them ready this early EVER!

3.Ben is off on his hunting trip. He left us Saturday night. I really hope he gets a deer soon so he can come home early. It looks like that won't happen since they are in the middle of a snowstorm and almost got trapped up in the mountains while they were trying to hunt today. he said the roads are cloed and they will be sitting tight for the rest of the day.

4. Last night, Clint said to me "Mom, life just isn't fair." I said "I know" but I asked why he felt that way and his reply was that Daddy's never home, I wish he was. I just about teared up. Its hard on a boy when his Dad is not around for 5 out of 7 days a week and even then he's gone busy somewhere else. We really would love it if Ben could have a "normal" job that consisted of being home every night, but there's always bills to pay and he hasn't found a job that would pay as much as he does driving truck.

5. I've been feeling extra lonely lately too. Maybe it because of these days getting dark so early, or maybe because it seems like Ben is just gone so much. I think the winters are the hardest on me. In the summer we are usually staying much busier with being able to be outside and going to parks and having fun at the beach. Now we just sit at home and do school and try to stay on top of the housework. It just gets old, and I miss being able to have my husband at home at night to be able to talk to another adult or just have someone else around.

6. Christa and I rocked the "Tulip" gig! We had a blast and I really think Christa is getting so awesome at getting into charachter. I think (at least I hope) everyone thought we were funny. Although I'm sure not everyone "gets" our humor. Christa even at one point smeared her discusting Tuna/Spam/Cream of Chicken soup dip on my dress. The little brat- I smelled really bad for the rest of the time there. Gross!

7. Today I took the kids to willmar to have lunch at Pizza Ranch. I decided that since Ben is off on a vacation we should be able to have a little fun too. SO we went out for lunch and started a little Christmas Shopping. Nomaly I never start this early. I usually end up wainting til the week of Christmas and then just get everything in one shopping trip. It was so nice to make a dent in it this early though- no overcrowded stores and there were actually toys left on the shelves! I think I'm going to try to do a little bit every week until then.

8.Ever since Blake was a baby he couldn't stand anything in any shape or form of potatoes. We have tried everything to get him to eat them- from spanking to threats to trying to make potatoes taste good for him. He always end up trowing it up. I don't know if its the consistancy or waht but It really gets annoying! Tonight for supper I made Tator Tot hotdish and I was tired of trying to make something Blake would eat or make him something seperate.He wouldn't eat it. I then started to feed him myself. He just kept gagging on it. He was really trying to eat it this time. Even saying" Mmmmm, its good" trying to tell himself that it was good. But he ended up throwing up in the garbage. If anyone has any ideas about what I should do- please HELP ME!

9. The concert was AWESOME!!!! We had horrible seats( I don't think it could have been much worse) but we had a blast! Skillet ROCKED and Toby Mac was jsut amazing! I really needed that night because five minutes after I got home Ben left. So, I've only seen him for 5 minutes since he left for work on Thursday. Can you tell that I miss him? I hate these long days without him!

10. My sister in law is getting married next Friday, and I'm going to be singing. Ben won't be able to come because he works every Thursday- Monday/Tuesday and can't get out of it because he just took this whole week off. I'm really bummed that he can't go with me. So I'm going to have to get a babysitter because there is no way I'm taking 5 kids to a wedding that I'm singing in! Can you imagine that nightmare?