life has been pretty quiet around here lately......

but the house has been filled with kids because it is spring break week...

so just a few more random photos

danny is a neighbor....and his teeth are growing in just perfectly....

 i thought i'd play around with some textures on the one below...

 scarlett sure loves her champers!

 is she really 7 years old already??

 how can she only be three????

and how can she already be three???

sigh!!!!

christmas vacation......

there has been a lot of this going on this week...

austen is so excited about all of the video games he got for christmas this year.  and he loves his gaming chair....

having him home from school for the week gives him the opportunity to play with the dog

which he does when i force him off of the video game and out of his gamer chair.

which lasts for about 5 minutes.....

this one loves his new bone from santa, but he really hates to have his picture taken....

and runs as fast as he can when he sees me stick the camera in his face....

anyway...

like i was saying....i get the opportunity to hang out with my boy...

so i forced him to pose for some pictures in front of the christmas tree before i take it down if a few days....

i like what i got.

my handsome austen, I love you so!!!!

unemployment, the finale....

well, i've been afraid to say anything, especially after the first disaster with don's job situation....

but...

he has a job.  a JOB!!

for real this time..

he starts his third week tomorrow.  

so i am hoping that the precautionary waiting period is over with. and that it's for real this time.  

he is working for the state of michigan in lansing.

it's an hour away........which sucks.....

but it is a job.  with fantabulous benefits!!!
and a three year jump on being vested.  because he is a veteran of the military
he is vested after 3 years instead of waiting 6 years.

the drive is long but i have him set up with harry potter books on cd and this has made a huge difference there and back.  it really makes the time go by faster.

so for now, all is good!!

i want to thank everyone for all of your thoughts and prayers for us.
you rock!!!

{almost} new haircut

for the past few years, austen was sporting the longer, surfer, skateboarder hairstyle.

i think it suited him well...

but sometimes it could look a little unkempt

well, okay, a LOT unkempt.  but that is the style and i think he wore it well.

most of the time...

well, he decided that it was time for a change.  a big change.  like back to when he was a little kid change

he wanted it cut. short.  so i took him to my friend who does my hair and he told her that he wanted to be able to spike his hair.  she put one hand on each shoulder and looked him square in the eye and told him "if you want to spike it, it'll have to be about an inch and a half long on the top".  

i think she asked him about 37 times if he was sure.

he was. 

so she took the buzz shears and started buzzing...

half way through the cut, i pointed out the mounds of hair on the floor surrounding his chair.

{because i'm mean like that}

he kinda freaked...

and asked for a mirror at the point when he had a carol brady shag going on.  

i think his pupils dilated.

from fear. 

i always tried to teach my children foresight and i think he foresaw himself walking into middle school the next day

but he was past the point of no return.

so she finished the cut.

and this is what he got...

lovely boy cut hair.....

which brings out his handsome features that were hidden before by that mop...

and no, we didn't let him dye it pink, its sunflare from the camera.

now if i can only get him to give me a real smile!!!

before...

and after...

me likey!!!!

{and there's that smile}