My hubby and Noah are leaving in the am at 8:00 and will be gone camping all weekend until Sunday afternoon! What will I do without adult interaction for 3 days?? The girls and I are going to eat lunch with a friend, but otherwise no particular plans. If anyone wants to come see me, you are invited! I know that by tomorrow night, I will be really missing Clay. I am always ready for a break, and the minute I realize he is really gone, I miss him like crazy! I just feel so lonely without him around.
Leah says we are having Girl's Night Out....3 nights in a row. And I guess we are...but it will probably be girls night in! LOL I do have a few things planned I want to get accomplished this weekend. I have over 1500 wedding pics I need to have edited by Monday that I haven't begun. I have some business blogging to do, several things to get together and in the mail, and some orders. Then, I really want to get this joint cleaned up...have it nice and clean for my men's arrival on Monday. I also would like to tackle my bedroom closet....I have a bunch of stuff in there I want to sell on e-bay. I have Finally found me a bathing suit on Lands End that might would hold up these HUGE boobs of mine, and since we go to the pool almost everyday, that is something I really want to get. But, it is pricey, and Clay has told me what I have is just fine, so my goal is to sell the 2 garbage bags of clothes that I can't wear anymore to pay for it.
Oh, and I plan on renting me some movies from the $1 McDonald's machine....I am going to get everything I have wanted to see that Clay doesn't, and watch it the next 3 nights.
I am excited to be meeting Laken, one of my blog buddies, at church on Sunday! We just realized last week that we go to the same church!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
June 5, 2002
Is the day Leah Nicole Draper entered this family. It is officially her day, and we just got everything finished to surprise her when she gets up in the morning. Rachel had a big power nap this afternoon, so she was up helping us and she was so excited, I am glad she got to be up. This is the UGLIEST cake I have ever made, and as I realized it was going down hill, then I just gave up and swirled a bunch of icing...then put it all over the plate for the ocean.
We have big plans tomorrow...the day is Leah's choice. I know we will be going to Jump Zone, and possible to the $1 movie to see Horton Hears a Who. It will be a fun day...she is so excited! I can't believe she is 6! So, for the next 2 months, I have 2, 6 year olds.
Rachel stuck this Sponge Bob on the front, and I thought it looked pretty appropriate for this crazy cake. Geez....I guess that is what I get for making this at 12:00 am!
I designated this the b-day tree....
We got this pinata for Clay's b-day last year, so I ran to Walmart at 11:00 tonight to get some candy to put in it. 
Update
I hope you are ready for some reading....and hang in here.....towards the end of this post I have an update on where our foster care process is.....Ahh what to do...what to do. I know you all think I am crazy as a loon! Truly, we can't decide what we want to do. What is truly best for our family. I think a lot of me is just missing the way things were. When we lived in our house in Warren, Clay worked at the bank.....before we ever started this business. It was a risk and an adventure to move up here, but I am just so ready for stability. To be in a place where we will never talk about moving, to just be happy where we are. And maybe we will never get to that point. I am a constant changer, rearranger, looking on real estate sites ALL the time. Clay tells me I should go to real estate school b/c I can tell you everything there is to know about every house for sale in Monticello, Warren, and half of Maumelle. So, I don't know if I will ever get to the point I am satisfied. The house we live in now....it is all I have ever dreamed of in a house, and I love it, but I am sick of living on top of everyone, with the houses all crammed together. I would like a house with rent about half what we pay now, it is just way too expensive....anyway, didn't mean to get off on all that again.
I think when we say we want to move back to Monticello, we are just wanting to run away. Feel like that is the safe and easy way out b/c that is where we are from, our family is there, it is SAFE....in several ways. It is overwhelming to me living up here. Always getting to know new things. Having to meet new people. The people here are nice, but it seems everyone already knows each other. And without school or work, the only way for me to meet people is for ME to take the initiative, and I am scared to do that. We have somewhat isolated ourselves, and the longer we are this way, the harder it is to get out of it.
So, why I was upset yesterday has nothing to do with actually moving to Monticello. That was my flight instinct kicking in. I was frustrated with our foster care stuff, so was ready to just move on.
I contacted the CALL in October of last year about beginning the foster care training, and they told me they were not doing anymore classes until after the holidays. So we went to our info meeting in January, and then began and completed our training in February. We took our CPR class the first weekend in April, I filled out all our paperwork, and they came to our house for the homestudy the day after that class. Well that was a flop, I have already told you about that....they were here for the adoption homestudy, and we needed foster care. So, after that, I waited a couple of weeks to hear back from our social worker if I needed to send in all our paperwork, or hold it until the social worker came. (b/c the other case worker had wanted me to just give it to her that day, but then didn't want it when she wasn't doing the homestudy) I fill out a HUGE stack of paperwork too. Finally, I was told to send it in. So I did. And waited and waited some more. I guess got it to her around the first of May, and then she ignore me a couple of times I tried to contact her. (this is the same girl I work with for the Heart Gallery photos, and she is super quick to respond for all that stuff, so I know she was getting my e-mails about the other and just ignoring me)
Everytime I talked to her, she would say, we are just about ready to make your referral, and then it was I'll do it this week, I'll do it this week. Finally this week, she said she really was ready. I even had to meet her in person to give her the cd of pictures, and she didn't mention anything, but after I got home from meeting her, I get an e-mail from her telling me that she went to give my paperwork to make my referral with the one doing the home study, and she JUST remembered that as of MAY 20th, they met, and have now combined the home study for the foster/adoption to where it is the same homestudy, and b/c of that, I have to fill out ALL NEW PAPERWORK, and then as soon as I get that back to her, she will make our referral for the homestudy. I was so furious yesterday, I couldn't even talk about it. I know I had my stuff to her at least 2 weeks before that meeting, and had been trying to get it to her and get my homestudy done, a month before that. And, on top of all that, they have added a few things to the approval process that wasn't there to begin with. And, one of those being we have to attend a family foster support group meeting through the CALL. And, ironically, I had just gotten an e-mail about this week saying that they are not having any meetings during the summer, and the next meeting will be August 26th. And it said on her outline, that had to be done before the homestudy. URGH!!!
And it is so frustrating b/c the CALL was created to make it FASTER, and EASIER than dealing with DHS. When we began, they told us it would be 3-5 weeks, and the longest thing was getting back our fingerprints. Which we have now gotten mine cleared too. They preach and preach about how they are in DESPERATE need of foster families, but then we get so close and then just come to a stand still. And, I know everyone that has been through this has probaby has similar things happen, but it still frustrates me. And truly, at this point, I think it would be easier to call DHS and say, I want to be a foster parent, and then say, I have had my CPR, my PRIDE training class, have all the certificates to prove it, and have had all my background checks, and all I need is a homestudy. And, I could do that in whatever county I want to. SO, that is why yesterday, I wanted to move to Monticello. And today.....I have no idea...I think I just want to crawl in a hole! LOL
I think when we say we want to move back to Monticello, we are just wanting to run away. Feel like that is the safe and easy way out b/c that is where we are from, our family is there, it is SAFE....in several ways. It is overwhelming to me living up here. Always getting to know new things. Having to meet new people. The people here are nice, but it seems everyone already knows each other. And without school or work, the only way for me to meet people is for ME to take the initiative, and I am scared to do that. We have somewhat isolated ourselves, and the longer we are this way, the harder it is to get out of it.
So, why I was upset yesterday has nothing to do with actually moving to Monticello. That was my flight instinct kicking in. I was frustrated with our foster care stuff, so was ready to just move on.
I contacted the CALL in October of last year about beginning the foster care training, and they told me they were not doing anymore classes until after the holidays. So we went to our info meeting in January, and then began and completed our training in February. We took our CPR class the first weekend in April, I filled out all our paperwork, and they came to our house for the homestudy the day after that class. Well that was a flop, I have already told you about that....they were here for the adoption homestudy, and we needed foster care. So, after that, I waited a couple of weeks to hear back from our social worker if I needed to send in all our paperwork, or hold it until the social worker came. (b/c the other case worker had wanted me to just give it to her that day, but then didn't want it when she wasn't doing the homestudy) I fill out a HUGE stack of paperwork too. Finally, I was told to send it in. So I did. And waited and waited some more. I guess got it to her around the first of May, and then she ignore me a couple of times I tried to contact her. (this is the same girl I work with for the Heart Gallery photos, and she is super quick to respond for all that stuff, so I know she was getting my e-mails about the other and just ignoring me)
Everytime I talked to her, she would say, we are just about ready to make your referral, and then it was I'll do it this week, I'll do it this week. Finally this week, she said she really was ready. I even had to meet her in person to give her the cd of pictures, and she didn't mention anything, but after I got home from meeting her, I get an e-mail from her telling me that she went to give my paperwork to make my referral with the one doing the home study, and she JUST remembered that as of MAY 20th, they met, and have now combined the home study for the foster/adoption to where it is the same homestudy, and b/c of that, I have to fill out ALL NEW PAPERWORK, and then as soon as I get that back to her, she will make our referral for the homestudy. I was so furious yesterday, I couldn't even talk about it. I know I had my stuff to her at least 2 weeks before that meeting, and had been trying to get it to her and get my homestudy done, a month before that. And, on top of all that, they have added a few things to the approval process that wasn't there to begin with. And, one of those being we have to attend a family foster support group meeting through the CALL. And, ironically, I had just gotten an e-mail about this week saying that they are not having any meetings during the summer, and the next meeting will be August 26th. And it said on her outline, that had to be done before the homestudy. URGH!!!
And it is so frustrating b/c the CALL was created to make it FASTER, and EASIER than dealing with DHS. When we began, they told us it would be 3-5 weeks, and the longest thing was getting back our fingerprints. Which we have now gotten mine cleared too. They preach and preach about how they are in DESPERATE need of foster families, but then we get so close and then just come to a stand still. And, I know everyone that has been through this has probaby has similar things happen, but it still frustrates me. And truly, at this point, I think it would be easier to call DHS and say, I want to be a foster parent, and then say, I have had my CPR, my PRIDE training class, have all the certificates to prove it, and have had all my background checks, and all I need is a homestudy. And, I could do that in whatever county I want to. SO, that is why yesterday, I wanted to move to Monticello. And today.....I have no idea...I think I just want to crawl in a hole! LOL
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Find us a house.....
Anyone in Monticello or Warren area...if you can find us a house to rent that is 3-4 bdrs in a good neighborhood....I am ready to move! It can also be a double wide in good condition too. UGH....I am in an mood....will talk about it more later, but I am ready......as of today anyway! LOL
Monday, June 2, 2008
A conversation between me and a 6 yr old at 10:30 pm
Noah was in one of his crazy wildman on a mission moods cleaning house tonight. And although it was after 10:00 pm, I was so glad to see it, I couldn't bring myself to make him go to bed. So he comes along with spray cleaner in one hand, and chlorox wipes in the other an announces he was cleaning my bathroom. I was, of course, sitting at the computer, which is in our bedroom right beside the doorway to the bathroom. And I hear....
Noah says, "Hey momma, do you ever think about cleaning your bathroom?? Do you? You should really clean your bathroom, it is so bad...(he may have used the word Nasty to describe it) You have plenty of time to do it in the day.....like all that time you spend on the computer!"
I say (laughing)...."yes, I guess you are right.....but, once I get finished with the kitchen, laundry, and all of yall's mess, I just don't think about it, nor have the energy to worry about cleaning it."
I am not sure what he said after that, as I zone out into blog land, but I think he just got absorbed in his cleaning. And then he started griping at me about how I had my towels hung on the shower, and I asked what he was doing, and he told me he was about the scrub the shower. I said...."that is enough, don't worry about the shower....you have done plenty....DADDY can clean it." (Haha sorry Clay) And then he said, "no, let me, I want to give you guys a break.......and I want to get the WHOLE house clean so I can just play video games ALL day long."
I think he finally forgot the idea of the shower, as he went to the laundry room and took the clothes out, emptyed them from the washer to the dryer, began a new wash and got that going, and then brought me the laundry basket for me to fold. Where does he get this energy!?!? He wanted me to show him how to turn the washer on by himself earlier, and he was excited to get his second load going. And, the saddest of it all.....as my 6 year old was doing laundry all by himself, I was thinking about when I learned how to do laundry......and I remembered that it was when I was 20 years old whenever I left home for a brief time to go to Louisiana Tech University. And I had never had one ounce of desire to learn anytime before that point. I think my mom may have tried to teach me a couple of times previously, but I never actually did it or remembered how to run the washer until I HAD to!
And again, Clay and I wondered....where does this child come from??? He doesn't have either one of our genes in him, I can tell ya that!
Noah says, "Hey momma, do you ever think about cleaning your bathroom?? Do you? You should really clean your bathroom, it is so bad...(he may have used the word Nasty to describe it) You have plenty of time to do it in the day.....like all that time you spend on the computer!"
I say (laughing)...."yes, I guess you are right.....but, once I get finished with the kitchen, laundry, and all of yall's mess, I just don't think about it, nor have the energy to worry about cleaning it."
I am not sure what he said after that, as I zone out into blog land, but I think he just got absorbed in his cleaning. And then he started griping at me about how I had my towels hung on the shower, and I asked what he was doing, and he told me he was about the scrub the shower. I said...."that is enough, don't worry about the shower....you have done plenty....DADDY can clean it." (Haha sorry Clay) And then he said, "no, let me, I want to give you guys a break.......and I want to get the WHOLE house clean so I can just play video games ALL day long."
I think he finally forgot the idea of the shower, as he went to the laundry room and took the clothes out, emptyed them from the washer to the dryer, began a new wash and got that going, and then brought me the laundry basket for me to fold. Where does he get this energy!?!? He wanted me to show him how to turn the washer on by himself earlier, and he was excited to get his second load going. And, the saddest of it all.....as my 6 year old was doing laundry all by himself, I was thinking about when I learned how to do laundry......and I remembered that it was when I was 20 years old whenever I left home for a brief time to go to Louisiana Tech University. And I had never had one ounce of desire to learn anytime before that point. I think my mom may have tried to teach me a couple of times previously, but I never actually did it or remembered how to run the washer until I HAD to!
And again, Clay and I wondered....where does this child come from??? He doesn't have either one of our genes in him, I can tell ya that!
Bunnies
We have 3 little bunnies that hang out around our house. Everytime we get home from swim practice they will be in our yard eating. It scares me b/c a lot of time I will open the front door to come out, and one will take off running out of the bushes by the house. They are so cute! I had my camera in the car the other day, so I was able to catch these through the window before we got out of the van and scared it away.
The big day....Butterfly release!
The kids were sad to release the butterflies, they really have enjoyed them! Today we took them outside to release them. It was perfect timing b/c my bush that attracts butterflies, has just started blooming, and the we release them right beside it, and the landed so I could take their pictures! These butterflies are called Painted Lady Butterflies. We have 5 butterflies, but one of them didn't fair too well.
They like to drink the juice of oranges and watermelons.
This poor one, is still alive, but it's wings never stretched out. 
I think the underside of their wings has cooler designs than the upper side.
Our pet lizard had to peak out to see what was up!
This one was doing push ups on the rock...it was so funny!
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