Four Months in Pictures! (out of order, but it's all there!)

Casey and Cora. The two most beautiful girls!

The "girls" getting ready for bed.

The girls getting rocked to sleep!

Reagan and the twins.

The girls trying to play the Wii.

Keghan and Shae holding their cousins.

My girls, Cora and Casey!

Casey and Me, no makeup, so don't laugh!

Two full-moons!

Feeding the girls, again, no makeup!

Dax doing his dishes.

Reagan vacuuming the living room!

Part of our photo scavenger hunt

Reagan!

Reagan and Aunt Jodi at Grammies for Christmas.

The boys attacking Aunt Jodi with hugs!!

Uncle Gerrick helping Cora open her presents!

Gerrick and Casey, Keghan and Cora....I think!

Reagan Christmas morning.

The kids Christmas Eve...wonder what they are getting?!?!

Decorating cookies!

Braydon even tried, and did well!

Dax's Birthday!

Shae practicing early for her tree-hugging liberal ways!

The Stotsers by the perfect tree, and we know cause we saw them ALL!

Fun tree hunting!

Pumpkins.

Pumpkins.

Yuck!

Trick-or-treat....on a budget =)

Wow. It's been awhile.

Well, like always, it's been way too long for this blog. I have been putting it off because my laptop is out of commission and all my newest pics are on it. Also, I can't find my connecting cord to get pics on my computer. I still have pictures on my camera from Halloween!! I am looking feverishly for it, so look for them soon!
In random family news; we are doing well. Gerrick is still experiencing some problems with his employer, even though he won the court battle. He still hasn't received full reimbursement and now they are trying hard to make him quit. They put him on "review" for low numbers. He has 13 weeks to get them up or they fire him. Then, two days later, they cut his pay because he makes too much money. A little contradictory if you ask me!! We know it is out of our hands. His numbers are not even down enough to warrant a review, especially when the industry is down 18% as a whole! He works with salesmen who are down over 30% and have been for some time. Gerrick is only down less than 2% for 2 periods. It is so obvious what they are doing!
Other news: We are looking forward to spring! These Iowa winters are getting to me! Too much time indoors with too many kiddies! But, we are trying to find things to keep us busy. Last weekend we made a photo scavenger hunt for the kids. It was really fun, and the girls won! I would put the photos up, but they are stuck in my camera!!
The kids had a dance last week at school. It was a lot of fun. I got to humiliate Keghan on the dance floor; that was fun! Apparently it isn't cool to do the "tootsie roll" any more. In my defense, they WERE playing the song!!
I have started working at a new restaurant. We won't be open for another week, but it looks to be an exciting place to eat! The owners have spared no expense in the building of this place!! I will get pics up when I can. It is a Chinese fusion restaurant with very experienced chefs from Hong Kong. Anyone in town here should really check it out. Jiamen will be open on the 15th, fingers crossed!!
Other than that it is pretty much status quo around here. Anymore, that's just fine with me!!!

Tired, Old, Broke

Hello. I think it is appropriate that these are the only things(pictures below) that have been seen on my blog, because they are they only scenes being seen by me. I have been working full-time, plus overtime the last few weeks. It is killing me and I am ready to lie down and die. I am still taking the 13 credit hours that I was before and also teaching the class on Wednesday nights. I have been getting through it, but barely!! Gerrick is back to work, but they keep docking his pay. As of now we are making the same amount of money together as he was making alone two months ago. The only difference, I'M TIRED!! We still haven't heard anything from the lawyer about his claim, and probably won't for a while. I have pretty much all but given up on that end of things.

On the brighter side, the kids had their conferences tonight. I, unfortunately, didn't get to go, but that's life. Gerrick texted me during work to tell me what wonderful students we have. They are all at the tops of their classes and the teachers couldn't stop saying great things about them!!! Shae's teacher said she might be the brightest kid she has had through in a while!! I know that there is more in life than school, but it sure makes me proud to know that all my kids are kicking butt!!! Keghan is already almost at the end of year standards and has excelled a reading level already! Braydon is performing at one of the highest levels in his class and shows a great love for school! Those kids, they make me proud!!

Well, I should get to my class work. I am down to the last few tests and assignments in my regular classes and can't wait to be done. I hope all is well with everyone. I can't wait to see everyone at Thanksgiving!!!

My new job

Here are some pics from the new place I am working at. I worked a lot of hours this week, and am very tired, so this is all for now. I am going to hang out with my wonderful husband who just made me a delicious dinner!!!

Funny Kids

LOL!!! Tonight at church I was late getting to my class. As I walked in, the other teacher said, "Here's the teenager that everyone has been looking for". Apparently all the 4th and 5th grade girls in my class thought I was a teenager!!! LOL!!! Gerrick said his class thought he looked like Johnny Cash because his hair is too long! Funny that 3rd grade boys even know who that is! Those kids crack me up every week!

Some pictures from the last few weeks.

Shaelynn's Birthday Party
Reagan and Dax hanging out in Braydon's bed.

All the kids in Bever Park!
Ms. Betty's wedding.
Ms. Betty's nails by me.
Ms. Shirley's nails by Reagan and Shaelynn
Gerrick doped up after surgery.

An escapee cow at the pumpkin farm.
The kids and dad trying not to smell the cows!!
The kids and dad, minus Keghan, by the chickens
"Group Hug"
Best Friends!!

Keghan on the corn maze.
The other kids on the corn maze.
The kids by the pony.

My Rainbow??

Today was delightfully nice. I got up early and went to help out at the day care that I used to take the kids to. She paid me very well, and even brought her car over for me to use while I am working for her. I also got to ask her to if she had room for the little ones during the day, and she did!!! THEN, Gerrick went to call on the car that has been in the shop (at $10 a day), the guy on the phone said that someone from our church had already paid for it and has the keys!! Just when I thought I had only seen the worst of people in the world, I get to see the best! I cried! THEN, at church tonight several people came up to me to see if everything was ok, and to offer help in any way. One gal, who was with me on the trip to Parkersburg in the spring, gave us three bottles of laundry detergent and some fabric softener! I was down to using the free samples that Gerrick has for work.....thank the Lord for my church and family!

We are still staring down a large utility bill, but I have a strange peace about it. I know that all will be fine. Tonight in my 4th and 5th grade girls group that I lead at church, a girl told me that sometimes things get worse before they get better. She used an analogy of the road in front of her house, she said that it had gotten lots of pot holes and was VERY bumpy, but to fix it and make it smooth again they had to tear the whole road out, making a bigger mess first! WHOA!!! Never have I heard such truth from a tiny little girl!