Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Last night Todd turned to me and said "man this is some holiday season. Unforgettable" it's barely started. Ugh. But the get togethers have been so much fun! We started off our holiday weekend Wednesday night, when my sister and her kids and my Mom stopped by for snacks and a fun evening of just being together. We had pizza and pigs in a blanket and played that game where you write a person on a peice of paper and pass it to the person next to you. They can't look and have to hold it to their forehead and guess who it is by asking questions...yah that game. We called it the ICarly game...still not sure why! LOL We laughed until we couldn't and everyone stayed good and late. What started out as a rough night ended up being a great night! Then on Thursday we lazed around, watched movies, I made mashed potatoes and got to Grandma Sweet's in time for dinner at 4:30...Grandma Sweet hosts all. of. our. family. holidays. A few years ago she moved from her much larger homes (finished basement, 2 living rooms and 4 seasons room) to a much smaller home (one living room and dining room and a small bedroom where the kids all try to hang out and catch some privacy). Lots of room for disaster when you're trying to cram 11 women, 6 men, one 13 yo, one 8yo, two 7 yo, one 6 yo, two 5 yo, one 3 yo, two 1 yo and 3 very immature 18 yo. The 3 very immature 18 yo claim the bedroom and we have to constantly drag the little kids out of that room because they're in there saying and doing inappropriate stuff...sitting and laying on/with each other, making vulgar statements and just being teenagers in general. Creepy. But it leaves NO place for the littles to play so we had all 9 kids 8-1 years old in the very small living room playing with toys...Ethan and the 8 year old wandered outside for a little while to play on the porch but other than that it was 4 straight hours and there were NO problems. No yelling, no fighting. nothing! It was incredible! All the stuff that could have gone wrong did not! YEAH!
Todd and Lane Michael left a little earlier than the rest of us, Todd went home to catch a nap before the big night of festive fun...we left the kids with my Mom at about 10 pm, went home to change and feed the dog then we went straight to the w.a.l.m.a.r.t. where we got almost ALL our Christmas shopping done. Completely and totally done for Lane Michael and Ethan! They even got everything on their list...that's not saying much though...they know that Santa only leaves 3 gifts under the tree, one from us and then they get each other a gift. This year Lane Michael asked for an MP3 player, a Nintendo DS, a BB gun and a pillow pet; Ethan asked for an MP3 player, a Nintendo DS, a BB gun and a bike...we couldn't have a bike waiting under the tree next to a pillow pet...but Lane Michael had originally thought about a scooter instead of a pillow pet, so we got him a very cool scooter (poor kid doesn't know how to ride a bike and refuses to learn LOL)...the kids still have to shop for each other, and we still need to do stockings and Ryan still needs food for his kitchen but other than that we're all set...Ryan is getting a play house and kitchen with food and maybe a grocery cart...should be a good year!
Anyway, back to the weekend, Friday was then a lazy day of napping with Ryan, Todd put up his deer stand with his helpers and an evening of sweet wonderful nothing (lol).
Saturday we were up bright and early Todd went hunting and we watched movies with my cousin and her kids for a few hours (we didn't watch any movies but the kids ran like wild people and we rearranged my dining room and looked to see what my hard wood floors look like under the carpet. Beautiful. They left and as soon as they did, the H family showed up to watch the big game (OSU vs Michigan - Go Bucks) we won. Of course! The H family left just in time for Todd to go to work. He got a small side job DJing for a man in Piqua on Thursday nights and as fill in, so he was being trained (phew what a day)
Sunday was church, quickly followed by my Grandma Sweet's birthday party...I went to the party with kids and Todd worked the shop so my Mom could go to the party (my Mom owns a furniture and home decor store here in Wapak - - best shop in Wapak).

I'm SO glad to be back to a routine! We're exhausted...the kids were excited to go back to school after 6 days off but Ryan was not ready...he enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the holidays! He performed for the family like they were his very own captive audience! Hysterical! So funny, they were taping him...he was doing the chicken dance! HAHA Love these boys!

Sigh of Relief

They spent HOURS chasing these stupid ducks that had wandered into the yard from across the field...they imitated them, quacked at them, chased them, loved them, wanted to keep them...I think the poor ducks were happy to go home!

I just love this picture...I'm not even sure what they're doing or what is on the table behind them, I just know I love the picture!

My Mommy and the twins...love.

Lane on a break from his helmet....he got an hour each day....

Oh so little...I love this picture...even if it does show just how young I was when the twins were born...

Happy Halloween! Ethan the clown and Lane Michael a race car driver!

so so sweet...

First Birthday Smash cake...they're so small and so sick!

I love this picture...I sat like this a lot after work...good good times

This is how they slept often...so content to be snuggled up together...

There really is nothing like raising twins. Sweet brothers. Best friends.

Honeymoon at last!

I may have eluded to this in the past...I don't know and don't feel like looking...Todd and I had a bit of a whirlwind romance...we met, got pregnant, got moved, had babies, got married, got separated...of course not emotionally but physically...we married quickly because Todd was going to Iraq and we didn't know when, or for how long. So we never had a honeymoon. I've always considered our trip to Spain to be kind of a honeymoon...it's the only non-working, child-free vacation we've ever had...and last night, we planned our trip to VEGAS!!! We're going in 2 years. I know I know, that's forever away....but we're so excited...and we've waited this long, we can wait just a little while longer! Besides, in the meantime we're taking the kids to Florida for a week...next May...it's strange, we were looking at dates, and I was looking at airline prices, Todd was on the couch, I put in May and was telling him the prices, and he said "check the prices in May" funny, I already had...then when I told my Mom about it, she said "you should go in like May" so it looks like May has it! Woot Woot! The only problem is that I'll turn around and go to Biloxi in June 2011 (very exciting) and the big question is do we take kids or do I go alone? Or do I take a girlfriend? hm....decisions decisions! Now to save enough money for the fun stuff on the trips! YEAH! I think I can do it...a little motivation helps!

CPS is failing this boy.

I know that I can't possibly know everything going on with this case. I know that I'm on the outside and not in the loop. I also know that this Little Guy is slipping through the cracks quickly. I'll back up. When we moved into town we had these neighbors...a little strange but nice and quiet, they moved out, the house went into foreclosure...this summer someone finally moved in...shortly after his girlfriend and her son moved in...we'll call him LG (little guy). Lane Michael and Ethan were so excited to have a new friend and neighbor. Turns out he was in school with them the year before....and hadn't been nice to Lane Michael. Lane Michael said LG was different had changed and he had forgiven him. They played for the first few hours without incident. Then the Mom showed up on my door step...I was worried. She asked if LG could hang with us for a few hours, she had to leave. I said that if she had something she needed to take care of he was absolutely welcome to hang out, I asked for a number I could reach her at and if he had allergies and what time to expect her back...she didn't know when she'd be back, gave me a contact number, I told her my boys were going to bed at 11 and if she wasn't back by then, I'd just make him a bed on their floor...or let them all camp in the living room. Honestly I was afraid if I said no she'd leave him with any of my several creepy neighbors. A couple hours later her boyfriend showed up on our doorstep and asked for LG (we knew boyfriend was not Dad) we called the number his Mom gave us and her friend told us that she was too drunk to talk...red flag. She went on to offer up that Mom wasn't supposed to drink and has a CPS case open against her for drinking and that if they found out LG would be removed...we didn't know what to do. We couldn't send LG with boyfriend in case he wasn't safe, we could keep him but if Mom is too drunk to talk, she's too drunk to come get him...we were stuck...boyfriend told us that the police station knew the story and knew him and would verify that LG could go with him...we called the police. They told us LG was ok to go with boyfriend...but by then boyfriend asked us to keep LG while he went and picked up Mom from the bar...no problem. Boyfriend got Mom settled in and came to go LG, no problem. Then the cops showed up...making reports...why? We just wanted to know if we could send LG with boyfriend. After that LG continued to play with the boys, was nice enough, never caused too much fuss...he did push Ethan into the street and threw rocks at his face but whatever, when you aren't taught not to, you can't know not to...but after that LG disappeared...we figured Mom and boyfriend broke up. Then school started...and there was LG in Ethan's class. Turns out he had been removed, he was living with Grandma over near the school...we only know that because he rides his bike to school (one mile through town from where we live)...things calmed down for awhile...then one day LG showed up on his bike...alone. No one was at Mom's house...so he left.
Fast forward to last week. We were at Walmart (Todd, the boys and myself), when we ran into LG...I asked how he was and if he was hanging out at the Walmart alone (kidding of course) but he didn't answer, looked uncomfortable and walked away. So I asked Todd to keep an eye on him...he was alone...he rode his bike...5 miles to Walmart. ugh! The police were called again. I am the bad guy in this little boys life.
And then last night...he was trick or treating. Alone. So sad. I want to cry for him. I want to bring him home with me. I could love him. But so could countless other families. He's sweet, quiet, a little rough around the edges. I know his Mom loves him...it's just not enough and CPS is failing him! Why is a 6 year old left to his own devices? This is how kids are abducted, molested, killed. What do I do for him!?

Sometimes I'm Sappy

The last 4 years have been...hard. Impossible. Tragic. This week marks the anniversary of when we changed, our life changed, our family, our perspective, our relationship with God...it all began 4 years ago this week. Lane Michael was diagnosed with diabetes. I can't imagine what life would be like without diabetes. Everything would be different. I can think of so many things...but it started the spiral to rock bottom. I was 6 months pregnant when he was diagnosed, 3 months later Braden died. 2 months later my Dad was diagnosed with cancer. Then they found what they believed to be tumors on my thyroid, I had it removed. Then my Dad died. My family fell apart. My siblings and my husband and my Mom...we all fought. hard. It isn't a 4 years I'd ever want to repeat. I remember in our darkest moments feeling like I should move, I should place my family in a better place, even if it meant no family support system. Dark times people, very dark. Ryan is in the hospital...has been since Monday...there's a little guy in the special care room next to him. As Ryan and I were taking one of our many walks I saw Dr A....she was Lane Michael's endocrinologist when he was younger...we changed when he had a seizure and she told us to spank him because it must be a temper tantrum. I was never comfortable with her but that was our final straw. Anyway, I knew this little guy must have diabetes...so later that day when little guys Mom asked if Ryan has diabetes, I said no, but my 7 year old does...I told her how much easier it gets...turns out little guy has had diabetes since he was Ryan's age...14 months old...scary. sad. She looked and sounded exhausted...they had been on an insulin pump but something had gone awry and they were switching to shots, I told her how much Lane Michael is able to do for himself, how our daycare center gave him shots so that Todd and I could work. My heart broke for her, she was so scared of her own life that she wasn't living. I told her that if I tell Lane Michael how many units, he knows how to do the rest, he can be with friends and family (not often but some). During our conversation she told me that she had quit her job when little guy was diagnosed, and was thinking about going back to work when he starts school. Life changed in bigger ways for her than it did for me. I think talking helped her...I wish we had more time to talk, she was nice, and looked like she could use someone to talk about diabetes with...her husband was there and seemed very involved...I was glad to see him there!

Blissfully Boring

Knock on wood.
Life at Wiener Ranch has been blissfully boring and that's the way I like it! Of course there is always something going on with someone in my life so I won't say that life has been boring...but life in our house has been and that's always a blessing! Todd is still in school, the boys are loving this year and Ryan is getting bigger every day...man I love these guys!

Todd dropped his chemistry class and changed majors...he has decided he wants to be a history teacher instead of a science teacher. Todd is currently a sophomore so they put him in a sophomore chemistry class...makes sense...except he had never taken a chemistry class. Ever. Not good. It was a good move and one we had wanted from the beginning, I'm glad he made it. Todd has been less stressed since making this change.

Ethan is doing really well. We love Mrs. G (this years teacher). She's wonderful and seems like a "free spirit" which is exactly what E needs! He loves her, never complains about school and doesn't even fight us about sitting down to do homework. She sees so much untapped potential in him and we love her for that, she also isn't fooled by his baby blues, we love her even more for that. It's a hard balance to keep with him...you either don't mesh with Ethan or you love him and have a hard time seeing his ornery qualities for those sweet sweet baby blues...especially under that black mop of hair. man he's cute. He doesn't test well but I guarantee he knows the stuff, he does well one on one but can't focus long enough to be tested...we're working on it!

Lane Michael is doing really well. We talked to his teacher (love her) at the open house and the first thing she said to me is that Lane Michael is the most confident diabetic she's ever had. He's the first first grader to tell her when he needs to test, what to do about it and to not flip out over every high or low...he's a great example to the other diabetic and to the second grader! I'm so proud of him, he is so knowledgeable about his disease, takes it seriously but doesn't freak out. He researches it (as much as a first grader can) and listens every time anyone says anything about diabetes. He knows the risks and what can happen if he doesn't take care of himself. He's also taken quite the growth spurt (little bugger)....we bought new school jeans just before school started....he's too tall for all of them. He was a 6 regular...now a 7 slim (probably)...who knows at this point...I know he isn't a 6 regular...his doctor doesn't want him to be a slim...he doesn't have the body type for it...he should be a regular...

Ryan is doing well...his favorite toy is a toothbrush...as long as it has toothpaste...weirdo! He also has mastered moving quickly and will dance when we walk in the door from school/work or whenever he's excited! It's like his own little happy dance funny! He can show you his mouth (and say mouth), he can point out our nose (when asked), can lift his foot when asked where his foot is and is working on belly! He cracks me up! He'd love to be able to communicate with us, he gets frustrated easily and knows that we should understand what he's saying, poor guy has no idea he's a baby LOL

I've been crazy busy at work and at home....our office moved a couple weeks ago and it has been crazy busy since then! CRAZY we love the new office but until we are fully functional it's been hectic and hard to keep up but once we're up and running 100% we'll be good! I've also lost a very mysterious 12 pounds...not sure how or why but you know, whatever, I'll take it!

We found pics of the boys first b-day...I'll post them later...we were so sick that I was sure there were no pictures, so happy to find them!

It's finally hit home...

Tonight was parent teacher conferences. I'm Ethan's Room Mother (I get to do so much for Lane Michael and I'm involved in so much of his education and life in so many ways this was something I could do just for Ethan), So I was talking tonight with a teacher about the Harvest Party and asked for a date and if we would be dressing up...this year there will be no costumes...people can't afford costumes this year...I'm so sad. First of all, people think that a store bought costume is a necessity...have we lost the creativity to sew or make our own costumes? and before this the recession really hadn't come to our area...we have a lot of agriculture in our area...and those who aren't farmers, there are a few good factories around...but my point is that we've lost the ability to "step down" to make our children wear a homemade costume or something that isn't new...last year our children wore homemade costumes...not because we couldn't afford them but because they chose "make-able" costumes...Ethan was a pirate and Lane Michael was a vampire...easy to make, or use some items from around the house to create a great costume...I'm almost sure they had no idea that their costumes weren't store bought...they were just excited to dress up and trick or treat. I'm worried that people won't learn to have fun without money...learn to make their own costumes, camp in a tent, and enjoy sitting on the porch with the neighbors and a pitcher of lemonade. Sad.