Dribble....

Fact: Hannah started basketball last week....
Fact: Hannah makes about 50% of the baskets she shoots....
Fact: Hannah does NOT do defense....
Fact: Hannah likes killers....
Fact: Hannah is one strange child for liking killers....just wait girl
Fact: I put mulitiple dots after sentences in every post....check, I dare you. Apparently it's my thang.

In a week and a half Hannah will play her very first bball game with her 5th grade team. Hannah stands about 5 feet from her teammates to block a play...(see...dots) I think she thinks she will hurt their feelings if she actually blocks their ball...(again) she doesn't want to be rude. That's what we are working on this weekend. Being rude....wish us luck!

Rockin' bands.

This day comes once a month for Hannah. It's her day to go to visit Mr. Orthodontia and get her wires tightened and cut. Update her bands to a newer, cooler color (usually to coordinate with something coming up soon in her life). Make sure she's brushing her teeth well and getting all the "sugar bugs", as Brooklyn calls them, off those pearly whites. Braces were a no brainer for Hannah. The first time she went to the dentist, before any of those little baby teeth had even fallen out yet, he showed us her x-ray....you could see all the "adult" teeth crammed up in her tiny mouth. Unfortunately Brooke will have the same problem... our paychecks might as well be deposited into Mr. Orthodontia's bank account. Thank God, Ryan and I both have good insurance, it only pays a percentage...but it's a help! Ryan knew there would be no question in us providing the girls with braces, he's dealt with this problem, and knew he didn't want the girls to. They both are actually excited about them...aunt Kaylee had them, so they think it's the "cool" thing to do. Curious what color Hannah picked?

"Cheese!"

It's orange in case you can't see my picture a la iPhone. Duh. It's almost Halloween...what other color would she pick? Besides black...and that's a little out of her "bright" personality.

Small things...

It's the small things sometimes that matter in your day! I've been in a rut lately. I know what I am doing is not what I want to do forever. What I'd really like to do is stay home, have a garden, do fun stuff all day....for some reason that just doesn't pay the bills. Bummer. I keep trying to talk Ryan into paying me stay home.... when the accountant in me crunches the numbers, I realize that won't pay the bills either...ugh. Oh well.
I applied and got accepted to U of M, I even got a little scholarship! Woo! This will be in addition to my work (cuz again...schooling doesn't pay the bills either! Boo!) I've been wanting to finish up my degree the past couple years...now I will be working towards two!
Back to the title....as most of my readers (all 3 of them, 1 being my stud man hubby) know said 'stud man hubby' is out of town all week for most of the year for work. It's been this way for years, since Brooke was a baby. We've been brainstorming ways to end this 'out of town' nonsense...but for now, it's how we pay our bills....and buy our toys. By this time in the year though, you better believe I'm getting burnt out! Burnt out of being alone and in charge of EVERYTHING! But it's these little things that get me through my day...

This is a pic Ryan sent me, just to say Hi!....

This one he was complaining about the John Deere peice of junk he has to run...he's a Caterpillar man through and through...

I love him, he's so darn cute. My hope is someday he can have a job doing this job (because he loves it, and how many people can say that!?) close to home so he can be with us every night! I love these pics because it gives me a view into his world. I don't get to see what he sees everyday, so it's fun to see what he's up to!
We've been trying to cram things into our weekends lately, we're trying to soak up all this wonderful fall weather! I'll be back to share some pictures of what we've been up to....I promise.

Are you real?

So lately everytime the TV is on Brooke asks "is this real?"

Like the news will be on....Brooke: is this real? Me: Yep, real life stuff. Brooke: Really real? Me: Totally real. Brooke: Ok

Or House hunters....Brooke" is this real? Me: Yep, they are really going to buy outrageously expensive "vacation homes" because apparently everyone can afford to buy 550,000 homes in Belize to vacation to twice a year.

Okay, maybe I didn't say that...maybe I did. Probably under my breath though.

As I flip through the TV tonight, after the house is picked up, clothes in the dryer, dishes in the dishwasher (thank GOODNESS for the dishwasher). I digress, as I am flipping through the TV guide deciding if I should watch mindless TV or just go to bed I think...no wonder why she's confused! All this reality tv vs "semi-reality" tv vs sitcoms....poor girl has no idea what is real or not!

Myself, I enjoy a little reality TV. (a little). But I think how much the tv channels have changed since I was younger. Who would have thought people would watch shows like: Basketball Wives, Swamp People, Ice Road Truckers....weird. We are weirdly entertained by these things aren't we?

So then I think....why couldn't I have thought of shows like these!? I mean, I'm not sure what that would be...and I'm about the least creative person ever....but come on! 18 Kids and Counting...I totally could  have had 18 kids....or not. Not anymore anyways!

Okay...so that's what was on my mind tonight.

On a good note we get to meet the girls teachers tomorrow. They are both very excited...which is good! Hannah had a NIGHTMARE teacher last year...so it's a huge relief to know that her teacher this year is nice, kid friendly, and organized! Don't even ask what happened last year. Brooklyn's teacher was wonderful last year...Brooke loved her and she understood Brooke's quirky little ways. I was worried her teacher this year wouldn't match up...but I have heard nothing but wonderful things about her, so that eases my mind!

This year I will have two full time students! What happened to my babies?

Maybe I can start a show about mom's who go crazy when their kids grow up...I'm almost there. Two years and Hannah will be in the "high school"....lock me up. Lock her up? Someones gonna be locked up!

Summers end girls day!

Yesterday I took a vacation day. It was great. Ryan, of course, is out of town and has to work today as well. (He's going on 70 hours this week so far!) So I decided I'd take the girls school clothes shopping while he was working (that way he wouldn't have to spend his one day off running around from store to store with a bunch of girls). See how nice I am?

So we got up, got ready, and headed out to Riverdale. Hannah spotted a Justice there last weekend and just knew that was where she wanted to go shopping. School clothes shopping gets a lot more difficult when you have two girls with their own individual styles.

We shopped til we dropped (around 3pm for lunch) and then headed to do our grocery shopping and get that done while we were out.

Then we came home and tried on all the clothes in outfits...according to order they will be worn. Please someone just slow the aging of my children down! They are just such little adults now!

Today I am supposed to be sanding the stairs. So far I've managed to bring the sander in. Baby steps. I'm hoping to get a few things off of our "to do" list so that Ryan and I can have next weekend completely free! Woo-hoo!

Don't Worry!

I didn't die in a tragic earthquake accident

Admit it...this is funny.

I live in Minnesota...they only way I'm gonna die here is by all the friendly mosquitoes!

I know all three of you who follow me are gonna be so relieved that I am blogging again.... I can't really give any excuses...obviously everyone is busy. I just haven't felt like anything was truely "blog-worthy". Therefore I spare you. Don't you see how much I love you? (all three of you).

Nothing too big happening in the Shaw home. Ryan's been working a tooshy-load of hours (usually 12-13 a day)....which means nice pay, tired Ryan. My job hasn't changed, except for I have less money now. My program was cut $35,000 for 2012....guess that means it's time to get creative!

The girls have been busy, busy, busy! They spend 2 days a week with my sister and 3 days a week a daycare. Hannah's at the age now where she thinks 10 is waaaay too old for daycare....the funny thing is that when we were that age we were! Times have changed! They are all ready and EXTREMELY excited for school to start in a little over a week. They are rounding out the summer with a 5 day camping trip with Grandma (which means date nights for Ryan and I!)

I've been checking into finishing my degree....I'm leaning towards U of M Crookston...they have the program I want online, which will help big time with convenience! We'll see how far I get before I talk myself out of it...I seem good at that!

Well there's a quick-sy update.  See ya in another 2 months.

toot ~ toot~ SQUEEK!

Hannah has started band practice. She went up to the school and picked up her beautiful ($700) clarinet on Tuesday. Two of her good friends are also in the "woodwind" group. Lets just say she's finding her tune....

toot ~ toot ~ SQUEEK ~ toot ~ toot ~ SQUEEK. repeat....all day...all night.

Am I a bad parent if you try to think of things for her to do so she doesn't practice? I mean practice is for babies right? Oh, not a good thing to tell her? Well good....but I thought about it. After hours of jumping everytime there is that ear piercing SQUEEK!

Is there a quieter instrument? Please? Would you like her to come seranade you???  Please? Pretty please? Maybe I'll record it and send it in Christmas cards this year (yes Ryan, I WILL send out Christmas Cards this year....all the way, not just fill them out and forget about them....)

It makes me wonder what that band room full of woodwinds sounds like when they are in this stage.

Also, funny Brooke conversation:

Brooke trying to explain what a "nackin" is to the neighbor boy.

Brooke comes in shortly after....

Brooke: Dad, I need a nackin.

Ryan: Why?

Brooke: Because Joey doesn't know what a nackin is.

Ryan: Maybe that's because it's a NAPkin.

Brooke: (holding up napkin to neighbor boy)

Joey: I knooooow what that is.

Oh, the minds of two 6 year olds together....too entertaining.