Juel's Journal

Maegan's Porch Swing

We bought this for Mikyla's first birthday - It made its way up to Sarah's house, and then over time, it went to Mom's and then back here. I took some Ajax to it and cleaned it up today while Maegan was napping, and put it on the porch for her to play on. She's taken to wanting to get out in the yard with the bigger kids and she can walk up the slides, and climb the steps to the slide in the dogwood tree, she's so fast, I'm scared I'll turn my head and she'll get hurt out there - she's just so little. She gets furious when I make her come back up on the porch, but when she woke up from her nap this afternoon, boy oh boy did those eyes shine! She turned on and cut up with that swing, scaring us and laughing and giggling, she loves it!

After School Today

My 45th Birthday...

Mom had the most delicious taco dinner over there for my birthday and everyone came.. it was Fun! And I got a ton of presents, that was fun too! Thank you everyone, I love you!

Except you, Lisa, and twisting the candles to 54 with a question mark, was NOT cool!! *laughs* Okay, I still love ya, but paybacks are a bitch! Watch your back! Thank you for that basket, it was filled with so much good stuff I didn't know which to use first!

Mikyla and Mallory bought me necklaces, 2 each, so I had to wear all of them, I just couldn't choose one, aren't they beautiful? Joel got me some windchimes, but I didn't get a pic of those yet, I will though...meanwhile, here are some of the pics that I did get...

Look how the leaves are falling already...

Mom, those tacos were mighty fine.. can we do it again?!! *laughs* Thank you so much, you made my birthday wonderful, and the flooring, wow! You're awesome!

Brenda and Shelly, thank you for coming to visit and for all those bags full of gifts you brought too, I couldn't get over that and I love my teapot and my cups and my sugar caddy and my.. ALL OF IT! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And dippy, I absolutely adore my birdbath. Thank you sweetheart... it's just too neat!

Later that evening, Bonnie took me to the movies for my birthday - we saw "World Trade Center" - sooo depressing! Bonnie thank you, I sure did enjoy our night out.. You're a wonderful daughter. I love you!

A Really Good Day...

Mik and Mal aren't too happy about school.. Mal cries off and on all day, and here at home, she thinks about school and cries some more. I talked with them last night and I asked them to try looking at going to school as an adventure, not as something to dread, and that if they change their attitudes, it will become an adventure and not something they hate anymore.. so they agreed to try.

Sarah and Jordyn figured that if Jordyn was able to come home with Mik and Mal after school today, and if I could take them swimming at Granny's, that it would give them something to look forward to after school and maybe they'd have a better day today.. so that's what we did.. and we all had a really good time swimming, eating, and we even toasted some marshmallows down in the valley behind Mom's house.

Mom made these awesome homemade hamburgers, giant things, they were works of art -- for the grown ups, and we bought the kids chicken strips and fries.. we all ate, waaay too much, had strawberry shortcake for dessert, it was so good! Mom said.. (and i resent this) this summer is about over, and our dinners out there are about to wind down.. as if just because it's not hot anymore we don't have to be there.. well I have news for her.. I can just as easily eat out on that patio in the dead of winter with my coat and mittens on, so she best get that "over" stuff out of her head. *laughs* Ease on back into the kitchen Mom, it ain't over 'till the fat lady sings, and I'm not even hummin' yet!

I got some pics, not many but some.. of the kids playing in the yard...

A few of them in the pool.. even Bonnie was there and took a swim with us..

Maegan escaped from the tent on the patio, she lifts the net and slips out under it, it's so funny but she's determined to go play too. She headed straight for the Cadet.. I think she's gonna be like mom...

They still ride their cars over there.. and Jordyn had a blast with them..

Joel had a good time too..

The marshmallow roast was fun, but it was so hot over by those coals.. *laughs* still, they tasted good and it was fun and I love the smell of burning charcoal in summertime, don't you?

Jordyn was supposed to go home at about 7:30 because she had spelling words to do before getting her bath and into bed for school tomorrow.. but.. she and the girls decided to see if they could talk Cristy into letting her spend the night and just go to school from here in the morning. Now I didn't think they'd have much success, but when I tried to call to see if Cristy was going to pick up Jordyn or did she want me to take her home, there was no answer.. no answer at Sarah's nor at Dianne's either.. for a long time. Then finally I got ahold of Marie at Dianne's, and she said that big Roy was shoeing Stroker and Stroker kicked him in the head.. then stepped on his head.. they'd all gone to the hospital with him.. so we all just came on home to wait to hear from them.. they finally called, and I had all the kids bathed and in bed by then.. they're flying him out to Tennessee or Lexington one, he's bleeding in his brain and pretty bad messed up from this. Wherever they're taking him, they're all going too, so I told them I'd get the kids ready for school and get them there in the morning.

Except for the getting kicked in the head by a horse thing, today was truly a really really good day.

I do have to get tho, it's bedtime. 3 girls to get ready for school in the morning, so I better get along now. G'nite world. Be safe!

It Has to be Said..

I believe in spankings!

I was reading on the msnbc's news site and saw this:
No Brats Allowed!

I'm sorry, forgive me if you think a good old fashioned spanking is wrong, I don't. I don't mean a 'slug' to the face, a 'punch' in the gut, or any other vicious slaps to a child, but hell yes, spankings aren't going to kill a child. They're not going to leave the child traumatized for life.. they're just going to get the little one's attention so that he or she knows you mean business. "But it hurrrrrts" Some folks say.. "How do you like getting hit?"

I'm too old for spankings, so that point's moot. They never killed me when I was a child, they just taught me to mind my parents.

Social services have stepped in and yammered about emotional abuse so that you can't scold, chastise or verbally correct your child without using a syrupy voice and sugary words, which to a child merely translates, Do it again darling, it's okay, Mama understands. You can't spank one, that's physical abuse, good Lord, where is common sense?

Granted some fools out there don't know how to give a well aimed swat on the butt and instead end up truly harming the child, but most parents could do it without hurting them, if only they would.

Maybe then we'd have less problems with the kids in public like we're having now.. we could enjoy public places again. Maybe kids would think twice before taking guns to school, and maybe there's be far fewer bullies as well.

Kids think there's no repurcussions for their actions, they get away with too much and they test us more and more every day. If we keep going the way it is, letting them have the upper hand, we're going to regret it. No, wait, we're already regretting it.

Egads.

School this Morning..

Bright eye'd and bushy tailed! Okay, not so bushy tailed at all, but they were up and ready to go..

Joel likes Maegan's little chair...

See the relief? She got home from school, changed her clothes and sank back to relax.. she just doesn't like school, poor kid..

Mallory's 5th Birthday...

Maegan's First Birthday Party Here...
Mallory's First day of School...
Mikyla's First day of First Grade...

Lotsa fun stuff going on around here this week.. lots of cakes and presents too, and the kids loved every minute of it!

Note those 'happy' faces. (insert sarcasm there) They don't like early mornings, and beg to stay home from school.. Mallory liked it at first but now she's changed her mind and is unhappy with this whole deal.. ugh!

David And Goliath...

Birthday pics..

I got their little lunchboxes out while ago... and I asked them how they tell them apart, they're just alike.. Mikyla said.. "sniff it.." I raised my brows and she explained.. "the one that smells like tuna is Mallory's.. I don't like tuna!"

*laughs*

Only Mikyla...

Jeeze O' Pete!

I was just looking at the last entry to be sure I had the pics coded right, and the date jumped up and hit me in the head. August 10?!!? How the HECK did it get to be August 10 already? Tomorrow is Mallory's 5th birthday! I have to go shopping! I have to get a cake! I have to buy presents and get something for dinner! Ack!

School Started Yesterday

Mallory's first day of Kindergarten, all day, a full day, and when she got home she was exhausted and whiney.. poor kid. Sarah said she cried like her heart was broken yesterday morning when it came time to leave her there, but by day's end, Mallory loved it.. she said they sang songs, they got to draw, and she made a ton of friends. I think she's going to do very well this year. :)

Mikyla.. (dum, da dum dum) hated it. Again. She came in and sat in a huff and said she's going back to Kindergarten, that as bad as it was, it was better than this first grade business. She's in the same class with her best friend from last year, so that's a blessing, but still, she says she's not going back. She did go back, this morning, but she's not a happy camper about it. We're going to have to figure out a way to get her to change her attitude. She doesn't like early mornings, she doesn't like having to go to bed early. She isn't liking anything about this. Ugh!

I called Nick to see how he liked going to Middle school this year, and he was all upbeat and optimistic about it, he LOVES it! He said that he's going to go talk to the coach today about getting on the football team. I'm glad he likes it so well.. Nick always does good school. He said he made a ton of friends and he's really psyched about this year. That tickles me! Goooo Nick!

Myrtle Beach

On the way...

Wow was it pretty there! Needless to say, I had a really good time, and so did the girls. Mikyla wasn't too thrilled with the ocean, the salt water irritated her skin and eyes (Maegan's too - she broke out like a gator at the beach) but Mallory loved it. Can you tell by the pictures how happy they were to be there?

Beach Video (3.71MB)

Mikyla favored the pools and hot tub...

We celebrated Maegan's first birthday there in the condo...she didn't understand the singing, but she sure knew what to do with that cake!

At Liberty's, Mallory got a birthday sundae, since her birthday is coming up on the 11th...

We went to Broadway At The Beach, it's sort of like Gatlinburg, and the girls got to "Build a Friend" it's something like Build a Bear, but they build dolls instead... they were going to build a bear, but the line was 20 miles long. This is where Liberty's was, where I had a "drunken ribeye" - and let me tell you, I never had a steak so good in all my life. They said they soak it in Ky Burbon overnight, and you can't taste the whiskey but mercy did it make that steak tender! The loaves of bread they set about every 2 feet at the table and they kept it coming. I LOVED it!

The dragon came out of the castle every 20 minutes. This is a big clip, but he was so COOL!!
The Dragon (14.10MB)

These fish! You have to watch this videoclip, my goodness, were they hungry!

Hungry Fish! (4.35MB)

Just some shots of the sights...

Soooo happy...

Mallory even utilized the exercise room...
Exercising (3.35MB)

This is sunrise on Monday - the day we came home...

If This Don't Beat All...

Mikyla and Mallory decided today, tearfully, fearfully, that if I don't go with them to Myrtle Beach, they aren't going, and they desperately want to go. So guess who's going..

Yes... me!

We're all leaving tomorrow night and will be back on Monday.

Have a good weekend everyone! Love you!

Happy Birthday Brenda!

It seems impossible that it's Aug. 1 already! Fall isn't too far away now, soon it'll be apple pickin' time in Nancy, Ky. I love that time of year.

The kids are doing great.. this is Shark Week on the Discovery channel, we've been watching it together, and the girls swear they're never going into the ocean again.. it was so comical - their other gramma called today to ask them if they want to go to the beach this weekend, of all weekends... and before I heard the full question, I already knew the answer.. NO WAY! There's SHARKS in there!! *laughs* The poor woman. They've decided they will go, but they said they will just stay in the swimming pool and hot tub, to hell with the ocean and anything in it that might want to eat them. Oh that was funny to me.

These kids keep me laughing. The other night they were munching on left over from dinner french fries and I could hear them bickering.. they were fighting over the fries.. I couldn't see them but I could tell that they were tugging them back and forth trying to win the fries.

Mallory: "They're MINE!"
Mikyla: "No, they're MINE!"
I could hear the fries hit the floor.

Mallory: "They're yours Mikyla, you have to pick them up."
Mikyla: "No, they're yours, but... I SNEEZED ON THEM!"

I don't know which one picked them up, but they made it into the trash can.

These kids say the strangest things.. every time Mal's mouth flies open it's something hilarious. And she doesn't worry with tact either. Kissing Maegan's cheek, I told Maegan, feels like kissing a juicy yummy Plum, and Kissing Mallory's cheek, I told Mallory, feels like kissing a firm ripe Apple. Mikyla's cheeks feel like kissing delicious sweet Georgia Peaches. Mallory said, "Mammy bend down here and let me kiss yours and see what it feels like.. " So, I did.

"Rotten Candy", She informed me with a nod before skipping off to make someone else's day.

Joel is doing great with his potty training. 50/50. Yay for you, Joel! He's so proud of himself he just goes now to be told how big he is! *laughs*

Ugh.. Maegan will be off formula in a day or two.. I think I have 2 cans left and that'll be it.. she'll be a year old on Saturday. She likes milk alright, but at bedtime, she wants that formula. She's eating good, anything we eat, she can eat, so I'm not worried, just at bedtime she doesn't want to go to sleep without that formula in that bottle. Let's hope she changes her mind quickly. I'm toying with the idea of taking her off the bottle entirely as well as the formula, if she's going to hate me she may as well hate me all at once and get it over with. I know it won't make any difference to Sarah one way or the other. We'll see.

Papaw was looking great when we went to Brenda's today...SO much better, I can sure tell he's being VERY well cared for, good job, Brenda!

Mikyla and Mallory are all ready to go back to school. It's supposed to start on the 8th or the 9th, I'm not sure which, we'll find out beforehand, but I saw in the headlines of the Lex. Herald the other day that some group was fighting it, they don't want the kids going back so early. As ready as I am for them to go back, I do agree, it's way too early.. and still so hot. The temp at the bank today at about 3 was 102 degrees. Too hot for school - it's still swimming weather!

Bonnie's off tonight, so we don't have Joel, she's off tomorrow night too. Acey called today, he talked for a short time, but then his Daddy's cell phone cut off, so he didn't get to talk long. He is doing fine too. He starts Kindergarten next fall if I'm not mistaken. I've not heard from Breanna in a while, she called last week, but I didn't get to talk to her. I bet she's ready for school too. I know Nick is. He can't wait.

Mikyla: I can do a flip under the water.
Mallory: I can do two flips undah da watah!
Mikyla: I can do three flips!
Mallory: I can do a hunnard flips undah da watah!
Mikyla: (shaking her head) You're stupid.

Oh yeah, it's been one hell of a memorable summer. God love 'em all!

G'nite world! :)

P.S. Mom! Do something! Your feet are all wrankled and old looking! Don't make me post a pic! *laughs*