Happy Birthday Little Travis!

This little Tis now this little bit bigger T.
And isn't it sad that I had to go back to December to find a pic of my second son. Sucks to be the second born, don't I know?

My mellow, melancholy baby has grown into my sensitive, snuggable boy. While his big brother is way too cool to give out hugs and kisses, Travis is willing to pick up the extras. The plight of the over looked second child.

He is a 9 year old today, which is just way too close to 10, which is one digit closer to being a teen. Ugh. How are they growing so fast right underneath my nose?

Happy Birthday Trav! We love you!

Another birthday and some updates

First off I'd like to say,

Happy Birthday to my baby Daddy!

It's been 15 long years and he still hangs around. Of course, what guy wouldn't if he got to sit around watching TV and buying motorcycles?

Just teasing, honey.

I know you do alot more than watch TV. In fact, the house would be a disaster and the kids would go unfed most days if it weren't for you. I'm not taking back the motorcycle comment though. You know that is a thorn in my side. :op

I know I don't tell you enough, but I appreciate all that you do, Bobby. I could not raise these kids alone, and there is no way I could make it through school without your help.

You gave me beautiful babies, and you put up with my poor attitude, and for that, I love you.

Speaking of my babies, the littlest T had her 6 month check up Monday. She is still a peanut, just 26 inches long and 13lbs 7 oz. And here I was thinking I needed to buy her bigger clothes.

And speaking of spending money, let's just say, budget, smudget. It is out the window this month. I have blown it completely. Let me count thy ways.

1. Frickers
2. Taco Bell
3. KFC
4. McD's
5. Donato's

We've eaten out enough in one weekend to cover the next few months. But let me explain. Bobby went out to Frickers with his buddies, and I'm calling that his birthday present. (Uh, yeah honey, that was your birthday present). I hung out with the sis all day Saturday and was starving so stopped by Taco Bell, but only for a cheesy gordita crunch (and a birthday burrito supreme for her). KFC? Well, there was really no excuse for that. We could have cooked instead. Sunday was Tanner's birthday dinner which should explain the McD's and Donato's. What? That doesn't explain it? You mean, other people don't go through McD's for happy meals and then order pizza? Well, all I have to say is, weirdos.

The birthdays did us in. And we still have one more to go this month. And that's going to be the worst one because that kid wants to go to Bounce*U.

So Saturday, Bad Influence and I went to the outlet mall. Outlet mall and budget don't really go in the same sentence. I spent way too much on a child who refuses to grow into the next size up.

Yes, this child.Check out the drooping eye lids.

Going

Going

Gone.

Oops, there might have been a little boobage in that first shot. Ignore that. I am not a blanket over the head kinda Mom.

A couple other check ins, we're still throwing too much food away,and we're still freezing our buns off, despite the $400 gas bill. Vectren bastards.

And school? Going surprisingly well, actually. I got a 98% on my last essay. Hurrah! No final drafts for me. Only two more assignments in Leadership. AND, I am halfway through the modules in Statistics. After my little breakdown, I guess I had an epiphany and it all became clear to me. Well, clear as mud, but at least I could finish the assignments.

Off to finish more Stats!

The T Between

This little T, my dimpley, cuddly, perpetually happy baby boy is now this big T, my dimpley, standoffish, persnickety tween.
He turns 12 today. Or turned 12, at 6:52 this morning to be exact. He could choose whatever he wanted to do for his birthday. Since Kings Island is closed for the season, he opted to go to Grandma's.He has a toy stash there that he likes to keep away from the prying hands of siblings. The siblings did go too, though, for pizza and cake. (Check out Tate and Teag "rocking" their big sibling Tshirts they got from Aunt Krista.)

The next to last T had to help put the candles on.

And yeah, that is a store bought cake.

I tried to make his birthday cake. Apparently, if it is not completely cooled and you flip one layer upside down on the other, it will just crack and fall apart. Yes, there is a piece missing, but you can still see the devastation that was my attempt at a homemade birthday cake.

Tanner picked out carrot cake which didn't go over too well with the younger, pickier crowd. They weren't too keen on the raisins. (Teagan and Travis said my cake was way better.)

He was pretty happy with his birthday gifts. Grandma got him some more K*nex, which is the new obsession. He got money from everyone else, $100 total, which he thought was way cool.

Uncle Travis was there with his camera too. We'll have to check out his flicker page and see if he adds some pics soon.

This is how you know your big kid is now a tween:

Mom: You really made out with the money.

Tanner: Made out. Hehehehe

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANNER!

WE LOVE YOU!

Happy Birthday Big Sis!

My big sis, the greatest aunt in the world, is having a birthday today! Not sure if she has any special plans, since it it Friday the 13th and all, but I'm sure if she does, it involves margaritas. She will be..... older than me... today. :op What am I saying? She's always older than me, which of course, is why she is so much smarter and all knowing. Just teasing, Krista.

I can't say she was always the best big sister growing up, because she could be a mean little witch. But, since we've matured (and I've gotten past the throwing my favorite doll on the roof incident, and the ripping off of that same doll's head incident, oh, and the locking me out of the house causing me to kick in the glass storm door incident, oh, and the encouraging me to ride Barbie's motor home down an insanely long hill resulting in me sliding face first down said hill, with my mouth open, requiring multiple stitches incident, oh, and even further back, encouraging me to sit in the open bedroom window resulting in me falling out into a sticker bush incident), I couldn't imagine not having her for a sister.

She is always there for me (and no longer causes me physical or emotional pain except for this), and is an absolutely amazing aunt. I am so thankful my children have her in their lives.

Happy Birthday Krista!

6 months

From her water baby beginning,

this cuddly little

precious, pink bundle, is now a sweet potato faced

wanna be crawling

smiling

babbling

laughing

happy girl.

Happy 6 month birthday Baby Tess.

We love you.

A budget recap

So the budget for January was eye opening. Our regular bills were just that, regular. We went way over budget on groceries. Now, is that because we didn't eat out much, or because I was really oblivious to how much money I was really spending to feed a family of 7? Probably the latter. I budgeted $600 to feed this large family. Bwaa ha ha ha. Okay, so maybe $900 was a more realistic figure. But darn, that's alot of money. That's more than my mortgage. How scary is that?

Anyway, it didn't go too badly. Even though I under budgeted for food, I apparently don't know how much money I make either because I under budgeted that too. So, in the end, it all worked out.

There were a few transgressions. The trip to Target, of course. Although, like I mentioned before, needs or wants? Probably things I would have needed to buy eventually anyway. I did go out to dinner twice, okay, three times. Twice for my birthday, cuz I'm that special, and once because my SISTER is a bad influence and made me go to Olive*Garden on THE LAST DAY OF THE MONTH! So much for a spending freeze.

However, I would like to point out that one of my coworkers paid for my second birthday dinner. The dinner out with the hubby and dinner with the bad influence were covered by my birthday check from the grandfolks. (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!)

Bad influence also coerced me into going to Babies R Us. Yes, we did need a gift certificate for a baby shower, but Krista was all like, "there's this great sale, we really need to go look......". Seriously. She twisted my arm. I did buy some things that I don't necessarily need, yet. But Tess will be moving into bigger sizes soon, so I got her some onesies, pants, an outfit, and a pair of cute little gymmie shoes that were on clearance for $4.00. The Diva, AKA Tatum, conned me out of $15 for an insulated thermos straw cup. It is stainless and it is BPA free, and she has used it for every drink she's had since I bought it. So I guess it wasn't a total waste.

So, between the baby store, Target, and the 1 night of ordering out at work, I didn't do too terribly bad. Oh, forgot to mention the Skyline and McD's I had to pick up for the munchkins on the way to gram's house. That was the first time this month I have gotten them anything. I was amazed when I realized how often we used to eat out. 1-2 times a week really adds up. No wonder I have "extra" money now.

Visit Bossy to join in the poverty party.