**changes**

i guess it's inevitable but these changes are kind of freaking me out a bit. but on the other hand they are kind of nice at the same time. how does that make sense?

i still get up at 6am because i can't stand my kids getting up to a quiet, dark house in the morning. but this year it's a little different because i don't have to spend 10 minutes trying to get my son out of bed to make sure he doesn't miss the bus. when we bought him school supplies we also bought an alarm clock. if he is old enough to drive his butt to school he can get himself up and in the shower.

and that's another thing. he can drive himself to school, he can leave campus during lunch, and he can get himself to and from wrestling practices and meets. i feel sort of sad about that but bailey loves it since i usually had her go get him after practice. LOL

one of bailey's best friends moves to monmouth on sunday to settle into her dorm at western oregon state university. i think those 2 are really going to miss each other. i am so glad that her other best friend will be staying here and going to college with her. i do for see
the 2 of them moving to portland next year and attending college there.

i start school on the 28th. scared...to...death. i am so worried about failing. it's been a long time since i attended classes and had homework. omg, speaking of college. my tuition is $1155. my books are just over $915. it's a racket i tell you. one of my classes had a book bundle that is $198. one of them is a book that i have. the exact one...not a previous version. this book is shrink wrapped with another book that i have but is a 7th edition whereas the new book is a 9th edition. i am pretty sure they just ripped out a page and called it the 8th edition and then did the same frickin' thing for the 9th edition. i might try asking the instructor if what if have is sufficient since i could really use that $198. here's my schedule:

• Monday 9-10 10-11 12-2 2-4:30
• Tuesday 9-10 10-11:30 12-1
• Wednesday 9-10 10-11 12-2 2-4:30
• Thursday 9-10 10-11:30 LOVE Thursdays!
• Friday 9-10 10-11 12-1
• Medical Terminology & Body Systems
• Editing Skills For Info Processing
• Formatting
• Typing Speed/Accuracy Development
• Word Processing: MS Word
• Business Orientation/Medical

please have my family forward my mail to the nearest mental hospital. oh, and come visit me at Christmas. LOL

around here we are getting excited for the holidays. bailey is dying for me to unpack the halloween decorations. that is her favorite holiday. cj's is thanksgiving since my mom is the best cook in the world. i think mine is christmas. i like the homey feel of it and how it isn't just one day. i got some rockin' christmas decorations last year in california. danea took me to a christmas store that was AMAZING. it's almost worth a plane ticket down just to see it this year. i should have take pics. maybe i can talk danea into going in there and taking some. ♥

i keep bringing up that Danea and her family need to come here for a visit. she agrees and then kind of moves the conversation on to a new subject. boo. i am going to keep trying. i miss that girl so much. have you ever just wanted to move to be by someone? if it wasn't for my mom i just might do it. there is no way that i could ever be away from her. ever.




























i also think i could live by my good friend sara i think we would get along great but there i no way in hell i would move to arizona. she would have to move to PoDunk as she so lovingly calls it. i know she loves seattle so i think she would live in PoDunk just fine.














bailey and her friends got to go to the David Cook concert at the oregon state fair. she loved it and even converted one of her friends to become a fan. ahem..becky.



















and we experienced Voo Doo Donuts for the first time. we first heard of it on the show Man vs. Food . bailey and her friends went to the zoo so while they were up there they brought donuts home. cj made sure she got him a glazed donut that was as big as his head. somebody told me that they sell day old donuts in a 5-gallon bucket for $5. score!
















i guess that's what's going on here. i hope all is well with you.

peace.

***god bless**

and never forget those that were there that day and those that are still fighting.

chubby bunny

wow, it's been a long time. i guess that means one of 2 things; i'm lazy or my life is terribly boring. is there an all of the above choice?

life is the same-same. bailey started working for mcdonald's at the beginning of the summer. i think she likes it OK. it will be flexible for her when school starts on sept. 28th and that is what she needs.













cj drives now and is totally loving it. (what 16yr. old doesn't) he is more than willing to run errands so that rocks! he doesn't quite grasp the concept that i am following the law and not letting him have a passenger until his 6 months are up. sometimes it is so hard to say no but you gotta' do what you gotta' do.

i am headed back to school again at the end of september. class every morning at 9am and taking 14 credits. cross your fingers and hold good thoughts please. i always liked school so if i just get my ass there every morning i will do just fine. don't forget...cross those fingers.

i'm getting anxious for fall. i don't know why considering the list of things that i always like to do to get ready:

• dump flower pots and winterize flower beds
• get carpets cleaned
• dig out all the fall decorations
• would love to get my windows washed
• hose down the deck
• take down the picnic table umbrella and bring in patio chairs
• mow lawn very short and edge so it looks good until the spring

but, when it's all done it feels and looks great. do you winterize your flower beds? i think this year i might get some of the harvested mint mulch. it smells amazing, it a dark brown color which i love on flower beds, and really protects the perennials. there is a large pile of it just before you get to corvallis and every time i pass by there i roll all my windows down so i can smell it. yum. can you tell i grew up around mint fields? my grandpa and my dad had acres of it. loved it when they burned the crops but then i love the field burning around here. reminds me of childhood and fall. wow, where did this ramble start?? ha ha ha

i just want to put it out there that i feel extremely blessed to have friends that can understand me and give me the space to be me. you know who you are and i love you more than you will ever know. i'm also immensely proud of my kids. bailey is such a deep, strong person. she's brave, loyal, funny, and caring. christopher is very caring as well. his acceptance of people's diversities is so great. his humor is awesome. he cracks us up all the time. you know, school isn't for everyone and it isn't for christopher either. he loves to go because of the social aspect but obviously hates the work and struggles with it. he keeps at it and as long as i keep an eye on it (thank god for the new website where i can go look at all his classes and the assignments in each of them). he always makes it work in the end.

now, saying all that here is what they spend some of their time doing when hanging out with their friends...whom i adore as well. both kids have great friends. i pretty much have 4 extra kids and i wouldn't have it any other way.

how many marshmallows can you get in your mouth and still say "chubby bunny"?
becky










kelsie










bailey










austin
winner w/ 8










cj











oh, and bailey turned 18 a week ago. we started out w/ a tattoo. my birthday gift to her. it's on the back of her left should. it's beautiful.












then they came home, went to an adult store, came home and primped, drove to Eugene to an 18&older club and then just for fun stopped at a strip club on the way home. i guess you can get in at 18 since there is no alcohol served. who knew? of course the girls made sure Bailey got a lap dance. apparently bailey wanted to grow up all in one day. god help me.



peace.