Getting ready for sadness!

So the in-laws got in late Tues and unfortunately have to leave already tomorrow by noon! The kids love having them here so much! Friday will be a rough sad and dare I say moody day here!! They get so much attention when they are here and don't get to see them nearly enough!! It has been a fun and busy visit. Today Grandpa took each kid individually out for a drive and stopped at a store so they each came home with a new toy...he has just moved to the top of the "favorit person" list! LOL! Grandma has been such a big help around the house with kids, cleaning, cooking and of coarse all the hugs and smooches they need!! She was so nice today and made me my favorite bars, Scotharoo's, yummy!! The kids have not gone to school the last 2days because it was such a short visit and Brit took a vacation day as well yesterday. I am sending them to school tomorrow and they didn't seem to pleased with the idea,but education is important too! Last night while I was bowling Brit and his parents took the kids to the motel to go swimming and found out that little Janaya is quite the daredevil and thinks she can swim on her own. She told Brit that she can jump in herself and would try to dodge him when he attempted tocatch her, I know she has fire under her I am just glad I didn't have to see it as I am sure I would have freaked out everytime!!

Not much else has gone on the last few days looking forward to a quiet weekend, we'll see as it never seems to go that way!! Best go...Barb

The In-laws are coming!!

Yep, in like 2 days Grandma and Grandpa Davis will be here and I can hardly contain the kids. The excitement around here is like crazy!! When they come mommy goes into cleaning mode...lol! So I started on Sunday afternoon and I think I am done. The laundry is all done, today I swept and mopped, and i even got the energy to somehow paint some walls in the girls room and most of the hallway is looking good. I sometimes think I should just do a better job all year round and wouldn't have that problem! Any way it should be a fun time as it always is with them!!

On Sat. we set up the christmas tree and other decorations! The kids now want to know everyday if "this is the day santa comes"?? I can't leave out the cat, everyyear when the tree goes up he runs over to it as soon as its up and plugged in and stretches out under it and sleeps. So once again he did this and has been napping there except for mealtime since then, gotta love it!!

To day is Brit's b-day, Happy Birthday Britton, we love you!!



Here we are together, I am one year and 4 days older!! 27 & 26













Kari was so nice and made us a really cute cake for our b-days and brought that over sunday afternoon, Thanks kari!!
Well i best get my kids ready for bed...take care...Barb

I lost as usual!!

So I hope all had a Happy Thanksgiving!! I had a great time with my family and I also found that planning, cooking and serving a meal to 14 is very tiring and stressful. My sister and I did Thanksgiving this year for the 1st time and it is pretty clear that I am definately in favor of just having mom or dad host and I be the geust, lol! It was nice to all be together but I never realized how much work it really is and how THANKFUL I should be to have always had it so easy!!

As I turned 27 yesterday I for the first time in along time felt my age it was actually quite nice! My very loving hubby got me roses and 2 new angels to add to my colection, he is always so good about getting me at least one every special occasion!! I also got some much needed new baking pans, I never take the time to buy these things for myself!! After all was finished with the family my dad, his wife and I headed to the Casino for a fea hours of fun! I went in the birthday booth for the first time and landed myself a whopping $5!! LOL!! I lost all my money pretty darn quick then the extra money that dad and les gave me as well! But I had a very good time so I am not bothered that I came home with 3 cents,lol!

Today I think we will be taking our fun trip to Walmart as it has been 2 weeks since our last venture! Since the kids are not in school I think we can leave shortly after Brit gets home and be back even earlier for some relaxing quiet family time! Was thinking I would try to convince Brit to put the x-mas stuff up tomorrow I usually need to work hard on the convincing part as he doesn't like to do that all that much. Once we get started he comes around it is just actually doing it, with 4 kids trying to help it is quite an adventure!!
Well I geuss I better go...Take care..Barb


Some little boy got caught singing on the toilet!!(yes he used the cleaner brush as his MIC!!)








Julia wanted me to post
a pic of her...so here she is!

The troops are all here!!

So they start thanksgiving break early enough for the travelers but for those of us that stay here it's looking a little early. Jackson however had headstart today and needed much pushing to leave knowing everyone else was home!! Julia is telling me she's bored for the 5oth time in the last hour I think!! Jordon is enjoying playing the P2 and got upset when he had to shut it off so mom could watch her soaps, lol. It is such a beautifull day I am trying to get them outside but for some reason they don't want to, I always wanted to go play when I was little.

Cooper and Ely on the otherhand are being so good and napping as usual!! I think they passed on the cold they had last week to auntie. I have been "snuffy" this week and thanks to my mom got some rest last night as she sent me home with Benadryl Cold medicine!! I slept like a baby and needed it so bad!! Tonight I go bowling but don't feel like it too much just cuz I feel not so hot!

Tomorrow is my B-day and also Thanksgiving!! So if I don't blog or see you may you and your families have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
After I make and serve the meal (with amanda's help) to our families I will rest and get geared up to head to Flandreau for my b-day. Les is gonna go in the money booth for me and Brit bless his heart is gonna stay home with the kids. So it looks like me, dad and Les will go over and TRY to win something but if not I don't care I just love going over there. Some people, mainly my loving hubby think I have a slight addiction to it, lol! If I went more often and blew tons of money I would agree but I only get there once a month or two and never take more than $100 so I personally think I am doing ok!! But seeings how it is my day I get to go, YIIPPEE!!
I will be 27 tomorrow and I know I have said this before but I honestly feel at least 37! Iam sure it's because I started having kids so early but I really feel old and I am not that old!! Who knows maybe I'll feel 27 when iam in my 40's with kids leaving the nest,lol!!

I better not leave out my precious Ely it is his b-day tomorrow too, yes I was so lucky to get my nephew on my b-day! Thanks Amanda, you know that has meant alot to me!! He will be 2 and busy as can be!!
Well I geuss I have blogged enough today best get going..Happy Turkey Day to all!! Barb





This is us with Brits family in Aug at his family cabin!









And this is all of us at the cabin! Yes Brit is tall and I am really that short,lol!

Bowling Champs!!

Oh what a long weekend!! The boys bowled for the last time this season on Saturday. It was a child adult game; the child threw the 1st ball and the parent did the 2nd to try and get the spare!! The boys had so much fun!! Brit and Jackson had a 122 and Jordon and I got a 120!! So the trophy should have gone to them but they mixed up and gave it to Jordon and I , we are the best anyway,right?!! Jackson was pretty upset that he didn't get it so being the wise mommy I am I suggested that since either way it would have come home with us that we all share it since we all did so good!! They agreed with persuasion, more like since we made them!!LOL Either way it was fun and they did really well!!

Julia did wonderful this weekend as well she bowleda 107 her 1st game which is her highest score ever!! I was so proud!! Her other 2 games were good also. Last year she won some scholarship money in the Pepsi tournamnet and hopefully will do well again this year!! We got her a ball last year and this year she is getting a new bag and her first pair of bowling shoes!! She is using a bag that was probably made when bowling was invented, and it looks hideous,lol!!

Janaya had a fairly quiet weekend other than learning from daddy that we dont change our clothes every 30 minutes!! I swear she goes a day or so without doing it then she starts in full force. I trimmed her hair this weekend and it looked so cute. On sunday she got a hold of a pair of scissors and took out 2 chunks of hair, it blends in fairly well but if you look you can see it, that girl I tell ya!!

Brit and I did some house cleaning and enjoyed some relaxing time, which means other than the kids bowling we did absolutly nothing!!! It seems like we always have somewhere to go or something to do on the weekend so a quiet one is nice once in awhile. I best go, cooper is awake and needing abottle. Take care...Barb

She took up painting!!

So I geuss Janaya finally realized that using a marker for makeup just gets you in trouble, but nobody said it couldn't be used for paint did they?! So last night after she got herselft all pretty she used 'black' marker and started to decorate her bedroom walls!! Such a clever little one she is!! Julia and I scrubbed with everything we had and had no luck in removing it, so I geuss we will have to paint over it!! Daddy is not exactly to pleased with his little Picasso, lol!!

One of these days if she does it again, or I should say when she does I will have to take a picture to post. Don't know why I didnt think of that, thanks Tracy for the idea!! LOL! The funny part of that is her favorite place to color on herself is her belly button she just giggles about it and loves to show me!!

Other than that we had a pretty quiet evening Jill and Lydia came for a visit since daddy was gone bowling and mommy gets lonely, I suppose he does on Wed too but I would have to argue that I am home alone way too much!!

I suppose I should keep this short Ely and Janaya are running crazy this am for some reason. We cant mess up the place today as Jackson's preschool teacher is coming for a home visit. I do have an issue to work out with her; Jackson is left handed and it has been brought to my knowledge that they are trying to make him use his right hand at school. He has used his left hand since he was little, naturally and we decided long ago that he was gonna be fine like that so why try to correct it? And I was not informed of this so I am a bit steamed about it!! He seemed real unsure and upset when I told him it was ok to use the one that "feels good to use". He put his head down and showed me he should use the "right" hand!! Maybe I am blowing this out of porportion but I feel strongly that he should stay the way he was meant to be!! Poor kid is confused now though!! I geuss baby is fussin so I gotta go, later Barb

Just use Markers!

So when you cant get ahold of makeup and you are 2 years old of coarse you would just use markers right?! Yesterday afternoon Janaya was in her room watching, yes again, 'Pocus Pocus' being ever so quiet I just let her be; big mistake mom, she was using orange and black markers to do her face up!! Her face (eyes, mouth, cheeks and forehead) was orange while her tummy and legs were black. All I could was laugh as she thought she was so "beautiful mom"!! I think I need to just get her some play make-up of her own and let it go!!

Jordon and Jackson have an obsession with the Playstation lately but on the other hand it occupies them until I say that is enough. Jackson has taken a likin to watching Brit play football and he really gets into it and coaches Brit quite well and loudly even when Brit just as soon not have the comments!! LOL He likes to call the plays and tell Brit " dad you dropped the ball again, just like the whole game". I just sit and giggle because I know he can't stand it but he is spending time with his son and knows Jackson is thrilled to be 'helping'!!

Julia went to a high school music concert last night and was so excited. The girl loves music I swear it's all she thinks about! If she doenst end up in the music career I can't imagine what else she would do with her self!! Her and 2 other girls at school idolize the Cheatah Girls and they call themselves them too!! They call eachother after school and just sing on the phone until one of the mom's says enough!! Gotta love her drive though it could take her far!! And if anyof you know my Julia she can sing!!

Well I best go get the housework done. Tonight is my night out for bowling so I am happy about that! Take care Barb

this is all the kids this summer in Wis, Door county at Brits family cabin

Trying to add Pics!!

Hello again I am trying to add pics...thanks for the help Tracy if it doesnt work I will call you!! LOL

This is jackson and Janaya on Halloween just playing!!

All 4 before we left!!
And here is Janaya on one of her beautifull days!! Let me know if this didnt work!! Barb

Good Tuesday morning!

So today has started out as normal and 'Pocus Pocus' is running!! LOL! I dont know what I am gonna do tomorrow when I have to return the movie, it has gotten to the point that Dora doesn't even matter!! She did sleep well last night, i think she is exhausted!! Poor thing has developed a cold and cough to go with the sleeplessness! But mommy got some much needed sleep last night as she only got up 1 time at 11p.

Yesterday we made cookies for the kids when they got home from school and she loved that. She also kept wanting a "backride" which took me a few minutes to figure out and when I did I then had to give a few of them!!!

My nephews are back today and also not feeling well, makes for an edgy morning with 3 kids under3 that don't feel well and want "mommy"!! I geuss I am starting to see Brit's point that 4 is enough!! I have had a hard time since my hysterectomy in May dealing with the fact that I can never have another baby. Some of you may think I am certifiably insane but its true, I would have another if I could. On the other hand I have 4 healthy children and I will be young when mine are grown!!

I suppose I should get back to my forever growing laundry pile; just when I see the ground I turn my back and it starts to grow again. If I could just figure out how to stop that...LOL! Talk again soon...Barb

Beauty sleep who needs it??

So my darling Janaya has decided over the last few days that sleeping is not so much an issue, unless it's her plan!! She has also been trying to nap like at 4p so she can stay up late and watch her TV. I turn the TV off and head back to bed and she gets up and turns it back on. I even tried taking her to bed with us till she falls asleep and that is not even an option in her book. She says'Watch Pocus Pocus mom, now" For those of you not familiar it's actually Hocus Pocus a movie about 3 witches that has been around for years. On sat night she took her bath at like 6:30 and when she got out she says to daddy"watch pocus pocus daddy" and of course we dont have the movie but she don't understand that and says "mommy u mean". Being the nice mommy that I am I bundle her little sweetness up and go to the movie store and rent it. Now I think we have seen it only a dozen times since then...lol!! Girls I tell ya!!

She is also into this beautifull thing, it goes something like "mommy i beautifull" She wants her hair combed and to put mouse in it everyday at least twice. And of course we cant forget to do the "lips". Julia is a bit girlie but Janaya is gonna be overbored. And if any of you know me I am the total opposite so I am trying to learn how to do this. Any tips from the girlie people i could use them. She definately takes after Brits mom and sisters on this one, to bad they aren't closer to help her develop this fine quality in women...LOL!!

Not sure if I mentioned it but parent teacher conferances went great and the kids are doing very well. Julia is an A student with 1 B what more can a mom ask for!!! Jordon is doing much better this year, each year seems to bring a bit more gain so that is very promising!!! He is learning to spell simple words and trying to sound out simple words so all is well.

Well time to watch Pocus Pocus again so I best go start it or I am gonna be "mean mommy " again. Brit Barb and Kids

Time for a break!

So here it is Sat morning and the troops are fed and cleaning!! They like me to wake up early and make them a good breakfast, which Julia would say should always be BACON!! Today is usually a busy one but yet fun!! Kids have bowling, it will be the boys last week!! Julia bowls well into April though.

Last night we took our ritual every 2 week trip to Walmart for groceries and other needs. The kids do fairly well for having all 4 of them and 2 carts in there for a long period of time. We went to Brookings again as we have found it to be closer and less crowded compared to Sioux Falls!! My sister and Kyle followed us up and we had supper then shopped, and to my surprise we were done b4 them; and they only had 1 kid with them. That tells me that "dam we are good" ...lol!

Well I best go for now need to get ready for the day...hope all is well with everyone!! Take care...the boedecker's

Counting the hours till I get me time!!

Good wednesday all!! So on Wed I sit and count the hours till I get to go hang with the girls and not be "Mommy I want this" for a few hours. I enjoy my bowling and really enjoy the break!!
Had to pick up our PTO stuff and deliver that yesterday, and now I get to make cookies!! Parent teacher conferances are tomorrow night and that is always fun. Brothers wife just called and said she will be stopping by tomorrow afternoon so that should be nice!

I tell ya when I have a busy week it is very busy no real inbetween. One week absolutely nothing to do and the next about a thousand. Well kids just raided the candy again so I best go save what I can or they will be bouncing to fast rather than just bouncing!! LOL.. Barb

It's Monday!!

Good Monday morning!! This is not my favorite day of the week but I have to get through it to get to Friday right?! We got the yard looking ready for winter now. The kids are geared up for another school week and of coarse Ely and Cooper are super glad to be back with their favorite aunt..lol.

We spent some time at grandma's again and then off to the park! Janaya had an accident both days at grandma's and not sure why. I am thinking she just got too busy outside keeping up with papa!! They enjoyed rides ont he 4-wheeler yesterday!! It is so nice to have such great active grandparents for the kids!! And of coarse the kids love to go anywhere papa is.

I think now I shall try to tackle potty training on ELy he will be 2 this month, on my b-day, which is the 23rd!! Much easier to do 1 at a time. Well since I dont have much to say I suppose I should finish my laundry..I can tput it off forever, or so Brit says..lol!! Talk again soon..Brit Barb and Kids

Timber!!!

Good morning!! So we went to my mom's yesterday cuz Papa is cutting down a tree and needs his 2 son-in-laws to help...and of coarse his 2 favorite "helpping" grandson's.. We had a lovely after noon till the chain saw broke and everything was closed to get a new part. Jordon says" great now the tree is laying down and we cant move that" Jackson says" yes we can Jordon just lift it". If I could only be 5 again!! On the sidelines little Ely, with his eye's pooping out and arms outstretched just keeps repeating "OOHH it broke!!". Now that we cant cut the tree we retire tothe house and Grandma orders pizza for her troops and the men retire to the "fishing room" for beer..lol.
Mom then decides to get a migraine and feel sick. I had 3 of them last week too. They seem to come in spurts now so who knows. I tolerated it as long as I could with a house full of 12..lol! I wish they could figure out a solution for this but untill then we just go with the flow, needless to say betime then became my course of action.

It is Sunday now and I am stiff in the neck and everyone is ready to go tackle the rest of the tree...UUGGGH! I best go though as cold days are ahead and then we will be wishing we could. Hope all had a good weekend! Take care...Brit Barb and Kids

Mom, I have only changed 6 times...

Well here I am again..My daughter is changing her clothes yet again...As the day starts I dress her and then we move on to eating..she then sits down to watch her favorite shows, Dora, Dieago, Blues Clues and the Backyarigans. As that comes to an end she scurries back to her room and comes out generally in her favorite swim suit!! And so begins our journey and pile of clothes...lol..if lunch goes well we will go change into our "kitty" jammies..but dont let that stop her as in about 30 minutes we will go get our Favorite summer dress!! I then lay her down for her nap and go to watch my soaps. In a few short minutes she sneaks to her room and decides nothing will work now so it is time to be NAKED!! I kindly explain that this is winter and it is too cold to be naked and we need to put her clothes back on her reply is "I cant wear that " "sorry mom". Now that I am laughing we just deal with it for about an hour then of coarse we are gonna put something on..and start over for the evening round...lol.

I am sure that my darling girl is not the only in the world that has OCD about having on the right clothes for the moment but it sure creates job security for me as I will always have her laundry..lol!!

So on with the rest of the day! Today is bowling for the kids and then I think we will try to enjoy some not so cold weather!! I will end for now and be back soon....Barb Brit and Kids

It's Friday!!

Well I am back...and it's my favorite day of the week...Friday!! The rest of the week was normal for us. I bowl on Wed and really enjoy my time out of the house. Not much planned for the weekend, the kids bowl on Sat afternoon. Julia is on her 3rd year, Jordon's 2nd and Jackson's 1st. I think it is safe to say Janaya is potty trained very rarely do we have a problem anymore!!! NO MORE DIAPERS!! Hard to believe that I wont have to buy them anymore seeing how I think I have had to for the last 9 years, I think I have almost always had at least 1 in them since Julia came,WOW!! Julia is home not feeling well today...her ears hurt!! Might get the rest of the yard cleaned up for winter this weekend,YUK!! Wish it was spring!!! Well I best go for now...I could probably talk for hours!!LOL Take care and blog at you later!! Barb

getting started!

Hello some of my friends are really getting into this so thought I'd try. Things are well here on the home front. Went trick-or-treating last night, it was sooo cold!! Kids had lots of fun as always. Hope all are well.