It's official! And here's a photo overload!

We have an accepted offer on the house!!! We signed it today!!! I have been super hesitant about posting about the house here, but we got the counter offer back from the bank (the house is a foreclosure so it's bank owned) and they only increased the price by $800 and we got everything else we asked for in our offer! (run-on sentence much?!) Woo Hoo!!! We are so excited, but trying to keep it to a dull roar until we get through the inspections and have the keys in our hands. I honestly don't think words can explain how much exciting this is for us and our little family! We feel truly blessed and are so thankful that this has worked out this far.

Here's the scoop on the house. It's on Lake Columbia. We will have lake access. This was Jason's only criteria on a house. He is so passionate about the water, boating, fishing, anything lake related that he said he would live in a shack as long as he could live on a lake. The house is a 2 story, full basement, 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, 1800 square foot, 2 1/2 car garage, 2 huge lots, huge deck off the back, lots of potential, but needs so serious aesthetic work. Because it was a foreclosure... people just don't treat these well. We are really looking forward to getting in there and replacing some of the carpet, painting everything, and replacing some of the floors. I'll keep you posted, but in the meantime here are some pictures!!! Enjoy!

Master bedroom... weird angle, but I was trying to capture how gross the carpet is. This will be ripped out on day of posession! LOL

Master bath... I like this because you have to step up 2 steps to step into the tub... it's sort of "recessed" I like it!

Someone had some lovely wallpaper taste!!!

Do you think I should keep this "flowery paper"??? LOL I'm kidding... I will rip it out instantly!!! We are going tomorrow to look at flooring for this and the kitchen! Should be fun!

Carson's room... ugh yeah again some ugly friggin' paper... what the heck was up with wall paper? I am trying to decide if I should just keep this hardwood and buy a huge rug or carpet this when we do the other 2 bedrooms... any suggestions/thoughts on that?

I don't get it how people can treat their carpet like this... eww. (this will be Kenedey's room) I think she want's to paint it pink and green... not sure how I can incorporate those two colors without making it too loud... but we will figure it out. This room is huge!

I love this room... it is right off the back yard has tons super light!!!

Eat in breakfast nook... my mother in law is really good at refinishing wood... so this table and bench will be her job!

This where the driveway comes into the you walk down the little sidewalk to the right and that takes you to the front door. The house sits on an angle on 2 corner lots.

Living room... leads into dining room
This floor will be one of the first things we take out... it's coming up in a few spots... too bad because it is a really pretty cherry color in the good spots.

200th post and I have been tagged for the 1st time ever!

So Jane tagged me today! Here goes some randoms!!!

Here are the rules:
1.Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2.Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3.Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4.Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

OK so here goes!

1. I am the only person in my family who doesn't like popcorn. I actually don't mind the taste of it, but I can't stand it when it's in my teeth. So it's not even worth it for me to eat it. When I was pregnant for Carson it was something that I craved. After I had him... I don't think I have eaten it once... but guess who does love Popcorn? Yep Carson!
2. I smell EVERYTHING. Some to name a few: paper, carpet, children, peoples hair, anything plastic, new shoes, any new item, laundry, clean diapers frest out of the pack, pillows, anything I eat or drink. I can't help it. It sort of an obsession. I don't think people know I do it, but when something smells bad, like a baby who drinks soy formula, I have a terrible time wanting to hold them because it's stinky. I know weird :-( I have been "caught" sniffing weird things and my husband will be like... "did you seriously just smell that?"
3. I procrastinate everything. I have this problem with being late all the time. I don't like to be late, but I think it's an issue of I am so afraid that I am going to get somewhere and have to wait and for some reason waiting causes serious anxiety for me. I think over the years I have trained myself to be late so that I can jump right in to anything that I am doing. RUDE OF ME.
4. I am terrible about taking medicine. I am supposed to take a thyroid medication everyday and for some stupid reason I can't get into the habit of it. I feel terrible I don't take it, but I forget. My daughter is the same way. Except it's imparative that she take her medications for her Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis but she "forgets". We must have a routine all the time or it would never get done. It makes me mad that we do this... I WANT to remember and just don't.
   
5. I don't consider myself a very creative person, yet I have this need to be creative. Nothing makes me happier than when I get to be creative. Strange.
   
6. I rarely watch TV and that's not intentional. There are a couple of shows that I love but just have a terrible time setting down to watch something and being commited to watching it. I finally found one this past year that I really liked. Private Practice. Just when I really got into it... writer's strike happened. I cannot tell you the last time I watched a whole show entirely. I can't sit still long enough.
   
7. My house is so cluttered. I can't wait to move and have more room so it doesn't look so cluttered. I love a contemorary purposeful looking room... my home is far from that. Before I had Carson I was so organized and clean... once he was able to get into everything... I gave up. I wish I hadn't. Now it's tough to turn back!
   

Ok that's my Tag! That was tough. I tag: Jessi, Kayla, Mandy, Libby, and Kristyn!

Spring Break

Well Kenedey leaves for Florida tomorrow. I hate when she leaves us! It's so boring here without her! She's so excited to go because her cousins are going to be there this year. I'm really happy for her that they will get to spend some good quality time together. These two girls (Gabi & Lillie) live in Kentucky so she really only gets to be with them when they both are at Nannie and Papa's!

I took the kids to My Urban Toddler last night. My upline in Creative Memories needed a breast pump so I gave her mine and needed to pick up some supplies for tubing and that sort of thing. My Urban Toddler is the only place that I know of that carries replacement pieces for the Ameda pump.

I really enjoy that place. It is really something different for the kids to do. I wish I had, had something like that when Kenedey was little. I think that would have been right up her alley! She even really seemed to enjoy herself even though it's for smaller kids. Carson really like dressing up like a fireman! He was so stinkin' cute in the coat. He also became infatuated with the money at the supermarket station... GO FIGURE! That kid is going to grow up and have money stashed everywhere. Money is certainly his obsession. He also really like the magnet puzzles in the library area. I think I will have to dig the puzzles out that he got for Christmas out again. He had no interest in them at Christmas so I put them up for awhile. I guess it's time!

He still gets really frustrated when the puzzles pieces don't "fit" like he thinks they should, I really have to spend some time working with him on the puzzles and teaching him to be patient!!!

Enjoy the pics!

Guilty as charged ... can I do my therapy sessions online too? :)

So I log onto check my email for like the 20th time today and this is what the headlines say:

Internet addictions: A real medical menace?

Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:20PM EDT

See Comments (40)

Buzz up!on Yahoo!

Alcohol, drugs, food, sex, and even shopping are all candidates for medical treatment and are recognized as genuine mental disorders, so what about the Internet? Internet addiction -defined as "excessive gaming, sexual pre-occupations, and email/text messaging" - is becoming so common that at least one psychiatrist says it merits inclusion in psychiatry's official handbook of mental illness, the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders."

Dr. Jerald Block of the Oregon Health and Science University is the latest voice pushing for this inclusion, noting that tech junkies display genuinely debilitating behavior, including drug-like cravings, withdrawal, and a constant need for more and better gear - just like a substance addict might exhibit.

But other doctors comment that Internet addiction, while it may be real, is too new of a condition and needs further study before being medically classified. There might be something to this: No one wants people being medicated or institutionalized if they aren't genuinely ill.

The "Manual of Mental Disorders" won't be published again until 2012, but an early draft will arrive for public comment in 2009. Meanwhile, mind docs say the problem is growing, now possibly affecting up to 10 percent of Internet users. Recent studies are surprising, indicating the problem is worst not among game-obsessed teens, but rather among middle-aged women who stay at home, constantly on the computer as a way of connecting to the outside world.

Is computer use (or computer downtime) causing a problem in your life? If so, you might be an addict. But you'll have to wait a few more years to find out for sure.

____________________________________________________________________
As you can tell from my header I am for sure addicted!!! I can't help it! I feel so productive when I am using the internet. I do all sorts of things in a short amount of time that I couldn't get done otherwise... for example, networking with other mom's, running my 2 businesses, emailing, keeping in touch with family, blogging, checking out good vs. bad products for my children, learning through reading... if it's on the internet it MUST be true! So you see this consumes my day, but I am SO productive. You wouldn't believe how much I can accomplish! Crazy thing is... I don't even "chat" online. I don't have any of the messengers... gosh what would I be like if I downloaded that?

I must admit though... I check my email like it's my job :-) I was talking with my friend Mandy this morning and her internet has been down for like a few weeks. I was like.. "Mandy... how can you STAND to NOT HAVE INTERNET?!" Craziest thing about that... I was DEAD serious!

I thought these were some hilarious comments from people on yahoo regarding the above article:

1. All those in favor of starting a "Internet Anonymous" chatgroup say "I". xD Aah, irony.
2. HA! I could quit using the internet anytime I want to. I just don't want to.
3. Ok so what actual symptoms denote an addiction to the net? I read an interestig article on...I'm just kidding. I am addicted too gosh darn it
4. I guess I'm a binge-surfer
5. I'm addicted to using the internet to find out if I have an internet addiction problem...
6. "Hi, I'm bob and I'm an internet addict." "Hi, Bob!"
7. Thank God I have another excuse for my irresponsible choices: "The Internet made me do it!"
8. Yes I do agree this is addicting look at me now sitting here posting a comment ON THE INTERNET! There was a time when i think back and say i can believe i how bad this can get... like the time i discovered Myspace. My poor son was living off of oreos for breakfast and lunch for a while
9. New addiction, means new patients, means new Mercedes for the doctor. Horse feathers!
10. YES.. i'm addicted.. it sucks.. even my husband is.. he tried to find me a doctor on sweetimplants.com and I did.. now i use internet for everything..

Big news!

Carson's 2nd Easter

Easter Loot!

Happy guy at Easter with the family!

We had a great Easter! We went for dinner over at Jason's mom and Stepdad's. They rented out the hall where they live. Kids had a great time, food was great, but couldn't go outside for the Easter Egg Hunt like usual. So, they just hid the eggs inside. Carson wasn't really into finding the eggs! I guess it does seem a little silly to him... he will probably get more into it next year.

Kenedey dragging sleepy head out of bed and trying to show him the jelly bean trail.

You got me out of bed for this???

Oh now I got some candy... for breakfast of all things :-)

He woke up this morning after we had to pull him out of bed. He is on a terrible schedule right now. He does not want to go to sleep at night and will just sit in his bed and scream forever. It really sucks. I will get it straightened around this week. He was up at 8:30 took about a 30 minute nap at about 1:30, then fell asleep on our way home tonight for about 20 minutes. Now it's 10:45 and he thinks he just had a nap. I tried to keep him asleep when we got home, but no such luck. I let him do the crying thing for a long time, but Jason has to get up early so I just don't have the heart to make Carson cry it out tonight... it will keep Jason awake. I'm going to let him play for a little while and then try again.

Lovin' his "shshee"

Carson did great following the trail to the Easter basket. Of course sissy helped him but he was pretty excited when he saw that there was a Dora movie in there. I don't know where or when he decided that he loves Dora, but suddenly he REALLY likes her! Of course Mater and the Car's crew are still at the top of his list.

After Easter with Jason's family we headed over to my cousin Tina's. My aunt Connie (Jessi's mom) is up for the weekend visiting from Florida. It was great to just hang out and let the kids play. Carson really had fun. I didn't see him half the time! He was pretty much off playing the whole time. It feels unusual now when he's not right with me all the time. I think it's great that he is venturing off!

Aunt Connie & Lauren

Kenedey has a nice short week this week.... then it SPRING BREAK! She is going to Florida for break to visit my parents. I know she is really looking forward to it because 2 of her cousin's who are very close in age are also going to be there. She really looks up to both of them and I know she can't wait to hang with them! I wish I could be there just to watch them! They will be so cute together. Kenedey is kind of like the little one since she is the youngest girl, both of my nieces are great girls and they treat her very sweetly! I'm so excited for Ken to have time with them, and no Carson to bug her when she's trying to do "girl things"! Of course we will miss her!
I can't remember if I have posted that Kenedey met her AR (acclerated reader) goal!!! I am so proud of her! When Maddie was over here I was asking the girls about what goal levels other kids have and Maddie was telling me that most only had to get to 12 or something like that... Kenedey had to get to 17. What's up with that? I guess I don't fully understand how AR points work. Must be some type of formula.

Good stuff

Here are some pictures of Kenedey and her friend Madeline aka Maddie. Her mom sent me these pics, they sure look like they had tons of fun!!!

Angie... I am sure these pictures will make you proud! I couldn't help but think... "hey she looks like a little Angie... hot tub, snowmobile... now all she needs is a dog!" LOLL to R: Maren, Macie, Maddie, & Kenedey

Where do the days go!!!

They are flying by! Yesterday was a great Good Friday. Kenedey finally got to have a friend (this time it was planned :-) over to play. They obviously had the day off from school. I have heard Kenedey talk about "Maddie" all year from school, but they haven't officially gotten together. By the time Maddie got here, I felt like I already knew her!

Dancin' to Soulja Boy... it was pretty funny!

Great thing about Maddie is... she is NOT shy! Little miss talkative! The girls had a GREAT time together and kept very busy. They both did great with Carson, Maddie has 3 siblings all younger than her so she is of course used to the "little brother" who has to be right in the middle of everything.

The day started off with us heading into visit the house @ Lake Columbia... The girls took look at all the work we have to accomplish but both agreed that they saw the great potential that a lot of paint and some new carpet could bring to the property! It was funny watching them check everything out. Also, a lesson in how terribly people can treat their homes sometimes. That makes me sad. I can't wait to get in there and make it a nice home again. Kayla and I drove over today so I could show here where it is, and I got all upset because someone had been there to plow and shovel the driveway... I don't want anyone else looking at it! But then I realized I think it was probably the Lake Columbia stuff that they do!

Back to what I was origionally talking about! We then went into Aggies for a late lunch and arcade games for the girls. We left there and planned to go to Michael's to get some Easter crafts. On our way there, it was getting REALLY slippery. I had Jason's Jeep (thank God) so I turned on the 4 wheel drive. Within like 3 minutes the car in front of us lost control and went into the ditch and flipped. SCARY. We watched the whole thing and ran out to their car to get them out. It was a young girl who was pregnant and her boyfriend. I had already called 911 but they needed to use my phone to call their parents. I waited for a good 45 minutes for the police/rescue to get there for them. Neither one showed up. I am sure there were a lot of accidents but crazy thing is that I told 911 they would probably need an ambulance because I was sure there were injuries. I am so thankful they were OK because they wouldn't have been if it had taken rescue that long to get there.

We leave there and on our way we see another Explorer flip on a curve... people just driving too fast and it was S.L.I.C.K.

We did make it into Michael's and the girls got these cute little purses to decorate. We came home did the Easter Egg thing. The greatest thing about having two 11 year olds and a near 2 year old... they helped him and I just enjoyed watching them! Jason was working all day so he missed out on that fun stuff! By the time they got all done with their crafts and such they decided Maddie should stay the night. Well, they called her mom and they asked them if they wanted to come over to snowmobile and stay the night there. Well... I am now writing this blog at 8pm and Kenedey JUST got home! She had an absolute blast. The only time she has ever been on a snowmobile is on my Grandpa's. She came home crying because she fell off of a sled and hit her head on the ground. Ouch. She is on the couch recovering. I am pretty sure we have a severe case of EXHAUSTION!

I love Carson's face in all of these pictures... he was having such a good time!

Today has been a rather lazy day... Carson and I have just hung out, not done much of anything. It's been a great lazy day!