It won't surprise any who knows me that organization is not my forte. But I am REALLY trying to make strides to fix this character flaw...

Anyway, every year when Tom meets with our tax accountant (at his house) I get the phone call... "Honey where's ________(fill in the blank)_________?" Some receipt or stub or SOMETHING imperative to the completion of our taxes is missing. Invariably I either have NO idea what he's talking about or, if I do, I couldn't even guess as to where that particular item may be. When I say EVERY year, I mean EVERY year. And each year he leaves and I DREAD the call that leads to an insane tearing apart of all paperwork in the house for most of the day.

Well, last year after the usual ripping apart of all things paperwork, I COMPLETELY reorganized our computer desk. In so doing, I created a place for anything I thought might potentially be needed for the taxes. Guess what?? IT WORKED! Apparently the saying, "A place for everything, and everything in it's place" is TRUE...who knew???

Tom had an 11:30 appointment yesterday morning, and the phone rang at 12:40. I held my breath for word of what was missing and it never came...he was on his way home!!! Joy FLOODED my soul!

Maybe I'll try this organizational thing another part of my life....  I said maybe...

Back in the fall we faced a dilemma with Clara. Because of our existing schedule of 'events', she wouldn't be able to dance or do gymnastics. But the Jordan-Elbridge Parent-Teacher Organization runs a Saturday morning baton program and Clara was thrilled to give it a 't'whirl!!!  Anyway...

It's just a 1/2 year program that culminated in a performance last night. What a fun show, and she LOVED every minute of it:

 

Then this morning (Allie's 10th birthday...wowie wow) Allie and Molly had to leave before 8am and head to Manlius for an AWANA Bible Quizzing competition they had both qualified for. There were 86 kids from 6 or 7 different AWANA programs that competed and Molly's Book 1 team finished fourth overall and Allie's Book 2 team... drum roll please... FINISHED FIRST!! I was (am) so very proud of both of them. Emerson, Clara and I sat in the audience and watched both of their stage performances. Allie went 4 for 4 in her questions and Molly went 7 for 8 in hers. Such a joy for me!

I think Allie's sleeping with that smile on her face tonight!

Well now I've done it to myself! I have put the address for my blog on my facebook account, so the pressure becomes a little greater to post... Yeah, right... in theory, right??

We had our 25th (!!) house-birthday-party on Sunday. It was a combo party for Allie (10) & Emerson (2), but the decorations and cake were geared to E, because Allie's having a kid roller skating party next weekend.

For several different reasons, the crowd was smaller than usual, but given our January weather that wasn't such a bad thing... Our house gets small QUICK with all our friends and family!! But I think a good time was had by all, now I get to sit back and enjoy the leftovers...!!!

Birthday photos:

  

Eating cupcakes....... & .......learning to knit!!

We're all back into the daily grind at the Chicken Compound. Clara headed to kindergarten (public school) this year, just as her sisters did years ago.

Even though I wanted to keep her home with us, she was bound and determined to get on the Big-Yellow-Monster and she LOVES it! She has always been so independent it's no surprise, but it is a really long day without her (8:10-4:15).

A&M are in 4th and 3rd grades this year and I continue to homeschool them. They still go up to the Mosbys two days a week for science with Mr. Mosby. I have taken a 'gulp' big parental step this fall and let the two of them ride their bikes to science 'gulp-again' alone. They love it, but I watch them out the window as far as I can, which is two houses from the Mosbys (don't tell them!!).

This year has us traveling in all different directions. Allie is doing 2 ballet classes and a jazz class on Tuesdays (in Jordan), Molly is doing gymnastics on Wednesdays (in Auburn), Clara is taking baton lessons on Saturdays (in Elbridge), all the girls go to AWANA on Wednesdays (in Liverpool), and piano lessons for all are on Tuesdays (in Memphis). Plus Sunday School and bell choir for A, M and me (in Baldwinsville)!

If that isn't enough, I've been watching Aurora again 3 days a week so she gets to travel all around with us! The girls absolutely LOVE having her here and they actually take great care of her (especially Mommy Molly). Plus she's good motivation for getting school work done!

I just hope that's all a good enough excuse for my lack of posting in my journal!!!

Emerson's all boy...and we love him!

I'd close with a picture of Molly's EIGHTH birthday  except my husband has the camera with him at work!! Oh well, we had a great party Sunday with lots of family and friends!

Tom heads to Ompah this weekend to close it up for the winter with 'The Boys'. At least I'll get to see my brother in passing!

Last night we wrapped up our Vacation Bible School week. I can't believe how fast it goes. The kids all did great at the evening show, and I'm guessing they had a good time. The theme this year was "Beach Party - Surfin' Through the Scriptures" and my girls had all helped paint (large) cardboard surfboards for decoration. Naturally (??) we had to bring them home last night...but when we got home, those three girls worked on all their 'surfin' moves they had learned during the week: helicopters, paddle-paddle-pop-up, hang ten, and wipin' out!! Then they covered their boards with blankets in the living room and watched a movie. What does one do with 3 giant (refrigerator-box size) surfboards in their living room???

Today is busy, busy...

Mom is moving!! It's only 2 streets 'over', and 2 streets 'up' from where she is now, but a move is a move and there's a lot to be done!!! She closed on Thursday, but isn't scheduled to sleep in the new house until Tuesday because of work that needs to be done. She's having movers do all the boxes and furniture, but any loose stuff or open boxes she has to move. So we're heading over midday to do what we can.

That's because our Ompah vacation starts TOMORROW!! 16 glorious days on the lake in the cabin - YIPPEE... However...today I have to get ALL my shopping done for the trip, all my laundry from the last week, and all my packing... So...

I'm wrapping up for now, if you're looking for me before August 6th...GOOD LUCK!!!

Just a quick note to those of you who are nice enough to comment !

From now on, I am going to have to 'approve' all comments. Not because I want to, but because somehow people I don't know in cyberspace are getting on my blog and putting obnoxious solicitations within my journal.

I am about as far as you can get from being 'computer-literate', so I don't know how this is happening. The only way I can figure out how to stop this is to require my approval before comments are posted.

Rest assured, as long as I know you, I'll okay the comments (even if you pick on me - Mom and Dawn!! )!!

I've been a mom for 9 1/2 years. June 25th I witnessed the first stitches of my motherhood life. UGH!! As the story goes... I was unloading groceries and the kids were lolly-gagging in the van and apparently Clara decided to help Emerson get out of his car seat. She had successfully removed him from the seat, but when she attempted the transfer to the ground, it all went awry...!!!???

I did not witness it, and did not even notice the blood at first, but somehow in his exit,  it appears he whacked the left side of his head, just over his ear, on the side of the van. It was a good size cut, but not obviously in need of stitches. So we treked to a local emergency care facility and sure enough, they put three stitches in.

For the record, he did MUCH better than his mother!! The nurse brought me a chair after 2 stitches because she said I was white as a ghost. Yup...I don't do blood well!! 

HOWEVER, for the record (and in my defense...), I will never be convinced that he was totally numb. He was strapped up in the baby-velcro-body-suit so he couldn't move and the doctor and nurse kept saying, "He's just mad because he's confined, he can't feel any of this." Yet the ONLY time he made ANY noise was the six times the needle went in and out of his head...Hmmmm??!!

But still, the immense blood didn't help my light-headedness! I only have two pictures, because all I had was my phone. Plus my loving husband, despite his best efforts, did not arrive until 45 seconds after EVERYTHING was done!!

But, here's my munchkin before (note body bag behind):

And (spoiler alert) here's the close up. I have since been welcomed (many times) into life as the mother of a BOY!!!

All's well that ends well. He had his 18 month check up today and the stitches are out. Oh, and they're in the diaper bag pending their move to the baby book... What is the matter with me??

Clara Jean finished her second year at Baldwinsville's Presbyterian Nursery School last night. After two great years, she said good-bye to her friends and teachers (and don't tell Daddy - her boyfriend, Colton)!! One of the saddest things about sending her (and A&M) to preschool in B'ville is that their friendships don't continue into kindergarten. She'll be the only one in the JE school district. But I just LOVE the school, so we just start over in kindergarten!! One of the moms did take everyone's e-mail address, so hopefully we'll get the kids together a few times over the summer.

Here's the graduate with her proud Daddy and Great-Gramps Al!!

I love this blogging thing and I love that I have people in my life that enjoy reading it, but I hate the guilt that I feel when I am so lax in updating... But anyway, rest assured the Derby Compound keeps busy...ALL THE TIME!!

April highlights:

*We took trip to Kentucky where we met Donnie, Leeanne and Ireland for five days at their 300+ acre getaway. Unfortunately the 'STOMACH BUG' hit nearly the entire house, so all said and done, we had about 36 good, healthy hours together.

*On the way back from KY we stopped in Erie, PA at a place called 'Splash Lagoon', an indoor water park. Much fun and thanks for the awesome handmade bathing suits Dawn!!

*Allie had her end of the year dance recital. She performed in ballet and tap routines, as well as the finale which was a really cool number to 'Thriller'. She's growing up so fast and is so graceful on stage!

*Allie and Molly got a 'Memory for Life' when they went to work with Daddy at the end of the month. The PBA put on a great day-long activity-packed event that the girls (and DADDY) loved. All except the part where they actually TASERed someone...Not so nice for the Derby girls.

*Clara Jean turned FIVE!

 (This is what she creates in her spare time!)

May highlights:

*Tom and I went to New York City (in ONE day) for a Yankee game on a tour bus trip. The Yankees won!!

 (Aren't we GEEKS!!)

*Emerson had his first trip to the dentist...

*A&M marched in the Jordan Memorial Day parade. Emerson and Clara (and Daddy) had a ball watching!

 

*Allie had a second dance recital for the Ballet class she took all year on Saturday mornings, again, amazingly graceful. As Tom said so eloquently while I was filming her, "How can she run and jump around the house like a clod, and look like that on stage?" Nicely put dear!

 (2nd from right)

*My good friend Dawn and her husband Scott FINALLY adopted their daughter Jasmine!! Yippee! (Jasmine has been a foster child in their house for 2 1/2 years!!).

*All three girls won book-completion awards for their work in AWANA this year. We're so proud of them!

Is that enough for now???

Well it was 70* in January, but up until today it seems like it's been snowing since August!! Anyway, this winter seems to want to hang on for sure but I got to reap the benefits on Saturday.

My friend Dawn and her husband brought two of their daughters to our house on their snowmobiles Saturday afternoon to play. By a strange fluke Tom didn't have to work Saturday night, so when it was time for the girls to go home, Dawn asked me if I'd like to go out on the sleds with her!!! OF COURSE!! I have only been snowmobiling once, a few years ago when my dad took me to Ompah for a 48 hour AWESOME trip when we spent most of a whole (gorgeous) day on sleds.

Anyway, I digress. Dawn and I suited up (me wearing her 11-year-old son's bibs and helmet, since I don't have my own) and headed out. What a BLAST I had. We went up and down our road and all around her property (56 acres!!). Then we went into the little hamlet of Jack's Reef to a 'joint' called The Port of Call. (Scary drunk dudes in there, man)! But we had a couple good burgers, fries and mozzarella sticks with all the other 'snow' people, and made our return trip. (Oh, that was after a very nice man in the snowmobile parking lot started my sled for me!!!)!!!

If winter's going to last, we might as well enjoy, eh??