Soccer and Shuttles

We started soccer this past Saturday. I was very excited. They break the kids up by age. only 6 months difference in each group (18-25 months, 24-30 months etc.....). Apparently EJ was the only kid under 2 1/2 in his time slot, so he was put with the older kids. Im hoping that in time he will want to be like the bigger kids and hopefully maybe if there is a God he will listen and follow some of the directions! I am pretty sure me and E got more excercise than anyone else on the field.... there were two goups of kids, our group and older kids at the other end. EJ wanted to be anywhere his group was not. He listened to no one and was only concerned with running as fast as he could away from us. (that, however resulted in a nap that lasted almost 4 hours! yay!) The first picture is of EJ, running AWAY from our group. He did sort of get the concept of soccer. He kicked the ball about half the time, the other half was spent picking it up with his hands.

Here he is in his soccer ball socks and Adidas Sambas ($38 for those shoes but when I saw them in his size I HAD to buy them)

Yesterday the shuttle took off from Kennedy SPace Center. Not close to us by any means but we were lucky enough to see it, it was super bright and these pictures do not do it justice. It was pretty amazing and looked like a giant fireball racing through the sky.

Playing with Pictures

I've spent the last hour playing with a free online program to play with pictures. Thanks Lindsay for the link. www.picnik.com Its not great, definately not exactly what I was trying to accomplish but not so bad.

New Shoes

EJ likes to wear his shoes. It means that we are going outside. He brings his shoes to me to put on. He brings me my shoes. Today he put on my shoes. Cute? Yes. Although my husband doesnt think so. i told him about it over the phone. EJ was wearing my shoes. Heels. And walking around the house in them. He walks better in them than I do. :) Sad, I know. I was fortunate enough to actually get a few good pics of the fashon show.

We are very very proud.

Nicole Needs...

I got this from my friend Lindsay's Blog, and it seemed like fun.
In google you type in quotes "[your name] needs"
So here is what I apparently need...

1. Nicole needs a boob job. and it came up 3 times in different wording.

2. Nicole needs no food when she can shop till she drops. i wish, i dont do much shopping and i certainly need food, i like to eat.

3. Nicole needs Photoshop. I woul dlove Photoshop, although its not so much in the budget at the moment.

4. Nicole needs a new computer. new stuff is always nice, but i just got a new laptop last may.

5. Nicole needs a drummer. really? for what? oh yeah, so i can walk to a good beat wherever i go..

6. Nicole needs a husband. Nope, i already got one of those! and i like him lots!

7. Nicole needs to live in the NOW on Intervention. Definately dont need an intervention.

8. Nicole needs some good vibes. we could all use some good vibes now and then,

9. Nicole needs an urban love nest. Do i even want to know what that is?

10. Nicole needs to lay off the Botox. yes, yes i do. i get botox way to often and really should cut down :) haha, funny how ive never even considered botox.


so those are my needs apparently. :)
Thanks lindsay!

Cartoons Rock

EJ doesnt watch a lot of TV, but every night before bed we watch a few shows on Sprout. Make way for Noddy seems to be our favorite. We laugh and dance to the opening theme song and its one of the few times we actually sit still (well the entire 2 minutes of the song). This was the scene earlier in the day, a complete meltdown for some unknown reason (is there ever a reason?) just before we left the house. He wanted so badley to go outside (we were on our way out) but i had to finish getting ready, he obviously didnt understand :) Sitting on the couch watching tv before bed....he looks like such a calm child here....

and then Noddy came on and here is the reaction to the theme song, usually he stands up on the couch and dances too.

why sit on the couch when there is an ottoman to lay across???

Blog Fail

I failed miserably at keeping up with my blog. i am pretty sure that anyone who used to read it no longer even bothers to check. i dont blame you. why check whenthere is nothing to read! anyway, a lot has happened in the past few months. work is going ok, a lot of stuff IS happening at work but most i can't write about for legal reasons (that should clue you in to the funness of the situations there) but overall its still a good place to be. it definately isnt perfect, no where is especially in todays economy and education system but from everything ive experienced in education i wouldnt want to be anywhere else right now. i am thankful that i have a job and am getting paid. i really couldnt ask for more. some people are really upset about the possibility of us not getting all or part of our "normal"raises next year, but seriously, i would even take a pay cut just to ensure that i have a job next year. so many people around me are loosing their jobs, getting laid off, taking huge pay cuts etc and i am seriously thankful that i am not one of them.
E is also doing well at work. currently he is on a 2 weeks business trip which sucks. playing single parent is a lot of work (i have much respect for those who are single parents full time). it means i am out of bed at 5am and showering by 5:10 and then getting myself ready and then EJ and out the door by 6:10am. and then it is non stop until he goes to bed at 7pm at which point i have to clean up after dinner and get all his stuff (lunch) ready for the next day. super tired. but its ok. but again, we are thankful he has a job that pays well and pays the bills. a few weeks away here and there is just fine.
Here are some random other things that have been going on in no particular order:
i started playing soccer again on monday nights. its fun but exhausting.
I developed a major allergic skin reaction to somethingunknown a few weeks ago. ended up in the ER and was put on high dose steriods and other stuff. Doc Obvious looked at me and said "yup, that sure is a severe allergic reaction to something" and said i would probably never know what it was and walked out. i was home in a little over an hour (door to door). i cant even get in and out of a doctors appointment that fast. i was sent home full of whatever drugs they gave me and within hours it was gone. still dont know hat it was
EJ starts soccer in march. yay. the program is called soccertots. super cute. i'll post pictures when he starts.
We did some landscaping. the yard in the house was pretty terrible. or rather non existant. we had a starnge layer of greenish brown stuff growing all over. dont know what it was but it wasnt grass. so E spent several days ripping it all out and then laying down sod. we even bought plants and some flowers. we have no idea if they will survive as neither one of us know anything about flowery things with leaves and such. but they look pretty.
Most of the pictures below (except the first one) are of EJ helping with the landscaping project. the first is ofhim sweeping. he loves to sweep. and carry the broom around. so i dressed him up in an apron (thanks sara!)

Here he is "helping" withthe big rake. way to big for him but he had fun....notice the beautiful "lawn" we have here.
So the next day i went to Lowes's and bought him his own rake, much morehis size and not as easy for him to hurt himself. if you notice there is no more green, just dirt. we let EJ run around in the dirt and play.

Then we turned onj the sprinkles. dirt+sprinklers+EJ=one huge mess :) but lots of fun.

We stripped down and walked straight into the tub where there was a muddy mess.

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Christmas

I've really wanted to be better at posting....so far i have not succeeded. the amount of time that i have to actually sit at the computer is rare and when I do have the time i dont have the motivation. Until I have the time to really sit down and write here are a few pictures from Christmas to hold you over.....i just know the 3 of you who read this are just dying to see them ;) yeah....
Christmas Eve was at E's cousins house. Roasted pig, beer, and dominoes...what more could you want? :) EJ still has a thing for beer and bottles....
Santa came and dropped off a whole mess of toys for him on Christmas morning. WHen we got him up he ran right through the living room, past me and the waiting camera and staright to the kitchen. it took awhile for him to actually come look at the toys....and he just kind of stared at them for a bit. The big present was a big red wagon, complete with 2 seats and 4 cupholders....now, what 2 small children need with 4 cupholders i will never know....

We went for a ride in our new wagon after breakfast (yes, we can do that here in south florida...no snow and it was nice and warm) but as soon as we got 2 blocks from teh hosue it started to rain :) we were all soaked by the time we got back, but it seemed he enjoyed it anyways!