Carter Michael Noftle Big Tough Awesome Straight

That's right on December 10th, 2008 Carter Michael Noftle Big Tough Awesome Straight turned four. Four, how did my BABY turn four? Now some of you may be wondering about his lengthy name. Since Carter was 2 or so we have been teaching him his name is Carter Michael Noftle and we always get the same response, not Michael. He has vehemetly denied for 2 years that Michael is not a part of his name. We even tried to bribe him once with a new light saber if he would admit to the middle name of Michael, it was to no avail. So for the past year his Daddy, original Michael (like original crispy - makes me hungry for KFC) has been negotiating with Carter to include Michael in his name. Carter always has a lengthy name for himself sometimes it has been Carter Cougar Noftle or Carter Noftle green yellow (favorite color plus his hair color) or Carter Noftle Big Tough Awesome Straight which has been his name for the last six months or so. By the way straight refers to the fact that when he sits on his Dad's lap he knows how to sit still or "straight" and not be wiggly. Bet you were wondering about that! So to make a short story longer he is now four and now lets us say the Michael part of his name, haven't heard him verbally admit yet but baby steps, baby steps! Here is some Carter lingo to brighten your day;

anysing=anything

chechup=ketchup

Sairduh=Sierra

uke tywalker=Luke Skywalker

yightlen a queen=Lighting McQueen

tweep=sleep

plelo=pillow

tumming=coming

turcht=church

nack=snack

twattwick=chocolate

pep in ronies=pepperoni

As you can seen that if you check the blog next year at this time you will most likely be hearing about Cougar man's visit to the speech therapist! We are loving this little guy and his antics so much. I was really worried about having one kid at home-afraid that he wouldn't have a playmate or whatever but it has been great. I think he has great days with me and then he is always thrilled when the kids get home too. He just always seems to be happy. What a lucky family we are Carter makes the best caboose!

Main Man Has Birthday.....

That's right it is my Main Man's birthday today. I really love his birthday, and the reason is purely selfish, you see I am 1 month and 28 days older than my man. And for 1 month and 28 days he finds hundreds of ways to bring up the fact that I am 38 and he is 37, but alas my love, today you are as old as your "Old Lady". Deal with THAT for the next 11 months and 2 days! I could get all mushy and tell you how awesome this guy is, like how he never struggles with Middle School Math homework like I do. Or how according to people I have talked to at Irrigation shows consider My Man one of the top drip irrigation designers in the WORLD not just nation (who could possibly know that information?). Or I could tell you that he is a great cheerleader for our five children and loves to support them in their activities. I could say what a great singer and help around the house he is ( I could but that would be a lie!). But I won't because he hates cheesy stuff like that. Stuff where I put how I love him more now than when we were both young, skinny (well skinnyish) and carefree. But he hates that mush, soooo I'll just sayHappy Birthday and skip all that lovey dovey junk. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Thanks for Thanksgiving

Family from far away, 28 people sleeping over at a lodge, horse riding, Metallic girls concert, light saber fights, fixing food, eating food, cousins getting to play with cousins, Thank you Thanksgiving.

Sisters

I have been thinking alot about sisters the past little while. I found out about Nie Nie and Cjane through my dear scuzin Shannon's blog and I have been hooked. This poor woman and her husband were in plane crash and severely burned in August and she has been in a drug induced coma for months and now has months, if not more, of surgeries and rehab ahead of her sooooo her sisters are taking care of her children. I have four sisters, Courtney, Brenda, Heather and Holly. I love my sisters. I love my sisters children I have reflected reading the posts on Cjane ( http://blog.cjanerun.com/ ) that I too would truly feel it a blessing to care for any of my nieces and nephews. I would know the stories of their mothers and could tweak them to my advantage! Right now I am feeling for lil sis Brenda. I got to see her in November (see pictures above of her kiddos in the hotel pool!) ---love those irrigators---and be in her home and play with her beautiful children and just be WITH her for a few days. She is hysterical -- and she is funny too! What a weird holiday this Thanksgiving will be. All of us together- except Brenda and her brood. We will miss her making us stay up way past our bedtimes (for Holly and Heather that is 8:30 pm the rest of us can last a smidgen longer) to play games and visit. We will miss her dragging us up at 4:30 am to get the day after Thanksgiving Sales. Come to think of it how does she function on such weird hours could she be part vampire? That would actually explain alot... I loved going to find the "Purse alley" in downtown L.A. with her....she was ready to kill me by the time we left, and still I am laying awake planning our next trip to that trippy, slightly life endangering spot ( why die alone when you can take a little sister with you?). Her birthday is Wednesday, not one person from "her" family will be with her, that hurts, she won't have Thanksgiving or Christmas with any of us either, that hurts too. But she can be secure in the knowledge that we will talk about her, think of her, toast to her and her family and she will most likely spend the whole day with dry pants--always a silver lining Brennie, always!! I love all my crazy sisters, my life is more fun, more secure ( you can tell your sisters anything and they will still be your best friend forever), and I miss you. Courtney is the only sister who hasn't deserted me for dumb towns with stoplights and ridiculous frills like that! More time with my sisters that would be great, but just knowing them and loving them is pretty good too.

Vacationing with Irrigators

I highly reccommend vacations with irrigators. Except for the fact that they get up way to early for breakfast meetings (Michael woke up between 5am and 6:30am everyday) they pretty much leave you (me not my poor hubby) to your own devices all day then return in the evenings to wine and dine you (minus the wine for us--we are cheap dates I've decided). It was great I honestly wish every mother could get one week off a year. One week is plenty, you start to miss the kiddos, yet it's enough time to enjoy the "aloneness". The show ended on Tuesday and on Wednesday Michael and I went to Disneyland and California adventure. Is it a sign of immaturity that I LOVE Disneyland? I can't deny it though. I am beaming the entire time I am there. Time with my main man was much appreciated and enjoyed also! I told him how nice it was to get off the star tours ride walk through the gift shop and not have him whine for even one toy--the other males in my life(jax and carter) could have never done it! The lines were so short and with no little ones my man and I made it through both parks with time left over to ride the "good rides" again. Thank you Irrigation Association for having your pow-wow in Anaheim! I should send them cookies....

Homecoming Week

Yes this post is quite late---so fire me (please). Jax and Sammi had a great time during homecoming week which was the last week in October. They had daily survivor challenges and the merry chaos of different costumes each day. Weeks like this remind me how greatful I am for the super teachers my kids have had---they do so much to involve kids and connect with kids and make learning fun. If I do say so myself teaching is really underappreciated! FYI the dress up days included--1. Pajama day 2. Super hero or favorite teacher day ( Jax is impersonating Mr. Davis his p.e. teacher) 3. Crazy hat or hair day (somehow I didn't get a picture of the kids on this day but I've still got the hats so maybe someday....) 4. Color day (7th grade purple & green, 6th grad brown & yellow) 5. Spirit day aka black and gold day this was on halloween so I included a picture of and indian who was at my house that morning (Gma Louise).

No Worries Knights

I just wondered if any of you Knight fans were concerned when you learned Michael was going to miss a game and broadcast. No need to worry. He might have physically been in California but emotionally he was with you Friday night. Here is a picture of him intensly keeping track of stats and making sure Jens and Ryan didn't destroy the integrity of the "program"!!