Twilight

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything. Christmas is a busy season. No excuse I guess. Anyways, my sister, Michelle kept telling me I need to read the book Twilight. So after putting myself on the long waiting list at the library I didn't think I'd be reading it anytime soon. That was until I talked to my friend Yasmine and found out that she owned all the books in the series. I got them from her right away and started even though she warned me that once I started I would be so engrossed that I wouldn't want to put it down. She was right. In less than 2 weeks I read all three books in the series: Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (in case you haven't heard of them). First I ignored and neglected Cameron while I read but then he went away for a long weekend of snowmobiling with some guys in Canada and so I continued to read and read and read. Not doing much of anything else. I'm sure my kids are sick of all my reading. But I did manage to stop long enough to take them to McDonalds for dinner one night (I did read while they played) and to the ward Christmas breakfast. I probably should have saved one of the books to read while we drive down to Utah after Christmas but once I got into them I just wanted to hear the whole story. So now I'm bookless again. Anyone got any suggestions?

So other than reading, I've done a little shopping and working out a few times a week. We had a fun progressive dinner with some of our closet couple friends. Cameron made a lot of the food for the YM recognition night dinner (I helped him a little). That pretty much covers it so far. Mia got sick again yesterday and threw up all evening. Probably more than 10x. She couldn't even hold water down for very long. Nothing today so I hope she's over it and no one else gets it. If they do I hope that it comes ASAP so that it doesn't get in the way of any of our Christmas plans.

that's it for now. I hope I get my Christmas shopping done. I'm a bit worried. Megan

The Finished Tree

For FHE tonight we went and got our tree, I did the lights (as usual since I like how I put them on nice and thick) then Collin put on the star and the kids decorated the tree and then I redecorated the tree. We have been keeping the tree fairly sparce since babies tend to break or pull off things. After that we put out our nativity set that my Dad made for our lawn a few years ago. The kids were soooo happy. The girls were singing Christmas songs and dancing around. Other than a few minor disagreements on how and when things should be done it was a fun, festive evening.

Checking out the lights

What a Week!!

Our week of no school didn't end up quite as fun as my kids hoped for. It started off with Chelsea throwing up all over herself during Junior Primary Sharing Time. I got to leave my class early to take her home. I thought that was it because she ate lunch soon afterwards and played all day with Morgan in the playroom. But Monday night after dinner when we were getting ready to go swimming at the racquet club she again threw up all over herself and the couch! I guess she really didn't want to go swimming. The next day she was fine again. Tuesday night we got a double dose of throw up when Morgan followed soon after by Mia threw up all over the bathroom floor. Luckily that was the end of it for them. Morg got a goupy eye thing the next night and an ear ache Thursday night but no more throw up.

We went ahead with our plans to spend Thanksgiving with Rebecca and her family. We headed up there much later than we planned but we still went. We had the best turkey for Thanksgiving ever!! It was so juicy and perfect. Cameron and Mike smoked it on their Traeger and I highly recommend a Traeger for everyone. Makes a good but very expensive Christmas present for your husband. Cameron wasn't in tip top shape that day spending more time than usual in the bathroom and running to Walgreens for some meds but you wouldn't have really known because he didn't complain much and helped out tons getting the food ready. Friday morning Bec and I woke up somewhat early (about 6:30) and headed out for our anual black Friday shopping spree. We started with Kohls getting about half (but still spent tons) on what we went for, then off to Target where we picked up some items and rainchecks for others, then off to the supermall for the Eddie Bauer Outlet sale (Cameron loves their shirts so I stocked up on them, I got 6 and so they ended up only costing about $15 a piece including tax) and wall flowers from Bath and Body works were only $5 each that morning so we couldn't pass those up. That afternoon Cameron and I took our kids plus Christian and Logan (Becs boys) to the Pacific Science Center and then to Red Robin before dropping them off and heading back to Tri Cities. It was a long but fun filled day.

Saturday I got what Cameron had and I don't want to ever repeat that day again. Cameron was a great Dad and husband that night and came home from work (yes he works 99% of Saturdays) and cleaned and vacuumed the whole house plus went grocery shopping. It made me so happy to have the house look so clean. Too bad it still isn't that clean today. Got to get to work!!

This and That

We have no school for the next week because of parent teacher conferences and Thanksgiving. I had a fun weeking of shopping, working out, and going out to dinner with friends. But Sunday reality of being a mom came back. I was teaching my primary class when we were interupted with the message that Chelsea threw up all over herself during jr. sharing time!! So I go to clean her up and find my husband and he is no where to be found! So I go to just get in my car and go home but it is gone. So I had to wait until he gets back (he went home to take an Aleve b/c his back was hurting). Lovely!! Well, luckily that was the end of the throw up so far. Random because she has been fine ever since. But I didn't want to take her to the gym babysitting today so I had to flake out on my friends who were going to the bodypump class this morning and I had to cancel my personal training session. Not that I'm too upset about not finding out how much body fat I have accumulated over the years of little to no exercise.

I met with Collin and Morgan's teachers on Friday. It was nice to hear how things were going. I really like Collins teacher and it was fun to hear about his class experience so far. Both are doing fine. Not scholars but about average. Morgan is a bit behind in reading but right on or better with her writing. Collin has caught up with about everything and is getting his highest scores in Science which was perfect for him since it went right along with his love of farming. He had written an essay though that almost made me cry. It was basically about how he hates living in Tri cities and that he wants to move to the farm. Not that I didn't know that already but it was hard to read his own words about the subject.

Got to get back to being a mom again.

My Sweet Tooth

So my sister Michelle shared on her blog today her love of dark chocolate m&ms. Well it got me to thinking about my favorite sweet things (really important to think about). I have my favorite things that I can't resist:
1. ice cream (has to be a good, rich kind like dreyers) with hot fudge sauce. I love peppermint, mint chip or almost any chocolaty flavor.
2. homemade cookies - extra soft. I love all kinds but I make chocolate chip or cc oatmeal or snickerdoodles or chocolate with peanut butter chips the most. (I even made cookies with m&ms the day after halloween - like I needed another treat to snack on)
3. brownies - have to be super rich and chocolaty (are you getting a clue that I love chocolate) like the ones they sell at Costco.
4. candy would probably be the next thing. I like all kinds but obviously chocolate covered things are the best. I don't even have a favorite at the moment. I guess I've had so much halloween candy recently that I know there are soooo many good kinds to choose from and I can have a variety.
5. chocolate chips- these are always handy to have easily accessible in the pantry so when the need arises I can just reach in for a handful.

These just are 5 of the reasons I finally joined a gym this month. I have such a sweet tooth and bad eating habits that I need to start exercising to counteract all the sugar I load into my body each day.

By the way, Mia was once again kicked out of babysitting at the gym in the middle of my bodypump class because of a runny nose. I am still annoyed because since coming home I have only had to wipe it once and it was not the least bit green!!

Time to take Chelsea to preschool. Life goes on. I can't let Mia's supposed runny nose keep me from doing all the things this Mom has to do today. I wish I could have finished my class though.

Best Friends

Well, I was talking to Debbie today and asked if she'd ever checked out my blog. She said she had but not in a while. She said something like "Why would I want to read it if it never says anything about me in it?" Well, Debbie is my best friend whom I've known for over 8 years. We chat about everything and nothing on the phone and sometimes through email almost everyday. We tell each other all those silly things that you can't repeat to anyone else because they'd think you were stupid. We met when I lived in Mattawa (13 miles from the tiny town) and she lived in Othello (just outside of town) which actually we only lived about 24 miles apart which was closer than some people who were in my ward. She put up with me and my spoiled Collin while she had her 3 oldest at the time. We see each other even less now that we both live in Tri Cities (15 minutes apart) since we both have more kids and more things to do. We talk about the day when neither of us have little kids and we can hang out again on a regular basis. Anyways, she is a great Mom, scrapbooker, photographer, and friend to everyone. I'm glad she is my best friend.

Now I can't say I only have one best friend because really I have two. Rebecca, my identical (if you can still call us that) twin sister is my other one. We also talk almost daily about everything. Her husband jokes that we even call each other to say we bought new socks (which we probably have). Luckily, she only lives about 3 hours away so we do get to see each other a few times a year or more. What would I do without Rebecca? We were married only about 4 months apart, 11 years ago. We both have 4 kids and we both love to shop for bargains. We've shared all our baby clothes, maternity clothes and regular clothes when we are unable to wear the size we have. It's the best thing in the world to have a twin sister who is also your best friend.

Well, that covers that topic. Sadly I think all of us (me, Debbie and Rebecca) are the photographers in the family and hence I really have no decent pictures of us together recently. I will have to do that soon.

I found a picture of me with Rebecca. Not the best since Collin (7 at the time) took the picture but we did have matching outfits on!

Here is a picture from a year ago of Debbie's family the day she took our picture in the dirt (check side picture). She said she'd email me a recent picture soon.

New Header

Well, I changed my title for the website. I thought "Calaway family life" was totally dull. I don't know if this title is right either but I figure I can change it according to how I'm feeling at the moment. So at the moment I'm looking around my office/craft room/ kids art/homework area and seeing a huge mess and lots of unfinished projects. I'm trying to do it all but am falling short. I'm not sure my kids feel that way. I think they are all healthy, hapy children but I know there is always more I could/should do. Mia is still sick and life is at a stand still. My desk and the kids are piled with papers, some that should be scrapbooked or saved, many that are in need of filing or bill paying. Yuck. But this week I have tried to just sit with my kids and do what they want. Although occasionally they've had to pull me away from this computer. What was life without the internet? I know I first used it in college. Where is this post going? Got to get back to life.

Sick!

Well, I guess Mia was kicked out for good reason. Last night she was exhausted during dinner. We did go back to the club to go swimming and she was shivering when we got out. Anyways, I put her to bed just after 7 which is 2 hours early for her. Then she woke up again just after 8pm with a fever of 101.5 and a nice cough. So I guess we won't be going back to the club to workout or swim this weekend and I'm stuck home today. No fun but that is what life is like with 4 kids. Things don't always go as planned out in my head. Hopefully she is better by Sunday so I don't have to figure out the whole staying home from church thing/finding a sub.

Kicked Out!

I finally joined a fitness club after living in Tri cities for 4 1/2 years. I've always wanted to join one but have always thought with all my kids it would be too hard to go or too expensive to pay for the babysitting. But I finally just did it. I will have to be paying too much for babysitting but I am sick of my out of shape body. Hopefully it will be worth it. I signed up for a family membership yesterday so the kids could swim and Collin is old enough to work out in the kids/teen workout room. So today I went to my first aerobic class (a cardio step/sculpt class) since college after checking Mia and Chelsea into babysitting. 30 minutes into class I was really getting a workout and enjoying myself when the babysitter comes to get me. I'm hoping it is about a stinky diaper but no!!! She said I had to come and take Mia out of the playroom because she was too sick to be there. She has a runny nose but so does every other kid her age this time of year. So I had to skip out on the end of my class and take the girls home. I was KICKED OUT! or I guess Mia was. Oh well, I guess I'm going to have to get up and go to the 5:15am class until Mia is better. I hope I make it. I plan to take the kids swimming this afternoon though. I need to do some excercise now since I came home and made m&m cookies for no good reason. At least I can say I haven't had a piece of my kids halloween candy today!

Baby

Rebecca (my twin) finally had her new baby girl yesterday! I can't even imagine going over 5 days but she made it. They named her Taylor Rebecca Gealta. Now she is tied with me with 4 kids each. I think that it will be that way for a while. I have no desire at the moment to have another baby. Cameron is ready but I am definetly not. I want to give all of my kids the same love and attention and I feel like if I had any more right now someone would get neglected. I really want to help out regularly at school but this year it doesn't seem possible. I don't have anyone I'd feel comfortable asking to watch Mia on a weekly basis and I can't take her with me. I've managed to help 2x at Chelsea school on special occasions and I took the little girls to the Farmers Market to meet Morgan's class there. But I'd like to do more and I can't yet. I think for now 4 kids is working. But if I have another one right now I'd never be able to be a room Mom. I want to be involved in my kids life more than I am at school. Well, we'll see what happens.

Pictures!

Here are a few pictures from October. 2 at the pumpkin patch, one from Cameron's bday, one of the kids looking at Gpa and Gmas africa pictures and the one of the 3 kids watching conference.

More

Well, I seem to be officially horrible at this blogging thing. Once a month is not good. I am on the internet everyday so I should sit and do this for a minute. That is my routine most mornings. . . get up, make breakfast, maybe watch a few minutes of the Today show before turning it to cartoons for Mia and Chelsea (after Collin and Morgan head for the bus) and then sit down to check emails etc.

Mom and Dad came to visit us for a week. We went over to Kent, Wa to visit Rebecca and family. We got to go to Christians baptism and see their new home. Then we came back here and waited together (with Mom and Dad) for Rebecca to have her baby. She still hasn't but they headed back again Sunday night to stay with her again and help her get her house put together before that baby (who is late) to finally come. It was nice hanging out with my mom and having her entertain my kids. She read to them and played games and helped with dinner and babysitting.

I refed Morgan's soccer game on Saturday. That was kind of fun but I wouldn't have been able to do it with Mia and Chelsea on the sidelines. Maybe Chelsea but not Mia. She has been clingy recently and hates nursery. Not good. She is talking more and more each week and it is fun to hear her. She loves playing with her babies and pushes them around the house in the strollers alot. She loves shoes though mostly Morg and Chelseas flip flops. I took all four kids and myself to the dentist (Sam) this week and we all are looking great. Minus Morgan (my only kid with any teeth problems). She has another cavity (she had 3 when she was 4) and she got 2 new molars that need sealants. She had sealants on her other teeth but the cavity is inbetween the teeth where you can put sealants. Now I've got to floss her daily. So next week will be an expensive trip to the dentist (self-employed farmers don't get dental insurance). Oh Sam also sanded off Morgan's ugly stain she's had on her tooth since she was 1 yr old (I think it was from her iron meds).

Collin has had to do a report (5 paragraphs on a person, place or animal) every week. He's done great. Better when he is really interested in what he picked to do it on. This week was the Letter G so he chose Grand Coulee Dam. They have been studying dams in school so he really liked this one. Plus I think it goes right along with his love of farming since many of our farms wouldn't have water without the GC dam. Collin is missing his cousins (Corbin and Conner) and doesn't really have any friends around here he likes to play with. He's been a good kid though, going with Cam and discovering that reading for fun isn't so bad. He's read a lot of books since school started. Maybe I should have kept track. But I"m really proud of him.

Chelsea is loving preschool. She goes 4 days a week and it is a lot like what Morg learned in Kindergarten. She has followed in Morgan's footsteps (and mine too) and draws alot. But she is also trying to write alot. Everyday she fills paper with letter all strung out and pretends they are words and sentences. Sometimes she asks me to read her what she wrote. Most of the time their are very few real words hidden in it but it is a start.

Cameron has been busy and stressed. We miss him around here. We have enjoyed the Sundays and snipits of times when he makes it home before the kids go to bed to spend time together.

Mia came in to hug me. Time to get on with being a mom.

Fun Facts

My sister Michelle sent me her blog that has 57 facts about herself. Between that and an email I recieved from Debbie I thought I should fill you in on some perhaps unknown or dumb facts about myself.

1. I have an identical twin sister. We think we look very different now after living apart for over 11 years but people still get very confused looks on their faces when they see us together. I think our voices sound different but some people think they sound the same.
2. I love to take pictures but over the past 4 years since I've had a digital camera I have printed very few. They are lost in cyber world waiting for the day I decide to catch up on my scrapbooking. It will cost me a small fortune when I finally print them all.
3. My parents names are Robert (Bob) and Marilynn and all of my siblings name are R or M also. . . Russell, Melisa, Robynn, Michelle, Ryan, Megan, and Rebecca.
4. Cameron and I also did a pattern with our kids . . . Cameron, Megan, Collin, Morgan, Chelsea and Mia.
5. I love to watch reality TV shows and am very thankful for DVR so that I can get through the silly parts or recaps very quickly.
6. I listen to all kinds of music but since I now have Satalite radio in my car my favorite station is Sirius Hits one which plays the most popular, latest hits at the moment.
7. I love clothes/fashion but stick to the basics. I wear mostly solid T-shirts and jeans.
8. My closet is organized my color, type and all hanging the same direction, everything on my shelf is neatly folded the same way and organized. Since having my 4th child I think my closet hasn't been quite as neat but nothing has been since then.
9. I love hot chocolate and drink it year round. Although since trying to cut back on my treats to loose weight I don't drink that everyday anymore. This summer I hardly had any.
10. I loved going to girls camp and on the trek but we have never taken our kids camping.
11. I have only shared a room with 2 people, Rebecca and Cameron other than 1 semester at Ricks and I can't say I was much of a roommate since I was gone alot (it was while I was engaged to Cameron).
12. I love to decorate but am too cheap or poor to buy the things to make my house look like I really want it to look.
13. Morgan once said when asked what do moms and dads do; "Dads - work and Moms - Shop" I think that is very true in our case. I love to shop. I am lucky I have so many little girls who love to shop also and usually aren't too bad to take along.
14.

Today was the first day of school for both Collin (now in fourth grade) and Morgan (first grade and sooo excited about it). After Cameron got emotional giving them a fathers blessing I drove them off to Tapteal. Neither cared for me (and Chelsea and Mia) to stay more than a minute. So I quickly took their picture and took off for home. Boy has it been quiet. Chelsea was so sad to leave Morgan behind at school but she has been fine. She entertained Mia and they added to our messy house. We just finished making snickerdoodles (while Mia is napping) and anxiously awaiting Collin and Morgan to get off the bus any time now.