I climbed into a trash can tonight

because I accidentally threw away my cell phone while I was cleaning out the car.
It wasn't the small kinda trash can either. It was the really BIG kind! The ones we store on the side of the house that contain a whole week's worth of disgusting garbish! I still can't seem to get rid of the smell of spilled, rotten apple juice in that car. So gross! While cleaning and scrubbing the inside, I discovered a furry, living surprise. No, it wasn't a mouse. Thank GOD! It was some fuzzy mold kicking it in the trunk! Using my investigating skills, I narrowed it down to either the Cheez-It Cracker, the half eaten marshmallow, or the Slurpee Stained Dorito which birthed the growing fungus into being. However, it was no longer restricted to just that bit of food. Instead, it grew as fast as my kids are growing and had taken over half of the liner in the trunk! I guess I shouldn't complain; In fact, I'm kinda begging for it to happen by allowing my car to get like that. All the hidden rotten food particles I found were pretty much an invitation screaming "VACANCY, FREE LODGING TO ANY AND ALL SPORES AND ORGANISMS LOOKING FOR A HOME." My God, I don't give those car cleaners enough credit for the job they do! Next time, I'll be taking it to them instead of doing it myself!

It's been crazy busy around here lately. I've been busy doing stuff like cleaning mold out of mini-vans, helping the kids get back in the groove of school (yes, they started school!), studying for the real estate exam, feeding the kitten (yes, Delilah was replaced by a cat!), sneaking off on mini vacations with the hubby (minus the kids, A RARITY), helping kids with homework, cooking dinners, babysitting my niece, accidentally leaving the gas on the stove while we are all soundly sleeping, doggysitting the neighbors dog while they move away, visiting my husband's mother in the hospital, planning Emily's 8th bday, losing my neighbors dog while they move away, watching Bachelor Pad (embarrassing, but true!), cleaning and doing wretched laundry, accidentally locking my children out of the house (was it really an accident? Maybe it was an intentional subconscious act. HAHA), attending back to school nights, playing taxi to and from karate classes, cooking classes, and piano lessons, oh yeah- and working too.

If it sounds like I'm trying to get some pity or compassion out of you- you are RIGHT! Just kidding. I love my chaotic life and I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world!!!!

So now you know what I've been doing when I wasn't blogging. Truthfully, I haven't been that absent from blogland. I do find some time to read other blogs; just not write any.

Now, let's see if I have any pictures to share with you all.

Here's Matthew on the first day of school. He's a big 1st grader now. That means he goes ALL day long. No more 1/2 day stuff. That's for babies, ya know.

From Left to Right: Emily (3rd grade), Elizabeth (4th grade), and our neighbor (5th grade) who  pretty much lives with us except for the few short hours she goes home to sleep each night. LOL.

This is our niece, Vivian. She's in the same grade as Matthew and also goes to the kids school now! They are not in the same class though.

Matthew, about to walk into his class and meet his teacher for the first time.

 I hear she's a good teacher but I'll judge for myself when I start volunteering.

Matthew has a girl in his class that tries to hold his hand. Her name is Mia.

I DO NOT LIKE MIA!

That makes Matthew laugh when I tell him that.

The weekend before school started, Daddy and I sang to the kids. We changed the words a little bit but we sang the Christmas song, "It's the most wonderful time of the year". 

I swear the songwriter was NOT talking about Christmas when he came up with the chorus.

 He was talking about his kids' first day of school!

I have lots more pics to share with you and some video too.

I'll be posting again soon.
Hopefully.

 For now, I'll steer clear of the trash can and go pour bleach all over my garbage smelling hands!

Goodnight.