Cole Wesley Carmesin

Sorry that I haven't posted lately I have been busy with many things. The McKinleyville Chamber is taking a huge chunk of my time these days. I am teaching the Native American Club at Dows Prairie School on Mondays, all the while working at my parent's office. Enough about me. This post is about Cole.

Cole is the type of child who has turned into a boy. Many people even call him a little man. He is responsible, caring, loving, and a great best friend to his sister and cousins. He told me yesterday that "Mom I need to try to be good everyday so I won't get into trouble." Mind you he doesn't get into to trouble. It isn't his nature. He is really easy going. He can be a little rat some days and he gets his fair share of reprimands but in the larger scope of things he is one sweet loving boy.

The second reason for this post is that I picked up his Kindergarten registration packet yesterday!!!!! I am screaming in my head right now. Can you believe that the little boy I brought home when I was twenty years old is now old enough to drag me behind him to Kindergarten. I will survive. Prior to this year I was set on Cole attending the traditional educational program at Dow's Prairie. After much research and many many meetings and presentations we have decided to enroll Cole in the Language Immersion program at the school district. The bottom line is that 50% of his day he will be taught in English and the other 50% of his day he is taught in Spanish. I know that some are critical of the program but we feel that if we can give our child the opportunity to have a more diverse education then by all means we want to make it happen. What skills and tools can we give Cole to help him succeed in higher education and in our slimming economy. Oh yeah, the chances of someone learning fluency by starting a second language in high school is slim to none. I am proof of that.

Ok I am officially off my rocker!

Okay people I know that many of you visit my blog because I am always typing whatever comes to my mind! Yes, and usually it gets me in a lot of trouble:) Off the subject...

Back to my title. In December I was nominated the Vice President of the McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce. Yes you read right. The reason I am blogging about it is to ask everyone who is reading this to vote whether we should change the Azalea Festival back to Pony Express Days. There is a poll set up to have you vote on my blog, and the Chambers blog which is a link on the right. Check out the blog to keep abreast of all that we are doing for McKinleyville.

COME ON PEOPLE LET VOICE BE HEARD!!!

Lucas Michael Jones

The newest member of our family was born yesterday January 12, 2009 at 2:21 in the afternoon. He weighed 7lbs 10oz and he is 19 inches long. Janelle went into the hospital Sunday January 11, 2009 to be induced a couple days before her January 15th due date. She was given cervidal for 12 hours then they started her on pitocin. After her water broke she was in full blown labor. She was given an epidural and progressed rapidly. She pushed for 15-20 minutes. Birth is always a miracle. Janelle is amazing she doesn't scream or yell, she is a quiet person while struggling. She focuses and endures. Sis and I wish we had her stamina. I don't have very good pictures of Lucas but I wanted to post what I did have. Jenna has some amazing photos and hopefully she'll send us what she has or post them on her blog. Travis and I love having nephews because there isn't anything quite like it. We get to spoil them rotten. I'll update with some better quality pics as soon as possible. Welcome Lucas:)

As you can see we had a very big Christmas. The kids COMPLETELY soaked up the Santa concept. They loved opening presents and I wrapped even the smallest thing so that they would have lots to open. I didn't go to the Mall in Eureka, once. I know the mall sucks but still I ordered everything online and picked up stocking stuffers at Target. It took me an entire month to wrap all of our gifts and I finally asked Travis to help. Weird idea right? Next year, Travis will be an equal wrapper next year. Currently I am looking into where we will be spending our next Christmas. Vickie, Heidi, and I all want to go to Mexico. My mom has to be convinced and I have to take care of all the arrangements. Last time I checked Janelle was on board to be away next Christmas but Sis has to get back to me.

What we are looking for....A hotel on the beach, rooms that walk out to the ocean, kids programs, personal butlers, and one HECK of a spa! We are looking to be gone during the holidays, maybe 10 days. Dec 23-Jan. 2? We'll see. I need to go take a shower. I just went on a bike ride with my mom. We rode from my house to starbucks, to the hammond trail, the tressels, and then home. I can finally feel my feet. It's freezing today.

p.s. thanks to everyone who called me on my birthday. Amazing friends:) I'll post about the special day later.

I'm back..........

Happy New Year 2009!!!!

Very Merry Christmas?

It is the day after Christmas and my house is a disaster and I have ZERO motivation to do anything besides read. I can't get myself out of my funk of laziness. I did accomplish a little today. I set up the kids new trampoline, moved all our stuff home from Vickies, and started some laundry.... That is about all I am going to get to today. Tomorrow we are heading to our friends house to visit with some friends who live out of town. The kids love playing with all their friends and I am sure they will terrorize the Pinard's house :) Christmas in a nutshell...

Monday: Carmesin's Christmas Progressive Dinner.

Tuesday: Roberson Christmas, Vickie's Side of the Family

Wednesday: McCullough Christmas, At Mom and Dads all day and night.

Thursday: Carmesin's Christmas, At John and Vickies' all day and night.

Friday: Where did the year go, a day for reflection.

How many of you have lacked motivation and kept wondering what was wrong with yourself? All you can think of is how much time you are wasting and how you are just going to have to do it all tomorrow. How do I enjoy doing nothing? Maybe I am not just doing nothing and I am just recharging? Who's to say.

Another Lame One.....

The last couple of days my blog has been filled with posts about how great things are going. It's been a great couple of days:) God knows I have some pretty trying ones but I am going to count my blessings and record another a good day. Last night, Carly spent the night with my mom and Cole went to ice scream with Rachelle, they then drove around looking at Christmas lights. Travis went to sleep on the couch and I watched a couple episodes of House. Cole came home and he watched Parent Trap for the thousandth time. I finished a book and when Travis finally came to bed Cole joined us for the rest of the night. He thought it was special and his dad thought that his name should be Cole Kicks a lot ! This morning we went to church and when we came home I wrapped presents all day and Sis took the kids to Bolt. I am really into detailing everything I did, every moment......Sorry.

Menu for the Week:

Sunday: Prime Rib, Baked Potato, Salad, Cheese Bread

Monday: Prime Rib Sandwiches

Tuesday: Chili and Cornbread

Wednesday: Indian Tacos

Thursday: Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Butter, Salad, Garlic Bread

Friday: Every Adult for themselves

I am actually excited about cooking this week. I have a couple more things to pick up for Christmas, and to figure out for Christmas Dinners and then I'll be set. Merry Christmas Everyone !

Happy as a Clam

This is a picture of the steamer clams that Cole and Travis got yesterday. They needed to soak overnight and this morning when the kids and Travis went to check on them this is how they found the clams. I wanted to post about my fabulous day and the clams gave me the perfect title for my post. This morning Travis and I slept in until 8:00am and the kids did as well. I made breakfast, Travis went to work at my sisters house, I worked in my office, ran on my treadmill, took Carly to dance, made lunch for the kids, cleaned up my kitchen, did a load of laundry, went to my nail appt., post office, and then now I am home, blogging. Was that a lot of commas or what.... Tonight I am heading to Salyer to spend the night with my sister. A group of us are going to play some games have some cocktails and visit. There is nothing better than having close friends who you can trust and my sisters, my mom, vickie, travis, and a few others are the only ones I trust enough to tell more than what I ate for breakfast. Till next time:)

Winter Dreamland

Your probably thinking how all these pictures of my house are relevant to my post title of Winter Dreamland...... I have had a house cleaner on and off for the last 3-4 years. I have a new house cleaner who also cleans my mom's house and it is her fourth week cleaning my house. As many of you know I am often anal retentive about things and cleaning is one of those things. I was raised in a clean home and I was taught how to do a quality job not a rushed half crappy job....There is a point to this story, bear with me. Anyway my house cleaner does an awesome job while being thorough. When I walked into my house today after my house cleaner had been here I thought to myself my house looks like a Winter dreamland with all of my decorations and an ABSOLUTELY COMPLETELY spotless house. It may seem weird that I took pictures of my dreamland but I wanted to document it because like every other household in America it will be dirty by bedtime, and who wants to take pictures of that!

Mac Attack

I am officially a certified MAC lover. I have already devoted an entire post to my MAC BOOK and my IMAC but now that I have a new IPHONE I am again reminded of my love for the software. I won't have to take my MAC book with me anymore while traveling just to download movies, listen to music, and etc. My phone can do it all. I had a Moto Q and it also had internet and email and it couldn't hold a candle to the speed and efficiency of AT&T wireless. Enough of my love of a phone:) I haven't blogged lately and will update with some pics of Thanksgiving and whats been going on, until then......

Versatile

If Carly's boots are Irrestible than Cole's Muck boots are very versatile. No they don't have any cute design but these rain boots are made for the boy and girl who trek through cow poop to go feed, daily. For the preschool who lives in rainy humboldt county and for a day when I can't find any other shoes. The inside of these boots are all neoprene and they suck to the contour of your feet. Yes, they are no ordinary rain boot there the versatile Muck boot!

Irrestible

Even if you aren't a cowgirl at heart like Carly you can still enjoy the adorableness (is that even a word?) of these pink and tan leather cowboy boots. As I am packing the kids clothes for a freezing vacation to visit my grandmother in Idaho I remembered that I had set these boots aside for Christmas. Well again, I think all gifts should be practical and Carly practically needs these boots for our vacation. I thought these boots were so cute that they need their own post :)