Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Ok so I Lied

Well, if you every check Twitter, you would see that a few days ago I promised to post pics of our bee drama.

Sike.

Actually, I really had every intention of putting the pictures up...because...well...you know me...I chronicle everything...the camera is an extension of my arm. But, as I was proofing the pictures the other night, I got the heebie jeebies all over again. In theory, honey combs aren't gross.

Uh yeah...until you see them up close and personal.

Sorry everyone, I can't relive that right now. I think I have PTSD. How about I tell you instead?

We noticed bees on the back part of the frame of our house a while back. Finally, I called animal control to find out if we were allowed to remove them. They referred me to a company that kills/removes bees. The genius that called me walked Jerry through exactly what he was going to do (including the chemical he was going to use).

Pardon me...is this thing on? Excuse me...can you hear me?

Sorry, I often wonder if I'm talking to myself.

Anywho.....

Since we were given the play by play of how to remove bees on our own, Jerry took that task and ran with it. We had to take board off of our frame in two parts. Then he sprayed them, pulled the hive thingies out, burned them, and had to scrub the sam hell out of the inside so that it was clean. Jerry only got stung one time.

Now I realize that I summarized this drama in like 3 lines but I promise you...it really did take longer than that in real life! In normal Mikki fashion, I hid way back with my zoom lens and snapped away to my hearts content. Far. Far. Away.

I love my zoom lens. I like to make you think I'm really up close and personal but I'm not.

What is the status you say? No more bees but the pictures scarred me for life. I may post pictures in a few weeks...once I've had time to heal. My spirit has been damaged.

Who gets bees in the suburbs!?

On a totally unrelated note...we got Ethan's graduation pictures in today and they are adorable. I still need to upload his Easter bunny picture, so I'll do that all at once. I was "doing the math" today and realized that he and I graduate one day apart. How cute is that?

I promise to get some pictures up soon. School is winding down next week FOR GOOD (thank God), so I will have more time to bore you with my endless chatter.

Except...don't act like you're bored, okay? Just smile and nod.


Sincerely,

She Who Can't Keep Promises

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Thrilling Hellos and Bittersweet Goodbyes

Do you see this picture? I have tons of these over the years. It's a tradition that Ethan waits at the doors when he knows the boys have just arrived.

Then the first thing he does is hug them tight. Look at the sheer joy in his face. There is something to be said about a bond between brothers. Ethan hero worships his brothers.

Please note that I didn't get a similar picture of Ethan hugging Jacob. No, he threw a fast one on me and darted out the door to hug Jake there. I wasn't quick enough with my camera, so you'll have to trust me when I say that Jake got a hug with just as much enthusiasm.

I made the mistake of taking these photos mid-day. That's a photography no-no, but it was the best that I could do. Lets all just be happy that I got the three of them to cooperate long enough for me to get some shots.

Doesn't Ethan look so happy? He doesn't even look like he cares about the large arm draped over his head. That's how you know a kid loves his brother....the kid will let the brother lean on his head. And not get a blow in to the stomach while it's unprotected....that's what I would have done when I was a kid....

As most of my five readers know....our household (sans me) is a Tarheel household. It's was a huge deal when the Heels won the Final 4. My In-Laws graciously sent all four of my guys a championship shirt. Awwww.....they are quadruplets...but please don't tell them I said that. They won't appreciate the humor like we do.

These last pictures were actually taken at the request of my father-in-law. He wanted all of his boys in a photo with the shirts. These photos were taken about 15 minutes before the boys left to go to the airport.

It was hard to get all four of them to look at me and smile at the same time. You'd think I was asking for them to hand me their arm or something. Hello boys.....? Will one of you hand me your arm? No? Well, then will you please just look at the camera and smile? Thank you.

Originally Jake came out of the house wearing his shirt with red shorts. Yes, red. I admit...I looked at him and said my very common word....Really Jake? Really? This picture was taken while Jake went back into the house to find some shorts that matched. What is it about boys not caring if they match? I think that is the one main genetic difference between boys and girls. Ethan has this affliction too. You ought to see some of his outfits that he will put together. It makes my nose crinkle. Jake especially though, he's such a teenage boy. Clothes are just something to cover his body. That is also what makes him so cute though. errr...don't tell him I said that OK?


This is probably my favorite picture taken all week. It speaks volumes. When the boys left, Ethan wouldn't tell them bye at first. He was too upset that they were leaving. But then the waterworks started. It was one of the most heart breaking things I've been through. Normally we send him to school so that he will be distracted when they leave. Since he's getting older, we let him stay, so this was really the first time that we have gone through the goodbyes in real time.

He was bawling, which in turn made me bawl. He begged me to let him go with them. He begged me to let him go live with them. He begged me to make Daddy bring them back. Finally, we sat down on the steps and cried together. It took about 45 minutes for him to calm down but he was still sad for hours.

It's times like this that make me regret moving away from them. It's times like this that makes me feel like we made a horrible mistake. But, we'll visit that another time.

Boys, if you are reading this....we all love you so much. Ethan adores you, your dad loves you to pieces, and I love you too. We can't wait to see you again soon.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Easter Eve

Today marked day one of our Easter celebration. We packed up the kid and the puppy and headed to my parents house. Please note that huge Easter basket. Errr...thanks Mom and Dad....we now have enough sugar to last a life time. And while we are on the subject...you just think Ethan is going to get to eat all of that candy...

Oh stop...I'm just playing...or not.

They spoil Ethan. And Boo. And Jaiden. I'd like to use my indignant tone and say that they didn't do the same for us when we were younger...but they did. Easter was always fun in the Steding household. Easter egg hunts were the highlight of the day. As a matter of fact, we had huge hunts up until the day that I moved to NC. You see, there were prizes. Nice prizes. We would have a prize for who ever got the most eggs, but more importantly....there was the Big Kahuna prize egg. I remember one year vividly. My sister Angie got to decorate the prize egg. Would you like to know how we knew which one was the Big Kahuna? Because in beautiful wax script, it read "your mama bitch ass ho". Yep...I swear to you that it said that. Good times.

But now that we have kids, us adults get left in the cold. No more prize egg hunts. No more cool prizes. No more eggs that read "your mama bitch ass ho". Now the kiddos get the goods. Of course, I'm not going to say that it wasn't fun trying to whisper to your kid where the eggs were hidden. Look at Jaiden's face in this picture. She was less than thrilled to be forced to sit through another round of pictures. Her poor little head was eaten up with mosquitoes.


Sorry this picture has such a blue hue to it....I loved it so much that I figured you would forgive me...even if Ethan does look like a light smurf.

I love this picture of Ethan and Pop. They were on Pop's "ship. It took about 5 shots just to get the two of them to look at me...at the same time.

Mommy? Does this smile mean that I can eat more chocolate?

And just because I love this picture in black and white to...here ya go. I'm a sucker for a cute smile.

Wanna know what Barry looked like when he was 4? This. It's eerie sometimes, looking at Boo. If he had lighter brown hair and just a little bit lighter skin...this could be him.

See? I told you!! This picture was taken of Barry back in the 70's. No? Well it could have been Barry....I'm just sayin....

I don't have the heart to tell Ethan that he's to young to drive. Will you please tell him for me? Thank you.

The boys are here, and I did not mention them in this post on purpose. Because they are going to get a dedicated post just to them, and their arrival. I will say though...wow those kids got tall!

Tomorrow is day 2 of the Easter celebration. We'll hunt eggs here at the house and I heard a rumor that the Easter Bunny was going to be stopping by tonight to leave baskets.

Speaking of which...Ethan went to see the Easter Bunny today. We got an adorable picture of the two of them. I'll post it soon. See? I'm going to have lots to talk about in the coming days.

Sincerely,

Mom of a Smurf (that loves chocolate)