Bird update (sad news) and getting Healthier...

We have sad news, our bird did not make it.... We had prepared the kids that this could happen, so there weren't too sad. I was more upset because he was doing so good when I left for work on Tuesday and then when Chris went over to feed him he called me and said he didn't think he was doing too good.

And I feel even worse because I think we over fed him. He would squawk alot and I just assumed he was hungry...ugh I feel horrible. But at least he died with a full stomach, the way I would want to go.

That is the story of my life, is something "squawks" just feed it more, and I wonder why Mike and I need to lose a few pounds.

Which leads me to my next topic - Getting Healthier. We eat well in our house, my kids will eat anything and they love vegetables (they even order broccoli as a side at Chili's). For the month of June I decided we would be vegetarians....and even try to eat "Raw", I have been looking at alot Green blogs and raw eating is always mentioned. I have made a few recipes and they were excellent but I have to admit the "no meat" thing is stuff for the Oursler's - we didn't succeed, Father's Day we had big old burgers. We have been doing good, but we love to eat red meat and I swear my grocery cart would pull straight to the Tri Tip and Filets. So I am going to be realistic and realize this is a marathon and not a sprint, it is going to take time. Both Mike and I need to get some weight off, but more importantly we want to be healthy and teach our kids to eat healthy.
Soo - I am going to try again and change it up a bit. Starting in July we are going to do NO fast food, nothing at all, which includes Starbucks - this will save us money as well. My Starbucks used to only cost me a few bucks but now that my kids love it, it is a $10 -$12 event every time we go. We are going to only eat red meat 1 time a week, and pile on the veggies and fruits. Also going to convince Mike to join WW with me ( I have done it a million times and know it is the one diet that works...because you can save points for wine or a beer).

Okay I'm off to my email from work, I had yesterday off to work at my grandma's, so today I will be busy.

Have a great Friday!

Summer Update - Week 2

Week 2 starts today - Kids are very excited about "Camp Glue" formerly known as Camp Wales - they changed the name since it isn't just the Wales' kids. They picked the name Camp Glue because they "stick together". The motto is "one for all and all for one". They made the cutest tiedye t shirts and if I was a good blogger I would show you a picture now...but I'm not...
I am so blessed that Cami can watch our kids in the summer - I have said it before but just want to say it over and over.

Still having aniexty about school - it goes in waves. One minute I am convinced it will be okay at public and then the next I think - "no we will make it work". I am going to continue to pray about it and then sit down with Mike and see how he feels about it. I know he knows the benefits of Las Brisas but I know he gets stressed we don't put alot of money away per month. And I don't want to not send them to private school just so we can buy more "stuff" or he can go on more hunting trips... UGH!

Plus it doesn't help that I am in a funk - just can't seem to get it together and instead of tackling an issue I just push it aside and then it festers bigger and bigger. So today I will make a list and actually cross things off of it - I have heard that helps, instead of just making a list and then losing it.

Trying to think of fun things the kids can do this week that aren't too expensive... I don't want to hear how they are bored, and they have watched enough TV already to last them a week. We did all watch Camprock on Thursday night and it was cute. Renting some movies from REDBOX - those of you who know me well, know that renting movies is not my thing, or should I say returning them is not my thing. I can't tell you how many VHS tapes I have in the case from the rental place - not good! But recently someone told me about REDBOX, they are in Albertsons - they are $1.00 per day...so far I have watched Juno, 27 Dresses, Catch and Release, and Oceans 13 (which is now on everyday on HBO). Mike enjoyed Juno as well. It is easy to do and cheap and easy for me to remember since I am often at the grocery store (another blog story).

We did rescue a baby bird that Mike found on a machine he was moving last week - little guy is still surviving, he sure likes to eat alot. It is in Mike's lunch box with the nest (and it stinks), feeding it cat food mixed with apple sauce and worms squished up. Hopefully he can fly soon so we can release him. Since we have trained "bird dogs", we have to make sure they stay away. Kids are enjoying watching him grow.

That is about it in the Oursler house update. Thank goodness for friends and family with a pool, that has been a treat in this horrible hot weather.

Have a good Monday..
xxox- Caroline

Fix Your Mind

Isabella and Soren with their webkins (before Soren's haircut) and obviously I need to take a photography class...

So I wake up this am and instantly start thinking of the school situation and almost start to cry. I am overly emotional right now, I'm sure that I still have this cold (since Easter) does not help. Got my 3rd round of drugs yesterday....

I read my email from "Joel Osteen" and it says "Whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is kind, if there is any virture, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things" ( Philippians 4:8) . In a nutshell what you think about determines the quality and direction of your life. I read this over and over in every self help book I have (which is alot), and my mom always taught us to play the "glad game", just like Pollyanna, concentrate on what you are glad about in your life and not what you don't. It goes on to say some transations say "fix your mind". So I am really going to work to "fix my mind" especially on this school situation and let God do the work in our lives.

Last night Isabella said to me "did you tell daddy about the school" and I said "yes but we have not made up our minds yet" and she replied "it is god's plan" ...ugh - I know it is his plan and I need to just continue to trust him and not second guess it, and then feel guilty that I did something wrong.

Las Brisas has been a huge safety net for me and I just don't feel like jumping out of it yet.

The whole church thing isn't even coming into to play at this point, if I pull the kids from school then I will most likely stay at church for now, so the kids have some comfort there. I know my church family will love me no matter what school my kids go to.

Okay 2 posts in 2 days... can you believe it?

Have a great Wednesday! I'm sure hoping this cold is gone soon.

It is never easy...

Just when I get done with kids school and take a deep breath - Good old God throws a curve ball. I found out yesterday that both my kids will be combo classes at Las Brisas - now that is not the end of the world and Isabella will have Mrs. Willis again and she did learn alot this past year. Both kids will be the youngest in the combo class, which I guess is good.
But then I get woke up out of a deep sleep last night and all these things are going through my head. It is tight financially for us to send the kids there, we do it but it means we don't have a ton of rainy day money ( and that was a problem in Jan when it was raining). I work so we can send the kids to private school but if I would still have to work even if they didn't go there due to the cost of bananas and gas on the rise.
So I get up this am and call the school district (okay side note...I work in corp relocation and apparantly when we purchased this house in Wildomar CA, I did not look into the school district which is something I would recommend my transferee's do...ugh!).... so our home school may or may not become a title one school (which sounds yuck to me but my aunt who is a teacher said that is good). I am going to enroll them and see if I can get a intraschool transfer to Coal Canyon in Murrieta which just was rated 10. Donald Graham just was rated a 7. I did mention it to Isabella to get her reaction and she is such a blessing, she was open to it and said "mom I can meet new friends", that made me feel so much better. We went over to the school and the principal showed us around, it is so very different then Las Brisas.

I need prayers from everyone for me not to worry and that it will work out, whatever is suppose to happen.

I have such mixed emotions. While I want my kids exposed to diversity since the real world is filled with it, I also love the protection, love and support they get at Las Brisas. I worked hard this year to help build the PTF with Cami and so proud of what we did, and feel if I walk away now I might be a quitter. But then I turn to the financial part - the relocation business is tied to homesale and my bonus is not even enough this month to fill my car with gas. Mike's work has slowed down so much and it is scary and it might be that we just can't afford $1000.00 a month tuition.... Then I think how selfish are you - get a night job at Target and then I think - who will make dinner and do homework if I am at work at night - UGH!!!

I am just going to give it to the Lord and ask for guidance, I know that we are not to live strapped and with the economy the way it is, and construction slowing down, Mike is going to continue to work less and not more. And I just can't count on the Lottery that I think I might win!!!

Both kids were so cute and when we got home, Isabella said "wow that place looks cool" and then I went upstairs and cried.... I know they will be fine there but the problem with that is I HATE the word FINE!! I hate that they won't be at school with their cousins - that is a hard one too.

I think the biggest thing is I want it to be my decision and not one that is forced. I have time since public school starts August 13th and Las Brisas doesn't start until September.

Just keep praying for me to relax and let God do his work.

Friday, no kids and just my luck...

So school is officially out, I will post Soren's graduation picture, so cute...It was a great day and the party was alot of work...no I mean alot of fun. The kids had a great time at Mulligan' s yesterday and poor things couldn't even sleep in today because I had a dr's appt at 8:30am so they had to get up early to go to Cami's house.

Cami and Chris invited our kids to the beach with them camping, they will be coming back tomorrow since Isabella has dance recital practice with Mike.

So Mike and I are kidless... sounds fun huh - we could have "romance" right in the family room - ya right...poor Mike went to work last night at 11:30pm and got stuck in the horrible sigalert on the 5 freeway this morning, he had to get off the freeway and turn around in his 9 axle truck and be re routed through Tahachipee(sp), it took him an extra 5 hours to get home, and then he picked up the boat and we realized the tags aren't paid so off he went to the Temecula DMV at 3:30 on a Friday. It actually went quick and now we can take the boat out for a Father's Day cruise on Sunday morning.
okay okay.... back to our "romance" - he is currently asleep on the couch and if I left him he would sleep until morning...but our next door neighbors are having a graduation for their daughter, we don't really hang out with them and grateful they invited us (plus I could use a free beer), I can't find the invite and their daughters name is something like Quinesha... Hello don't want to get that one wrong.

Tomorrow our other neighbor (our good friends) are having their sons graduation party, so tomorrow I will be cooking in the am - I will post the recipe...I'm making this great Asian noodle salad - (actually it is on Pioneer woman's website and it is awesome). It helped us last week, we are still trying to be vegetarians for June (last night I realized I ate a piece of pizza with sausage on it), it was so good you didn't miss the meat. Also making the buffalo dip - another crowd pleaser, I will try to be a GREAT blogger and take a picture and post the recipe. I think my blog readers is now at 4 people so someone will appreciate it.

I hope everyone enjoys my "tangent" blogs - you know me when I tell a story, there is always a bonus story hooked to it - it drives Mike crazy, he can't keep up.

We have the worst luck, when we finally have alone time, we are both too exhausted to enjoy it. I will be forcing some "romance" later - maybe after he has had a few beers.

Have a great Friday night.

xxox
Caroline

Crazy Busy Week

This is the kids last week of school and I have to say I am looking forward to not having to make sure their uniforms are clean and "where is the chapel sweater" (which is usually a classic Weds fight) and making lunches....oh do I hate to make lunches, and homework...ugh! I know next year 3rd grade homework is only going to get harder, and that I "might" not be able to figure it out.
I will miss that their brains work hard everyday and need to make sure they don't watch too much TV all summer. I am so blessed that Cami will watch them again this summer, she has tried to retire several times... but I'm grateful to her for watching them again and again. I told her I would pay for her hair dye after this summer, since more grey is bound to pop out.

The 5 kids are getting older and to the more challanging stage when together all day long. Parker wants alone time with Isabella, on the same day Isabella wants to play "diva" girls with Elizabeth, and then Soren wants Parker to teach him to play football, which Parker is still trying to play "big kid time" with Isabella, and then Elizabeth is mad that Soren is ignoring her, and Soren gets this attitude (from his dad) and then there is "BEAR"...aka Charles Christopher Wales..."but you can call me Charlie"...he just wants to play with any of them. See exhausting huh and it hasn't even started yet.

Cami and I are going to get some stuff for them to do and give them some structure for the day. I will post later some of our ideas -
And my kids better behave or else...

Wednesday June 11th...
Soren graduates from Kindergarten, the school has a ceremony, too cute. I took the day off, as the kids have their awards in the morning and the ceremony and party after. They both get to go to Mulligan's all day on Thursday and then Friday they are off- and probably will sleep all day.

I can't believe in a few short months I am going to have a 3rd grader and and 1st grader... That was always going to be the year I quit working - obviously I was dreaming. Oh well happy to work so that I can keep them at Las Brisas.

Have a great week - I will post pictures from Weds. (I promise)

Caroline

Camping, Coughing and Cold...

Memorial Weekend (okay I am behind...) we went camping to Stoddard Wells with the Esterholt family. We almost cancelled the trip because it was going to be way to hot??? It was so cold, and I coughed the whole weekend. Probably not the best move on my part because it sent my 6 week cold over the edge.

It was a nice change with just a small group, Soren and Jake had alot of one on one time and the girls pick up where they left off - we are so blessed. On Sunday we drove to a bar called "Slash X" - 6 miles one way- Soren rode all the way there on his bike. He fell only a few times, he has never been on a "real" ride before, just circles around camp, we were so proud of him. He tried on the way back but the first patch of soft sand he fell and he was done, we put his bike in the back of the polaris and he rode with me and Shelley.

The M family came out on Sunday as well and I think we got the kids "hooked" - I told K that we just cost him about $80,000 - it is only money.... B and K rode bikes all afternoon and we let B drive the polaris (he is 15, we are getting closer to our 16 and older rule...ya right). Next time they will have to stay overnight.

It was a great long relaxing weekend, even with my coughing and the cold weather. Our family loves to go camping and riding no matter the weather or illness.

Trying to get caught up on my blog.

xxox, cars