The weather was great today! I started something new today - I went walking at lunchtime with Tammy, just to get out of the office and away from the computer screen for a bit. We walked farther than we thought we'd be able too. Hopefully the weather will continue being good so we can go for walks more often. Its nice to be able to get out and clear your head, and I know this week is going to suck, so I'll need to get out! 77 deals were scheduled to close today, and I really hope that I don't get all the closings at the same time!!!!

The boys are doing great. Chris is getting over ANOTHER cold - I think its just from being at a new daycare and getting used to the new kids and the new germs. He's getting better now, but Saturday was pretty crappy for him. Now its just a runny nose, and a little bit of a cough. He'll be fine by tomorrow!

Joey's new playset is almost done! He was out playing on it for hours on Sunday - we only have to put up the side with the swings now. That's the plan for this weekend. Chris doesn't really like the backyard unless he's on the deck. Its funny to try and make him stand on the grass - he keeps his little legs up and refuses to stand! I guess he'll enjoy it in time :)

I got a new stove on Saturday - well, not new, but new to me! My old stove was small, and decided when it did and didn't want to work. I've lost count of how many times I'd be cooking something and it would just crap out on me. Only one of the outlets on it worked, and the burners sucked. It was old, it was here when we bought the house, and it was only a matter of time till it died completely. Anyways, long story short, we now have a new stove thanks to a very, very, VERY generous lady on Freecycle. Its only 5 years old, and its full size, and wonderful, and works great! I've never been so excited to cook before. Ok, so maybe I won't cook any more or any better than I did before, but maybe now I'll be able to make cookies without burning the bottom... and then people will believe me when I said it was the stove that burned the cookies the last time :) I have to say that Freecycle is wonderful!

That's my week in a nutshell. I brought work home with me tonight to get a start on for tomorrow, but I am just so not motivated right now. I'm tired and think I'm just going to go to bed and read for a bit. That sounds like the best plan! So good night, and have a great week!

I know... its been a while. Been busy, you know. And now that the weather is getting better, we haven't been home too often. And if we are home, we're playing out back enjoying the sunshine :) Its about time too, it was beginning to feel like it would be winter till December!

What have we been up to??? Not to much, to tell you the truth, but its just been a busy few weeks lately. This week was exceptionally crazy - and kinda messy too. The sewer backed up into our basement (very icky and smelly and gross). There's just something about trying to clean that up... you know exactly what it is and you just gag and want to puke. I have no problem cleaning Christophers crappy butt, but clean up crappy sewer stuff... ew.

What else... Chris is now full time at the same daycare as Joey. He started last week just going for 10-15 minutes in the morning when I dropped Joey off. Today was his first full day. When I dropped him off, his teacher told me to feel free to call as often as I wanted to check on him. I laughed and told them no, I wasn't worried about him at all. I was more worried that they'd tell me to come and get him and that he was a miserable demonic child! But nope, apparently he was a great kid today. We'll see how long it lasts for!

Joey got new shoes this weekend... again. I just bought him new runners a few weeks back, but they were just plain old runners, no cartoon characters or anything on them. I think that maybe he was being picked on for not having "cool" shoes because he was making up all kinds of excuses not to wear them. I feel really bad for him - he's only 5 and already kids are teasing because of what he wears. One little kid even told him that he wouldn't play with him because he had Diego on his shirt and he didn't like Diego. If I were that kids mother, I'd knock some sense into him - teach him that it doesn't matter what a kid wears, they're still cute and loveable and wonderful (at least my kid is, anyways!)!

Jason went to a bachelor party in Niagara Falls this weekend. Don't know all the details, but I'm sure that the guys had a great time! I just wish that I could have seen Mark in his little pink tutu... that would have been a sight to see :)

Jason's really enjoying having the Nikon. He hasn't been out to get any pictures in a week or so, but the few that he is able to take here and there are great! Its becoming a bit of a competition between Jay and my brother Kevin to see who can post the better pictures. Kevin's pictures are great, but I have to say sorry Kev, Jay's bubble picture was awesome! Check it out on the link for the Braniff Photoblog! (And leave a comment, make Jay's day!!!)

Work is still same old, same old. I'm enjoying it more, surprisingly enough! I've had to do quite a bit of problem solving on some deals lately, and I like doing that. Trying to figure out the numbers and make everything work is sometimes frustrating, but it feels good when I make it work and can actually close the deal. This is where I pat my own back and say "Way to go, Mel!"

Ok, I've talked enough tonight. I've gotta go and fold laundry and get to bed so I'm all bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow :)

And just in case you're wondering, no - I haven't been drinking tonight, I'm just in a good mood and that's why I'm talking (writing) so much! :)

Its been a busy week, but I've spent most of the weekend doing nothing... ok, not nothing. I've gotten caught up on laundry and finally finished the book that I was reading, so its not like I was sitting around doing nothing, I guess!

This week I finally had enough of being a full time mom and full time employee and not taking enough time for me. On Thursday, Melissa and I went out for dessert and a movie, and just to get away from the screaming and crying that I hear all day (at work, of course!) and just to take time to be "normal" adults again. I had a funnel cake from East Side Marios and it was yummy! Next time I get one of them I'm asking for less sauce - it was just a bit too sweet, but still so good! Then we went to see Premonition. The previews that they show make it look awesome, but I found that it just jumped all over and was really drawn out. In the end, I guess it was an alright movie, although I still say that she should have just killed him earlier on in the movie to make it a little more interesting :)

Joey was at his friends house for the afternoon and, as usual, had a blast! These kids are so good together, and I really hope that they stay friends for a long time. Grif is a cute kid, and its funny just to hear how two little boys talk to each other. We're hoping that he can come over a lot when the playcentre is built, and that they can see each other a lot over the summer. Maybe even a sleepover, if I'm brave enough to listen to two 5 year olds giggling all night!

I really don't know how so many women work full time as well as balance their family life and find time for themselves. I have no clue how to do it. I thought I was doing great, then this week hit... The last 2 weeks at work have been rough, but I've still left every day with a smile on my face because I know that I've done my best. If the agents are unhappy, too bad (ok, I was gonna say tough sh*t, but I try to keep it clean here!). There are just some days that I really think that some of them are younger than my boys, and they have a lot to learn. But what do I know... I'm not the one out there selling the homes! I'm the one sitting behind the desk listening to those who "know it all" and think they deserve the world. But I know better, and I won't let it get me down.

Anyways, its the end of a crazy week, and hopefully this week will be better. I am definetly planning on taking more time for me, otherwise I'm going to end up locked away in a padded room somewhere making the noises that Chris loves to make right now and drooling all over myself! Before I start doing that, I need to get a good nights sleep! So good night - and I hope everyone has a good week!

Here's a picture of the boys from Easter morning... not the best picture, but you try getting 2 kids to sit still when they've got all this chocolate & candy and goodies around them! Chris didn't want to let go of the mini eggs at all, but once he saw that he was actually going to have breakfast he was happy! As long as he has food, everything is fine :)

Looks like this will be another busy week for me. I thought that everything was going great... then I got a cheque to close out 30 deals! 30 DEALS! That's crazy! So I've got work to do tonight, cause I also got other cheques along with that one. Oh well, I really do like my job, so I just have to grin & bear it and remember that its not always like this!

Joey gets to go visit his friend this weekend, and they're both really excited. He is already asking me how many more sleeps! I'm glad he's excited - they're such good friends, and I want to encourage that. They're so cute together, and you should see when they talk to each other on the phone... Joey paces the room and can't sit still at all! And their conversations are hilarious! 5 year olds are just too cute!

I guess I shouldn't ramble on too much longer cause I have work to do. Hopefully it won't take me all night... but even if I get it started, then I'll be happy!

Good night!

HAPPY EASTER!

I don't have too much to say today, and I also don't have enough time to write much, so I hope that this little cartoon can entertain you for a bit! I love this one! Personally, I eat chocolate bunnies by the ears first then work my way down. How do you eat yours?!?!

So thats it - have a great easter and I hope the Easter Bunny is good to everyone :)

This week has been crazy - and the weekend was just as busy! But what a great weekend... I'm happy to say that we have a new addition to our family! Joey is now the proud new owner of Slinky the hamster. He is really cute, black/grey & white (although Joey will tell you that he is brown & white), and pretty tiny. He isn't a teddy bear hamster, he's got short hair and looks kinda like a mouse. At least he doesn't have the red eyes like some mice do! He was originally supposed to be called "Love", but that really didn't go very well. Joey decided that Slinky was a pretty cool name, so Slinky it is!

We went out to dinner & a movie on Saturday, for the first time in a very long time! Dinner was at Applebee's and was really good. The steak was great - yep, I actually ordered steak instead of chicken fingers. And saw Blades of Glory, the new Will Ferrell/John Heder movie. It is a FF on my scale... freakin' funny! It is definetly one of his best movies, and we laughed non stop from beginning to end! Can't wait till it comes to DVD.

Jason's been going crazy with the new camera. We now have a new website/photoblog that is going to be pretty much photos. I'll still be posting here, cause the new site isn't really about all the day-to-day crap that happens here. Jason is going to be getting back into photography, so his pictures will be on that site. So check out the pictures that he has on there so far - Hope you guys like it :) http://www.silicon-vision.com/braniff/

Here's a few pictures of the boys from last weekend.

So that's our week and all that we've been up to. Tonight is the season finale of Prison Break so I've gotta go get the kids ready and into bed... can't have any interruptions for "my show"!

Have a great week!