I'm So Excited

Okay maybe I'm not that excited but I have a new link to put up and I noticed that I had a hit on my blog from Europe!! WOW, someone all the way over there is looking at my little blog, how cool. You will also notice that I changed the look of the blog. I'm not exactly sure if I will keep like that or not we'll see if grows on me.

Anyway, my new link is to the website of an old friend from high school, Jacki. She recently married another old high school friend, Brian Simpson, their story is really cute because they dated in high school then didn't see each other for 15 years. In the meantime both had graduated from college, gotten jobs, Brian had married had a child and divorced. Then just last April, they met up again, fell back in love, moved in together, got married in September, are expecting their first child in April and bought a new house in October. Their story is like a little fairy tale!! I am so happy that they both found each other again.

Jacki's blog is a fun little diary about her pregnancy and other events in her new life. Check it out!

New Link, New Blogging Family

I just posted about a friend WHO has decided to take a blogging sabbatical, well now I want to post about a new blog that I have checked out lately and find to be incredibly cute and funny. This is the blog of Pam Jordan, she is the sister-in-law to an old friend from high school, Leslie. Anyway, Leslie and I have lost touch as she and her family live in Cincinnati and we really only exchange Christmas Cards, the occasional phone call and here recently an email or two. I ran into Leslie's mom awhile back and she mentioned her daughter-in law's blog and from time to time I check and so I thought I would include it as one of my blog links. The Jordan's have two sons and are very busy with work and life just like the rest of us. But if the mood strikes to see pics of two little cuties or the grumblings, opinions, and joys of another St. Louis mom then check out their blog!

Feeling Blue

The color of my blog exactly describes my mood lately, blue. Don't know why but I have been depressed lately. Maybe it's the cold weather and short days or maybe it's the holidays, they always remind me of how much debt I have. Or it could be the fact that nothing seems to go right.

1. We have had our house for sale for 5 months, 4 of those with a contingent contract. Yesterday we were informed that the other people can't sell their house and want to release the contract. GREAT, back to square one again. I am really getting fed up with selling this house. Someone please buy it!!

2. My job is really bugging me, the kids at Monroe are really wild and out of control. At Mallinckrodt the kids are good but the teachers are all nuts. Can't win on either account.. At this point, I am not sure if teaching is the right thing for me. Not to brag, but I am too smart for this. I should be doing website design or event planning or public relations or something. Is it too late for a career change?

3. My own children have been disappointing. Justin's grades have fallen especially in math, Hannah has become very willful and disrespectful. Adam has no interest in school. Anyone want to borrow three kids for a while?

4. My personal life has gone down the drain. It seems like all my old friends are gone. As we age, the stress of life and family pulls us away from our friends and that is what has happened with me. Bob and I have long ago given up doing things together so when you also don't have any friends, life gets a little lonely despite how busy and hectic I am. Any old friends who view this, hey where've you been?

I have never been one to like winter and right now I could use the spring. Maybe that's what I need to rejuvenate.

Those Crazy Cub Scouts

As most of you know, I am the leader of Adam's cub scout den. I thought when I volunteered that it would be fun, WRONG!! It is just plain work and the meetings are so chaotic with 14 second grade age boys running around. Last night we had a meeting and we were trying to complete some requirements to earn our WOlf Rank so I had the boys making paper bag masks, performing a skit, playing a game and making a chore chart. I thought this would take up the whole meeting. WRONG, it took up about half the meting because they don't care about sitting and making a mask or a chore chart or performing a skit. All they care about is running around and rough housing and yelling and screaming, this has probably added to my stress level this week. But I am posting a couple pictures of the rowdy crew so you can see for yourself.


The Cub Scouts with their paper bag masks. Adam is the one in the blue striped shirt.


Playing a game at cubscouts, whose the fastest at eating a doughnut dangled from a string without using your hands.

Long Week

This has been such a long week. I guess because it is the first full week back to school, but it seems like there have been 8 days in this week. I have so many things to do at school, tons of paperwork and assignments to complete that it has been really stressful. Going to two different schools is hard because I am constantly thinking that I left something at the other school undone when I am at the alternate one. Makes life frustrating.

To top it off I checked Justin and Hannah's grades online and noticed that they were both in getting a D in one class. The quarter ends next week so I was wondering why we never got progress reports in early December. Well after grilling both kids for a while we found out that Justin threw the progress reports away before we got home one day. Man I was furious!! The worst part is Hannah had no idea her grade was so low and it turns out it was mostly due to some missing assignments when she was sick with the Poison Ivy for a week in November. So now she is furious. But I did manage to talk to her teacher and she is able to make up the missing assignments so hopefully that will raise her grade. She got a B in that class first quarter and the rest of her grades are all A's & B's. Justin's other grades are all very good also, mostly A's but he is struggling gin pre-algebra. However he never brings homework home. But he is now grounded from his new xbox 360 until he brings the grade up to a B.

Anyhow, it has been a very long week!

Weird Weather

Can you believe the weather we are having in St. Louis for the last few days? Yesterday we had a high of 73 and it is currently 69 degrees right now. We turned off the heat and had the windows open. We bar-b-qued some steaks and took the dog for a walk. This morning Justin wore shorts to school and I didn't even need a jacket. Ofcourse Justin has a rule that he can wear shorts if the temp is above 32.

This is great but with St. Louis weather, it won't last, in facct they are forecasting for a chance of snow on Thursday evening. Crazy, but we are enjoying it while it lasts.

Tired of Hearing about the I 64/40 Shutdown Already

Is anyone else sick of hearing about the highway 40 shutdown already? It has only been closed for 2 days now but that is all they talk about on the news, I am really tired of hearing about it. They have had a count down to the shutdown going for 85 days. It's too much!!

Maybe I am just biased because the shutdown does not really affect me. I don't travel on 40 much to begin with and I don't travel on any of the highways to get to work so I really just don't care.

They even have websites devoted to the shutdown.

Success in the Cotton Bowl

For those of you who may have missed it, Mizzou gave Arkansas a solid beating in the Cotton Bowl on New Years Day. Just goes to show that they should have been a contender in a BCS Bowl Game. But Gary Pinkel recently got a well deserved contract extension and Chase Daniel is only a junior and Jeremy Maclin only a freshman, so here's hoping that the future is bright for the MU football team!


GO TIGERS! M I Z- Z O U!!

Happy Holidays

It's been a while since I have blogged but it's just been so busy that there hasn't been time. Since I last blogged we have had Adam's birthday, the end of school for Christmas Break, Christmas and New Years. And now low and behold I am back at school!

I wanted to take the time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year on behalf of our family!

I am posting several pictures of the birthday and Christmas with my thoughts and captions to catch up the world on Nixon happenings in December.




Adam is 8 years old.


Clowning around at Happy Joes with friends.


Hannah looking more grown up every year.


Adam in front of all the Christmas loot.


Sparky enjoys Christmas!


Justin gets another coveted hoodie for Christmas