...and the rest of 2011

Well this year has been so busy that I have hardly taken any pictures since September. That's when Family Guy started his new job and to be honest the change threw me into a downward spiral of depression that I'm just now shaking off and EVERYTHING fell to the wayside for me. Depression and scheduling changes have left me completely lost as far as organization. Speaking of organization... here are a few photos of what The Burrow is like when actually organized and full of positive vibes. Unfortunately I think its been a while since we've enjoyed this element of calm.

A healed version of my first tattoo (the non bloody version):

My favorite Halloween/Samhain photos:

Check out my costume yo... a 2011 twist on the classic hippie. And one of my kids was a cop. Lol... that wasn't even planned!

Officer Loaf Tornado, The "Halloween Police".

See... the protesters and police can get along! All it takes is cookies!!

Whoa Tornado's cat costume... meow and stuff. :-)

Meatball Tornado's adorable costume...

My sis, my kids, children of fam friends...

Happy Halloween from The Herrman Clan!

Introducing our newest addition, our parakeet Mordecai! He came home to The Burrow back on November 13th.

Taming Mordecai:

I had hoped for him to be my "familiar" but Family Guy is by far his favorite.

...and that's pretty much it. Although we had a very nice holiday season I just didn't get around to photo documenting it this year.

The September Update, Sans Xanax

...because I was so frazzled yesterday I really did have to knock myself out to sleep with a Xanax. But I'm awake now!

Once again lets muster up some energy:

School is back in session, welcome to first grade...

...and miracle of all miracles we are about four weeks or so back in school and we are not hearing out of Willow "I hate school, I don't wanna go!" like we were last year. Actually the REAL Willow is like me, a total geek who loves to learn and loves to read. But last year some punk ass kid was giving her crap and totally ruined it for her. Said punk ass is in her class again this year but Robbie and I are harassing checking in periodically with the teacher to make sure there is no trouble and so far there hasn't been. And so far W. is at the top of her class and reading at a third grade level or so. It seems like she's having a much better first grade experience than I did... which is a story for another time.

That time of year has already come (and gone) around again:

9/11 never passes unnoticed for me, and quite honestly for most people I know. Even my job observed a moment of silence at 8:46 Eastern time, and being in retail that's saying something. All the employees and customers had to stop everything, drop everything and STFU. Luckily I wasn't at work but quietly at home with my family where we had our own moments of silence.
But this anniversary of one of the worst days in our country's history really stood out not only because it has been ten years, but because this was the first time one of my children has asked about it. Yahoo News had been running a ton of stories and videos on remembering 9/11 and I tried to tell myself "No don't look at all those and get sucked back into it" but of course I did. And Willow walked by at some point as a plane slammed into a tower and said, "WHAT is THAT?" Oh my. I wasn't quite prepared for this conversation. It's not the birds and the bees, but its still not one I would have looked forward to.

Me: "Well...um... this was an attack that happened to our country back in 2001. It's been almost ten years ago so they have been talking a lot about it on the news."

W: "2001? I wasn't born. Was I in your tummy?"

Me: "No this was way before that even."

W: "Why... why would someone fly a plane into a building?"

ME: "That's a question EVERYONE asked and no one really has ever understood."

W: "But... were there people in those buildings?"

Me: "Yes."

W: "Did they die?"

Me: "Yes, baby. A lot of them did."

W: (brow furrowed) Did that happen in REAL life?"

Me: "Yes, baby. It was real."

And then Willow got this glazed look in her eyes, not a look of the horror of trying to grasp all of this, or not even a look of not being ABLE to understand. It was the look of the typical six-year-old-attention-span-eyes-sliding-away-and-wondering-what-was-coming-on-Cartoon-Network-soon look. And just like that she was off to play. Oh how nice it would be to have the attention span of a six year old and just to move happily on...

On August 29th Meatball (Miles) started walking full time...

Self explained.

The Vacuum.

This is THE VACUUM. It is the boys' absolute favorite toy. Every morning they flock to it. Trent received it for Christmas last year. Just think... one day the vacuum will be replaced by video games. I think I'm going to be sick just thinking about it.

Here's Trent. The Loaf. 'Cause he's awesome:

That Mini Van Sticker. You've all seen it. 75% of mini van drivers must advertise their family in stick figure form. I gave into the cult months ago and this is The Herrman Clan... as crappy drawings!

Robbie always BBQing, me geeking out with a book, Willow future Girl Scout member, the boys just bein' babies, and the CAT with his many nicknames.

Let's watch Hoarders! No wait, nosing out the window is more fun!

Well, first things first... and that would be the first day of first grade for Willow/Chocolate/The Whoa last Monday! Hubby got this picture for me, so nice of him to think of it since I didn't. I think I overslept that morning.

Isn't she a doll? Don't tell her that though, dolls creep her out. : /

As I've probably mentioned on Facebook or on some other form of social media I am obsessed with the shows Hoarding: Buried Alive and Hoarders. I only discovered them this year and never miss an episode. I'm a clean freak (even though our ramshackle Burrow is in constant chaos and may never look especially tidy because I can't keep up with the Tornadoes trust me when I say I spend every moment my eyes are open cleaning). So I just can't understand hoarding. Everytime I watch these shows I just think to myself that a can of gasoline and a match would solve the whole problem. Or I think of a Simpson line from when Homer Simpson had to attend a parenting class: "Garbage in garbage can? Hmm... makes sense!" But then its not a mental disorder that I suffer from.

Now usually in powers of general observation I have, well, next to none. I am the epitome of "been living under a rock." No, I didn't notice your $400 shoes. No, I couldn't care less what the neighbors are driving. But after we sent The Whoa/Chocolate off to school my husband got distracted by noises outside of our windows. And lo and behold look what he found to the recently abandoned house on the left side of us:

The workmen were just throwing the junk out of the windows. Then when they came out all wearing air masks (just like you'd see on Hoarders) I have to say I was a little surprised. But we'd heard rumors about the condition that house had been kept in. They were animal hoarders. I know at one time they had somewhere around 10 indoor cats.

(Our one cat was so kind to model in this picture for me to make my point in the story).

As the workmen worked the next several days on it some of the smells drifted into our yard... the smell of pure cat waste closed up in an unairconditioned house at 150 degress for a month or so. Yum. And by the way, here's a scene from inside the house of horrors:

And yes, its exactly what you think it is. Wishing much luck to those in charge of the project of restoring that home.

OK... so... two random pics of the boys this week, Meatball:

And the Loaf:

And last but not least, I had a teeny tiny bit of spending money this week. And I found T shirt that is so totally me:

I think I will be in my 50s and still shopping in the juniors section. Meh.

On the Right Track, Baby!

It's that bi-monthly time of the month (that I'm not much fond of) again... the time when "Chocolate" (the oldest, our six year old) goes off for a 24 hour visit to her biological father.

Well, to get going... first things first:

Ah, much better! Now a little mood music while we shuffle around trying to get her stuff together. Her personal request:

Now it's off to half ass-edly get her an overnight bag together. "Hey Chocolate!" I call, "Where's your dinosaur bag?" "Um... in my mess of a closet?" she answers.

You don't say? Of course, it's NOT.

So good ol' Wal Mart bag to the rescue. See? They are recyclable! Now to just find some pjs...

Of course... nothing there except her brother, Meatball. Oh well, her granny will find her some when she's there (in case you are curious Chocolate's biological dad is 35, eternally unemployed, and lives in a dark room within his parents' home). Before leaving Chocolate's room I remember her latest obsession, her "Krusty Krab Playset":

A gift from her Auntie: a real pink starfish and yellow sponge from Padre Island. And the bug-catcher next to it just happens to be shaped like the Krusty Krab. This little treasure will not be leaving The Burrow to go to see Biological Dad though. Ah... and now we wait. How to pass the time? Oh, right... Chocolate's Lady Gaga playlist:

I mean come on... how can you NOT dance to Lady Gaga? Oh... here comes her other brother, Loafie, to join in:

Loafie's favorite song in the world is "Born This Way." He's not going to appreciate it when I bring this up to him in about 10 years. Well... onward with the day as Chocolate has now been shipped off... "I'm on the right track, baby!"

Welcome to "The Burrow" - Our Family Page and Photoblog

Description:
Because maintaining life as both a stay at home mom and wife that provides additional income and keeping my sanity during it all is like running a small business. Might as well take credit for my work. ;-)

About "The Burrow":
The Weasleys are a low income magical family in the Harry Potter world and their home is called "The Burrow". They have seven kids and while their home isn't anyone's dream home the love and loyalty inside is most everyone's dream. Our home is much like that, but without the 7 kids. 3 is quite enough. ;-)

Me:
Stay At Home Mom/Domestic Goddess (although I do work outside the home at night for supplemental income) · Dec 2008 to present · Fort Worth, Texas

Creating harmony and magic among: 3 little tornadoes... uh... I mean, children, endless Spongebob reruns, an unusually out there but awesome business partner/husband, maintaining "company" records and bookkeeping since 2008.