I've been POO'ed!

Oh man...I don't get paid nearly enough.  This afternoon, around 2:05, as I'm sitting on my teaching stool at the front of the room, watching the kids finish up their math, I become aware of a pungent smell.  Oh no.  Poop.  I think to myself, "Maybe it's just gas.  It will go away."  Hmmm...nope.  Nope, that is definitely poop.  Maybe someone didn't do such a good job cleaning themselves up.  Sure, that must be it.  Nope.  That is DEFINITELY poop.  So I discreetly glance under the desks near me, looking, dreading, wondering where the offending surprise would be.  Nope.  Nowhere to be seen.  So I stand up and take a few steps back, thinking it's somewhere I can't see from my chair.  Then...I see it.  Brown smudges on the carpet.  One, two, three, four, in a little trail leading to...MY FOOT!  AAAHHH!  In horror, I lift up my foot...and there on the bottom of my FAVORITE "shooties" is a glob of mushed SHIT!!  At this point there is no discretion.  I couldn't help my reaction.  "AH sick!  There is poop on my shoe!" I exclaimed.  "UUUUGGGH!" screams 19 fourth graders.  (Hey, one is missing...wonder who THAT could be!  The culprit, perhaps?)  So I hobble to the back sink, remove the shoe, at this point I'm dry heaving, and with about 10 paper towels I attempt to wipe this hideous glob off my shoe.  It is NOT GOING ANYWHERE.  Dumping the paper towels, I now hold the sole of my shoe under the faucet, my eyes watering at the stench.  Finally it softens to the point that I can wipe the rest off with some towels.  Sick.  Can't put that shoe back on for a while.  Hobbling to the phone, I call the office for custodial attention: "Meg, I've got a code brown, repeat, that's a code brown."  "Oh," says Meg, "Tigger's friend has paid you a visit?"  "Yes, that's right.  I've been poo'ed."  So, as I'm attempting to calm the children...learning is done for the day...I wait for someone, anyone, to come down and get the poo out of the carpet.  Finally I call back down and get Karlene, "Karlene, can you let them know that it's not a log sitting on the floor, it's actually mushed into the carpet because I STEPPED in it before I saw it!?"  Eventually Phil comes to check it out.  He can't help right away because, guess what!?  He's in the bathroom cleaning up another poo mess.  But right after the bell rings, Javier will be down with the carpet cleaner.  Thank God it's 2:25 at this point!  Ugh.  Ugh. Ugh.  So many questions roll through my mind.  The biggest one is: REALLY?  REALLY?????  Fourth grade???  It's not like I chain them to their desks.  If you gotta go, please, by all means, go!  REALLY??????  And how did the thing roll UNDER the overhead cart for my unfortunate right foot to encounter it???

Oh yuck.  I hope I can bring myself to wear those shoes again, I really like them...

Just some cute pics!

General and his boys!

Riley helping Carter with tummy time!  Carter's not a big fan...
He gets mad!  But big brother helps him feel better!

Growing so fast!

Riley's really taken an interest in letters, numbers and words these days.  He surprised us on Saturday by writing his name in no time flat!  He wrote it twice, then my dad wrote "General."  Using that as a model, Riley copied General correctly on his first try!

On Sunday he wrote his name again, and then wrote Carter as I dictated the letters to him.

Pretty dang good!

Big Laughs!

Carter's first real belly laugh!  Sorry about the weird angle, whenever I try to video him talking or laughing, he gets mesmerized by the red light on the camera and stops what he's doing, so I had to do it from the side.

A little silly vid of Carter

He's silly!

Six Grandkids!

All of the triplets are home, safe, healthy and sound! We headed down to Brad and Nicole's house Tuesday night to see them.

Here are the big brothers with their little sibs! On the ottoman from left to right are Dalton, Gavin, Carter and Payton. Carter is just shy of 3 months older than the trips, but he looks HUGE compared to them! And Carter is just a little bean!
The Jolly Green Giant and his little cousins!

Payton wasn't too happy about being squished between her brothers. She's a fiesty one!

Carter, chillin' out!

Grandma and Bubba with ALL their Grandkids!

My first time holding Miss Payton

Steve's already wrapped around the little girl's finger!

Gavin, the littlest triplet, with Carter!

Me-n-Gav

The trips are tiny, but look even tinier when Uncle Steve's holding them! Steve and Gavin.

We're so glad everyone's home and doing well!

Baby Hartmann's Coming Soon!

Last weekend I hosted a baby shower for Kourtney at our house.  It was a really nice afternoon!  Kourtney and Jason got lots of fun things for baby, and it was great to see her, her mom Peg and Jason's mom Glenda!  Kourt looks awesome!

Our theme was books, and everyone brought books to get baby Hartmann's library started.  The cake was a scan of "Guess How Much I Love You," which is one of our favorite books, and I decorated the table with more of the books that Riley and Carter love.  

We also included "Oh the Places You'll Go!" since Kourt and Jason love to travel so much!
From college roommates to married ladies, to mamas!  Kourtney and I have been friends since our freshman year at CU, in 1992!
Kourt and her mom, Peg!
Kourt and Jason's mom, Glenda; and grandma, Arlene.
We can't wait to meet Baby Girl Hartmann!

Why the 80's are dead...

Every year our friends Mary and Wade throw a big Halloween bash, with a costume theme.  This year the theme was 80's.  And we were all reminded about why the 80's are a decade that we love to hate!

Steve's Richard Simmons costume was the hit of the party!  Sadly, nearly all of my costume was purchased at either Target or Wal-Mart the day of the party.  Tell me again why 80's fashion is making a comeback?  I really don't get it.  Although I did wear the purple shirt and black belt again.  It's not so bad when it's NOT combined with a turquoise skirt, fuschia footless tights, leg warmers, silver ballet flats, rubber bracelets, big hoop earrings, purple eyeshadow and electric blue eyeliner.  Really.

I felt like a midget next to Steve, Terrance and Susan!

Rock on!  Susan and Josh could be in a Whitesnake video...

Tara was also Richard Simmons, and led Steve in some aerobics!

I really don't even know what to say about this picture.  It's disturbing, I know.

This is all the gang from Solutions-II that came to the party: Mark (Maverick -- the Top Gun one, that is), Mary (Joan Collins), Maurice (I have no idea), Michelle (no longer in costume!), Amy (Jessie Spano from Saved by the Bell), Steve and Terrence (Prince, although he looks more like Rick James, b*tch).

Oh, it was all so very tacky, but way too funny for words!!

Fall Fun!

The weather lately has been so nice, Riley's been able to play outside still.  Last week we decided to rake up the leaves and play in them!

Carter just watched. :)

Leaf fight!!!


I love the great big smile on his face!  So much fun!



Geronimo!

Camouflaged!!

Cute Halloween Boys!

Riley had the best costume this year!  He really wanted to be a soldier, and in our family, if you're going to to do that, you have to do it right!  Steve got the fatigues at the Army Surplus, and dad sent Riley some different insignia and patches to put on, including his stars!  Riley looked awesome!

Here he is with one of the twins during the trick or treating at his school.  Sorry, Julie, I can't remember who was the "black" Spiderman!

Here's Carter, Ri and Owen at the Little Saints Harvest Festival at Rick and Kathie's church.
Carter got to be a snuggle puppy.  He's such a good sport, he loved his costume even though it was really hot!
Hooah!