Brandon and Hope started school 2 weeks ago and so far everything is going good. Brandon is in the 2nd grade and has 2 tough teachers this year. He does not normally have behavorial problems at school he just does not like to sit there and do work all day. He would rather play. Of course what boy wouldn't want to play all day. He tried to skip the 1st day of school by telling me he had a fever. I told him it's too early in the year for that. The other night he decided he wanted to shave. He found a razor in the garbage in the bathroom and proceeded to shave his arms and his face - so now he has very smooth arms. He might be the only boy in 2nd grade with a five oclock shadow before the year is over. I guess it's a good thing he didn't shave his eyebrows off. I'm not sure if I will survive the teenage years with this one. Hope turned 5 on August 6th and then started kindergarten on August 24th. She comes home worn out and there are days she falls asleep on the couch after school. I think it's going to take her a few months to get use to this schedule. She seems to like school better than her brother but kindergarten is tough these days. She has a really sweet teacher who taught Brandon in kindergarten. She may or may not be ready for another Collins kid. Hope decided she wanted to bring Ms. Hemmerick some flowers this morning so she got some of my fake flowers out of one of my decorative items at the house and brought her teacher the flowers today. Wonder how many times Ms. Hemmerick has gotten fake roses from a student. I am a bit concerned though. Hope came home a couple of days ago and said she showed her classmates how to armfart in class. I asked her where her teacher was and she said she wasn't looking when she did it. I seem to remember Brandon doing the same thing last year in class when his teacher wasn't looking. I thought girls weren't supposed to think armfarting is funny. Shows you how much I know........

Today is Hope's birthday. She is turning 5. She is very excited to be turning 5 but I don't think I am as excited. They grow up way too fast. Brandon is 7 and will be starting 2nd grade in a few weeks and Hope will be starting kindergarten. She has decided she wants Casa Ole for supper and then she wants to see the movie G Force (I think Brandon talked her into that movie). Her brother also helped her pick out a cookie cake from Kroger (he likes cookie cakes - they are his favorite). One day I think she will wise up to the ways of her brother. She is having a real party next Saturday and decided she wants to play games with water balloons (wonder if Brandon helped her decide that). We will see how that turns out! Hope everyone has a good day!

Jason and I have started to long process of remodeling our 1980's style house. We have replaced doors, replaced floors, sheetrock, tile, etc. There is alot to do in this house but it will get done slowly but surely. I am in charge of picking colors and painting the interior since Jason has no opinion of how he wants the house decorated. You gotta love a husband like that. I am not a decorater either but we have a friend from church who is a very talented decorater and went with me to Home Depot to pick paint colors. I have started in the kitchen. It was red and in a few weeks it will be a nice yellow. I have already put a coat of tinted primer on the red walls and have an idea of how it will look. I LOVE IT. I love bright colors. I have discovered that I enjoy painting. Maybe because you see results instantly and I have found that you tend to paint faster while listening to 90's rap music. The kids have been at their grandparents so I may not enjoy it as much when they are around. Hope has already asked me if she can help paint. She is not satisfied with just painting an old piece of wood in the backyard. I have also discovered that is is probably not a good idea to replace the kids bedroom doors with doors that lock from the inside. Time to get back to painting. Have a good weekend!

We invited some people over from church on Sunday night to hang out and play games. There were two 7 year old boys, two 4 year old girls and a set of 2 year old twins (one boy and one girl). We ordered pizza and Jason knows I love salad peppers with my pizza so he ordered extra. The adults were eating in the dining room and the kids were in the kitchen. All of a sudden we hear from the kitchen the kids chanting "do it, do it, do it" very loud. We weren't sure what was going on and I got a little concerned since it was our house and one family had never been over before. Jason asked Brandon what was going on and he said they dared Abby (she is 2) to eat a salad pepper. They were giving her a little encouragement. I was a little embarrassed because Abby and her parents had never been to our house before and you never know how parents feel about their kids being dared to eat a pepper! Abby ate the pepper, didn't cry about how hot it was and her parents laughed about it. So I guess it turned out to be a good night after all. We were up until 2 in the morning laughing and playing games despite our wild kids and their shenanigans. At least Brandon didn't moon anyone that night or dare his sister to!!! They are saving that for the next party!!!!

Ok I don't understand. If you are going to buy your wife her favorite ice cream but she decides to save it for a few days that DOES NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO EAT IT!!!! So now I am off to the Chevron to buy another drumstick because I decided that I am ready for it.