My laptop is still in the repair shop. I am finally breaking down and using the family computer to write. Of course I am writing in between all facebook updates. I am very thankful this Thanksgiving week for many things, of course the usual.... My family, my new job, health (except Dave's calf muscle) wealth, (ha ha, just kidding on that one) and most especially, I am thankful that Erin and Shannon have not killed each other yet this holiday season. Shannon has spent a lot of time home this weekend after I looked up her C average grades online. I explained to her that I didn't feel that the ten thousand dollars I spend each year on her tuition warranted C's. I think I really got through to her, she did homework for about twenty minutes on Wednesday and has spent the rest of the week working on beating her seven year old sister on Mario for Wii. Erin was a little upset with Miss Shannon because she spent the weekend cleaning their room all by herself. We decided to go to 5:00 mass on Saturday. Erin had the fan on in their room because she was hot from cleaning. Shannon was standing in the closet to get away from the cold air, because Erin refused to turn the fan off. Shannon tried on one of Erin's new shirts to wear to mass and of course Erin said, "you can't wear that, it is mine." Erin felt bad as soon as she said it and changed her mind and said, "I'm sorry, you can wear it." Shannon decided she would rather die than wear something of Erin's so she threw it on the floor. That is about the same time that WWIII broke out. We all loaded in the van like the happy family to go to church. Dave had injured his calf muscle playing flag football on Friday night so we had to leave a few minutes early so he could hobble in to church on time. Erin and Shannon actually shook hands at the sign of peace but the argument resumed as soon as we got back in the van. Shannon was mad because her toothbrush disappeared last week from her bathroom sink. She claims that she moved her toothbrush out of my bathroom when I bought more toothpaste for their bathroom and it disappeared shortly thereafter. She said her toothbrush reappeared in her bathtub before she left for church. She wanted to know "Who would do that??" Erin responded with, "No one uses that bathtub because it is always full of your nasty red hair," I asked Dave to please drive faster so I could get out of the van and pretend that I didn't know these children.

The kids always draw names on Thanksgiving. Sam and Lauren weren't home this year so it was a little different. We drew names on Friday. Dave drew for Sam and Lauren. No one got themselves so we got it right the first go around. I think that may be a Murphy first. Ryan said, "guess who I got, I'll give you a hint. It's a girl!!" Maggie asks Dave at least three times a day, "Daddy are you going to put the tree up today?" Dave can't put weight on his right leg, so putting the tree up is not on the top of his list just yet. Dave is on Vacation this week. This is the week that I was supposed to go to Oklahoma but I was the only new hire in December so they are bringing the trainer to me for two weeks instead. I think Dave will spend the week in bed milking his calf injury. I may call him a few times from work to tell him to roll over. I don't want him to get bed sores!!

Yesterday was senior day for Sam's school. The parents walk on the field when their daughter is announced so the school can recognize their seniors. Our lovely daughter told us that they were doing this at half time. She called me an hour before the game and told me they were actually doing it 20 minutes prior to the game, not at half time. Luckily I was close to home when she called, I called Dave and he was actually the car ahead of me headed for home. We flew in the house, grabbed some warm clothes, grabbed some nicer clothes to wear to dinner with the parents and Seniors, I wasn't sure what time we were having dinner and I could wager a pretty good guess that my darling daughter had no clue. Sam called when we were about five minutes away and said, "My coach said they want to start in about 20 seconds, where are you?" We drove passed Lauren out for a run, she goes to the college down the street from Sam and gave her a quick honk and wave. Dave screeched into the parking lot and dropped me off while he parked. I sprinted to the field like OJ trying to catch a plane and made it just in time to see the other parents lined up with bouquets of flowers. I felt like the little drummer boy. I have no gift to bring pa rum pum pum pum...... I cleaned out my checking account for dinner tonight pa rum pum pum pum.... Lucky for us her room mate's mom didn't bring flowers either, although she was on time.

After the game we met up with Lauren for lunch. Sam wanted to stay and watch the men's game instead of going to lunch. Lauren jumped on the gravy train as soon as she saw us and called requesting a free lunch. Of course she waited patiently in her warm dorm room instead of showing support for her big sister on the ice cold metal bleachers with us. After lunch we had to run by Schnucks so I could buy her toilet paper and tooth paste, (she normally just steals mine) we went back to Lauren's dorm to get ready and hang out until it was time for dinner. It was nice getting ready there, I got to use all my favorite eye shadow colors that have mysteriously disappeared this semester. Dave was even able to get some of his black dress socks back. If only I could run to Kansas City to grab the deodorant that Shannon stole to cheer for her high school volleyball team at the state tournament. Earlier I just dug my fingernail into the empty deodorant on my counter and smeared it on that way. My life is so glamorous. Sam called and wondered why we were sitting in Lauren's small dorm instead of hanging out in her apartment. I said "trust me, your sister is trying to throw us out because we keep finding our stuff, but we are ignoring her." We went to Sam's and then left for dinner. We had a really nice time. Today we get to go to pizza street with Maggie's soccer team. Pizza street is one of those places that I would rather put a hot poker in my eye instead of attending. The sacrifices that I make for my children are overwhelming. Oh well at least my deodorant is back from Kansas City today. It's the small things in life that make me happy!!!!

Woo Hoo I have a job!!! Well actually it is not official yet, they are waiting on my background check to come back. It looks like I will be going to either Oklahoma city or Dallas for training. I am thinking of re-locating and not telling my family. Just kidding Maggie, the rest of my kids would probably be jumping up and down if they read that. Well until they got hungry that is.

Ryan had a soccer game tonight and it is really cold outside. Dave is the coach so he has to go but I chose to bow out of this game because the field is too far from the parking lot. If I can't sit in my warm car and cheer, count me out. Dave said "aw come on Coll, you should go." I reminded him that I gave birth to Ryan in the biggest snow storm St. Louis had seen in a long time. Jan of 99 for those locals that remember. I believe that gives me the right to miss a game or two to stay in my warm cozy house. Especially since the little angel chose to arrive a week late.

I have spent most of my evening watching cartoons with Maggie. Maybe I should have went to the game. We just got some new channels. I called the cable company to bundle our phone, Internet and cable to save money. I ended up adding a DVR and a few days later I had to add some channels when I found out that Rick Springfield was going to be on Soapnet on Soapography. I don't watch soap operas but by gosh I needed that channel. You never know if I might learn something new about the man who I have stalked since I was eleven. After all he did call me sweetie twice!

Shannon got her braces off yesterday. I would like to write about how beautiful her teeth look but I have yet to see her smile. I have however, seen her beautiful blue eyes roll around her head several times and she is so skilled at giving dirty looks that there is absolutely no need to show her three thousand dollar teeth!!

Dave has to write a 14 page paper for school and keeps putting it off. That is all he needs to complete his masters degree and he has found a million and five excuses not to start it. None of which are valid, I mean if he said, "I can't start on my paper because I have to put my wife's new license plates on that have been expired since Saturday." Or "I need to check the oil in my wife's van since she told me a week ago that the oil light keeps coming on." Or maybe "I need to put the power washer away that has been on the patio since August." I mean any of those reasons would be completely acceptable!!

We went for a walk tonight after dinner. I didn't want to bring the dog but he guilted me into it. He (the dog) always poops ten minutes in so one of us gets to hold the leash and the other the bag of poop. Win , win for everyone!!! Dave took a phone call towards the end of our walk and me and the dog sprinted home. I waked in the kitchen and Ryan said "Where is Dad?" I told him that I ran the last block and that dad should be here in a minute. When Dave walked in Ryan said "ha ha, you got beat by someone with a hairy face...... and a dog." He thinks he is so funny, I should really consider not removing my mustache in front of my little wise guy!!

We won another costume contest on Saturday. I think Dave is starting to enjoy his cheer leading shorts a little too much!! Kelsey was in a tournament in Illinois and had a 7:00 AM game on Sunday. Of course Dave took her instead of me, 7:00 is way before my time. Dave got lost and they drove around the state of Illinois a few times and stopped at several gas stations before they actually found the field. He had to work selling T-shirts from 11:00-3:30. I woke up with a pounding headache. I didn't drink at all at the party so I had no good excuse for such a bad headache. I took a few Advil and pulled myself together for noon mass. I took it easy the rest of the afternoon and laid on the couch. Dave got home a little after 4:00 I felt sorry for him for being stuck at the tournament all day so I told him I would pick Shannon up at 5:00. Normally if he is home, I send him. I do nothing but drive carpools Mon-Fri, if he is home, it's his turn. When it was time to leave I suggested, "why don't we both go." That way we could have "date night" It only took about ten minutes to realize that I made a bad decision. As soon as we hit the highway, I started feeling terrible. When we got to Shannon's school (40 minutes away) I asked "Do I feel clammy? He felt my forehead and said "yeah, what is clammy, anyway?" The girls got in the car (we bring another girl that lives by us home)and I just hoped that I would make it home. We were on the road a few minutes when luckily I found an empty Doritos bag at my feet to throw up in. I threw up four times while listening to shrieking from the backseat. They all quickly rolled down the windows to get some fresh air. I apologized to the girls and felt like a complete idiot. Shannon's friend was texting from the backseat, I can only assume that I was the subject of her texting. A while later Shannon asked "are you making dinner?" I said "yeah Shannon, I am holding a bag of vomit in a Doritos bag and thinking about what would be good to whip up for a Sunday dinner." She said "I am in the mood for pizza." I said, "how convenient, I had pizza for lunch and offered her the Doritos bag." Dave dropped me off before he brought Shannon's friend Katherine home. I think they wanted me out of the car. I didn't mention to anyone about the bladder issues when a mother of seven vomits. I told Erin what happened when I got home, her first response was "Where there any Doritos in the bag?" (food is always her first priority) Next she said, "wow, I feel bad for you but I feel really bad for Katherine." I took a bath and went straight to bed. Dave got the kids ready for school for me today ( scary) Once they were ready, he left for work, the kids were waiting for their ride and I heard Maggie say, "is anyone going to brush my hair today?" Thank God I have good ears, I drug myself out of bed, brushed her hair and gave her a head band. I doubt her and Ryan brushed their teeth because Dave just assumes that those type of things take care of themselves. I had a job interview today and luckily I felt better by this afternoon. The interview went well and I should hear something by next week. I interviewed with two women, one was local and another was from the home office in Texas. They both shook my hand when I arrived and when the interview was over. It's only a matter of time before they are searching for a barf bag. Hopefully they won't be able to trace it back to me!!