Wow.....so here it is, another year. I thought maybe I should either be a little better with my updating, or get rid of my blog, but I decided that it gives me a good reason to sort out all that mumbo jumbo in my head!
I haven't posted anything since March. How crazy. Life has been a bit hectic, apparently. I didn't even do Christmas letters with my Christmas cards. Don't know if that's laziness, or I just didn't have anything exciting to report!
Work has been super busy. We have really picked up a lot of catering. The wedding gown side of the business has been slow the last year or so, apparently due to our withering economy. Girls aren't spending a lot on dresses. They are either purchasing them on Ebay or Craigs list. Plus, thanks so much to the Chinese market, they are selling designer copy wedding gowns on ebay for as little as $69. They take the ad shot from one of my designers, post it on ebay, and then sell you a copy of that gown. There are hundreds and hundreds of them out there, all with China as location of seller. Little rotten buggers. You don't probably get much of a gown, but for less than a hundred bucks, why complain, and the feedback on ebay for the purchase is always positive. Very discouraging. They can't actually do that, and there are aspects of it that are illegal (such as shipping clothing into the U.S. without tags, Craig says that's a big no no) but what can I do about it? We've mentioned it to our designers, but really, who's to say they aren't getting a cut of this somewhere? It's all shady dealings if you ask me, so it's just irritating for us little guys.
BUT, our catering is through the roof, so that keeps the doors open, and a paycheck in my pocket, and I figure that Craig and I should just be glad we are working, and working full time at this point in the game. There are a lot of people around us getting their hours cut, and mine seem to be increasing, but I got another raise this year, so I figure who am I to complain?
Craig's business has been slower the last couple years, but they seem to be holding their own, and since some regulations on things have changed, they have to charge differently, and there are a lot of fees attached to things now when they are imported, which is probably not so good for the customer, but is good for us. Helps keep those doors open too!
Chloe started middle school this year. So far, so good. She seems to be enjoying it ok. Probably an adjustment for any kid, and with all the hormones that seem to be "flaring up" at our house, I'm thankful she hasn't asked to pierce anything other than her ears. She's a real good kid. Our biggest complaint is the ditziness that seems to overwhelm kids of this age at times. Sometimes you feel like they are in another world, and since I have noticed it in several tweeners, I won't zero mine out too badly. =) She's doing well in school. Straight A's first quarter, all A's and one B the second. We hope the rest of the year goes as well!
Koben is adjusting awesomely to kindergarten. His vocabulary has improved immensely. We are working on fine motor skills, and comprehension right now. Koben was fully evaluated through the ESD, and they determined he has cognitive delay, along with the Autism. Which we already pretty much knew. They figure his social communication is that of about a 3 1/2 to 4 year old. However, when they did some of the tests on him, they discovered that when he fully understood what he was supposed to do, he actually tested higher than a 6 year old....so isn't that interesting? Goal for Koben is getting him to fully understand what he needs to accomplish. The knowledge is already in there, they just have to figure out how to get him to understand, that that is what they want from him. Just doing activities here with him at home, I really understand how much they have their work cut out for him. During the last conference they told me he had already met his benchmarks for math for kindergarten. However, he won't hardly hold a pencil, and can't write. He does know how to spell his name, and he traces letters with playdoh every day as part of his occupational therapy. It is just so hard for him to coordinate those fingers together, and then put it all together with his eyes and his brain. I will have him tested this spring for any eye issues. Sometimes Autistic children have distortion in their vision. Wavering, or odd blurriness. Sometimes over head flourescent lights are a complete distraction for them, because they can see them "wiggle", so that is something we will look into very shortly. So, basically, overall, we've been told our boy is actually very very bright, but is difficult to pull digested information from. I however, just see him as Koben, and we love him to pieces. He's a great little kid. I am soo proud of his accomplishments in the last year.
In September, Craig and I decided, finally, to get another dog. Bryan had been wanting us to look at the place where he got his chihuahua for over a year, and we finally decided now was the time. Koben was very afraid of small dogs, and most animals in general, and we hoped that it would help pull him out of the shell. So, we brought home Sophie. She was born on my birthday, so right away, that told me I had to have her, and what a sweetie she is. If you had told me 10 years ago, I would own a Chi, I'd have told you, you were crazy. I never really liked small dogs. What if I step on it? Sit on it? Lay on it? I'm too big a girl to have a small dog, and Craig always liked big dogs anyway. But, we told ourselves that if we ever tried the dog thing again, it would have to be a dog that could live inside, because having a big dog, outside, in the city, is just not fair to the dog, as we learned with the first dog. She is smart, sassy, sweet, and sociable. Doesn't yip or bark, doesn't nip or bite, and is overall, a complete cutie. Pictures to follow. About 3 weeks ago, Craig decided, without my consent, to get another puppy. He said Sophie needed a friend, a pal, a confidant. I said, hell no. I didn't win. So, now we have miss Piper, to be a little pal for Sophie. My reasoning for only one dog: One dog is just easier to take places. Sophie is potty trained. Sophie sleeps through the night. Vet bills are smaller. Food bill is smaller (that one is weak, because they don't eat much) Sophie is a really, really good Chihuahua, and how did I know I would luck out with another good one? She might have been a complete fluke! So, I was totally anti-Piper, until Piper came through the door. Really, who can refuse a big eyed, floppy eared, 2lb, roly poly bellied puppy with a curved piggy tail? Um, not me, apparently. She looks like a miniature rottweiler....which I have a soft spot for. So, now I have a puppy, that can't hold it all night, that I have to take to the potty pad, when I get up to use the bathroom, who is not potty trained, and some nights wants to play instead of sleep, and keeps me up. Really, it's like having a newborn and a toddler.....on top of the kids I already have. =) However, I think I will adjust quite nicely, and we have a pretty cute little family, AND, Mr. Koben LOVES the doggies...carries them around with him everywhere, hates to be away from them, and is no longer scared of most puppies. Score one for mom and dad!
See, told you I had nothing to say, but it would be long winded anyway. Wow, I sure do talk alot. I need to start a blog on the bridal business. Funny stories, bridezillas....things to that effect. There is probably a book out there needing to be written about "our" world.
Everyone else in the family is good. Mom has been living in a construction zone for the last year. Been taking a long time to get things done. Her contractor is very good, but I would never call him speedy. Hazards of family friends. But, the house looks FANTASTIC. Very hard to believe it is the same place I grew up in. The sun room is almost finished, and she has so many palms, and fronds, and plants in there, that the kids go in there and play "jungle". Very funny. I think dad would have been completely freaked out and overwhelmed living in a construction zone, which is the reason none of this ever got done when he was alive, but I think he would have LOVED the end result. He would have had to move out for the duration though. =)
Bryans oldest is expecting a baby in June. She just turned 19. So basically she is a baby having a baby. We are optimistic that everything will work out ok for her. She is engaged, but is having a hard time finding a job. Hard to start in the work force when you didn't go to college, you've never really had a job, you have no license, and your pregnant. Hhhmmm.....I'll let you know how that all works out. I'm on standby for baby and pregnancy advice, as she doesn't quite trust the knowledge of any of the other females in the family. What do I know? I only had 2. They just kinda show up, right? She should call Michelle Dugger. =) THAT woman could tell you what to expect! Bought her the What to Expect When Your Expecting book today. I called that my pregnancy bible. She didn't think she needed it, but I don't think I would have sanely made it through my pregnancy without knowing what in the world was going on with my body.
Well, I think this is just about enough for one day, don't you? I mean really, who could go on and on and on all day? Oh wait, that would be me, but then you'd have to sit there and read all this, and you probably have more exciting things to do. I'll give myself five minutes to see if I remember how to post pictures on this thing, and see if I can get some of those up! Oops, and dinner...dinner should be in the oven right now. See, technology is time consuming!!!!!
