Truly blessed

Truly blessed is what we are. Here are some of our most recent blessings.

* Trey was saved at a christian wrestling match a couple of weeks ago. As a parent, it is so joyous to see your kids come to know the Lord and know who holds their future. We met with our pastor this morning before church and Trey walked down the aisle as his profession of faith and was then presented to the congregation. He will be baptized in April. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

* On Friday, we closed on our interim home loan. This means that we are good to go and can start building our house! It has been exactly two years since we moved out of our house in Combine. We were blessed to have Jared's parents share their home with us and I am blessed to have a talented husband with talented friends who built the "love shack" for us to live in on our land. Construction on the house is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning. We are very excited and hope the scattered showers are scattered around, but not in, Combine. This week we hope to get the pad built up and the plumbing rough in started. Sounds like I'll have a lot of blogging to do for house news.

* Clayson had a friend over Friday night and all day Saturday. It is really hard for me to let the kids have friends over for selfish reasons. One, I am around kids all the time and two, I tend to be gripy. Always in teacher mode. I wanted to be nice so I let Collin come over. His dad brought his dirt bike for him so that they both had one to ride. We got home after the closing and those boys stayed outside until around 10:00. Jared, Ashlyn and Trey were also out there. I had a relaxing night inside and even went to bed early. Jared had things under control. They all slept in their dirty clothes, except Ashlyn, and were worn out. Saturday morning, Clayson and Collin got up and went right back outside. They couldn't ride dirt bikes because Jared was at work so they built jump hills and trailers and rode the bad boy buggy. When Trey and Ashlyn got up, they went right back outside to join in on the fun. I cleaned the entire house. They got along, (the siblings), for the most part. There were only a few squabbles. Collin left at about 5:00 and Clayson was satisfied with the weekend. He was blessed by a friend who shares so much in common with him and I was blessed to be able to rest and have a clean house.

* We are always blessed by miss Ashlyn. She is cute, smart, funny and helpful. Yesterday she decided to spray paint some wood while the boys came in long enough to eat lunch. She ended up with black freckles but thankfully her clothes remained paint-free.

* Tomorrow afternoon we are leaving for Walt Disney World. Clayson and Jared did not want to go. My mom, Ashlyn, Trey and I are looking forward to the trip. I know that it is hard to believe that Clayson does not want to go but if you knew his daddy, you would understand why. They don't like crowds, lines or people. If Clayson had not been I would have made him go for the experience but we went four years ago and does not want to go back. He looks forward to being an only child next week and all the things he'll get to do. I still need to pack, get a pedicure and get all the cameras charged and ready. Outfits have been sorted, there are bows and flip flops to match, bathroom stuff ready and waiting ... now I just need to get the rolling suitcases from my mom and add a few things here and there. I'm not sure if Ashlyn is more excited about Disney World or the plane ride.


Blessed is what we are and we are thankful to all those who are a part of our many blessings. Happy spring break 2008!

Bummed and Bored

I really have nothing interesting to blog about. No themes or excitement. I am blogging just to be blogging. I am bummed and bored. And you know what they say, misery loves company.

Why am I bummed, you might want to know. I don't know. Nothing in particular. It's just one of those days where it takes too much effort not to be. Have you ever had one of those days? We left the house at 8:45 this morning and got home at 4:00. Trey had a basketball game at 9:00, then we went to Wal-Mart to get some birthday gifts and a baby gift. We left Wal-Mart, ran through McDonalds and then went to Mamaw's. My cousin Matthew and his girlfriend were coming over with their new baby, who will be called Junior. He is such a cute baby. But no, it does not make me want another one. We left there to go to Clayson's batting practice from 12:00 to 1:00 and went back to Mamaw's to visit before having to go to Trey's last basketball game at 2:00. Back to the gym then back to Mamaw's where I was in a rush to get Clayson and Ashlyn and get home. Papaw had his projector fixed so they wanted us to watch an old film of my mom when she was a baby. It was neat to see and I wanted so many things that they used to have in my new house. Vintage and meaningful. I'll save that conversation with them for another day. I was ready to get home.

We get home and I attempt to clean out the car which is a pile of laundry from the boys shedding their outerwear as soon as they get in the car. I put the sheets in the dryer and the car clothes in the washer. Trey wants to finish the game of pool that he and Clayson started this morning, Clayson doesn't want to because Trey never wants to play with him. Argue, fuss and fight. Ashlyn is mad because I went to Wal-Mart and did not get any string cheese. I get out the cherry cheese cake and finish it off with a Dr. Pepper. Trey says we need more Golden Crisp cereal. Yes, I took my medicine - thankfully.

I want to think about the house but Jared does not get in a hurry to make decisions on decor. We went to Home Depot last night to browse around after a disgusting dinner at Pasados. Jared has the flu. We looked at appliances and he was a little enthused about those but the bathroom sinks, doors, lighting and paint were of no interest to him. On the other hand, this is what I like to think about. He walks around silently looking and I have no idea what he is thinking. I grabbed some paint colors that I have been considering but have not been in the mood to look at them since. It's just so overwhelming. I know Jared is having to do all of the behind the scenes work and I am thankful that he has the time and skill to do this. I am just ready to make some decisions on the interior design. Now I know why Cathy Clugston wanted to do this for a living.

We leave for Disney World in nine days and I am trying to get excited about that. I look forward to going but just can't think about all I will need to do to prepare for this. So yes, I am bummed but I should not be bored. Being bummed makes me not want to do anything but sit on the couch, get on the internet and listen to the TV. And see what else I can finish off in the refrigerator.

Lists are my favorite past time

I love to make lists; grocery lists, to-do lists, honey-do lists and lately I have made a bunch of lists for the new house. Every room has a list and every different type of labor has a list. And, I usually don't write them just once. Now I have decided to make a blogging list of things that come to mind and things that have been going on.

1.) The Reading TAKS test has come and gone. I hope, for my teaching partner's sake, that the students did well. They were well-behaved to have sat from 9:15 - 2:00, with only one 45 minute break. This is usually the class that cannot behave for 15 minutes. I would like to think that they "stepped up" today and took learning and testing serious.

2.) Hillary Clinton won the Texas primary. I have never voted democratic before and it was a little odd to be on that side but between our lunch room chats and friend to friend chats, I think the reverse psychology paid off yesterday. The voting officials assured me that I could vote Republican in the November election. I almost wanted to go to the caucus to see what that was all about. But, my bed was calling my name. I did catch Mike Huckabee's concession speech and was "wowed" by him and his use of scripture and heroic men as a means of walking away a winner even though he lost. I hope to see him on the ballot again in four years.

3.) Jared took everything to the bank and we are scheduled to close on our interim loan on March 14th. This means we will be starting by the end of this month. I am not oblivious to the fact that things with the bank and closings don't always stay on schedule. I just hope that when I get back from Spring Break, there is a big 'ol piece of concrete waiting to be made into a house. I am ready to mark some things off of my lists :0)

4.) The kids are testing Jared and I. Clayson has an attitude problem. It is a little concerning that if he is this mouthy at ten, what will he be like as a teenager? Soon, we will have a room to send him to. He is a man in a kid's body most of the time. Trey is trying out bad words but claims that he doesn't know they are bad. A little back door burning let's him know that he better not say these things again. He got in trouble at school today for holding his tongue and saying six - try it and you'll see why he got in trouble. He also got in trouble at home. Our motto is that if you get in trouble at school you are in big trouble at home. Ashlyn seems to have the colic again. She is crabby - whining, yelling, talking back - every single night at about the same time. Too bad mylecon can't cure these pre-kindergarten moods.

5.) Speaking of kindergarten, I just got word that the Kindergarten Roundup is April 1st. It hit me. My baby girl is really growing up and I can't do anything about it. I am not ready for this. That's all I need to say for now.

6.) We had a good weekend. Saturday I got to keep the girls; Alex, Anna and little Ava. It is so funny to see them play together. It was from one thing to the next. They wanted to try it all. Their favorite thing was riding the bad boy buggy with Clayson out to see the sheep and around the land. They rode Ashlyn's scooter, which she had a real hard time sharing. Having brothers, she is not used to having someone want to play with her stuff. They played, they danced, they posed for pictures and they had a picnic. Ava hung out with me. She played with cups and as long as she had a little snack I could keep her happy inside. Otherwise, she wanted to be outside with the big girls.

Saturday afternoon Jennifer, Allison and I loaded up the four girls and Ross and headed to Rockwall. The girls went to a preschool classmate's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Word to the wise, don't have birthday parties or even plan to go here on a Saturday afternoon. It was wall to wall kids and parents and chaos just trying to keep up with the ones we had. After cake, presents and a headache we went to the harbor to eat. When we decided to valet park, it was like the clown car at the circus when we all piled out! We started off at one place to eat and me, miss picky, did not like anything so we went to Ruby Tuesdays and waited by the lake. We found the perfect table, requested it and they gave it to someone else. Darn. We had to wait longer. It is such a beautiful place to wait. It felt like we were on vacation - because of the location and maybe the exhaustion. We finally got seated and let the girls sit at their own table. As long as we kept them loaded up with grapes they were good. We only ran off two people that we know of. We ended the Saturday with a rejuvenated friendship between us and the little friends.

Since I've been gone

Hello y'all. Let me start by telling you where I have been the past month and will continue to be, for what appears to be, another two weeks. LAPTOPLESS. My laptop died and needs a new motherboard, which has been backordered. Now, the backorder is backordered - if that makes sense. February 22nd has now turned into March 3rd. If it's any longer than that I think they need to give me a rental. They do it for cars under warranty, why not computers? It is incredibly frustrating. I knew that I was addicted to myspace and blogging but I did not realize how many other ways that I use the internet at home - cooking ideas, shopping, Kidd Kraddick in the morning, etc. It was a good way to pass time in the love shack. I am getting things done but not any more than usual. I find myself bored these days and not to mention, in bed by 8:30 almost every night. But, I will have patience. Yes, I will.

Here are some things I have been thinking about blogging in my spare time.

The Princess:

* On the campaign trail: She is not voting for "Heery" (Hillary) or "El Bamo" (Obama). Instead, she wants to vote for Tony Romo.
* She recently decided that she would sell me in a garage sale so that she can marry her daddy. She said that the people that bought me would think they were getting a big toy in a box but instead, it would be a momma for sale.
* She is signed up for tee-ball. I hope that she is more active here than in soccer. I have taken on the role as coach.
* Don't hold it against me, but she likes to watch Ellen everyday.
* It makes me real sad to think that she is approaching five and will start school in just six months. Where does the time go?

Mini - Jared:

* He now looks me eye to eye. He is so very tall.
* He is signing up for baseball. He's a good baseball player.
* The bigger he gets, the bigger his attitude gets.
* He seems to be girl crazy...already wanting to go on "dates".

The Couch Potato:

* He is playing Little Dribblers basketball. He is right handed but dribbles with his left. He may be small but he is quick and makes baskets. Some may call him a "ball hog" because he never passes. He dribbles and shoots from wherever he is stopped. Basketball just might be his sport.

Lucky (the dawg)

* Loves when we have parties, he hangs out like he is human * Is obsessed with balls - can jump so high to try and get them. He shreds baseballs to the core.

Louie & Bronco (the donkeys):

* Are for sale. They are at the sale as I type.

The Sheep:

Tragedy strikes. On February 9th, one of the sheep had two lambs. That night, this brand new mom was killed by what may have been a german shepherd. Evidently, there was an attack during our Valentine party and we heard the commotion. We were able to find these two newborn babies and bring them into the shop. Jared created a kennel area (with hay) inside the shop. Five to six times a day, we bottle feed these lambs. Yes, I have even gotten in on the raising. Ashlyn thinks she is their mom. She takes good care of them. Clayson is learning responsibility through this. When Jared is at the fire station he has to make sure that all the animals are taken care of. He has named the lambs Kylie and Oreo. Trey could take it or leave it, he is not much for having to do many chores. These babies are thriving. Feel free to come to our petting zoo.

The Mom and Dad

Jared and I are doing great. We have learned to communicate about our lives and not just about the kids. Some of you may know what big progress this is. We enjoy being with our friends and having parties at the love shack :)

* On a HUGE note, it looks like we will be starting our house real soon. We've completed the bank paperwork and are looking for a builder to sign and let us do the contracting and work ourselves. Jared says he thinks he has found someone, yea! He has flagged the property for the slab and carport. It is getting to be exciting. My mind is filled with thoughts, ideas, colors, furniture. I look forward to having a "project". And, I can honestly say that this house will be built with love and no matter what, it will be the house of my dreams. I've learned that material things are not what make you happy. It's how you live your life and what you make of the things you have. I look forward to things to come and hope to post again soon!

I have to show the roses I got for Valentine's Day.