Friday Night Lights

Me and Addie at the game.
Jackson and his Starbursts.
Bryson enjoying his Gatorade.

Drew and Addie.

We went to the Richland/Birdville game last night. Birdville lost 13-21.

I love Friday nights at a high school football game! It brings back such good memories. I envy the parents sitting in the stands wearing their son's number. I have always wanted to be one of those parents. I guess I always knew I would have a boy who would play Varsity football. The thing is, my boys are so NOT interested in football. Yes, I know, they are only 4 and 8, but shouldn't they at least be a little interested by now? When I told them, excitedly, that we were going to the game, they both asked, "Do we have to?"

"Football is fun. Remember last year? You got to play in the bleachers and find bugs. We bought you a snack and a drink. Don't you remember how much fun football is?"

They scoured the bleachers for money and other forms of "treasure." Bryson ended up 12 cents and several nuts, bolts and washers richer.They have no idea what goes on on the field.

I have tried to get Bryson interested in playing some kind of team sport. He played Upward basketball last year. He was not impressed. He did enjoy the post-game snack, though. We sent him to the Texas Ranger's baseball camp. (Thanks, again, Breon!) He was not impressed. He liked the baseball cards, though. Golf, I thought, he would surely enjoy golf. Nope. He does enjoy cooking. Do they make parent jerseys for that? Maybe I could get a button with his picture on it and wear it to cooking competitions? Hopefully, someday down the road, some sport will spark his interest. Until then, I will go to football games and secretly (or not so secretly, now) look at those parents proudly wearing their son's jersey number, with envy.

Pictures

Here are my sweet babies! I love it when they are all loving each other! True bliss!
This is usually what happens when I try to take their picture. Out come the silly faces.

She is really listening to whatever he is saying. This alliance could be dangerous.

Tomorrow is Friday! What else is there to say!

Heavenly Birthday

I have put off posting this all day. This is a difficult day for me. Today was my sister's birthday. She would have been 38 today. She died suddenly and unexpectedly on January 22, 1992. She was just 21. I often wonder what kind of relationship we would have had as adults. We didn't have a very good relationship growing up. We were only 13 months apart and very competitive with eachother. I guess most sisters are like that. I just wonder if we would have outgrown that to have a good adult relationship. I would like to think that we would have. I think of her often even though I don't talk about her much. I get very emotional when I speak of her. I will talk to Drew about her sometimes, but, since he didn't know her, I'm sure it's just like hearing stories about someone you don't know and aren't attached to. Anyway, I just had to recognize that today would have been her birthday and I'm sure she would have bragged about being "two years" older than me, if only for another 5 weeks. She always liked to say she was "two years" older than me until I had my next birthday! Happy Birthday in Heaven, Jamie!

Yea for Wednesday!

I love Wednesdays! Why? Thanks for asking. I will tell you why!
1)On Wednesdays I sleep in until 5:30 or 5:45. (Yes, that is sleeping in. Every other morning I get up at 4:15 to go to the gym!)
2)I seem to get ready a little faster on Wednesdays because I don't have to wait until I stop sweating before I get ready.
3)After school, on Wednesdays, I drop Bryson off with Drew at football practice (or whatever practice they are having depending on the season).
4)Then, I go to the gym. This is my alone time. I go to the gym in the afternoon on Wednesday because I take a class by an instructor I really like. So, I alter my routine just to go to her class. That's not the best part about Wednesdays.
5)After my class, I go home and Drew has given the kids a bath and usually has dinner waiting for me. All I have to do is sit down and eat.
6)After we eat, I take a bath, by myself, and get ready for bed.
7)Then Bryson and I will lay in my bed and watch a show, usually whatever he wants to watch. This is the only day we let him go to bed with me. He would go every night if we let him. We have reduced it to one day. He really enjoys doing that.
Since he was our first baby, we let him fall asleep in our bed and would take him to his bed later on. He still likes to do this, but we don't so much! So, on Wednesdays, we let him. I know he will grow out of it eventually, but for now I will enjoy it. So, that is why I LOVE Wednesdays! They aren't as good as Saturday and Sunday, but Wednesdays are my favorite day during the week!

Funny from Jackson

We have Yatzee games in both bathrooms- to help pass the time! We were getting in the car Thursday morning and Jackson says, in tattle-tale voice, "Mom, Addie has the poopin' game!"
Got to love sweet innocence!

Bryson was baptized today. My grandparents were there, so was Drew's mom and step-dad, his grandmother, Aunt Kelly, Jonathan, Jarrett and his sweet Kindergarten teacher. She was so nice to come see him take this big step in his relationship with Jesus. She has had such an influence in his life and he just LOVES her. In fact, the other day, he told me he wants two moms-her and me. He said she could be his step-mom.

The Cowboy game is almost over, so it is time for baths and bed will follow shortly after! Time to start another week!

Super Mom

Okay, I am NOT talking about myself! I am talking about all the single moms out there who do it ALL by themselves. I only have to be alone a couple of nights a week during football, basketball and track seasons and I struggle every time!

It's not that I don't know HOW to cook (I would hardly starve if left to my own devices). I just don't LIKE to cook. I get an uneasy feeling just being in the kitchen, unless there is chocolate in there! EVERYTIME I am in the kitchen something happens. I burn, break, bust, spill or destroy something! The other night I was going to make breakfast for dinner. Simple enough. The kids like biscuits and eggs. I could handle that much, surely. The first thing I did was drop an egg on the floor. I cleaned it up and managed to get something resembling food on the table. The boys don't really complain anymore, they know that that is just how it is when mom is in charge of cooking. That's just one example. Believe me there are many more. That one is just the most recent! Tonight I stopped by Chicken Express on the way home to avoid a certain disaster. The homecooked meals will have to wait until Drew is home!

Maybe I shouldn't do this, but I do. I let my kids take a bath together. Not every night, just when I need a few minutes by myself. Usually I will only let Jackson and Addison bathe together. I make Bryson take a shower most of the time. Tonight was one of those nights when I said all three of them could take a bath and play in there for a while. Five minutes, I thought, would be enough to get my second wind. I needed it after dancing and jumping around with 5, 6 and 7 seven year olds for a couple of hours today. I had just sat down when Jackson and Bryson came running down the hall, naked, shouting, "Addie pooped in the tub! Addie pooped in the tub!" Sure enough, there it was in all it's glory. And she was standing there laughing at it! Of course every bath toy was in the tub with her. So tonight, one bath turned into two, after a thorough cleaning, and the bath toys filled up the dishwasher. The dirty dishes will have to stay in the sink until Drew gets home.

Then we still had to do homework and spend "quality" time together. I quickly went over spelling words, read a quick book and told them to turn on the T.V.! "We can watch T.V.?" they asked with excitment filling the air. "Sure, go for it. I need some alone time." They completely understand. That's just how it is when mom is in charge.

So, I am sitting here blogging and they are watching yet another show. I am hoping that second wind finds me soon! At least tomorrow is Friday. Although Drew has to scout a game and won't be home until late. We will probably have left-over Chicken Express, take a bath together and go to bed with another show on the Disney Channel. Jealous of my Friday night, yet?

Anyway, I admire single parents who can come home, cook dinner, help with homework and spend quality time with their kids. My mom was a single parent most of my life and I don't know how she managed. I KNOW I couldn't do it. I can barely keep things from falling apart a two nights a week! Power on, single moms! You deserve to be rewarded. Drew, don't even THINK about leaving! We will just follow you anyway!

Cooking 101

Breon and Drew are ready to cook for us! Breon dubbed himself "Chef Homeboy R Dee!"
In action! Don't they look so cute. Kecia refers to Drew as Breon's "boyfriend!"
"Breon is going to WHAT?!? COOK?" I'll believe it when I see it!
This is Kourtney, Brea and Bryson. Brea and Bryson have an on-again, off-again relationship!
He really loves me, he just HATES to admit it!


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Breon and Drew cooked for us on Labor Day. I don't know how much Drew allowed Breon to help, but they sure did look cute in their matching aprons! For those who aren't aware, Drew is a bit of a control-freak when it comes to cooking and "his kitchen." He doesn't even want me helping clear the table! So, they cooked yesterday and we, Kecia and I, were able to sit around and visit. It is so nice to have friends you can just hang out with and don't have to worry about impressing them or being someone you are not. Evidently, we're not too bad, they keep coming over when we ask! When they are here we don't have to worry about our kids. They just all play together and have a good time. We love you, Kecia and Breon! Your kids are great, too!

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A few weeks ago, we were having a conversation at the dinner table. (We eat just about every dinner together as a family. I just love that! Something I never really had growing up.) Anyway, Drew was making an analogy about food and clothes. He was saying the meat is like the pants and the potato or rice is like the shirt in an outfit. He went on to say the bread is like a belt. Nice to have, but not totally necessary. The side dishes are like the accessories. You have to have a shirt and pants. Everything else is extra. Tonight my neighbor brought over dinner. (So nice of her! She just asked me last night if she could bring over dinner! Of course, I said yes!) She brought a chicken enchilada casserole-type dish. It had shredded chicken. Bryson wanted to know if the chicken was the belt. I guess since it was shredded, it didn't rank as the pants! It took us a minute to figure out what he was talking about, but we finally got a laugh out of it!

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Jackson said he wants a pet pig. Don't know where he comes up with these things. For those who don't know, (and for the few people who haven't heard my Jackson stories) he says some of the most off the wall things. He just stated his desire for a pet pig out of the blue on Saturday. He's a funny little guy!

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School is going pretty well. My schedule is a little crazy this year, but I think I am going to like it. At least I won't get bored every day! Nothing boring about being a PE teacher!

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It's getting close to bed time, (yes, it is only 7pm!) so I'd better sign off!