Shoo-ee!

What's that smell?
Oh, it's my brothers! I love my stinky brothers and they love me!

Pretty as a picture!

Addison was looking so cute this morning before church, I had to take her picture. What I didn't take a picture of was her 30 minutes later with vomit ALL over her! She threw up as soon as we parked the car in the church parking lot. It was EVERYWHERE! We just got back in the car and drove home. (Of course, the boys were covering their noses the whole way!) I don't know if she got car sick or gagged herself by sticking her hand in her mouth. I don't think she is sick because she is acting okay, doesn't have a fever and ate a snack and lunch before taking a nap.

I think my foot and back pain is just about gone! My body has adjusted to being back at work. My hip still hurts, but I think that is something I am going to have to deal with in the future. I'm sure that won't be fun.

The boys wanted us (me and Drew) to go out on a date last night. What they really wanted was a few hours away from us! We hadn't been on a "date" in a LONG time, so I called my cousin's wonderful daughter, Ashley, to see if she could come over for a couple of hours. We couldn't decide where to go and ended up calling Breon and Kecia to see if they wanted to go with us. (We really enjoy hanging out with them.) They came over and Ashley watched their girls, too. Dinner was great and the movie was good according to Kecia and Drew. Breon and I took that time to take a nap! I don't know what it is about movies, but I CANNOT stay awake! So I dozed off and on the the entire movie. The only thing that kept me from falling completely asleet was the fact that it was so COLD in there. Next time I am taking a jacket! I know we should go out on dates more often. We will just have to make time for it!

OUCH!

Monday my back hurt so bad I could hardly stand upright. I have a sciatic nerve that acts up sometimes. I guess we all have that nerve, mine just gives me fits now and then! My body is not used to standing up all day! Tuesday my left foot hurt so bad I could barely walk. Today my back is okay, but my foot is still killing me. My hip hurts too, but this has been going on for a while. This working every day is for the birds! (It could be that I am just getting old and my body is wearing out!) Bryson was sweet enough to rub my back Monday evening and my feet last night. I will give him the night off tonight! Drew rubbed my feet last night, also. It's great to be the princess!

In other news, Bryson will be baptized on September 7th. I am so proud of him for taking this step. He had said in the past that he didn't want to get baptized because he didn't want to go under the water. He has since realized that it is very quick and he will not die from baptizim.

School is going okay. My little first graders will probably be the death of me. They are so cute, but I have over 40 of them at a time and I see them at the end of the day which doesn't help. They can't sit still and think they have to have a comment after every sentence I finish. My patience will certainly be tested this year! I feel like I am such a horrible teacher because I can't make them all cooperated all at the same time. It is definately like herding cats!

Now that we are back in full swing I am getting up at 4:15 in the mornings to workout. I just have no energy after working all day. So, off to bed I go to get at least 8 hours of quality shut-eye!

Week in Pictures

Addie was so tired after a day at Miss Linda's. She fell asleep eating dessert!
This is what Bryson did while we were watching the Olympics.
And Jackson did the same!

Guess what I can do?????
I can throw away my own diaper!!!!! I am such a big girl now!
This is Drew watching the Olympics. Notice my feet in his lap! He loves to rub my feet!
This is where I have been for the past two weeks! Watching the Olympics! Go USA!
Addie took my spot for just a few minutes.

Back to the grind

Well, I haven't had much time this week to post anything new. Between the Olympics, three kids, a husband and working I haven't had a lot of time. The Olympics will be over this weekend, so that should free up some time. I actually went to bed early a couple of nights this week instead of watching the Olympics. I couldn't take not getting enough sleep anymore!

School starts Monday and that is both good and bad around here. I am glad to get back on a routine. We all do so much better with a schedule. It is hard though because there just never seems to be enough time each day to do everything I need/want to do. Since going back to work, I have only seen Addison for a couple of hours each day. I don't like that. I see the boys a little more because they stay up later than she does.

Addison has also been sick this week, so those hours were not quality hours. She was whiney and cranky and I was actually relieved when she went to bed. That just makes me feel guilty to WANT her to go to bed. She started running a temp. on Sunday. Not high, just around 100.5 or so. This went on for three days. Finally, Drew took her to the doctor. (She weight 23 pounds now! Big girl!) The doctor said it was probably just a virus of some kind. (This is always the case, it seems.) Anyway, there was nothing to give her, we just had to let it run it's course. The day after the doctor visit, she broke out in a rash. It was just on her face and neck. It has since spread to the rest of her body. Last night the places on her legs were pretty warm to the touch. Hopefully, this is all part of the same virus. She hasn't eaten much this past week, either. Hopefully, she is on the mend and will get back to her cute little self this weekend. I will post pictures later. We have one where she fell asleep in her chair with a cookie in her mouth!

Bryson is ready for school to start. He has a great teacher, who happens to be my friend, this year. He is not too thrilled to have to take the TAKS test this year, but I'm sure he will do just fine.

Jackson has one more year at Miss Linda's. He is ready to go to school, also. He wants to be a big boy so badly. I bought his some ABC flash cards so he can learn his letters. Maybe this will make him feel special.

Hopefully, I will get to post more than once or twice a week. Were really not that exciting to post very often, but I could atleast put some pictures up!

What is WRONG with me?

Okay, I know that is not an easy one to answer! Something is definately going on with my brain, though! Yesterday I just KNEW Drew and the boys were dead on the side of the road somewhere because I couldn't reach him on his cell phone. After several failed attempts I, reluctantly, texted Big Daddy (Breon) to see if he had heard from him. I knew Drew was suppose to talk to Breon because they were doing their fantasy football draft. I wanted to know what time Breon talked to him so I would know the approximate time of death. Morbid, I know, but this was what I was thinking! Breon returned my call and calmed me down, somewhat, and told me Drew was just fine. Drew called about that same time to tell me his cell phone wasn't working where he was. I stopped planning the funeral in my mind and went back to watching the Olympics.

Today I had to stay home with Addison because she was running a fever of unknown cause. I KNEW I had a mandatory meeting at 3:30 so Drew was going to leave work early so I could go. Traffic was horrible today, evidently Texans have forgotten what rain looks like, and I was running late. I am NEVER late so I was really stressing out. Our Superintendent was suppose to be at this meeting. I get to school about 3:40 and look in the cafeteria-nobody there. Library- lights off. I hurry to the office to ask the secretary where the meeting is.
"Meeting?" she asks.

"With Dr. W?"

"Oh, that meeting. It's on Wednesday."

At least I wasn't late for the meeting!

I went and picked the boys up from Breon and Kecia's house. The spent the day with their girls and had a WONDERFUL time. On the way home I am totally zoned out and miss our turn off. No big deal, right? Wrong! This is the one turn off in the whole metroplex that is not easy to get back to if missed. It takes me an extra 20 minutes to get home.

My brain is not working properly for some reason. I blame it on the Olympics. I have lost so much week in the last 10 days that it is affecting my thinking. This is why I am glad it only comes around every 4 years. (I am not that attached to the Winter Games.)

Hopefully, I can get to bed early tonight. I will just record the Olympics tonight and try to watch them tomorrow, yeah right!

A First for Bryson

Addison was my sporty girl yesterday. She looked so cute with her pig tails!
Uncle David and Addison. She LOVES Uncle David!
Looking cute, again!
Bryson's first pimple! It's hard to see up close, but it is there.
You can see his pimple a little better in this picture. It is above his left eye. He thought I was CRAZY taking a picture of his first pimple. I just had to document it. It is just more proof that he is growing up!

After my post yesterday I felt a little exposed so I thought I would follow it up with some light-hearted pictures. I LOVE taking pictures of my kids (and showing them off!).

We're Back.

Well, today was the first day back to work. It was a good summer. I really need routine, but I hate to give up my freedom. I guess I can't have it both ways!

It was fun to talk to people I haven't seen in a couple of months. Now I need to start getting ready for the kids to come back. I really haven't thought about school at all this summer, so I feel like I am really behind. I will start thinking about what changes I want to make this year and get the ball rolling. I anticipate that this will be a good year.

This is a pretty boring entry, I am just tired from staying up until midnight watching the Olympics and sitting through meetings all day. Maybe something exciting will happen this weekend!

I can drive!

This is what we have been doing for fun the past couple of evenings! As you can see, she loves to go fast! Boy, are we in trouble!

Trying to Figure it all out.

Nothing really exciting to post today. Watched some more Olympics today. Went to the pool for a couple of hours. Trying to enjoy the last couple of days of freedom!

When I started this blog I intended to write some deep enlightening thoughts. I just can't do it yet. I don't know if I am afraid of other people reading my innermost thoughts or if I am afraid of Me having to deal with them. I feel this could be a great way to work through some difficult situations I have been dealt in my life, I just can't seem to let go yet. I want to. I desire to grow as a person and as a Christian, I am just scared to start.

A day in the life

We almost got everyone in. Now we have to work on gettin the boys to not make silly faces!
My favorite time of day, after baths! They are so clean and smell so good!
My wonderful boys!
Oh, those eyes!
Cheese!

I have spent the last four nights staying up as late as my eyes would allow watching the Olympics. I LOVE the summer Olympics. It is amazing to watch what those athletes can do with their bodies. Now I am up early typing on this blog. (I think I am getting addicted to this computer!)

Yesterday, during commercial breaks, I was looking around in awe of my family. I have the most WONDERFUL husband ever made! ( I know a lot of people think this about their husbands.) I don't know what I am going to do when we go back to work. He does everything for me. He cooks, cleans, does laundry, takes care of the kids and takes care of the house. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have to do ANYTHING. I have to make myself do things sometimes just so I don't feel guilty later! Anyway, I am truely blessed to have Drew in my life. Cheryl, you did a great job with him. I hope we can teach my boys to be as loving and caring to their wives as Drew is to me.

Addison has learned to throw her own wet diaper in the trash. In fact, she enjoys it. I know that will change quickly, but I enjoy watching her clap and say, "Yay!" when she throws it away. Finally, she is a contributing member of the family!

Addie was also playing hide and seek with the boys a couple of days ago. She can say one, two, three. It actually sounds like, "Uh, doo, tee," but we know what she means! She would count and they would hids, really quickly. Then she would go find them. When she did, she let out the funniest little scream. They played this for about 15-20 minutes until she got bored. It was fun to watch them play together.

We will go register Bryson for school today. I can't believe he will be in THIRD grade. He still likes to sit with me and nuzzle up against me, so I want to try to keep him from growing up too much. He still tells me he loves me several times a day. I know that will change one day, so I will relish every one. He has learned from Drew that when I lay on the couch I like to have my feet rubbed. Although he hasn't mastered the technique yet he is pretty good at it!

Jackson is just as crazy as ever! We call him "Wacky Jacky" a lot of the time. It suits him to a tee. He is the funniest little boy and oh so cute too! The other morning I was commenting about how dark the sky was and about the rain clouds. I said that I hoped it would rain. He said, "It's not going to rain, it's just getting morninger." I thought that was so cute. he just has his own spin on things. Oh to be in the mind of a 4 year old!

I took some pictures yesterday. I was trying to get a picture of all five of us, but with no sixth person here to take our picture and with short arms it was hard to get one where someone's head wasn't cut off. You will notice that I am not wearing any makeup. I haven't worn it much in the last two months! Jackson even asked me one day if I could wear makeup because he likes me "with makeup on." How great is summer vacation!

Enjoy the pictures. I will try to get some better ones soon!

Summer Fun

This entry would not be complete without a shout out to "Uncle Daddy" Breon! Addison loves it when "Uncle Daddy" comes over to play!
The best times in my life are when all three of them love eachother. They really get along well and for that I am very thankful. Bryson is a wonderful "big, big brother" and Jackson is a great "big brother." Addison is a very lucky little girl to have two brothers to look out for her.

There is nothing better than when the boys are playing together nicely. Hopefully they will be best buddies their entire lives. I love these two sweet faces!
Addison was "helping" hunt for crawdads at the creek in Oklahoma.
This is Drew and the kids at the creek cooling off after a crawdad hunt. See how much Jackson loves his older brother? This is their favorite place in the whole world!
Swimming in the creek. They swim, Drew fishes. Country fun!
Jackson played with Addison's squirt toys more than she did. We have a huge float with a mesh insert that stays in the water. I can sit out of the water and the kids can sit in the water. It's perfect for the creek.

Addison turned one this summer. I can't believe a year has already gone by. Some days I felt every second and some just flew by. It seems just a short time ago that we were celebrating Bryson's first birthday and now he's 8! Where does the time go?
Aunt Kelly gave Addison a "Birthday Princess" crown to wear. She sure knows how to spoil a girl! Thanks, Aunt Kelly for reminding everyone that I am a princess. (Like I would let them forget!)

My wonderful grandparents come and stay with us sometimes, although not as much as we would like! My kids adore them, and so do I. Not many kids get to play and have fun with their great-grandparents. Come see us more often, Grandmother and Granddad!

Addison was acting a little "wild" after her bath one night. She was having a good time and in the background you can see the fruity Cheerios she threw on the floor. Jackson kept telling me I needed to clean them up. I guess our cleaning habits have already rubbed off on him at the tender age of 4!

This is me and Addison before baby dedication at church. Better late than never!

This is just some of the fun we have had this summer. I have enjoyed our time this summer, but all good things must come to an end. We go back to work this Friday. Back to schedules and routines.

Let the games begin!

Well, I have joined the blogging community! I have been thinking about blogging for a couple of weeks and decided to just jump in with both feet. (Although, I am still holding my nose!) I hope to share some of my daily musings, struggles and triumphs with anyone who wishes to read. I hope to be transparent and open so people around me, as well as myself, can get to know me better.

We have been out of school for almost two months and are about to go back to work this week. Where did all the time go? I have enjoyed hanging out with my kids and with Drew this summer. We took a trip to Oklahoma to visit my grandparents in June. We have gone swimming and have watched A LOT of tv. I will enjoy getting back into a routine, but will miss being able to stay up late and sleep whenever I can. (When three kids allow!)

I will add pictures of my kids later. As you will come to see, I am very proud of my kids and my family. I think I have the cutest kids in the world!

More to come!