Time flies when you are having fun

--

Wow! What a great week-

end we had at our house. Jennifer and Lance came up for the weekend with their kids (Will 8, Josie 5 and Nate 3).

Jennifer homeschooled her kids until this year and used the same curriculum that I used last year. It was great to have someone to toss ideas around with last year. This year, after much prayer, she and Lance decided that it was time for Will and Josie to go to public school and for her to return to work. She works in a local preschool and takes Nate with her. This a good for them because it allows her to still be home with the kids after school. I sure do miss her this year but am so happy to know that things are going good for them--even with all the changes!!! It does make me sad sometimes to have to wait until after 12 to call and talk to her but the great part is that I can call her!!!! Okay enough about that except that her going back to work makes trips more of a challenge--since we can't just run to the zoo or what ever any day so it makes weekends like this one even sweeter!!!

So what did we do? LOTS of laughing!!! What could be better. It was just what the doctor ordered.

Friday was hectic around here as we tried to get some things done before they got here that afternoon. Steve has hurt is back again so he was not feeling all that great but what a trooper he is. I had a ton of laundry to do and grocery shopping. Steve did the shopping while I took care of the laundry--Jennifer no laughing since I'm sure you saw what was still in the bathroom!!! I also squeezed in a quick hair cut!!! The kids were great on Friday morning. They got up and did their school work and then cleaned up their rooms!!! Then Shelby started watching the clock. She stood in the garage and waited for about an hour once she knew it was almost time for them to arrive. Do you think she was excited?!!!

Friday afternoon and evening went great. The kids played and laughed and made TONS of noise but that was perfect. Jennifer brought dinner and fixed it. She said it was a late ""after baby meal and so I should just sit and talk to her while she fixed the meal. I sorta followed her instructions. She made a wonderful pork tenderloin and candied sweet potatoes (which if they spill out of their foil pan onto the pan that is under them you will have two pans "glued" together--just FYI). It was a great meal. After that we let the kids play while we set up sleeping arrangements and the guys watched you guessed it FOOTBALL!!
After that it was "The Most Wonderful Time of the Day" aka kid's bedtime!!! They really do great and don't give us to much trouble about going to bed--most of the time!!
After the kids were in bed it was time for the adults to kick back and relax. We played cards and listened to 70/80 music. Steve and Jennifer just blow us away by saying the title and artist of every song!!! Showoffs!!! We laugh so hard that we all usually end up crying before the night is over. We finally called it quits a little after 1 AM. Yes, I must have lost my mind since Landon still gets up most nights. Well he didn't let me down. He got up at 2:30 and FINALLY went back to bed at 4:10!!! Casey, not wanting to miss out, got up at 6:00!!! Let me just say that I was not real happy to have one of MY kids awake so early. But that's how life around here goes. Like my friend Kim says, "if you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tuff!" Since I stayed up on my own there wasn't much I could say about being tired the next day.

Saturday was a great day. We have not had rain in MONTHS here but it rained off and on Wednesday and Thursday and all day on Friday so we were ready to be out side. We (the guys) wanted to take the kids hiking at Andrew Jackson State Park and then to lunch at a Mexican restaurant in a near by town. The last part sounded fine but all I could think of was that it had been raining for 3 days!!! Can you say MUD!!! I mentioned this to they guys and their response was "oh there will be leaves on the ground." They were right, there were wet, SLICK leaves on the ground!!! As we let the kids look around the museum, the guys talked with the park ranger about the trails. There are 2 trails--one of them goes around the lake. We picked the other one!!! 2 reasons here. The first being 7 kids and water--enough said. The other was that there was a Harley wedding getting ready to take place near the lake trail. We figured that they might not enjoy the ambiance that we could possibly bring to their special day. Steve and Lance told the ranger which trail we were going on and she told them which way to go and to turn around 1/2 way so as to stay away from the muddest part. Steve even asked/showed her what they understood her to say and she said yes that's the way. Well she obviously had not been that way!!! After we started down the trail (which crosses a road not indicated on the map) it was so MUDDY!! I was caring Landon in the sling so it made it hard for me to see my feet and Jennifer was helping me keep Casey on her feet as much as possible while the guys chased after the rest of the crew. The first part of the trail went down hill and was mostly mud. Remember we were following the park rangers directions. She must not have been that way in YEARS!!! I was thinking that if this was the "good" part that we might loose a child in the "bad" part!!! At the half way point things actually got better!!!! Casey being the independent, do it my way child that she is walked almost the entire mile long trail. Steve took over with her at the 1/2 way point and it was so funny watching him try and talk her in to walking on the side of the trail in the places that had lost of roots and/or mud. She just went on her way--right down the middle of the path. Her friend Nate on the other hand did not want mud on his light up shoes and insisted on being carried most of the way. Jennifer finally got him to walk when about 3/4 of the way we found a spot where some one had walked their bear ( I mean dog) and had not cleaned up. Well Jennifer told Nate about what the "bear" had left and he had to walk from there so he didn't miss any of the cool stuff. We also saw two funnel spiders. They have really cool webs!!! Will walked next to me for a bit and said how sad it was that Landon had slept during his entire first hike. He must have been right that hiking is relaxing to babies because Landon got a great nap. We got back to the parking area just in time to see the Harley couple and their wedding party ride off. Casey--who usually does not like loud noise-- didn't seem to mind the bikes. We spent some time doing "The Muddy Shoe Shuffle" and then took all the kids shoes off and put everyone in the car to head for lunch.

Ahh, lunch. We were starved!!! The Mexican place we went to just happens to have free kids meals on Saturday and it's not one kid per adult!!!! I'm sure they almost cried when they saw our crew straggling in--everyone so clean and all!!! Remember the mud? Some of our kids got a little closer to nature than the moms would have liked!!! We had taken Lance (who loves Mexican food) and Jennifer to the same restaurant last time they were in town and they wanted to go back again. What a difference timing makes!!! Last time was wild. The kids were wild and loud. This was probably because their kids had been in the car for several hours and then we didn't let them have time to play before heading out to dinner. Well this time they were starving so they were busy stuffing chips and salsa or chips and queso in their mouths and didn't get loud talking. They were also TIRED and happy to just sit and have lunch. So it was a nice QUIET lunch.

After we got back to the house, we left the guys with all the big kids (that's now all kids that can walk!!) and Jennifer and I went shopping. This was the first time Jennifer had seen any of the area near our house. We live pretty close to some HUGE houses that cost lots of money so we drove through one neighborhood and drooled over the houses. Then we took off to Target and Marshall's to do some shopping. Casey and Nate both got new t-shirts. Casey's says "I do all my own stunts" and Nate's says "monkey see, monkey do, monkey get in trouble, too." They could easily wear each other shirts and still have on the appropriate shirt!!!

Saturday night was USC football night and funny and sad at the same time. Both of the guys are shall we say passionate about USC football and it can be both humorous and exasperating to watch a game with them!!! Jennifer and I spent most of our time talking and just hanging out--making sure that neither one of they guys got hurt or woke up the kids as they "watched" the game. Steve was a little calmer this week. I'm sure it was his back--he couldn't leap out of the chair!!!! We didn't play cards because near the end of the game (about 10:30) my eyes started crossing I was so tired so we all just headed to bed.

Sunday Casey got us (Steve and I) up early but was willing to get in the bed with us for a little while. We got up and had a light breakfast--wonderful banana bread that Jennifer brought--and then sent the kids off to play. We played another round of cards and spent a lot of time dinging the bell (Steve will ding the bell if you take to long on your turn) and using Shelby's mega phone to announce who's turn it was currently!!! I'm sure the kids thought we had lost our minds!!! They are probably right but they are probably the cause also.

We had steak for lunch and then Drew and Will played football in the backyard with Steve and Lance while Jennifer and I held Landon and watched all the other kids play with bubbles. Max played with the bubbles also. He loves trying to eat them!!!

4 was a sad time because that was when they started back home. I always hate to see that time come. We all have such a good time and I just hate to see it end. This time was a little different because we will be in Greenwood in 10 days (the kids had to count) and will get to spend the afternoon together again.

This is going to be a "strange" week here. We are coming off a great but tiring weekend and our schedule is a little out of whack this week. I went to my boot camp class this morning because we will be in Asheville on Thursday night and I will miss that class. How's that for dedication--make it up before I miss it!!! All I can say is I better see some results. It was COLD this morning!!!! Tomorrow I have a dentist appointment--oh joy and boot camp tomorrow night. Wednesday is Halloween. Drew still needs to pick a costume!!! So guess what we will be doing today and tomorrow and probably Wednesday morning--making a costume!!! Then we will be in Asheville and then the kids and I are heading to my mom's while Steve is at a men's retreat with our church. Then the next week we will be out of town for 2 days!!! Then is it Thanksgiving? Time is just zipping by right now!!!

Well school is done so I need to go and check papers and grade Drew's 2 test. Then Drew and I need to pick out a costume for him. Plus at some point I have to think about dinner and finishing my Bible study since that is tonight.

WOW!!!!

Well it's official, Landon is growing up to fast!!! Yesterday at the doctor, he was 22 inches (3 inches longer than at birth) and are you ready???? 10 pounds and 14 ounces!!!!!!!! I just can't believe how fast he is growing. He's been having some tummy trouble and on Tuesday, the nurse said to give him 1 ounce of apple juice in his bottle during 2 different feedings to see if that helped and it did. Well yesterday his doctor said to keep that up so that he would be comfortable. I'm just thinking that apple juice in his bottle of formula (which is how they want us to do it) has got to taste awful!!!! However, Landon doesn't seem to mind.

The doctors office had a flu shot clinic yesterday and said that even though it was over, I could still get Shelby and Casey's flu shot while I was there. That was very tempting for about 1/2 a second then not so much. See, Casey is fine out in the waiting room and has even graduated to not crying (I mean all out screaming) as long as the nurse is in the room but as soon as she sees Dr. S the SCREAMING begins and does not stop till he is leaving at which point she looks at him and says "bye" in her sweet little voice (if you've heard her say this you know what I mean). Shelby does good unless she is getting a shot. Mimi can tell you how bad that is because she went with me last year. It took 4 people to hold Shelby down and Mimi said that more nurses were coming to see if we needed more help. Well yesterday she was playing and talking to Casey while I was talking to the nurse (all of this out in the big waiting room), well she must have had her "radar donkey ears" on because she quick jumped up and came across the room and said "Am I getting a shot? I don't want a shot!!" Let's just say there was a lot of DRAMA involved before we ever even got to the room. So needless to say, knowing that Landon was getting 3 shots, I passed on getting the girls theirs. I told them that I would wait for Drew to be home and for Daddy to come with me!!!! We should all get to share in the fun, don't you think?!!!!



Now on to other news.

Drew is coming home today. He's been at Mimi's house since Monday. I know he's having such a good time. They have been playing tennis and apparently he and Kokopat have been making a "record". I can't wait to hear what that's all about.

Kokopat made Drew's year by buying him a "cheater" book for his gameboy/gamecube. It has codes to several of his games and he was so excited. He said, "Mom you just type in these codes and it takes you to places in the game that I've never been to before!!!" I knew these books were out there since my sweet little big brother loved Nintendo so much but Drew had no idea about them. I'm sure he will have lots of news about his games that just goes right over my head!!!

Shelby is loving playing Animal Crossing on Gamecube. She was just giddy with anticipation on Monday because she was having a "house" built and it would be ready on Tuesday. This game works on a real 24 hour day so she really had to wait. I'm sure this sounds crazy to some of you and some of it still does to me.

Well tonight I go back to work out. I hope I make it. I thought that I was doing great yesterday morning when I could get out of bed without crying. Well it went down hill from there.

Then we decided to move furniture around in the house. Now I'm so sore I can hardly move!!! I don't think I can do lunges tonight but I may have a neighbor go with me tonight so that will be nice!!!

Well now to finish putting our house back together!! That's always the fun part of moving furniture around. That and when you realize that you forgot to take the dishes out of the bottom of the china cabinet. Poor Steve, if you could have only seen to look on his face when I realize that I had not gotten back in there to take all the dishes out of the bottom cabinets!!! All I can say is "Landon started crying."

My Biggest Cheerleader

Well tonight was the first night of Adventure Boot Camp for me. I felt bad about rushing out of the house as soon as Steve got home but I did not want to be late especially for the first night. Another big reason not to be late is that if you are late then you get to do 20 extra sit ups!!!! Just in case you are curious--I can do a few and I can make an attempt at doing about 20 but not 40!!!! Not yet any way but I'm going to work on it.

Boot Camp is an intense 4 week exercise program that I am participating in right now. I have looked forward to it starting and now I'm looking forward to it being over--I want to see results NOW!!!! It was a long hour tonight and I'm thinking that next time will be really long!!! Even as long and exhausting as tonight was for me I am so glad that I am doing this. At one point tonight (more than 30 minutes into the hour long class) we were running for 4 minutes and boy was it HARD. Do you know how long it has been since I have done anything that even resembles running (not counting running down the street with Casey after she swallowed the ornament hook)? Let me tell you it was probably in high school PE!!!! I was really giving out and saying "Self what have you gotten us into. We paid money for this? (YES!!) We will come to all of these classes!!" After I finished having this conversation, I started telling God how I wasn't going to make it through the rest of this class. Well let me tell you. God is so good!!!! All the time!!! As I was complaining to God about how tired I was and how hard all of this is I was reminded that our bodies are a temple and therefore we should take care of them. During my whine secession, I looked at the sky and it was this beautiful pink and it was being reflected in the lake that we were running around. It was at that moment that I stopped complaining and started thanking God for my body and reminding my self that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And do you know what? I made it. Not only did I finish the run but I was able to keep up for the rest of the class--lunges and all. I even think that tomorrow I might even be able to walk and raise my arms above my head--I hope so anyway.
So now who is my biggest cheerleader? SHELBY!!! When I walked in tonight she started jumping up and down and yelling about how good I looked (yea right, for the past hour I had been out in the heat and humidity running and lifting weights--I'm sure I looked good) then she said "let me see you belly." To which I asked her why and she answered that she wanted to see how much smaller my belly is now. I started laughing and she insisted that I had lost at least a pound!! I may just have to take her with me on Thursday. I am still smiling as I think about her and what a motivator she is for me.
So why am I doing all of this? Can you say baby weight (times 2), it's almost winter and I have 1 pair of blue jeans and fewer dress clothes--see the first reason!! I want to feel better and if I get rid of some of this "baggage" I know that I will look and feel better. My sweet husband-who only tells me how good I look--I really do want to look good for him. For my kids. I want them to see me doing something to make myself healthy. I really want to lead by example. That's something I'm working on in several areas.
Well, the bed is calling my name VERY loudly so I think I will answer it. I will update on Landon and the kids tomorrow after we get home from Landon's doctor appointment.

An informative lunch

I just love being home with my kids!!! I am totally blessed that God has made a way for us to home school--especially since I am learning so much!!!

Casey is spending some time with Mimi and KP this week so we are trying to maximize our school time. I know she is having a wonderful time. She loves to see the animals--just so long as they are QUIET!! She does not like for the cows to "talk" to her!! I'm sure she's also having fun riding on the golf cart to go see Granny and Granddaddy and Aunt Mary, blowing bubbles and playing in her sand box. Oh yea and watching TV--since last time she was there, she learned that a "mote" makes the TV play what ever she wants to see!!!

It's really funny to me when people say, "How do you home school with a baby?". Well the baby is not the issue these days--it's the walking, talking, adventure seeking toddler in the house that can make things a challenge. Usually lunch is not a real "learning time"; it's a fast paced time of trying to finish before Casey falls asleep in the high chair. We try to never let that happen because if she gets 5 minutes and you wake her up---she up for the rest of the day!!! So while I miss her dearly, I am trying to maximize my time with Drew and Shelby and get lots of school cleaning done!!!

Today at lunch, Shelby wanted to know which flower was my favorite. I told her that I like all kinds and that I wasn't sure that I had a favorite. Well that started a conversation on how flowers get their food. Shelby said she was glad that flowers don't eat people or animals. Well then we started talking about the Venus Flytrap. That started all the questions: Where does it grow? How big is it? Can it eat me? Can it bite my finger off? What does it look like? Now lots of times, we are in the car when this type of Q & A starts and I just try to remember to write the topic down on a piece of paper so I can find the answer when we get home (by which time, their interest in the subject is fading) but today we sitting at the kitchen table. I stopped eating and got the computer and they said "We're going to look it up now?!!!" To which I smiled and said "Why of course!!" We had a great time looking at the pictures and learning (shhhh, don't tell them about the learning) about the plant. It really is a beautiful flower. A good example of how something can look so good but not be good for you!! One thing I learned was that although it has successfully been grown all around the world, it is native to North and South Carolina!!!! It likes "boggy" type areas so I guess that's why I can't recall seeing one. I usually try to stay out of swampy areas since I figure that's a really good place to "meet" up with something that WILL bite me!!!

So how many of you knew that the Venus Flytrap is native to North and South Carolina?

Old Friends and New Friends

I can't believe how time flies!!!! On Wednesday, we got to spend some time with Melinda, Macaylia and Micah. It was a great visit. Shelby and Macaylia picked up right where they left off. Melinda and I spent a nice afternoon catching up and watching our kids play!!! Drew thought it was pretty good also because he got to have some electronics time while the girls played. Casey was her normal self in that she was charming but didn't care to "make" friends. Landon, well, it didn't really matter to him what was going on.

I was pretty stunned when Melinda mentioned how long we had known each other. We met at a church picnic in Greenwood. At that time, Shelby and Macaylia were just over 2 years old and her twins were about 6 months old!!! Steve asked her if she needed some help with the girls because they were crying and Macaylia was wanting to go and play on the play ground. I helped her with the twins and Steve took the older girls and Drew to play on the playground.

Things have sure changed since then!! We have both moved to new towns and have more kids. There might be a pattern here. They moved to a new town and another kid and we moved to two different towns and had two more kids. Haa Haa just kidding--there is NO pattern forming here (at least not on my end)!!!! That being said, I know that GOD is totally in control and He works all things to His glory and in His time--which can be very different from what we have planned and despite our best efforts, God still chooses to bless us!!! He is so amazing!!!

Okay now for a little trivia.....

What is the only place that Steve and I have lived SINCE we got married that we have NOT had a kid?

2 screaming babies and a lizzard....

Yep, that was last night right before dinner. Landon and Casey were both hungry and letting the world know about it by you guessed it screaming and crying as loud as they could!!!!!
Yes, I was quickly solving the problem as fast as I could possibly do when I hear a scream in the living room. It was a VERY loud noise because I was able to hear it over the two little ones. It was Shelby. She had spotted a lizard in our living room. Now Shelby has been known to actually catch lizards while at Mimi's but it must be a totally different when it's in your own home!!!
Ahh, Daddy to the rescue. Steve came in and we got a box with a lid to try and catch said lizard. It must have been a smart lizard because it ran for the TV. Yep the TV. The one place Steve would not really bother it--because as you know we are not going to damage this TV!!!!! Steve told Shelby that he would get it in a few minutes because he had to go and check on the grill. He was stalling trying to think of something to tell her tonight if we didn't get that little lizard before bed. His plan was to tell her that they couldn't climb stairs--I'm not sure she would have bought that one. And yes the 2 little ones were still screaming!!!
Finally we got dinner fixed and the little ones fed. Conner came over to play and as he and Shelby were going upstairs to play with Drew, Conner said "Hey there's a lizard on the stairs!" It surprised him because he thought that it was fake at first!!! Well the screaming started again from Shelby. Steve got the box and caught the little guy. He didn't have near as many places to hide on the steps!!! Steve took the lizard in the box and got behind Conner and said "Oh no it's getting on Conner's head"! Yep you guessed it more screaming but this time from Conner. Thank goodness, he did this to Conner and not Shelby!!! Finally the lizard was released outside so that he could be free and try to get back inside to drive us crazy on another day!!!

The reason we homeschool....

I just had one of my best homeschool moments. We are studying countries and cultures this year so to before we got to into our countries, I wanted to make sure we had a good understanding of maps and legends and the related items. Well I had Drew and Shelby working on using maps to answer some questions while I folded a load of laundry, and Shelby comes to me and says, "Mom I finished. Can I do some more? This is so much fun!!! It's not like I'm learning but I really am!" Well what could I say except "Of course you can do more!!!"
Moments like these don't happen every day but they are a big part of why I love having my kids at home!!!

Casey is a little irritated with school right now. She has really enjoyed having Drew & Shelby at her disposal. She is not liking them having to do more work now and to show it, she is finding all kinds of things to keep herself busy while I help them. Today, she tried to swing Landon--while he was already swinging thank you very much!!! She also offered him some milk from her sippy cup. I think what she likes the most is filling the pack n play with her stuff and she really doesn't care if L is in it at the time or not!!!

Drew has really stepped up and been one of the most helpful people around. He empties the dishwasher if it needs it--sometimes, he always ask if Casey has had breakfast yet when he fixes his. Today he learned to fix oatmeal!!! Shelby has really had some fun playing with Casey lately also. I am so blessed by my kidos!!!

I was thinking last night while I was up with Landon (it's a really good time for that since it's usually quiet at that time) that God has blessed our family in so many wonderful ways. Over the past week, I have spent a lot of time thinking about how much I HATED being here after we got moved. Well, it's still not my favorite place but you know what....God has such an awesome plan for us here!!! He gave us a wonderful new baby and we are starting to find our place--I'm pretty slow when it comes to this area. One of the things that started my thinking about all of this was a quote on a friends blog. I'm going to share it here and maybe it will bless someone else like it has me this week.

"Just keep asking 'God, if I can't have what I want, then help me to know what it is You want me to have.' Faith is knowing in your heart that He has a treasure much greater than the one you've been asking for."-Guideposts

a quick song

Just something cute to share with all the moms out there!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlY8STkhopc

I find my self singing a similar song most days!!!

Field Trip Fun

What's more fun than being up most of the night with a screaming toddler? Being up most of the night with a toddler who is either screaming or playing the body alphabet game and knowing that you have to get up early the next morning--not taking it slow.

We decided to take a quick field trip to the zoo today when we realized that some of our "bestest" friends in the world had the day out of school and could meet us. Our plans for them to come here to meet Landon had fallen through so this was a great alternative.

The zoo was great--not to hot or crowded. That's just the way I like it. Poor Casey wanted to see the elephants but she didn't get a chance today. They were working on the elephant area and the elephants were "inside".

Drew and Shelby had a great time with their friends and so did I!!! You know, I am so thankful for all the friends I've made during all of our moves. God has blessed us over and over in that area!!! With that, there are people who you will always keep in touch with no matter where you live. That's the kind of day I had. I know that Jennifer and I will always be friends no matter where either of us live--yes I know who will move first!! We had a great day together an the kids had a wonderful time--it's pretty great that each of our kids has a "buddy"--well L will just have to tag along with Casey and Nate--or Casey will just have to join the other girls and let Nate and Landon buddy up.

This was just the start of a busy week for us. Today the zoo, tomorrow I have a dr. appt., the kids have gym and swim, Wed. holds one maybe 2 dr. appts. for Landon, hopefully Thursday and Friday will be quiet!!!

Well, it's been a long day and I'm hoping that the kids will sleep better tonight--although it's not looking like things are headed in that direction now!!!