~Me & My Boys....our life,one laugh at a time~

Skin Cancer SUCKS!!!!

2011-09-23T15:33:00.002-04:00

and hurts like heck too!
Yep, I went to the dermatologist a few weeks ago for a nasty spot that was in the middle of my back. It started out as a really raw spot and then just would not heal(or so I thought). It has been there for a year and we have been watching it close. It never got better and never went away so I broke down and made an appointment.
Too make a long story short it was cancer and I had it removed yesterday and let me just say....OUCHY!
Chris was allowed in the room with me to "watch" and he said "Babe they took a hunk out of your back!" ....geez thanks!
The Dr. took out a piece of MY meat that was as long and thick as my pinkie finger and a little wider!!!
Now I am all stitched up a sore as crap...they put 6 stitches on the inside that will dissolve and did a running stitch on the outside that I will have removed in 10 days.
So now that I have sworn off tanning beds forever I am looking for a good spray tan place...and hopefully I won't come out looking like an Umpa Lumpa!!!

Brain dumpage!

2011-08-18T11:25:00.003-04:00

I have several things running around in my brain lately so I thought I would drop a few to make room for more...

School starts back in a week and I so am not ready for all this..... early to bed, pack lunch, picky teachers, fuss, do home work, yell, do projects, check homework, more home work, do you have a ride home, stomp feet, no you can't wear that shirt with a Rebel flag to school, eyes roll, early to rise...and repeat!!!!

Celebrated my 16 year wedding anniversary last week and it seems like I just married him yesterday...and I almost have him trained just how I want him :O)

Hate all the things kids post on face book, the cuss words, girls pictures with those shorty butt showin shorts on, flippin off the camera...geez...and you want your parents to treat you like an adult...ummmm NO!

Sick of people sending me friend request on FB that I don't even know...just cause your a friend of a friends Aunt on her Daddy's side 2nd cousin to Grandma Bertha don't feel the need to friend me cause it's gonna be a BIG FAT ignore!

I still need to find more jeans for Kyle....KILL ME NOW!

So stoked about my new oil rubbed bronze kitchen faucet I won on ebay last week. Although my boys think it doesn't match the kitchen but then again what do they know about style & fashion...NOTHING cause they still ask me if their clothes match on Sunday mornings for church!

I am so ready for Fall I can almost taste it!

Kyle driving is going to cause me to age 100 times faster than I already was.

Bringing to mind my next thought...my hair really needs to be done due to all my gray showing.

Wine always taste better when you are drinking it on your back porch while on the phone with your BFF who is hundreds of miles away and she is drinking hers on her back porch but the conversation is just like you are sitting side by side at the same table.

Kyle let Chevy in the house and he scratched my hardwood all to heck and back again...although he still denies it with every breath he takes...and last I checked Chevy doesn't have thumbs, therefore he didn't open the door and let his self in!

thanks for listening!!!!

I hate Back to School!!!!

2011-08-03T09:09:00.002-04:00

I hate back to school shopping...especially with a teenage boy in tow. Not that he is that picky but lets just say...clothes are not cheep!
I took Kyle to Raleigh Saturday to shop for jeans.....I would rather have been horse whipped! The day did not get off to a good start when we had already been in 5 stores and none of them had his size(either every teenage boy in North Carolina wears 29X34 jeans or it is a very abnormal size and no stores carry them.....I am leaning more toward the 2nd choice!) The poor salesman at Belk's tried to help us and asked what size we were looking for(he must have noticed the frustration on my face after digging through shelf after shelf of Red Camel jeans that were on sale for $15.99 a pair) When I told him what size I was looking for he gave me a puzzled look like "lady you can't be looking for that size" then about that time Kyle turned the corner and walked up and the sales guy loudly said "oh my gosh, look at the length of his leg bone!"...my poor Bubba is all leg I tell ya!
After leaving about the 4th store with no jeans in hand Kyle turns and says "Mom, you can just by me Wranglers from Walmart, really I don't mind" Bless his heart, I then told him I already tried that and they didn't have his size either.
It was then that an idea popped in my head to just chop his feet off at the ankles and then he could wear his 30X32's from last year!!!!...and that would save me more money by not having to buy new tennis shoes!
We finally scored big in American Eagle. They had a few pair of jeans in 30X34's (he will just have to wear a belt) a shirt and 2 pair of boxers and cost me $107.00! Then we headed to Hollister and got 2 more shirts for $34.00. For those of you who know me, you know how much I love to say money and shop the clearance racks...well that didn't happen that day but at least he won't have to start school naked.......or without his feet!

I am now the Co-Pi.....

2011-07-29T14:41:00.002-04:00

...oh I can't even say the word......I can't even type the word.....
but non the less, I am no longer in the drivers seat.

My Bubba turned 15 on Wednesday and passed his permit test(after the big turd slept til 10:30) and he only got up then because I went and jumped on his bed and sang Happy Birthday to him at the top of my lungs! I mean, who really sleeps til 10:30 on their birthday??????

I must say things went better than I thought they would. I was really terrified on the way to the DMV office that he was not going to pass. He did well in Driver's Ed class (well, all except that for bird & squirrel deal) but I was just afraid he would rush through the test and not take his time and make a careless mistake. But he proved his Mom wrong and only missed 2 questions on the computer test and made 100% on the sign test.....Mr. Smarty Pants!

And just that fast...it was all over and we were walking out the door and Chris was handing over the keys. I really am proud of myself that I didn't cry. Chris on the other hand said he should have taken 2 blood pressure pills that morning instead of one. Kyle hopped in the driver seat. I climbed in the back and Chris had shotgun(nothing like having a Trooper for a Dad on your first day with your permit). But Kyle did well and only made a few mistakes. I kept my head down most of the time and prayed :O)

We had asked Kyle earlier in the week what he wanted to do for his birthday and all he wanted to do was be able to drive to his weekly Wednesday night fire meeting....and so that's what he did.

Yesterday he talked his Nana into coming to pick him up so he could drive her around town to run her errands and then called to say he needed to spent the night with her so he could driver to her hair appt this morning at 8:45 the next morning......that boy is crazy!!!!

So, now we have started a whole new chapter in the Owens household. It gives me an entire new fear. He has gone through so many milestones in the past 15 years but this is the most terrifying one for me and the most exciting one for him!

Knock-knock....are you guys still out there????

2011-06-30T10:01:00.002-04:00

WOW! I haven't been on Blogger for over 2 months....holy mother of pearl!
I am sure most of you thought I was dead or put in prison, held captive by Kyle for not adhering to his feeding schedule...or better yet basking on a beach somewhere with a fruity drink in hand....I vote for the last one!
Nope...none of the above....
However, we did go on vacation to the beach for a week and it was absolutely wonderful! I did nothing but lay buy the pool, then the beach, then the pool then....well you get the picture...
Anyhow, Kyle has finished his first year of high school and even though he barely passed Spanish by 1% point they have decided to let him move onto the 10th grade. And get this....they are even placing him in Honors English {{crickets chirp}}
I know, right...It AMAZED me too! Not that I don't think I have the smartest kid in the world like all the other moms, but less face the facts here.
1. He is 27 days shy of being 15 and still uses the word weren't several times a day.
2. If something is Beast or Nasty...that's a "good" thing.
3. He still loses his train of thought 2 words into a sentence if he sees something with dual exhaust or mud tires.
4. And spends 99% of his time looking where he has been instead of where he is going.

Which leads me to the next BIG thing that has been going on around our house......Driver's Ed!!!
He has already completed 30 hours of "class instructional time" and for the past 2 days he has been knocking out the 8 hours of "behind the wheel" training (and I use the word "knocking out" for a reason)
On the first day of driving, he called me during the break only to tell me that he had already run over a squirrel and a bird!!!! No joke, I can't make this crap up! So lets just say he is going to have to drive alot with his Dad before I get in the car with him behind the wheel. I mean, how many kids have actually killed an animal the first day of Driver's Ed....much less two! I'm not sure if he was driving, or hunting!!!!!
But none the less, he got his certificate and so now we just sit and wait for July 27th to roll around so we can head to the DMV to get his permit....and all the while, all I can think about is straining my brain trying to remember back to the last time I held him in my arms as a toddler and put him down where his feet touched the floor not even realizing that it was the last time I would ever hold him.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have had the best photographer in town there at that exact moment to snap a shot so I would have it to look back on for the rest of my life. But instead, I just have it tucked away in my heart and think about it every time I look at him growing up.

At what point did I blink?

2011-04-22T08:30:00.003-04:00

Well, the time is almost here...in less that 2 weeks my Bubba will start Drivers Ed (some stupid driving class the school system requires here in NC). You have a certain number of hours in class and then road driving time as well. Which for Kyle is a waist of time because Chris has already told him once the class is over to forget everything he was told because he was going to teach him the "right" way (boy the advantages of having your father be a Sargent of the Highway Patrol!).....POOR Kyle! I hate driving with him in the car and I've been married to him for almost 16 years! It's always laws, and speed, and blind spots and safe following distance and blah...blah ....blah.......
So, as Kyle begins this phase of his life, I can't help but let my mind wonder back and try to piece everything back together and see exactly when it was that I blinked and missed my baby boy growing up. When did my 7lb 15oz, 19 inch long, dark headed perfect baby boy become a 5 foot 9 inch, lean blond headed mouthy teenager? Who in no way shape of form should be half way old enough and ready to get behing the wheel of a car.....REALLY!!!! Oh, Lord I can't breathe..........
These are the times in life where you have to find the humor in it all so you don't break down into that blubbering idiot Mom phase, complete with runny snot and all!
Some of my close friends are just having babies and some have young toddlers and I feel as though I am at a total different phase in life trying to survive the ever feared teenage years. I hope someday I will have words of wisdom for them as they reach this time whith their own children....but the truth is, non of have any wisdom when it comes to raising children. No matter what anyone tells you or warns you about, it simply something you learn on your own through trial and error...and yes there will be plaenty of times when you will fail and then say to your self "well that sure as heck didn't work out like I thought but it didn't kill him either"...and let me just say I have more than a few of those conversations with myself!
I could stomp my foot and grab him around the neck, dig my heels in and hold on tight but the truth is....it wouldn't help.....he would still start to drive......and ....he would still grow up.
So, as our house begins this adventure please keep us in your prayers cause I am a firm believer that God has a sense of humor and that is something that I am really gonna need to get through it all!

I took a day off.....

2011-04-15T09:44:00.003-04:00

I took the day off work yesterday to get a few things done around the house(actually it was more like a long chore list of outside jobs that needed to be done with Chris's help) and since his days off are through the week, it was my only chance to get them done. We started at 8am with pulling weeds out of all the flower beds I have in the front yard. Then while Chris was gone to get a truck load of mulch(yes, we need so much we have to by it by the truck load) I put a fresh coat of black paint on the plant urns I have by the garage. Then I notices the water deverter thingy's needed a fresh coat of black paint too. So I snagged them up and did them to. Next I headed back around front and scrubbed down all four chairs on the front porch and topped them off with a fresh coat of white paint. Chris came back home and he shoveled an entire truckload of mulch while I was on the ground directing and spreading. Next he pressure washed the entire front of the house while I planted flowers in my bird bath and pots.(No my bird bath is not for birds...it is much prettier filled with waving petunias!) Somewhere in between all the chores I think we may have taken a much needed break for lunch...and by the time Kyle arrived home from school I was beat....but there was more to be done. There were still tons of seeds that needed to be planted in the garden. So off we went and spent the next 2 hours making rows and planting seeds. This my friends is were I became a tad OCD.....I planted all the veggies in my garden in ABC order....I mean, who does this crap! Sometimes I think I am going crazy! But over all I think later when the things start growing it make it easier for me to remember what is what. We planted alot this year. Asparagus, beans, broccoli, cucumber, okra, squash, green pepper, 2 kinds of pumpkins, 2 kinds of watermelon, red potatoes and zucchini. And now it's all done. I just have get ferns for my front porch and I will be able to relax and enjoy the view....and take another day off work just to rest!

~Wordless Wendnesday~

2011-04-13T13:16:00.002-04:00

Is your dog missing????????????????

2011-04-01T08:51:00.003-04:00

Cause if it is...it's a pretty safe bet that it was hanging out behind our house with every other dog in the world last night! All of you are very aware of how Redneck Kyle is...right??? Right! Anyway, Kyle has a second favorite past time besides riding his 4 wheeler in the mud...(since his 4 wheeler is up on blocks with a tire off waiting for a few broken parts to come in the mail) he had to resort to this 2nd favorite past time. What is this past time you ask??? Setting out trapping cages to trap animals....now,before all you PETA loving animal fanatics go all postal and hatin on my blog let me finish. We live on a river that is over taken by beavers and when I saw beavers, I mean an entire family....like 100 generations or something (too hear Chris tell it anway) No, seriously...there are alot of them and they build dams that back up the river which makes the river rise up in our back yard. Plus it keeps the water from running and it become stagnate....and you know what loves stagnate standing water????? Mosquito's!!!!! Chris and Kyle bust up the beaver dams at least 3 times a week! No kidding...those little furry boogers can haul log I tell ya. And they will put anything they can in the dams....buckets, toy ships, John Deere toys left outside....ANYTHING! Anyway, back to the cages. Kyle loves to set and bait them food(which most of the time Chevy goes back and steals) to see what kinda critters he can catch. Which he always just takes a picture of his catch and then turns them free....thank you very much! Well, we were awakened last night to dogs barking way out in the wood behind our house. At first we thought they were barking at all the beavers that were busy at working building another master piece. But then they just kept on barking. Chris decided to go check things out and see what all this fuss was about. So he grabs the spot light beside the bed(see I told ya we are redneck, we have a spot light plugged in beside our bed that is bright enough to land a commercial plane with!) A few minuets later he comes back and said the dogs we all around the cage barking at a possum that had fell for Kyle's trap.....and they wouldn't go away! They all just all layed down around it like they were gonna keep watch over it all night! No joke! Crap like this only happens around my house, right! Chris gets the shotgun and heads back outside. I didn't know what he was gonna do...shoot the possum or shoot around the dogs to scare them off our what! He was gone for what seemed like hours and when he finally came back in he said they dogs we finally all gone but he left the possum in the cage cause he was WAY too pissed off to be let loose right now and would probably turn on him when he opened the cage. He then made some smart tail comment under his breath about how he should go in and wake Kyle up and make him get the possum out of the gage, and how Kyle always sleeps so soundly through all these things....... Oh, and guess where Chevy was through all this ruckus????? Dead asleep on his warm bed in the garage!!!!!!! He is just as bad as Kyle!!!!!

"Sooooo....how ya been?"

2011-03-06T08:35:00.002-05:00

Hey girls!!!! I bet you thought I had fallen in the deep dark black hole and would never be heard of again.......no such luck....that's like seeing a camel using a pay phone...it aint ever gonna happen!

soooo.....how ya been???

Things here have been good, just relaxing and waiting for that warm
spring weather to come and stay.

I bet you guys are wondering if Kyle passed Spanish...well, yes he did!!!! With a D non the less but he passed. He actually stayed after the final exam was over and asked the teacher to grade it while he waited :O) And you'll never guess what he has in Enlish so far this semester.....how bout a 97%.......at least there is hope for one lanaguage folks!

I have been working on redoing Kyles room little by little. Time for a "Bog Boy Bed" hahaha. Nothing like trying to fit a 5'10, 14 year old, long legged teen age boy in a twin bed.....kinda looks like a freak of nature ya know? So I was given an old headboard from a friend which I painted. Another friend gave me an almost new matterss set and I bought him a dresser from a yard sale yesterday which I painted to match his headboard. He picked out a really nice Columbia brand comforter that already matched his wall color(thank GOD) so there was no painting needed there. I would post some pictures but alas, they are still being held hostage with Nicholas Sparks in my camera....some day I am gonna get around to getting a new USB cord I guess.

Well, I promise not to stay gone for too long this time. I will never catch up on everyones Blogsbut I hope you you are all well......be back soon!!!!!

Sometimes I think I should have had a daughter....

2011-01-11T06:58:00.013-05:00

Since we are dealing with snow and ice here in NC now, I thought I would dig out some pictures from this summer to warm me up....and I found these.

Sometimes I think to myself how wonderful it would be if I had a daughter to dress up in cute little matching outfits(Kyle's idea of matching consist of "mud looks great splattered on anything!"

I swear Kyle tries his hardest to see what kind of situations he can get his 4 wheeler into...and out off, with out hekp from us or his dad's 4 wheel driver truck...and let me just add that I have dug his 4 wheeler out of the mud by hand, more times than I can count!
I know some of you mom's are gasping now and think that I need to been turned over to social services or letting my teenager ride this death machine...but he loves it and he really is a pretty safe driver.

Kyle is fearless when it comes to riding. There is no mud or water too deep for him to try and go through...the more mud.....the better....after all, mud is his favorite color!

And on this next one Kyle's Meme screamed and drew blood from my step dad's arm....Not cool Meme!

and just think, a year from now when he gets a truck all his own....what that poor thing is going to put through!!!!!

BIG Fat TEAR!!!

2011-01-06T18:21:00.002-05:00

oh how much I love you girls...really I do! I know I will never get the chance to meet most of you in person but you ladies touch my life and my heart everyday. It has really made me tear up reading your comments here and the ones some of you left to me on Facebook...you gals are just too sweet to me.

....NOW...enuff sappy stuff...onto a new year...right!

So what the heck have I been up to the past few weeks????

Well, for one...... Christmas...but who hasn't been busy with that! We had a wonderful time celebrating with family and even though Kyle is 14 and some of the "Magic" is gone, seeing Kyle's eyes still sparkle on Christmas morning melts my heart.

The day after Christmas we woke up to a butt load of snow!!! No kidding...we got 6.5 inches!!! Which for my little crack in the world is ALOT! Not to mention it put a huge damper on my day after Christmas shopping!!!

Kyle is back to school and next week will finish up his 1st semester of High School...MAJOR croc tear here!!! I can't believe his Freshman year is half way over....and the fact that if he doesn't pass Spanish I may be childless!!!

So, I know some of you have missed my Kyle stories so I thought I would close this post with a few of his Facebook post...I really wish you guys knew him cause if you knew his personality they would we much more comical.....

Kyle: Chores done...mud here I come!

Kyle: since when did my hand get too big to fit in the Pringles can????
(this cracked me up at work and I almost spit my tea all over my desk!)

Kyle: here ducky ducky ducky......
(he had got up early to go duck hunting behind the house)

...about a hour later he posted this....

Kyle: stupid ducks, i'm going back to bed..
(guess he didn't see any!)

Thanks for stinking with me....many hugs to you all!!!!!!

Welcome 2011 and welcome back too me!

2011-01-02T15:56:00.002-05:00

Hey there bloggie chicks....missed you guys a ton over the holidays!!! I hope each one of you had a very special one with family and friends....I know I did.
I am sorry to say that I still can't find my USB cord thus leaving Nicholas Sparks and all my holiday pictures hostage inside my camera.
I hope I have not lost too many of you as followers during my much needed break. Things have been crazy at work trying to finish up year end and then with me being in charge of directing the children's play at church...and then trying to keep up with Kyle....which by the way we have 3 weeks left to pass Spanish....ugh... I have been pulled in so many directions!
I have also been working hard redoing Kyles room and putting his twin bed up in the attic and getting him a larger one to fit his ever growing teenage boy body. If you remember the scene from Elf where Buddy is trying to sleep in the tiny Elf beds with his legs from the knee down dangling off, well....that's Kyle trying to sleep in a twin bed!!!!
And of course I am still trying to get the rest of my house back to normal, whatever normal is.
Thanks again for being patient with me...I promise I will do better in 2011. Hugs to all of you....

Yes I am still here.....

2010-12-22T16:06:00.003-05:00

And will return after the holidays with plenty of stories and pictures for you guys. Sorry for being AWOL for the past few weeks...just busy busy busy this time of year.

Hope you all have a VERY merry Christmas...see ya in 2011 girls!!!!

...now I gotta run and pull two lanky legs out from under my tree....hugs!!!!!

I think there is a mouse under my tree....

2010-12-06T14:22:00.004-05:00

A 14 year old, 113 pound, 5 foot 6 blond headed one!!!!

Ever since I put the gifts out under the tree he has stay camped out there...and for the rare occasion he does venture off to eat something (like every 20 mins) and I stick another present under there he is on it like flies on crap!

I swear,I will have to get a picture for you guys, you would crack up when all you saw was 2 long lanky legs sticking out from under that huge 12ft tree...it's a trip!

He is shaken and tossing and reading names (the ones without his name are quickly and carelessly tossed to the side!)....heaven forbid there are any breakables under there!

He is so keen on the wrapping thing now, it has become hard to camouflage gifts(he can pick out a box with clothes or shoes in a milla second!)....so that leaves ole Santa to be creative....and boy can I be creative........ you just wait and see........

:O)

So, do any of your little ones snoop around the tree?????

on the road again....

2010-12-03T08:42:00.002-05:00

Tonight I am loading back up on the bus and heading to New York City with some girlfriends. I am really excited this time. This will be my 5th time going to NYC but I have never seen it during Christmas. I can't hardly wait to see the tree in Rockefeller Plaza.....oh....and we have tickets to see The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall!!!!!!!

See you ladies on Monday(if I don't freeze my kawhokus off in NYC!)

"Big Mama" and the Bubba Tree

2010-12-02T09:59:00.007-05:00

well, it's over and done...THANK YOU JESUS!

Our annual tree raising(yes, raising...you don't call it "putting up a tree" when the tree in question is 12 ft!) is complete.....whew.....

Here is Chris in action. It takes all three of us plus 2 huge ladders and 3 hours of prayer and patience to finish......

....but.....

when she is all done she is just beautiful......see!(sorry the picture is kinda leaning...oops...I was so tired!)
This year Kyle didn't want to make her "too junkie" according to his words and forced me to stop adding more ornaments...geez...like when did he become all Martha Stewart on me!

This was our 5th year using this tree and I think we are finally getting the hang of it and doing it faster each year. Even Chris said he thought it was easier than he remembered.

Now, on to the "Bubba Tree" a.k.a Kyle's personal tree that he puts up in his room every year...and decorates himself**shutter**. You never know exactly what he will put on his tree as "ornaments"

Take a look and you'll see what I mean....

Empty shot gun shells he saved from hunting, John Deere Tractors and fishing lures make his tree complete. Told ya he is one redneck boy!

...I think we have decided once Christmas is over we are just gonna throw a huge sheet over Big Mama and leave her there til next Christmas...ya think anyone would notice?????

The moment my heart stopped....

2010-11-29T14:59:00.007-05:00

....was when I saw this picture.

That is Kyle, my one and only child, my Bubba, my baby boy, my heart outside my body.... He is the person on the left with the air tank on his back entering this burning house.
****key HUGE ball of vomit in my throat, while my heart falls into my big toe*****

His Daddy said Kyle made 4 good "runs" through the house and did and excellent job. Even better than some of the grown men that have been on the FD for years.

Kyle has dreamed of this day since he was 4 years old, when his Daddy joined our local Volunteer Fire Dept. Since Kyle was 4 he has sat and sulked every Wednesday night as Chris would leave to attend the weekly fire meeting. Kyle could not wait til the day he turned 14 and could take his test to become a Jr. Fireman (note****he aced his test***)

Kyle loves fire, I think I have shared that with all of you before. He lives, eats & breaths the Fire Dept. Kyle has ADD & ADHD but Chris said when he enters a burning house it's like the hyperactivity melts away. He said Kyle is so calm and relaxed and has never even paniced.(they have guys that are paid Fireman in real life that have freaked out before during training and Kyle just goes on in with the hose and puts the fire out)

This is the group picture. Kyle is in the top row far left. Chris is top row far right.

Kyle getting ready to mask up and go in.

Kyle & another Jr. Fireman getting some time with the hose

Kyle is the blue shirt.

Another group pic. Kyle is in the front row with the blue shirt.

I am so proud of how Kyle has choosen to serve his community but it will still make my heart stop everytime I know he goes in a house fire.....and if anything happens to him I'm gonna kill his Daddy!!!! :O)

Shopping Palooza....

2010-11-29T10:19:00.002-05:00

shew...ya'll tired? I am!!!!

I survived the masses and shopped for 24 straight hours on Black Friday(and no that is not a type-o.) I SHOPPED ON BLACK FRIDAY FOR STRAIGHT 24 HOURS!!!!!! We left my house at 11:45 pm on Thanksgiving night and pulled back in my driveway at 11:20 Friday night...and let me tell you......

....IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!..........

I got so many great deals and only have a few more things to pick up for Chris & Kyle and I am done....I even spent all day Saturday wrapping!!!!

The crowds were not that bad( I have seen them worse) the longest we waited in line was at Hollister. And I had to wait in line for over an hour at Walmart to get one thing on Kyle's list...but I was the 3rd person in the line to get it when the clock struck 5am!

I also got some great deals at Kirkland's, Old Navy & Gap.

Now, I have to spend this week putting up all my Christmas decorations cause I am heading back to New York this weekend for some time with the girls! We even have tickets to see the Rockette's Christmas Show at Radio City Music Hall......SO excited to see that!!!!!

Hope you all got some great BF deals...let me know what you got!!!!

It's almost time.....

2010-11-23T09:55:00.002-05:00

I am So excited for Thanksgiving this year....well anything tops last years Thanksgiving celebrated at Golden Coral (no offense to my readers who eat their Thanksgiving dinner there) but for me it was a very sad day! I cringed as I forked out $47.00 for the 3 of us to eat a Thanksgiving meal with no leftovers????
I will be blessed this year to sit around the table with Mr. Fisherman(he is off on Thanksgiving for the first time in years!!!!) my Bubba and my in laws. We normally eat around 3 or 4 but have pushed it up this year so Chris & Kyle can head back out to the deer stand for the evening hunt. As my boys head out to the field to try and bring home a buck with the rack the size of China, this little lady will be heading to sleepy land with a little help from Tylenol PM by 7pm...I must get plenty of rest before my Black Friday shopping marathon!
Then at 3am I will hop out of bed, grab my sales ads, my shopping spreadsheet and my travel mug full of peppermint mocha and head out with the masses to shop til I drop!!!

Old Navy opens at midnight
Khols opens at 3am
Belk's & Target open at 4am
Walmart starts at 5am

So have I convinced any of you to head out on Black Friday for the first time? Have any of my shopping tips helped you?
I hope so!!!
I hope you all have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Another of my "mom fail" moments....

2010-11-17T09:17:00.002-05:00

Kyle's High School played there last football game this past Friday night.

...ya wanna know what I wore to go pick him up from the game????

My multi-colored fuzzy pj bottoms!!!

Thank God he didn't disown my right there in the parking lot, plus it was dark and no one could really see me...right?

But man how I have changed! Back in the day when I was in HS, I was never seen out in public with out make up and and a cute outfit...not to mention I would have killed my mom(okay, maybe not killed, but I wouldn't have spoke to her for a least a week if she picked me up wear her pj's!)

...this was one of the those HUGE mom fail moments where my warmth and comfort were placed before my child's social standing at school!

...I have SO lost my cool factor as a Mom!

BF Tip #4

2010-11-16T14:13:00.001-05:00

Are you getting tired of my Black Friday tips yet?

I have had a few comments that they are "cracking people up"....

I always try and shop smart and shop for sales...except for the designer skinny jean purchase I made a few weeks back, so sue me! I never bought trendy designer clothes for Kyle when he was young, trust me when I say you are wasting your money. They are gonna puke or crap on it and only wear it twice before they grow out of it!

........NOW that I have that out of my system.....let me try and save you ladies a bunch of money(and we all love to save money....well, most of us anyway!)

We have bought our newspaper.....

We have made a budget....

We have scanned & planned.......

Now for tip #4

Who are you going to shop with? (a.k.a.....your shopping buddy)

I know what some of you are thinking...Trish has really flipped now!!!!

eh? What the heck kinda difference does that make?

ALOT!!!!

Shop with someone on BF that has the same shopping "Style" as you. And by shopping style I don't mean spending the same amount of money. I am talking about speed! Black Friday shopping is not about taking a leisurely stroll through Target's dollar section just to see what you can find! Most people that are out on Black Friday are serious shoppers and on a mission...***you can, might & will get run over*****

My BF shopping buddy and I have been doing this together for years now. We have the same shopping style and make a great team. We look out for each other and we know what the other one is shopping for and will grab it and put in in our carts until we meet back up together at the registers.

YOU DON"T HAVE TIME TO LOOK DOWN EVERY ISLE ON BLACK FRIDAY!!!!

did you hear me?????

If you think you are gonna have time to go down every isle in every store then you just need to stay home in bed. The good sales only last til around 9am and if you want items at several different stores you gotta move fast! Two years ago I was in and out of Walmart in 15 minutes....pretty sure I broke a store record that year and my picture is hanging in the BF hall of fame somewhere. I grabbed the 3 Playstation games I wanted for Kyle and the movies for $3 bucks each and was out the door and on to Sears!

That brings me to point #2. If you do go with someone else on BF, don't be afraid to split up. My BF buddy Marsha and I always split up so we get everything we need on our list. I will head to electronics to get the item I want for Kyle plus grab the two Nintendo DS she is looking for. While she is in the toy isle grabbing the toy cash register...mean while I have sent my mother-in- law to grab the stand-up mixer and shop vac for me (see gals, that puts us back to the ole' scan & plan) you have to know what item you are going in each store for.

And ladies, this rule even applies to husbands. If they don't shop like you....leave em' at home in bed!!!! (personally, I leave Chris at home....he hates crowds!)....and kids!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave your kids home in bed. DON'T torture them and everyone else by dragging the poor things out that early in the morning still in their cute footed pj's!!!!

stay tuned for Tip #5!

I think I got the shaft!

2010-11-15T11:32:00.003-05:00

Any of you mom's feel that way???

I do!

Looking back to when Kyle was small I feel like I got a bum deal! There are so many things out on the market now that would have come in mighty handy around our house.

I would have LOVED to have had one of these....

Have any of you gal's seen this Elf on a Shelf? You set him out around the house and he watches the kids and reports back to Santa, then he moves to a different place each day...pretty cool idea. My friend has one she sets into action for her two boys and she said works pretty good. He is always disappearing and then re-appearing again in a new "watch" area. The boys always wake up each morning and run off to find him.

I bet this would have worked great on Kyle back in his younger days....I guess it wouldn't have the same effect on a teenager huh????........

probably not!

BF Tip #3

2010-11-12T01:07:00.000-05:00

...so are you gals enjoying my Black Friday tips and taking notes????

Now that you made your spreadsheet and have budget..... and have bought your Thanksgiving Day Black Friday newspaper.....

Here is tip #3.....

Scan & Plan!!!!

Yep, grab a cup of coffe and settle in to scan your local ads and plan your day. Planning is very important on BF.

I know, I know...those cute jeans in the Khol's ad for $11.99 are just to die for but lets look at the entire picture here....okay?

The jeans in Khol's will be on sales til at least noon...right?....right! And most likely they are not going to sell out. You really need to plan your day with what type of items are on your list.

First off, if you have any type of electronics, video games, games systems, movies, TV's or hot toys on your list, head to that store first! The clothes, shoes and houseware items will be on sale longer and are not as "in demand" and you can still find them later on in the day.

***hint*** 24 hour Walmart stores will let you in before the 5am sale starts and will have a map of the store showing you where each major sale item can be found in the store....most of the time you can find the movies on sale for $3-$5 bucks in the middle of an isle and not all the way in the back of the store in electronics. Hot toy items are the same way, they will be spread throughout the store and not necessarily in the Toy section of the store*****

...stay tuned for tip #4.

My Christmas List

2010-11-11T10:45:00.008-05:00

It's that time of year again, time for me to make my Christmas wish list....sounds like fun huh? Last year I made a list too...actually I make one every year but most the time I don't get what is one it. Most years Chris and I don't but gifts for each other and if we do, it's something small to open...BUT....we go all out with stuffing each others stocking. We love stockings at our house! We always save them for last.

You may look at this first item and wonder what the heck it is and why would I want something like that? Well, let me explain. My MIL bought me a Pandora bracelet for my birthday and Chris and Kyle got me a mother of pearl heart bead for it and this is the next charm I want to add to my collection. I know you may think it looks pretty ugly and weird but to Kyle...it looks like a mud tire! That is why I want to add it to my bracelet....this will be "Kyle's bead" and every time I look at it I will think of him and his love of mud!

This is an awesome wine refrigerator. I have new found love of wine and would love to have a separate place to store them since they should be kept cooler than the normal 42-44 degree refrigerator temp. Most wine taste better between 7-12 degrees.

And just how cute is this Pea coat from Khols??? Love the color too!

And last but not least, these two pair of CUTE, CUTE, CUTE boots from JC Penny
Chris swears I have black boots just like these but I will stand my ground that I don't. I use to never be a big "shoe person" but I guess I am becoming my mother!!!

So what's are your Christmas list this year????

Black Friday Tip #2

2010-11-09T08:51:00.000-05:00

Make a budget...and stick too it!!!!

I know it is hard for some of you to stick to a budget, but on BF it is very important....cause all those good sales with getcha!!!!

The best way I find to do this is make a spreadsheet so you can KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU SPEND!

A few weeks before BF I make a spreadsheet on Excel. I make a list of every person I am buying for and the amount I am spending on them....THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! I even set a budge for Mr. Kyle...I know...major shocker eh? In the next column, I put down their wish list item or the item I have in mind to buy them. Then, in the next column I list the store where I am buying the item(this really helps when you are rushing in and out of each store)

My list looks something like this.

Rylee $20.00 Clothes Sears girls jeans $4.99/ Old Navy fleece zip up $7.50

Tyler $20.00 Toy Nerf Gun $19.99 Target

This spread sheet will be a life saver on a hectic BF and will help you stay on track and stay on budget. Please don't head out on BF with no plans in mind or with the idea that "I will just see what I can find and what every I come across I will get" ...you will be overwhelmed and frustrated....not to mention spend more money than you expect or want to.

Stay tuned for more tips to come....

Black Friday Tip #1

2010-11-08T09:41:00.002-05:00

Several of you have asked me to share my BF shopping tips & strategies with you. So, I have decided to give you a tip a day.

I have been Black Friday shopping for years and have gotten some great deals. You have to get up early and do a little research before hand but the money you save is well worth the effort in my book.

Today's tip....

TIP #1

Buy a newspaper!!!!

Sounds simple enough...right?

....right!

and it is! Get up on Thanksgiving and go buy your local newspaper. If you don't already subscribe for home delivery, get out early and head to the nearest newspaper stand and buy one. (don't wait til after you get your fill of turkey cause they will sell out fast!)

Now, in the computer age, browsing local ads on the world wide web is nice but come Black Friday you will want the old print ads close at hand...trust me!

Stay tuned for my next BF tip tomorrow.......

Christmas Shopping questions?

2010-11-03T15:52:00.002-04:00

Okay gals you already know already how much I adore, crave and live for Black Friday shopping. I love getting up early and racking up on the all the great deals. I have always been a morning person so rising at the butt crack of morning doesn't bother me(especially if I am gonna save money doing it!)

So that leaves me to ask you all a few person shopping questions.

How many of you will be hitting the store on Black Friday(and I not mean strolling out to Big Lots after eating leftover turkey sandwiches for lunch!) I mean.... who is gonna set their alarm for 3:30am, spring out of bed, grab up your sales flyer's, have your route all plotted out the night before and hit the road!

ME....ME.....ME {waves hands high in the air while jumping up and down}

My next question is do you set price limits on who you are buying for or do you just buy the item the person has asked for and never even glimpse at the hefty price tag?

My next questions...do you set your self a shopping budget? I never leave home without my Christmas list spread sheet. It has everyone names that I am buying for and the budget for that person.

And my last question....how much do you normally spend on Christmas gifts for friends & family? I try and stick to a very strict CASH budget when shopping for Christmas. We have a Christmas Club at work where I have money taken out of each pay check and then the last week in October they give us a check for the amount we have put in PLUS interest...WOO HOO!!!!

So fill me in...do you have any money saving tips or tricks that you can teach me????

Do share......

The difference a year makes....

2010-11-02T09:30:00.003-04:00

His patrol car was loaded up with clothes, food, towels, shave kit, black shoes so shiny you could see your reflection and freshly dry cleaned uniforms, complete with heavy starch(just the way he likes them) and newly added Sergent stripes.

With a hug and a few tears he was gone.....

A year ago today Chris was heading West 2 1/2 hours away from home to his new duty station. We were so unsure about anything at the time....

How long would he have to live out of bags from a hotel room?
How long would it be before he could transfer back home?
Would he be home for the upcoming holidays?
How long would it be just Kyle and I eating dinner with Chris's empty chair in between us?
And how long would it be before I went crazy missing him?

So much has changed in the past year! We survived Chris being gone for 9 months. We (barely)survived eating our Thanksgiving dinner at the Golden Corral. We survived the holidays spent apart. And Chris survived living off of fast food for 9 months!!!

With faith and trust in God, he lead us through and we survived!!!

What a difference a year makes!!!!

The day I caved!

2010-11-01T11:04:00.004-04:00

Yes ladies, I have to bare all my shopping secrets to you guys...(cause you gals won't tell The Fisherman" on me)....right?....right!

I went to a friends CAbi party last week....a.k.a(expensive boutique type clothes that come with a hefty price tag!) You get to try on all the clothes at the party to see if you like them before buying them....pretty neat idea huh?

.....and I caved.....

yep, I ended up buying a pair of designer skinny jeans that cost...let's just say WAY too much money!!!!!

I never thought these huge thighs of mine would ever see a pair of skinny jeans but I have to admit that I am so excited I can hardly wait until they come in. They were a tad long but with a pair of Uggs I think they will be fine.

Now I must leave you ladies to go admit my self into the nearest "Idiot Impulse Shoppers Support Group"

It's a "Boo-Bee" kinda day....

2010-10-29T13:31:00.009-04:00

So today was our Halloween Day at work. We always have som much fun dressing up and goofing off all day...(and a little work gets done too along the way!)

That's ME on the right! I'm a "Boo-Bee"...whata da think?....cute...no?

This is the whole group with a pirate lady, Mudsa, viking women, Ellie Mae Clampet and then ME!

We ate good food like these "hacked" fingers and tons of pizza too.

We played games like dressing a Mummy with toilet paper.(my group won!!!!)

We played Putt-Putt(I won that too!!! and won an AWESOME Pumpkin Spice Better Homes & Garden Candle)

We did a little pumpkin bowling.....that's me being a big goof ball.

and I sucked at this game.....I didn't come any where close to hitting any on those stinkin pens!

Hope you all have a wonderful Halloween no matter how you are spending it!!!!!

if you were a USB cord...where would you be?

2010-10-28T09:49:00.002-04:00

.......not in the drawer where you belong, that's for sure!
Sooooooo...... that is why there has been a lack of pictures on my blog the past few weeks. They are all safely taking a nap in my camera cause my USB cord has grown legs and jetted off to some unknown place(and not under Kyle's bed or in his God forsaken bathroom...cause I already checked there!)
I have SO many pictures to share with you guys.
Me meeting Nicholas Sparks!
My Birthday!
And of course some muddy shots of the Bubba!
So I am off to look some more....wish me luck!

And so far in my effort looking for the USB cord I have made almost a buck in change, a silly band and some stale popcorn (it's amazing what you find while digging under the couch cushions!)

Pictures on my phone

2010-10-21T10:29:00.005-04:00

Bubba and his best buddie Chevy going for a ride(and yes, he will ride all the way to the river on the back of the 4 wheeler)

I took this picture at the corn maze. Kyle just HAD to ride the kiddie train...but he didn't fit in the seat very well with all those long lanky legs!

This was Kyle last week lighting some leaves and junk in an old milk jug...yes he loves fire and is probably a boarder line Pyromaniac.....no kidding!!!!

A teenage boys bathroom....

2010-10-19T14:37:00.002-04:00

....should have a sign on the door that reads.

ENTERING THIS ROOM MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH

no joke! For any of you mom's of teenagers out there can vouch for me on this.
Stay clear I tell ya!

Kyle has a bathroom all his own(praise be to God!) and sometimes lets just say.... it lacks a mother's clean touch, just for the plain fact that at times I am too scared to even go in there(same thing applies to his room!)

So, I decided I would give you a quick run down of his bathroom(and there will be NO pictures, it would have broke my camera if I would have tried)

Yesterday I went in his bathroom to clean it (cause I am having a Tastefully Simple party at my house on Thursday night and thought I better tidy up in case 2 ladies happen to have to widdle at the same time AND telling Kyle to clean it consists of him letting the water run until it steam cleans the bathroom and maybe taking 2 seconds to wash the left over tooth paste spit that is stuck in the sink! ) anyhoo.....here is the list of what I found.

The hermit crab cage sitting on the side of the sink(the crab was chillin in a cool water bath in the sink....no clue how long he had been there!)
A pocket knife on the sink
His cell phone charger charging his phone laying next to the sink full of water that contains his crab...NICE way to have electronics near water Kyle!
2 old school yearbooks and 3 ATV magazines STUCK to the back toilet tank!(since he gets the bathroom so steamed up when he showers.)
His wallet
Chap stick
A black pony tail holder(that is not mine!) was on the floor behind the door. Not sure where or who he got that from.
2 pair of shorts caked in mud that he wears over & over again to ride the 4 wheeler hanging on the hook. The mud has now dried and has crumbled all to the floor.
A laundry basket right there within arms reach, yet several items of dirty clothes layed scattered all over.
And last but not least...the keys to the 4 wheeler!

I swear this boy will drive me nuts sometimes! I don't know where he gets it from. Chris & I are for the most part neat & clean people. We must have missed passing that gene down to him.

What to be, what to be?????

2010-10-18T08:36:00.003-04:00

We always dress up where I work for Halloween and have a costume contest. So, what should I dress up as this year?

Last year I wore my comfy pj's to work.

The year before that I was Wendy.

And now I am at a loss.

I really want to dress up as a boobie......not what your thinking....get your mind out of the gutter ladies!!! I mean a "BOO-Bee" (wear a white sheet over me like a ghost and then wings and antenna on my head like a bumble bee....get it???? "Boo-Bee"

What do ya think??? Anyone have any better ideas for me?

A letter to me~

2010-10-15T13:09:00.003-04:00

Dear Trish~

Learn how to take out a window screen before your brother locks you in your room for hours using a bike chain and no phone to call for help!

Don't wear white sweatpants to school any where close to the day you are going to get a visit from Aunt Flo!

Always read the label of any medicine BEFORE you take the wrong thing....cause when you think it cough syrup...trust me it ain't! (then you have to spend the night in the hospital while the Dr's try and decide how to counter act prescription wart remover from your digestive system!)

Don't be so mean to your brother that you make him break his toe.(It's not my fault he tried to kick me and I moved!)

Don't ever think bungee jumping looks fun and decide to give it a try cause you will almost pee your pants in fear!

Don't let a Dr. that looks younger than you try and deliver your child!

Don't make everyone rush from states away for the birth of your child....it's gonna take a while!

Always make sure you buckle your child in the carrier seat BEFORE lifting it off the ground, cause those things flip and he will fall to the floor screaming! (HUGE Mom fail moment!)

Make sure and hide a spare key to your house and car outside. That way you have a key to get back in your house when your child locks you out and then you lock him in the car with the keys while he is strapped in his car seat!! (2nd HUGE Mom fail moment!)

When you get the urge to rush out for ice cream at 9:30, fight it....you will wreck your new sports car!

Don't try and have a party with your step sister while your parents are out off town. Your neighbors will rat you out!

Don't ever go camping when there is even a slight chance of rain.

And last but not least.......

Don't ever be too busy to spend time with your family, it may be the last moment you have with them....and you'll live to regret it every day for the rest of your life.

With Much Love~
Your Older & Wiser self

Sister Wives

2010-10-14T15:57:00.002-04:00

Have any of you watched this show yet????

Are you kidding ME!

Can you believe this freak of a man thinks it is okay to have 3 wives and one he has proposed to?

(and for those of you who live in Utah that follow my blog and agree that this practice is "okay"....then maybe you should stop following my blog!)

Anyhoo, I watched it for the first time last night and I know I have missed a few episodes so I was trying to take all this junk in a figure out what these women see in that fruit cake of a man! Everything they said to him he took as a joke, he was never serious or sincere. His first wife he has been with for 20 years!!!!! The 2nd wife 17 years and the 3rd wife 16 years. between all the wives I think I counted 13 kids (but I could have missed one or two as they ran around amuck).....does this show scare anyone else besides me?

At one point in the show, the 3 wives go to the jewelry store to buy "the soon-to-be" 4th wife a ring....um, yep...I ain't joking!

Oh, and from what I can tell they have more than one house (with a wife in each I guess) and he makes rounds between them.

And it gets even better...wifey #3 went into labor and while Dad was trying to head out the door to the hospital to be with her while she gives birth to HIS child he stops to get all lovey on the front porch with the "soon-to-be" wifey #4....and got busted by the camera man!!!

These women must have NO respect for themselves or any understanding of what a marriage should be. I'll be dag gone if I am sharing my husband with 3 other women...this world is just going crazy!!!!!!!

Why I woggel?

2010-10-12T10:46:00.004-04:00

Trust me, several times in the beginning I asked myself the same question.

What is Woggeling you ask???
It is a slow mix between walking & jogging. I started about 3 weeks ago walking in the area we live.(thank God it is off the beaten path and main roads so I can spare everyone from seeing my boobs bounce sky high and my thighs rubbing together until smoke begins to rise!) The path is a little over 1.6 miles and when I started I walked the entire way. Then after a few days I would jog a bit, then slow back down to walk...then a jog...then a walk...and so on.

And as the days have passed I have gotten better & better at it...and then last night....I jogged farther than I EVER have...YAY ME! I jogged at least 3/4 of a mile!!!!

I was so excited and proud of myself I had to call The Fisherman right away and tell him what I had accomplished, except I don't think he could make out all of my words in between my pants & gasps for fresh oxygen!

Chris has always been an avid runner. I even tried it with him a few times but trying to run with him telling me when to breath and how to breath I thought I was gonna die.

"breath in on your left foot and out on your right"

well holy moses...If I tried to breath like that I would hyper ventilate and pass slam out!

But I have to admit, I am really beginning to enjoy it. I never in a million years thought those words would come out of my mouth. Before, I would never have said that I enjoyed running...unless it was running out for ice cream or something...but I do! I really enjoy it!!!

I am even thinking that I want to enter my first 5K soon. I know I won't be able to jog the entire thing but I would really love to do it, yay know, to be able to say that I finished a 5K race...I can't imagine how amazing that would feel.....and maybe I wouldn't come in last :O)

I am Thankful.....

2010-10-11T10:04:00.004-04:00

I am thankful for a husband who doesn't complain when he has to get up on Saturday morning at 5:30am to help me with a yard sale after working all night and only getting 2 1/2 hours of sleep.

I am thankful for fresh picked apples to make a homemade pie on a Sunday after noon.

I am thankful for homemade chicken noodle soup.

I am thankful for the crisp Fall mornings.

I am thankful for a teenage son who will still hug his Dad.

I am thankful for a teen who prays out loud in church.

I am thankful for Southern Pecan coffee creamer to help me start my morning.

I am thankful for friends who I know will always be there for me no matter what.

I am thankful for a husband who calls me to make sure I arrive somewhere safely and checks my tire pressure and oil before I leave.

I am thankful for a family that prays together.

I am thankful for the few minutes of family time, because having a teenager makes them few and far between.

I am so blessed in life and have so much to be thankful for....what are you thankful for?????

The women, behind the man, behind the badge....

2010-10-04T16:49:00.006-04:00

Sunday we went to a Family Day cook out for all the troopers that work with my husband. Since Chris has just been in his new district for only 3 months this was the first time I meet the wives of the other troopers.

Meeting them really opened my eyes and made me stand back and reflect on the past 13 years Chris has been in the patrol. Out of the 18 troopers that were attending, only 2 couples had been married longer than Chris & I.....boy, that'll make you feel old...and I am only 35! And one of the couples had only been married for 8 days.

I could not help wondering if these wives really understand what they are in for. What they were about to face, the long nights alone, the fear that their husband may not come home, all the over time(without the over time pay), working holidays, an empty place at the dinner table, anniversaries celebrated on another day because they happen to be working on the real day, having to fend for yourself when a hurricane is coming because your husband has been called to the coast to help with the evacuation, missing school plays and ball games, babies 1st steps, saying your good night over the phone instead of side by side in your bed.

I wonder if they even half way comprehend how their lives are going to change and how independent they will have to become to survive. Well, let me just tell you, it takes work...alot of it...and patience....alot of it....understanding.....alot of it. And I must confess, at times all this was hard for me. Are these new wives going to understand when they receive a call from their husband saying that he isn't going to be pulling up in the driveway at 6pm when his shift ends cause he just got called to a wreck and now has to go down to the court house to process the drunk and then head over to the hospital to get the victims statements that were taken off in the rescue squad. And will they be wide eyed and pleasant as they scramble to answer that 3am phone call with communications saying "Can I speak to Trooper so-in-so" all within the first ring, praying they picked up before it woke the kids?

Will they get chills while they watch their husband dress for work the same way I do, even after 13 years? And will their hearts breathe a sigh of relief when they are awakened by the sound of the Velcro being pulled apart on his bullet proof vest at 4am? Thanking God for that wonderful sound that means he has made it home.

Will they learn to hold fast to the simple things that mean so much? And how long will it take them to become the women, behind the man, behind the badge?

Tag Your it.................

2010-09-30T06:17:00.000-04:00

I was tagged in this cute little game by Mary @ The Englar Family.(check out her button on my side bar to pop in a tell he hey!)

She is just the craftiest little thing you have EVER seen and it's just amazes me the treasures she can whip up out of a ball of yarn!

Anyhoo, back to the game she tagged me in.

Here are the questions she asked me.....

What is your favorite movie?

That's a tuff one. I have SO many that I love. Coal Miner's Daughter, Hope Floats, While You Were Sleeping, 8 Seconds, Sweet Home Alabama, The Proposal...do you see a Sandra Bullock theme here?????

If you had one day all to yourself and could do whatever you wanted, what would you do?

Easy......SHOP!!!! Or lay on the beach.

What kind of vehicle do you drive?

2008 Ford Explorer

What is your favorite food?

Ice Cream...is that really a food???

What are you most thankful for in your life?

My boys!

Why do you blog?

I have wondered that myself many times. I really don't know. I started so my family that lives away could stay updated and see pictures of Kyle and hear his funny stories. But now sometimes I feel at a loss for what to write and have even thought about stopping all together. I don't know, we shall see what the future holds.

What was your favorite childhood toy?

I would have to say stuffed animals. I had tons of them. I loved all of them, no matter what kind or where they where from. My Dad even had to build several shelves in my room to hold them all.

What is something you get really excited for that other may think is really weird?

Black Friday shopping!!!! I love it so much I can hardly sleep Thanksgiving night...I plot, I plan I clip coupons, scan sales flyer's...it madness I tell ya!!!!!

Well that's all my answers. Maybe you learned something about me that you where just itching to know.

Progress...what progress????

2010-09-29T09:21:00.002-04:00

Well, the results are in.

Kyle brought home his midterms yesterday and has a BIG fat 68.7% in Spanish!

He totally bombed one test and a quiz(which the teacher noted she is going to let him retake after school)...Mucho Gracious Senora!

On a better note, in his other 3 classes he made 1 A(Engineering) & 2 B's(World History & Algebra)!!!

That redneck country boy just can't speak a lick of Spanish bless his heart!

THAT'S MY CHILD!!!!

2010-09-27T14:23:00.002-04:00

and yes I am yelling that and I hope they heard me all the way over to Kyle's High School!!!!

{{sticking out tough and gives a big fat rasberry too}}

Let me start at the beginning and give you the entire story from the start. This afternoon, well right now actually, Kyle has a Dr. appt. Chris is off today so he was going to pick Kyle up early from school and take him to the appt. so I wouldn't have to leave work to do it(thanks babe!)

Anyway, this morning I gave him the run down on everything.

Appointment time-CHECK
Things to ask the Dr.-CHECK
Make sure they put the diagnosis on the perscription-CHECK
Flexable spending card to pay-CHECK

I thought I had covered everything, or so I thought! Chris asked me if I needed to send a note to school that Kyle would be leaving early for a Dr. appt. I said 'no" and didn't think anything else about until I got a call from Chris about 30 mins ago.

Chris "hey, do have an appt card that you can fax to the school?"

Me "no, I made the appt over the phone,
why?"

Chris " cause they won't let me have Kyle until they have something in writing to verify the appt."

Me "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!"

At that point, I could feel my face getting hot and my blood pressure rising. You mean to tell me that I can't get MY child out of school early without an appointment card! I carried that boy for 9 monthes...I went through 28 hours of labor.....THAT IS MY CHILD and I don't care if you need a note from the Pope, you better give me my kid!

I swear it's a dag gone good thing his Daddy is more patient than me and was the one picking him today cause this Momma would be locked up behind bars right now for skipping my pretty tail down that hall and yanking MY child out of Spanish class!

another conversation with Kyle

2010-09-21T14:53:00.003-04:00

Yes friends it is that time again when I tickle your funny bone with the antics of the teenager in my house...better known to me as Bubba.

This morning I went in to wake Bubba up for school(yes, I know he is 14 and should be fully capable of getting him self up and ready for school in the morning... but shush it..mkay!) Let me enjoy seeing his peacefully sleeping face for the few remaining years he will live at home and don't stomp on my heart...thanks! I love going to wake him in the mornings I always try and see how much I can aggravate him by playing with his lip or tickling his feet or rubbing his back before he wakes up.

Kyle has been known to say weird things when he first wakes up, which are normally a sign of what he happens to be dreaming about the moment you call him out of "La-La" land....and most the time involve some type of food or eating...but this morning was different.

Me: "cmon Kyle, time to get up"

Kyle (with his eyes still shut) "hold on a second, I'm playing darts."

{{erh?}}

well folks...that's a new one!

Quick update

2010-09-17T10:57:00.004-04:00

I haven't done a post in a few days...been busy busy busy!!!!

Just wanted to send you guys a quick hello cause I am getting off work early today and heading out with some friends to meet Nicholas Sparks.....{{gasp}}

I know you are oh so jealous!!!!

I will tell him all of you lovely ladies said hello (for those of you who don't have a clue who he is...SHAME ON YOU!)

I will post pictures later for you to drool over.......

P.S. oh and I will be a mere 35 years old tomorrow and meeting Nicholas is part of my present from my girlfriends.......YAY ME!

What makes you laugh?

2010-09-13T15:56:00.002-04:00

What makes you laugh? What is it that gives you a chuckle, what tickles your funny bone or makes you give in to the deep down belly laugh. What is it that makes tears roll down your cheeks and cross your legs and squat to keep from peeing all over your self?

I asked my self this same question and came up with these answers.

Seeing Kyle laugh. He has a very contagious laugh and when you see him smile or laugh you just can't help it!

The comics. Chris doesn't have the same sense of humor Kyle & I have. I can burst out laughing over a comic in Sundays paper. Chris can read the same comic and then just gives me "the stare"......he is SO missing a funny bone!

When Kyle talks for animals. He has done this since he could utter words himself. It always cracks me up! I swear he talks for Chevy(his Chocolate Lab) and its one of those "cross your leg and squat moments".

The old Game Stop commercial with the rabbit. If you haven't seen it you really need to Google it...it is worth it! It even made Chris laugh!

The World's Dumbest Criminals....love that show...nuff said!

Inside jokes with friends. Sometimes all we have to do is look at each other and we crack up.

So what makes you laugh????

Redneck Spanish 101

2010-09-08T09:05:00.003-04:00

Hola me amigos!

We are still fighting the redneck Spanish battle in our house. Kyle made a 21 on his first Spanish test! No joke! As in 21% out of 100%!!!!

This redneck taking boy needs major help!

Sunday afternoon I was back hanging out in the laundry room(ya know, just hanging out with all the dirty draws!) and I walked back through the living room and found Kyle just sitting on the couch with the most awful dazed look on his face. And you will never believe what he was watching! The Spanish speaking Soap channel!!! It was like Days of Our Lives, only with Spanish speaking people!!!!

And with that, this conversation then took place.

Me "Kyle what are you watching?"

Kyle " The Spanish speaking channel. The teacher said if we surround ourselves with it, we will learn it alot faster."

Me "oh, well what are they sayin?"

Kyle "I don't know, but he sounds very mad!"

(the man was yelling and fussing at a women and another man...you ladies have watched Soaps before...you know what I'm talking about....OH THE DRAMA!)

Later that night, I go in his room to get his phone and tell him it time for bed (yes, we take his phone away at 10pm on school nights and it's put on the charger in the kitchen) and he is laying on his bed with his radio next to him listening to the Spanish music channel!!!!

And then this conversation happens.

Me "oh, you still trying to surround your self with Spanish hoping it will soak in huh?"

Kyle "yep"

Me "how that working out for ya so far?"

Kyle " I don't think it's working,"

Me "why?"

Kyle " cause all I smell is Mexican food!"

At that point all I can do is laugh! That poor, poor boy! All he thinks about is food!

(and no, there was no Mexican food cooking in the house)

Yes...I have the worlds BEST BFF!

2010-09-02T08:43:00.012-04:00

Oh the stories I could tell you.... but then I may have to kill you and since I don't want to live the rest of my wonderful life out in prison, I will just tell you the "not so incriminating stories and details"

I met me BFF, Heather {{hey Heather!}}back in 7th grade during the first few days of Junior High(yes, back then it was Jr. High and not Middle School). From the moment we met I think we formed a bond that would never be broken and of course the past 20 years of our friendship have proved that to be true. Together, we could pull off anything....late night parties, dates, ballgames, driving and boys. Not to mention we could rock a leggins and long sweater outfit like it was no bodies business! We practically lived at each others houses so much we even called each others parents Mom & Dad!

Most people think that BFF's must have so much in common and have the same likes and dislikes but for us, we are TOTAL opposites! When my mom would go Christmas shopping for me she would take Heather and if Heather didn't like then it was perfect for me!

When 9th grade began we were torn apart to attend different High Schools. I thought the world as I knew it was going to end. How could I be without her? But our friendship did not end. Despite different high schools, we still spent all of our free time together.

Then one day in May, during my 10th grade year, my world was changed forever with one ring of the door bell. My Dad had been killed in a car wreck and would never be coming back. Alot of things were a blur to me after that moment. But she was there, along with her Mom, who brought enough boxes of Kleenex that I think my mom just opened that last box last week!

After that day, the downfalls did not end. Our friendship has faced several things over the years. Her parents divorced and remarried, my mom remarried, both of us got married, I moved away, I had a child and she got divorced.

But no matter what, we have always been there for each other. She flew all the way from Kentucky to be with me when my son was born. She stayed at the hospital for 28 hours while I screamed, pushed, yelled and even cussed some. She was by my side the entire time(except for a few hours when she disappeared and came back wearing a white Dr.'s coat...hmmm...I'm still unsure with all the details due to the med's I was on but she said she was just cold!)

We have enough inside jokes to fill a book. Ya know, the kind of things that only the two of us would laugh at and laugh so hard we almost pee!! She knows things about me that no one else will ever know. She is the most giving and caring person. She always thinks of others before herself and helps keep me in line and on track when I get a tad crazy.

Even though we have been over 600 miles apart for over 15 years, I still talk to her everyday(thank God for an awesome cell phone plan!) and some times several times a day. The hubs thinks it is strange and a little creepy that we live in different states and for the most part I can tell you where she is and what she is doing almost to the hour! It's truly like we live in the same town...except we never get to meet up for lunch and drinks!

Heather doesn't have a blog but she does read mine so every one make sure and say hello to her!

And let me say.....Heather, I love you girl! You have always kept me in line, made me stop and re consider the good in people, made me laugh, held me when I cried and said "oh that's gross" when I pooped while pushing during labor (I guess I can take all the blame as to why you don't have any children!). You have kept my secrets, cheered at my success and only laughed for a few minutes when I thought I was gonna drowned in 2 foot of water! I love you despite your love of sushi, yucky beer, huge straw hats that make you look like a tourist and your liquid shade(SPF 3000) and fried chicken livers! And I have forgiven you for forgetting my birthday not only once but TWO years in a row!!!!(we now do a birthday count down to prevent future mishaps!)

So here's to US girl!!!! And our next 20 years of friendship. May they be as fun as the first 20 and if not, then we can hope for "old timer's" to set in early so we can be "new friends" all over again!

Redneck boy + Spanish class = MESS

2010-09-01T09:59:00.002-04:00

oh dear me! I don't even know where to begin....as you know Kyle started High last week and well, everything has been going well......except his Spanish class.

For kicks & giggles lets just say that Kyle is the BIGGEST redneck you will ever meet. The way he thinks, the way he acts and most definitely the way he speaks! When we went for orientation and I met his Spanish teacher I informed her the task standing before her (if it works) would be her greatest acheivement...yep....if she can teach my redneck talkin son to speak Spanish, she deserves Teacher of The Year! (cause that boy is still working on speaking correct English!)

Kyle stil uses the word "weren't" ALL THE TIME! ex. "Momma, that weren't even funny!" and..."I promise, I weren't doing nuttin."

I swear we have family and friends who just love to sit a listen to Kyle talk...no kidding!

yep....he talk exactly like that. I know I am no grammer expert and I don't claim to be, but the hubs and I do not speak like that AT ALL! I really don't know where he gets it from. I guess it is our fault as parents because over the years we have never made a huge deal out of correcting him when he does use the wrong grammer. It's just Kyle, that is just they way he is...take it or leave it...he could really care less.

Here are a few of Kyle's favorite words or phrases:

"aw junk!"
"that's beast!"
"weren't"
"nuttin"
"nah"
he leaves the "g" off of every word in the English language(doin, eatin, listin, talkin, ridin......and so on)
"thats a bunch of mess"

So, this semester should be interesting to say the least. If he passes with a "C" I will be the proud Momma of one Spanish speaking Redneck!!!!

Fall...are you coming????

2010-08-30T14:57:00.006-04:00

I must admit I am SO a fall and cool weather girl. Don't get me wrong.....I love the beach, the water, waves, sun, the smell of coconut suntan lotion and feeling sand under my feet. Kyle was born in the summer, Chris & were married in the summer, but my heart belongs to Fall. I love my jeans and long sleeve shirts, scarfs and boots. I hate snow but I like it just cool enough for a sweater.

I get all giddy inside with the first hint of a brisk morning. The beginning signs of the changing color of the leaves. I love the smell of my Autumn Wreath scented Yankee candle burning in the kitchen on a Sunday afternoon. I love Harvest and Fall festivals, Halloween and Thanksgiving. I love baking homemade apple and pecan pies for Chris and pulling out all my orange, red and brown fall decor. I love seeing my front steps adorned with pumpkins Kyle has grown in his garden and how happy my Scarecrow looks to be out of the attic.

However, it is going to be a horrible 96 degrees here in North Carolina tomorrow with a major Cat 3 hurricane brewing in the Atlantic....so I guess I better push my Fall thoughts on the back burner for a few more weeks!

Hang tight Mr. Scarecrow I'll see ya in a few more weeks {pinkie promise!}

Dear Superindentent,

2010-08-26T13:28:00.003-04:00

I am writing this letter to voice my opinion on the public school bus transportation. When we arrived at "said high school" for orientation I asked what time the bus would pick up and drop of my child. I was told he would be picked up at 6:10am and be dropped off at 4:15pm.

I must admit I was a little taken back with the pick up and drop off times compared to the school hours of 7:40am-2:40pm but I decided not to make a stink and see if things would change after a few days......NO DICE!

So here is my stink!

If that bus pulls up out side my house again at 5:59am and honks that God forsakin horn I am gonna throw a hissy fit like you have never seen!!!!

And in case you are wondering...the 5:59am is not a type-o. Yes, my son gets on the bus 1 hour and 40 mins BEFORE school starts! I find this a tad CRAZY considering that I am 8 miles from the school. So my question is....is this the only bus the school has and it has to run the entire South side of the county????? I THINK NOT!

No lets address the return time shall we? LETS!

The shool bell rings at 2:40 to end the day. My son then boards the bus to find a seat to share with 2 other high school boys. They are pack 3 to a seat on the high school bus.

Yep, my son is crammed in a tiny seat with 2 other boys with a total of 3 book bags to spend an 1 hour and 35 mins stuck so close to together he can hear their hair grow!

Now I ask you, is this county so broke that they can not afford to run another bus to cut back on the time these kids have to spend on the bus and the over crowding? Because if thats the case, then I recommend yanking those 3 nice TV's my son told me where hanging in the lunch room so the kids could watch ESPN sports center and soaps while they eat, be sold to the highest bidder to raise money for gas to run another bus route!

Sincerely,
Mom of a Non-early riser

Wordless Wednesday(almost)

2010-08-25T08:31:00.003-04:00

Yes, this is Kyle and yes he is oh SO grounded....see what happens when kids post stupid stuff on Facebook....it will get you busted EVERY time!

oh and Chris didn't kill him and let him live to start his first day of high school this morning. But I swear 5:30 came mighty early this morning....ugh!!!

Kneeboardin'

2010-08-18T18:16:00.008-04:00

I had huge intentions last night to down load Kyle's knee boarding pictures and our anniversary trip pics but it was taking FOREVER!!!! I am not sure if it was my computer or blogger but man was it slow...and I had a massive amount of ceramic tile to mop so I didn't have the time to wait.

So......this is all ya get for now...1 measly picture of Bubba on the board...oh well, I shall try again later.

...but at least my tile floors are so spotless you could eat off them!!! I just wouldn't recommend it after today...things get dirty quick around my house!

I think I am in denial

2010-08-18T10:53:00.004-04:00

I'm pretty sure that's what it is.

Kyle starts High School next Wednesday and I am having a tuff time coming to grips with the whole thing. Not only that he will be starting HS but the fact that he is REALLY growing up and in 4 short years he will be gone out of the house completely..{{cue HUGE crocodile tears}}

I know once he starts HS that things are going to change even more around our house. He already goes out to the movies and water park with his friends and is gone for hours at a time on the weekends riding four wheelers with all his buddies. But this is going to be a whole new ballgame for us. Kyle has had it pretty easy in Middle school for the most part. Very little homework, not really having to study for test and no major stupid projects made out clay and other junk that I spend a fortune on that end up thrown in the corner of my attic to collect dust!

Kyle is a smart kid when it comes to school work and has always made A's & B's. He will blow your mind with the way he can memorize spelling words and vocab definitions in split second, so I am not real worried about that part(unless you count making him take time out of his world to sit down & do it). I am worried about the drugs, sex & alcohol part. The parties, the sneaking out and soon the ever dreaded learners permit...thus giving him access to get behind the wheel of a 1 ton machine with 4 wheels and an engine.....LORD BABY JESUS AND A MANGER!!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, he is a very good driver on the 4 wheeler...unless you count the time he didn't warn me about that low hanging tree branch and well...he ducked...I didn't...and well....you get the rest of the picture!

Kyle gets side tracked ALL THE TIME! One second he can be talking to you as we drive down the rode and then mid sentence he stops..."hey, look! A chicken!"...yea, you get my point. Kyle has always spend 99% of his life looking at where he has been instead of where he is going.

So say a little prayer for me....these next 4 years should be interesting!

5,475 days.....

2010-08-16T14:25:00.002-04:00

Yep....5,475!!! That is how many days it takes to make 15 years.

Chris & I packed the suitcase(well, I did really) loaded the cooler(well, I did really) pushed Kyle out the door to annoy the GP's for a while(Chris pushed & I pulled)...and we headed down the interstate bound for Myrtle Beach to spend our 15 year anniversary in the place we met.

We had no reservations at all...Chris just decided we would drive until we found somewhere that looked nice. This would usually drive me insane(for those of you that know me can verify that I am a HUGE planner!!!) But I agreed...and we drove with no certain place in mind. We just knew we wanted it to be quiet, with a nice pool and not too crowded.

We found a nice family owned hotel right on the beach with a nice pool and the beach was almost empty!!!! We checked in and then headed out to find "our" stop light. For those of you that don't know the story behind our stop light you can click on the link above that says "Our Story" and here the entire thing from start to finish (it really is a neat story if I say so myself and one that I can not wait to share with my grandkids one day.....one day like 20 years from now!!!!)

We had a wonderful time. We lounged by the pool, drank wine, ate amazing food, played putt-putt and layed by the pool some more. We even got suckered into one of those time share tours .But hey, they gave us $100 bucks in cash and a trip voucher for 7day/7night stay...BIG SCORE!

Chris & I are not big on giving gifts to each other since all of our money goes in the same account and if we see something we want then we buy it but one thing we are big on is cards. So I got the sweetest card from him with a note inside that just melted my heart.

To some, 15 years may not seem like a long time but when I look at us and see how far we have come, the fact that I met him when I was 18, married him when I was 19. and had Kyle when I was 20 it seems like an eternity...and the fact that when I look at our wedding pictures and my dress is so out of style that it makes me laugh. It had the open back, long puffy sleeves that came to a point on my hand and a HUGE bow to show off my butt! No if that don't scream OUT OF DATE I don't know what does! But at the time, it was so IN STYLE that America's Next Top Model would have been jealous!

So here's to US.... And our next 15 years!!!!

(I did take a few pictures that I will post for you guys later)

15 seconds of fame

2010-08-09T20:51:00.003-04:00

yep...I'm famous!!!

I went to New York City again this past weekend and apparently if you buy something from American Eagle they will take your pictures and post on their HUGE sign in Time Square...pretty cool huh??? Yep, I thought so too. And they even let you add a personal message.

So this was our picture...larger than life...with our North Carolina faces bright and cheery for all of New York to see.....you think we scared them???

And just how stinkin cool is that I am already sporting my "oh so cool" AE t-shirt.....who knows....maybe they will call me to be one of there new models for this falls clothing line.......

...hey a girl can dream....no????

School Supply List

2010-08-02T08:31:00.005-04:00

Friday night Chris & I ran to Walmart to pick up a few thinks after we dropped Kyle off at the movie with a bunch of friends. I don't know if the Walmart where you live does this but our local Walmart always has a cardboard stand at the entrance with copies of the school supply list for each school in the county. So, as we walked in I grabbed the list for the High School Kyle will be starting.

So, now with list in hand I began scanning the page to find that they have broken the list down to courses....what????...you know, like Civics ya need this junk and Algebra I ya need this list of crap, Agri-Science ya need this nonsense. I know this HS thing is all new to me but how the heck am I suppose to remember what Kyle signed up to take right after Christmas break last year???? .....was it Pre-Algebra or Algebra I...hmmmm????? I don't remember what I did 10 minutes ago!!!! What the school should have done was put a HUGE note on the list of classes Kyle signed up to take (which I had to sign and sent back to the school) that read MAKE A COPY OF THIS FORM BEFORE RETURNING CAUSE YOUR GONNA NEED IT!

*****let me stop here and say, I HATE SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST!!!!!*********

In the 9 years I have bought supplies for Kyle I have waisted SO much money on crap that was on the list that he never needed or used! And then some teachers are SO stinkin picky about EXACTLY what type of supplies you need to buy(if you can find them at all) folders (with or without pockets or tabs) or no mechanical pencils or blue ink versus black ink, one teacher wants loose leaf paper while 4 others want 3 subject spiral notebooks....oh, and then there is the one teacher that needs a 5 subject spiral notebook! An now this year there a 5 classes listed that he will need to buy a Flash Drive for....huh???? Why in the sam hill does he need a Flash Drive? What ever happened to using paper and a #2 pencil??

And then of course there is always the list to supply the school with items the county is too poor to supply like tissue, hand sanitizer, a roll of paper towels, zip lock bags and I have even had to buy a pack of plain white copy paper before! And as many times as Kyle has come home a told us over the years that there is never any toilet paper in the boys bathroom I think they should have added that to the list!!!!

At this point, I guess I am going to wait until orientation to find out Kyle's class schedule so I know what to buy...if there is anything left on the shelves!

I wonder if they use LL Bean lunch boxes in High School?......hmmmm.....maybe I better just buy a bunch of brown paper bags instead.

Another conversation with Kyle

2010-07-28T11:40:00.008-04:00

Well it's been a while since I have tickled your funny bone with another conversation with Kyle...who by the way is now 14 {gasp}...so I thought I would tell you a little story from the other night at our house.

Kyle has literally out grown everything he owns in the past 6 weeks. No joke!!! He has gained 10 pounds and grown over 2 inches in height (if he keeps this up I may just have to sent him off to live with a nudist colony, cause it is putting a major hurting on the ole wallet!)

Anyway, I decided I was going to measure his waist & inseam to see what size jeans we would need for back to school...and here is how it all went down.

Me: "Kyle, come here a minute and let me measure you."

Kyle: {after mumbles under his breath he enters the kitchen and turns around with his back to me}

Me: "no, I need you to turn and face me"

Kyle: {then turns around and stands with his feet together}

Me: "I need you to spread your legs apart."

Kyle: {does as instructed but has a weird expression on his face that says that I must be the dumbest person to walk the face of the earth}

Me: { I then take the tape measure in hand and take in up to "the forbidden region"}

Kyle: {then jerks back and yells} "What are you doin women!"

Me: "I am measureing your inseam!"

Kyle: {still VERY unsure with this entire ordeal} " My what!"

Me: "I am measuring to see how long your leg is."

****okay, maybe I should not have used the term leg to him*****

Kyle: {then gives me the evil eye with a smirk on his face as if he doesn't believe me}

Me: " Don't worry I am not try to measure and see how long your mess is!" {Kyle call his man parts his "Mess"}

Kyle: "alright, well just hurry it up would ya!"

I tell ya that boy is almost impossible sometimes!

Oh, and if any of you want to buy some American Eagle young mens jeans size 26/28, I have 5 pair for sell. Just let me know.

Thank You!!!

2010-07-26T15:06:00.005-04:00

I just have to tell you ladies a HUGE thank you for all your prayers for us over the past week. I have been so down in the dumps the past week stressing over if we are going to have to move....and trust me....I don't look to pretty when I'm stressed(just ask My Boys!)

So here's the BIG news....

WE DON'T HAVE TO MOVE!!!!!!
{{see me do my happy dance}}

Thank you for your encouraging comments. You ALL have been a blessing to me!

....now, I gotta run a paint my Master Bedroom and celebrate!!!!

10 silly things I do

2010-07-23T08:26:00.003-04:00

1. I always start by drying my hair upside down.
2. I have to sleep on the right side of the bed(even if it is the side next to the door).
3. When I do laundry(which I try not to do often) I always wash darks first, whites, then towels, then sheets.
4. I have to have my bedroom door closed at night when I go to bed.
5. I get dressed before I do my hair & make-up.
6. All my purses are arranged by color and lined up on shelves in my closet.
7. I have to sit on the left side of the couch when I watch TV. If Chris or Kyle are already there then I make them move!
8. I can't walk around in sock feet. I can't stand to feel the socks rub on the floor, especially on carpet...ugh!!!!
9. I always sit in the same seat at church every Sunday(I think alot of people do this....right?)
10. I can't sit with my feet on the floor.(I either have to have on leg tucked up under my butt, or have them propped up on the coffee table, or sit Indian style on the couch, even while I sit at my desk at work they are propped up on a ledge that extends out from under my desk.

So what silly or crazy things do you have a habit of doing?????

Blahhhhhh.......

2010-07-21T09:02:00.004-04:00

Sorry I have missing in the blog world lately. I have just been in a funk I guess....or at least that is the word that come to mind at this moment.

Chris has his meeting at work tomorrow to get more details on if we are going to have to sell our house and move. I am trying to stay positive but it has been hard to do. Please keep us in your prayers.

I have also decided to hold off on painting our master bedroom until we hear the final word.(so that is why you have not seen any before & after pictures.) No sense in wasting my time and energy to paint if we are going to have to sell the house.

On a good note, Kyle has started working for a farmer we go to church with. It is hard work with long hours but he really loves it. He worked a few weeks for him last summer helping put up hay and harvest the corn. Right now they are pulling weeds out of the soybean field....WHAT FUN! He is so dirty and tired when he gets home. I will have to take a picture of him to show you guys.......good thing his favorite color is dirt :O)

Kyle also has a birthday coming up next week. And I am at a total loss with that. I have no idea what to get him. He needs clothes and shoes in the worst way(he has grown so much this summer) but the one thing he is dying to have his a knee board. I really think he would be good at it because he loves that water so much. He has no fear when it comes to water....its really kinda scary. So will see what happens.

Hope all of you are having a great week!!!!

Chicken or the egg????

2010-07-16T09:39:00.002-04:00

People have debated this age old questions since the dawn of time. But last night as I sat and watched the evening news I heard this statement.

"Scientist have cracked the code on which came first, the chicken or the egg."

And yes folks, that made the evening news headlines...go figure???

The news caster went on to say how scientist have been researching this questions for the past two years and finally came to the conclusion that indeed the CHICKEN came before the egg!

....huh????

you mean to tell me that some stupid scientist has waisted 2 years of his life to try figure this out? What a hoot!

I could have saved them a lot of trouble. If they would have just asked me I would have cut the time down to about 10 minutes...maybe less depending how fast of a reader they were!

Me to stupid scientist:

"here, read this. Start in Genesis Chapter 1!"

....cause I'm 99% sure God didn't say "Let there be eggs...and there were eggs!"

sometimes life sucks

2010-07-14T09:53:00.002-04:00

Just when you think your life could not go any better....it's summer time, your best friend is in from out of town, your husbands transfer has been approved and he is now working in the next county which allows him to be back in the same bed with you(or him climbing in one side as you slide out the other depending on what shift he is working)...but non the less.... he is home.

....then it hits......a huge slap in the face!

We got word last Thursday that due to Chris's job we may have to sell our house and move to the next county over where he is stationed. And to make matters worse our house is only 8 miles from the county line.....8 miles!!!!! We may have to sell our house, take Kyle from the only town he has ever known, all the friends he has been with since Kindergarten and his 1st year of high school for a mere 8 miles!!!!

I wish I could go into more detail, but for now I can't. For those of you here in NC if you watch the news I am sure already know.

My heart is crushed, I have cried until no more tears will come. I have prayed and prayed again that the Lord will find a way for us to stay where we are.

Please keep us in your prayers.

just not the same

2010-07-13T16:15:00.003-04:00

things have been very quite around our house the past 24 hours. Kyle has left for camp and will not be home until sometime Saturday......and Chris will be working nights all week...so where does that leave me?????

VERY BORED!

well I guess I could clean the house but then I would just be tired and that's no good either.

I miss this cute face with his stupid white sunglasses(and yes Justin Bieber, my son was rockin the long flowy locks way before you were!)
I miss the constant choas that follows him every where he goes. I miss the empty candy and snack cake wrappers laying all ove rthe place.
Heck I even miss the dirt & mud trail he leaves behind on the hardwood floor.
....did I really just say that????

I hope he is having a great time at camp but I sure wish he would hurry back home!

Trouble on the horizon.....

2010-07-06T09:18:00.003-04:00

I am so excited! My BFF from Kentucky will be here tomorrow...eek!!!!! Here are some pictures from her visit last summer. We always have a blast when we are together. We layout on the beach, lounge on the boat, do some shopping and make some of the best mixed drinks you have ever tasted!

Heather and I go waaaaaaaayyyyyy back. We met during 7th grade in Jr. High(yes it was called Junior High back in the day and NOT Middle School) and immediately became the best of friends. Boy did we cause some trouble back in our day. I could tell you guys some stories that would have you shaking your heads and laughing until your face hurt. We have enough "inside jokes" to fill a legal pad and it's a wonder the two of us are still alive and kicking to talk about them.

I never had a sister growing up but Heather seamed to fill that spot. We were always together either at my house or hers. My parents welcomed her with open arms and she blended in just like she was one of there's too. We both had chore list each day during the summer and would run between both houses helping the other knock their list out so we could head to the pool. We have cleaned each others rooms, washed each others family laundry(yes I folded her brothers underwear more than once!) washed dishes and ran the vaccum.....now that's true friendship !!!!

So I am counting down the hours until her plane lands...so if you don't here from me for a few days, don't worry...I will be back with funny pictures and stories to tell you from our visit.

Be back soon!

The house that built me-Part 1

2010-07-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

How many of you out there have built a house???? And when I say "built a house" I don't mean hire a contractor or builder that builds they house for you while you sit back and eat ice cream and pick out paint colors and cabinet knobs! No way! When Chris and I had a brilliant idea to "build a house" we thought it would be fun to do most the work ourselves and save tons of money!!! Great plan....right????

It really was a good plan and we did save a ton of money but it doubled our time from 4 months to about 9 months. We enlisted family members to help us along the way...one major player and the brains behind the operation was my Step Dad. He has built several houses in Kentucky so he packed and moved down to NC with us for a few months to help get everything "under roof"...and he drug my Mom along so she could document the house from the ground up in pictures(thus leaving me with TONS of pictures)

The one above is of our empty lot...like how is covered in Kutzu? If you have no clue what Kutzu is, just google it and it will tell that it can grow 12 inches per day and will NEVER DIE!!!!

Nothing kills this junk I swear!

The concrete truck pouring the footer(I may lose some of you guys on some of this house techy terms so bare with me)

Kyle spreading mortar(I love how little he looks)

Trying to hid and take a break!

Kyle was always keeping the help company. He loved asking questions and learning how to built things.

Yep...that's me...hard at work! We spent every weekend out at the house for 9 straight months. There was never any question about "Hey Babe, what do you want to do this weekend???" Nope...it was all about the house!

Kyle working the hammer.

LOOK! It's my living room....what??? You can't tell????? geeeezzzzzz!

Me, taking a much needed break. I was actually putting glue down on each beam for the subfloor to be laid.

hmmmmmm.....I don't think he is wearing the proper "house building attire"

Raising the first wall!!!! I was at work when they did this so I am SUPER glad my mom was there to get pictures.

This is Chris writing "His" on MY closet door header (cause my closet is bigger)...neener, neener, neener!!!!

Sweet little Kyle raises a bathroom wall all by himself!

This will always be hidden under the sheet rock in the hall of our house.....{{tear}}

Me holding the ladder while the guys are up top.....see...told ya I learned alot!

We have so many pictures from start to finish that I will have to break it up in several post for you.

....to be continued.........

just beachy

2010-06-30T18:51:00.003-04:00

Well HELLO!!!!! Did you think you would never get to see pictures of our "cut short" beach vacation? I don't have many pictures. We really just enjoyed laying there and breathing(nothing that required too much energy, which included holding a camera in an upright position and pushing a small button!)
......just in case you are wondering about this crazy picture of me Kyle snapped it while we were planning a few rounds of cornhole.

My silly boys sportin the "rally visors"

playing a few rounds of corn hole which dinner cooks on the grill....oh, and let em just say...I suck at this game....BIG TIME! Most of the bags I tossed didn't even come close to that stupid board!!!

....I don't have a clue???????

Kyle found a Ray that had washed a shore......man he was STINKY!!!!!

My cute little Beach Boy!

Me lookin a "hot mess" with The Fisherman

Told ya I didn't take many pictures this time. I took a few with my phone but my phone is giving me tons of problems and doesn't feel the need to let me email them. But if you follow me on FB you can see them.....see that benefits of following my boring life on fb...cool huh?

Crunch-N-Munch

2010-06-29T09:28:00.002-04:00

What in the world is crunch-n-munch you ask???
Well, let me go ahead and tell you that it is not that tasty little popcorn snack you think it is.....nope.....that is what we call Kyle when he starts to go on another one of his eating spree's.
Let me just give you the low down on what this 13 year old boy ate AFTER supper last night.

keep in mind we ate supper at 7:30 last night and he ate roast beef(about 1/2 a cow), a ton of rice and gravy, corn and an entire cucumber with ranch dressing.

Before Chris and I went to bed I baked chocolate chip cookies. Well. since Kyle was starving and just could not wait for them to get done he ate 2 Popsicles..... Then ate 8 cookies and 2 glasses of milk.

Then Chris and I headed off to bed around 10. When I got up this morning I found Kyles eating trail that was left behind.

Chips & Salsa(dirty bowl found in sink, no leftover chips to be found)
Ritz cracker empty package(found on coffee table next to 2 empty slice cheese wrappers)
evidence of 2 Reece's wrappers and 2 chocolate chip granola bar wrappers found on the top of the trash can.

And I didn't go in his room this morning, so I am sure there maybe more that I didn't stumble across in there.

But you know what the worse part of all this is? I bet that big stinker didn't even gain 1 pound after eating all that junk!!! I just ate 5 of the cookies and I feel like I gained 10 pounds and everything jiggles when I walk!!!!

everyroom needs a splash of color.....

2010-06-23T04:36:00.001-04:00

right????

RIGHT!

So now the decision must be made as to WHAT color...

This is where I need your help. I want to paint our master bedroom. I promise to take before and after pictures if you guys promise to help me pick a color.

Here are my thoughts on a few colors(keep in mind the carpet is a neutral tan so I really could use any color in the rainbow)

Choice # 1

Wall color-Tiffany & Co. Blue(ya know like the little blue jewelry box)

accent in chocolate brown & muted gold(throw pillows & accessories)

Choice # 2

Wall color - Sage Green

accent in chocolate & cream

Choice #3

Wall color - Dark chocolate brown

accent in white and turquoise

Choice #4

Wall color- Cobalt blue

accent white & pale yellow or gold

(I was going to add paint swatches to this post so you guys could really see the colors but it wanted to give me and attitude so I had to nix that & move on.)

So what do you all think???? hmmmmmmm????

I need feedback or any other color ideas you guys might have....really I am open to anything...I have a blank canvas and you guys get to be my inspiration!

(side note....Chris has not a care in the world what color I use....honest.......his theory is, his eyes are closed most the time while he is there anyway!) unless I painted polka dots on the wall, he might not be too happy with that but he would get use to it over time!

on a lighter note!

2010-06-22T16:21:00.002-04:00

After the heart wrenching and tragic previous post, I had to share a bit of good news with all of you............... so without further ado........

CHRIS'S TRANSFER HOME WAS APPROVED TODAY!!!!!!
{{shake it , shake it....now turn in a circle...and jump up and down!!!}}

And it will be effective on Monday June 28th....JUST A FEW DAYS AWAY!!! And then the hubs will be back home for at least the next 2 years!

But I have to be honest. These past 9 months have not been the easiest to deal with. It has been very hard not having him around. He missed Thanksgiving and all of Kyle's ball season...but summer is officially here and Chris will be home to share it with us.....oh and now that he has to report on Monday the 28th...SO we no longer get to go on our beach vaca......dang it all to heck!

Oh well, I will gladly give up my beach vacation to have my man home again!!!!

Judge Ye not...for you shall be judged

2010-06-22T08:43:00.002-04:00

I received some terrible news Sunday that a friend of mine from high school had lost her 5 month old baby girl in a tragic accident.
My friend, left her 5 month old in a hot car for several hours. The baby was later found by a neighbor and rushed to the hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
She is a single mom with 4 kids. Was she preoccupied? Was she on her cell phone? Did she have her mind on what to make for dinner? Or maybe she was just tired. Not that any of these reasons make what took place okay or forgivable but as most of us are moms we can also understand some of the daily stress and chaos that goes on.
My heart breaks for her loss and I can not begin to imagine how she must feel right now. All I can do is pray that the Lord will give her and her children peace and comfort during this time.
So many people have posted such terrible things about her. They don't know her or her children. They can only judge, speculate and assume(and you know what that say about that don't ya?)
In this world we are so quick to place blame and point fingers with our "holier than thou" attitude. We sit back in our happy lives and say "how could she?" "she's a murderer!" "how do you forget your own child" when in reality, it could happen to any of us... anytime... any day.

My boys are back....

2010-06-21T16:23:00.002-04:00

yep, I am one HAPPY HAPPY lady!!! Both my boys are back home (for now) and boy does my house sure look like it. I swear they come in and just start laying stuff down...it's like picking up bread crumbs from Hansel & Gretel!
Anyway, we had such a busy weekend. I taught VBS at our church Friday night and all day Saturday while Chris drove to meet my parents half way and pick up bubba. Then he brought Kyle home, I loved and covered him with hugs & kisses then Chris & I headed back out the door to drive 2.5 hours one way to get his patrol car and made it back home Sat. night around 11pm...whew!
We started Father's Day off with homemade chocolate chip Belgian waffles with whip cream(homemade by ME!)...what is that look for?????....yes, I can cook....dang you people!
Then we headed off to church, came home for a quick lunch and then the boys took off to the river on the 4 wheeler and I headed off to the grocery to pick up stuff for our Father's Day dinner (wings, fresh corn on the cob, loaded baked potatoes and deviled eggs).......oh great, there's that look again......YES I CAN COOK!
I hope all of you had a great Father's Day weekend.
Oh, and I am counting down the days until Friday at noon so Me & My Boys can head to the beach for a long and much needed family vaca!!!!!! This maybe the only time Chris will be off so I am gonna make the most off it and get the heck out of town!

~Flashback Friday~

2010-06-18T08:37:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday peeps!
Can you tell I am missing my Bubba this week? I can't wait to get my hands on him Saturday and squeeze him to pieces!!
I know this is a tad blurry but I took a picture of a picture...and well you get the idea.....anyway, this is Kyle when he was about 8 and he caught this huge fish. I love the expression on his face!!!
Anyway, Chris came home last night so I have one of my boys back with me...thank goodness he was home cause we had some major chaos in our house at 3:30 this morning(if you follow me on facebook you already know about our little visitor)...anyway more on that story later.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!!!

Craziness times 4

2010-06-17T10:36:00.002-04:00

AJ, Tyler, Rylee Bug and Kyle

I just talked to my mom in Kentucky(where Kyle is right now, yep he's the goober with the sun visor upside down!) and she is watching 4 out of her 9 grandkids for the day...one of which is my Kyle. This is a pictures she just sent me. It was the mere 3 seconds they stopped running around. I think we need to have a moment of prayer for her cause this group here is enough to make the Pope lose his religion....thank God they are cute other wise heads would roll!

Have a great day Mimi and enjoy your time with the "grandhoodlums"

ta.....da.......

2010-06-16T10:29:00.004-04:00

Finally I have some pictures to show you(thanks Mom) I still can't get my off my phone so these will have to due for now. They are a tad fuzzy but you can at least see our little guys first trip to the beach....he was SO excited and could not wait to get there and build a sand castle!

Dad takes him out into the ocean for the first time...and he never let go of his hand!!!!

Scott & Ty playing in the sand while Kyle heads out on his boogie board to catch some waves.

Tyler really loved watching the waves!

and I am sure this boy here looks familiar?????

Ty decides he wants to try out the boogie board as long as NO ONE lets go!!!!!

Kyle teaches Ty how to feed crackers to the seagulls....oh and just to let you know who was the lucky one to get pooped on.....ME....dang those beach birds!!!!!

are you guys still out there????

2010-06-15T11:31:00.002-04:00

I know, I know...where the heck have you been Trish? I can hear you guys fussing all the way here in North Carolina.
I promise I am still around. I am just having a few technical difficulties getting all the pictures I took from the beach off my phone and down loaded to this stinkin computer....don't you hate things that are smarter than you!!!!!! And most the time have have my 13 year old electronic genius at my beckon call, but right now he is in Kentucky so I am having to try and work this out solo...and let me just say...I SUCK...which could be the same reason my coffee pots continues to blink 12:00 24 hours a day!
So, give me a few more days and maybe I can have this contraption all worked out. I have tried everything from emailing them to myself so I can open the attachment and download the picture that way but the email keeps coming back and saying delivery failed....grrrrrrrr!!!!!
On another note, I have been alone in the house since Thursday morning and I am about to go NUTS! My house is so clean you could eat off my floors. All the laundry is done...heck...I even cleaned out the fridge and I even cleaned Kyle's room!!!! I just don't know how to function with out my boys around to make and mess and drive me insane. Chris & Kyle will both be home Friday and I can hardly wait to see them both!

see ya soon!

2010-06-07T10:25:00.006-04:00

okay so I had to drop in and tell you ladies that I will not be around to blog until at least the weekend. My Mom, Step Dad, brother & nephew are on the way to my house all the way from Kentucky.....

......EEK!............

My little nephew has never seen the ocean or seen his foot prints in the sand so I can't wait to rush this little guy to the coast and see the expression on his face the moment he sees the waves!

I am so overly excited! I have been getting the house in order, cleaning and grocery shopping(which has been very hard to keep Kyle from eating everything before they get here!.... I swear that boy can store food like a camel stores water!)

I have not seen my mom since Christmas and my brother and nephew have never been to NC to see me. So, with that said we have so much to do and a short time to do it. Here is my VERY busy agenda for the next few days.

Monday-

Quick dinner, then ballgame at 6:30. tehn head home to do laundry and get Chris packed and ready to head back out.

Tuesday-

Family arrives around 5pm.

Down time with family and catching up and enjoy the huge dinner I am going to prepare!

Wed-

6:00am everyone up and getting ready to be at the school no later that 7:45 to get a good seat.

8:30am Kyle graduates from Middle School

10:30 Quick graduation party at the house before Chris has to head back out to work.

11:00 Grab lunch(Kyle's pick)

1:00pm Head to the beach

5:00 home for dinner and pack all Kyle's bags(yes he will be heading back to KY with them and I will alone ALL by myself for 13 days!!!!!!)

Thursday

The family will be leaving to head back to Kentucky with my Bubba in tow while I get to cleaning up the house and enjoy may after noon of piece and quiet.

Friday-

Heading to the beach with my good friend for the day.

Then have an Anniversary dinner to attend that night.

Whew, I am give out just typing all this stuff. I promise I will take lots of pictures to post so you all can see them.

Hope you all have a great week....see ya Saturday(ish)

why I blog?

2010-06-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

I guess I started in 2009 under the pressure of a friend. ****who now no longer blogs...DANG HER!******She had a blog and begged me and finally convinced me that I to needed one.

Anyway, when I began this blog I never imagined it would turn out to become what it has. You guys have become my outlet, my vice and at times my addiction(hey it could be worse, huh?). You ladies have become my cheer leaders, support system and giggles. I have followed some of you for a while and I feel like I know your children, pets, husbands and even your menstrual cycles...I know!...CRAZINESS I tell ya.....this place is like my crack, I just can't get enough sometimes. You guys make me laugh on down days when I needed it and have welcomed Me & My Boys with open arms into your homes, cars and offices...and I guess your bathrooms if you read blogs from there........

....what?....

....don't look at me like you've never done it!......

So, I wanted to take the time to thank all of you out there for following Me & My Boys on our adventures. I know my blog maybe boring at times. I don't blog about art or fashion I am not a SAHM with a keen eye for photography......I am just me......a full time mother with a full time job, trying & struggling through the years with a teenager who types it all out for you to read, misspelled words and all (yes, sometimes I forget to use spell check) . I wish I could have a huge party and invite all of you here to NC so I could meet all of you in person....but I am pretty sure Mr. Fisherman would freak!

So instead, I will just say you ladies are the best and I thank you from the bottom of my tee tiny little heart!!!!!!

Thanks for sticking around with me. Hang on tight, there will always be more to come!

(p.s Mr. Fisherman thinks I am nuts for blogging. He just doesn't get it....yea....he's weird like that!)

another conversation with Kyle.....

2010-06-03T08:03:00.003-04:00

So it's that time again to grace you ladies with another conversation I had with Kyle. This one took place last night as we sat watching the life of Johnny Cash on the Biography channel. Did any of you watch this? It was a great program. It should live footage of his performances and interviews with past manager & band members and....oh crap, never mind. Back to Kyle.

Anyway, it was showing Johnny Cash performing a song called "Ira...something or another" I forget the guys last name. But it was a song he had written about a Native American how fought in the war and how he helped raise the American flag but you never here about his heroism in the history books. So the live footage panned out to the audience and there were about 20 or so Indians that had come to see Johnny play. They were dressed in full Native American attire with feather headdress and war paint on their faces. Then as the camera zoomed on for a close up of one of the Indians you could see a women sitting in the row behind him and that's when it happened.....that's when Kyle said this....

Kyle: "look a Pilgrim!"

Me: "a what?"

Kyle: " a pilgrim. did you see her?"

Me: at this point I couldn't say anything I was laughing so hard tears had formed in my eyes!

Kyle: "what's so funny about a Pilgrim?"
by now, Kyle is getting impatient with me laughing

Me: "that wasn't a Pilgrim Kyle!"

Kyle: "yes it was too!"

Me: "No is wasn't!"

Kyle: "well then what was it?"
(using his Mr. Smarty Pants tone)

Me: "A NUN!"

I guess he really thought that the Indians had brought the pilgrims to the show with them. After that, it took me about 20 minutes to explain to Kyle what a Nun was and what they did but I still don't think he was convinced....he still thought it was a pilgrim!

And to think this poor boy will be starting High School in the fall. God help us all!

Semi Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-02T06:58:00.001-04:00

Ready.........

Set.............

Spit!

yes my son put that nasty lake water in his mouth.......GAG!

Weekend Recap~

2010-06-01T10:05:00.003-04:00

So did everyone have a wonderful holiday weekend?
I sure did!!
Sorry there will be no pictures from our Memorial Day festivities cause I forgot my camera(not once...but twice!)...yes, I know...I SUCK!
Saturday morning Kyle & I headed to the beach to spend the day with all my girlfriends hanging out at the condo laying by the pool & the beach. We laughed, talked and sipped wine with strawberries. It was so nice to just lounge and relax while Kyle went with the guys out to fish in the sound.
Sunday we headed to church and then cleaned up around the house and prepared for our boat outing on Monday.
Yesterday morning, Chris strolled in at about 2:30AM. Slept for a few hours and then (being the wonderful husband he is) loaded up the boat and we headed out to the water. It was just the 3 of us(plus Chevy). We sunned, tubed, ate, fished and swam......oh and just in case your wondering, I have finally realized that I am getting too old to tube...especially when Kyle is driving the boat!

giveaway winner....

2010-05-30T06:00:00.002-04:00

and the winner of my Nutri-Vitamin spray is.....

*********ta-da*********

Marlessa over @ Southern Reflection(her button is over on my sidebar. The Southern Family, head on over and say hello to her...she is just the sweetest!)

Congrats chicka!

Send me an email with your address info so I can get your prize right out in the mail to you!

Camping Trip

2010-05-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we headed to Jordan Lake for a weekend family camping trip. Here is "The Fisherman" and with his "other" lady!

Our homestead for the weekend(note to self: tents are NOT water proof)

Just us being goofing while Kyle is in charge of cooking the hotdogs.(note to self: a 13 year old boy cooking over an open flame...NOT GOOD!)

Kyle & Chevy's home for the weekend(aren't they just the cutest couple you have ever seen!). Yes they both slept in the tent together. During the night we would hear Kyle saying "scoot over Chevy...geez!" I can only imagine the stink in that tent when it was sipped up! Since Kyle refused to use the bathhouse after all my drama and Chevy swam in the lake and rolled in the sand....NICE!

This is me and my winning catch...what??? Does it really look that small? I swaer it was huge in person!

Oh Lordy I look a hot mess in this one...yikes!

See...his isn't any bigger than mine...right??????...actually I think we may have caught the same fish twice?????

Kyle never even put a pole in the water. All he wanted to do was get on his tube and hit the water(more of these pictures on a future post)

awwww....MY boys!

see I told a tent wasn't water proof!

yes...he is using a cup to throw the standing water out of our tent after a huge storm hit...NOT COOL GOD!

See, and all you guys thought I was crazy to go camping. We really had a great time. We cooked hotdogs, chicken wing & smores. Swam, caught some fish and rode the tube....minus the down pour it was a great family weekend with tons of memoires made...and that's what matters most!

New York Trip

2010-05-26T18:02:00.005-04:00

Sorry for the delay on the NYC pictures but it has been a hectic week with ballgames camping and Chris being home for a few days...so what is a wife to do??? Put off posting & spend time with my boyz....sorry you gals had to be put on the back burner.
Anyhow, this is the one place I just had to see. i love Tiffany & Company(not that I can afford anything in there since the cheapest thing they had was a small coin purse for $50!!)

This is me & Marsha(aka my partner in crime) while we were hanging on for dear life in the taxi! Yes, we came VERY close to hitting a pedestrian...NO JOKE! Those drivers don't play I tell ya!

Me & partner in crime...at the crime scene...(bahahaha!)

They must have been expecting up cause they were all set up to throw us a party....what??? you don't think it was for us????.......HOW RUDE!

Oh how I love those little blue boxes...they make my heart go pitter patter!!!!

this is me in all my glory on the carriage ride around Central Park. It was amazing! Did you know that there is a huge carousel down in the park.....who knew!!!!

This was our trusty steed Felix!

Me & Meg taking a much needed break in Time Square.....actually we were on the lookout for the so called "Naked Cowboy"....he stood us up!

Me being an idiot...sorry i screwed up your picture Meggers!

Had to take a picture of this to bring home to my Bubba. It was really a sign that was in Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, where we ate dinner.

This picture is of me & Tara (from Keeping Up With The Kellys) it was taken while we were waiting to board back on the bus to head home....do we look give out or what!

We had a wonderful time and the weather was just perfect. And I must not have been too bad to get to know cause we are going back in August and guess who is coming with me again???? TARA!!!! See I'm not so bad...right?????

Random Dozen

2010-05-26T10:43:00.004-04:00

1. Would you rather host a party or simply attend one?

I am the "Hostess with the mostess". I love hosting parties, baby showers, wedding showers and even host my own Christmas ornament exchange party at my house the 1st Sunday in December...oh, and your all invited this year :O)

2. Tell us about your most memorable party you have ever been to.

ummmm...that would be back in High School and I can not disclose all that information cause my Momma follows my blog and I may end up getting grounded!
But just for the record, it was a BLAST!

3. What is one thing you hope for in the after-life.

To see all my family again, mainly my dad who past away in a car wreck when I was 16.

4. What do you enjoy most about the sunshine?

getting my tan on...duh????

5. When you attend a bridal/baby shower do you prefer to bring your own gift or chip in to buy a larger, more expensive gift?

This one depends on how well I know the person the gift is for. If I know them well, I like to do my own thing. If not, I am fine to chip in.

6. Would you rather have a free week of having your house cleaned or all of your meals cooked for you and your family?

Molly Maid please! I would love to have some one come in and clean my house from top to bottom, but then again I am so picking about my house they probably wouldn't do it well enough to suit me...I know...I'm weird like that!

7. What song describes your mood today?

Smile by Uncle Kracker

8. What is something you received at a bridal/wedding shower that you still use?

Well after almost 15 years this is a tuff one. One think is a newspaper basket given to me by my Great Aunt. It has been spray painted a few times but I still use it in my sunroom. Oh and how could I forget my handy dandy old fashioned hand held medal potato peeler!

9. Your favorite flavor of ice cream is?

oh good lordy this is a dumb question.....Ice cream is a food group there are no favorite flavors. If it can fit in a bowl, a cup or on a cone it's ALL mine.....and I have been known to eat it straight out of the carton when I was preggo with Kyle.

10. When was the last time you felt "tested"?

Kyle test me everyday, but I guess that doesn't count huh? So, I would have to say the past 8 months since Chris has been transferred away from home. I am so ready for him to come back!

11. "Fill in the blank" is the food that once I start eating I find it really hard to stop.

see question #9

12. "blank" is the best motivation

family

Hope you have enjoyed my random dozen. Feel free to steal the button and do your own!

things that make me go hmmmmmm......

2010-05-25T15:57:00.002-04:00

1. Why there is no word in the English language that rhymes with orange?
2. Why women can't be so lucky to pee standing up?
(this was really brought to my attention this past weekend while camping)
3. Why there are number in Algebra...there should no numbers in math!!!!!!
4. Does ice cool your drink or does your drink melt you ice?
5. Why it takes longer to get some where than to get back home?...or maybe that just me
6. Why the last drink out of a bottle taste so nasty?
7. Why all directions don't come with pictures?
8. Why I can't get my coffee pot to stop blinking 12:00?
9. Why Kyle thinks it is so hard to close a dresser drawer and I can do it with one finger?
10. Doe slight in the fridge really go off when you shut the door?

what makes you go hmmmmmmm???????

Next time I'll take a shower buddie

2010-05-24T10:22:00.004-04:00

Okay so let me tell ya about my experience this past Saturday night while going to take a shower at the bath house in the camping ground...first off, I know what our thinking..."she used a bath house??? GROSS!"

Anyway, We had enjoyed a great day out on the boat (I will post pictures later, promise!) we tubed, fished and floated around. We headed back to our campsite to cook dinner, make smores and sit around and talk. After the smores & food where gone, Kyle was no longer interested and decided he was going to go walk around the circle with two girls he had met(yes, Kyle makes friends where ever he goes.) Chris & I were enjoying the fire and each others company and totally lost track of time. It was after 11pm and we still had to get showers(since we smelled like river muck and fire!) Chris said he would wait for Kyle to come back before heading to the mens showers. I went ahead, packed by stuff and headed up along the path to the bathhouse(flash light in hand). As I crossed the pay ground I ran into Kyle hanging out on the swings talking to the two girls he had meet. I told him to head back to camp so Chris could come get a shower.

I headed into the women's bathroom, checked all the stalls for spiders before choosing the cleanest one(if you can even call them clean) and started to get my stuff arranged for easy reach. I took my sweatshirt, shirt & bra off when I heard the bathroom door open. I was not alarmed since the camp was kind of packed that weekend. I thought it was a women coming in to pee one last time before settling down to sleep for the night. I heard a few foot steps and then a strange voice...(you know the kind of tone when a man is trying to talk like an old women???? yep, that kind of voice.)

Strange voice: "heeeelllllllooooooo?"

Me: no answer( I assumed they were talking to someone else)

Strange voice: "heeeellllllloooooo??????"

Me: no answer

Strange voice: "is anyone in here?"

Me: (had I missed someone during my stall check and they are stranded and getting ready to ask me to hand them some toilet paper).....NOPE! I didn't want them turning the corner and coming any closer to me in the shower stall half naked so I answered,

"yes"

I mean seriously...I really don't want to carry on a conversation with a husky voiced women while I am trying to shower in a public bath house...REALLY!

Strange voice: "do you want some company?"

At that statement I stop dead in my tracks, half naked and begin to think to myself that this could really be a man trying to disguise his voice as a women and come in here to attack me or worse yet... rape me and the only weapon I have is a flash light and a pink hair dryer! For the few of you that do know me in person you know that I am not one to scare easily. I have spent most the nights of my married life alone due to Chris work schedule and it takes alot to get me worked up and freaked out. You know how in the movies they always show the women running in high heels away from a mugger or some strange lunatic trying to kill her? Well, I AM NOT that Women. I am the women that would not run away, but instead take that high heel show off, gouch your eye out, then wipe your blood off before putting it back on and walking away with my dignity while you lay retching on the ground in agony!

But since I didn't happen pack my high heels for the camping trip I used my most pissed off sarcastic voice(Chris hates my pissed off sarcastic voice) and replied.

Me: "ugh.....NOOOOOO!"

Strange voice: "oh, okay"

the bathroom door slams and I hear footsteps pounding the dirt as the strange voiced person runs away. I throw my bra & shirt back on load up my stuff, grab my flash light and head for the door. I walk the path back to camp where I then tell the entire story to Chris exactly how it happened(after I blamed him for being the strange voice). Well that was all it took. Before I could blink Chris was in full pissed off protective hubby mode. he grabbed his beating stick(a.k.a police asp baton) and headed back up the path toward the bath house on a mission to beat some man to pulp....and then ask questions!

Now, don't go wiggin out on me ladies.....Chris never did come across anyone(lucky them) and everyone lived to see another day.

****Note to self, next time you get a brilliant idea to go shower alone in the dark wilderness......DON'T!****************

don't forget to enter my giveaway!!!!

2010-05-22T05:00:00.001-04:00

Hey ladies, while I am out this weekend basking in the sun on the back of our boat enjoying a good book & my boys, make sure you take time to enter my giveaway.

Details below

Hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend!

The "F" Bomb

2010-05-21T06:30:00.002-04:00

...no folks, I am not talking about Kyle cutting a nasty stank fart.

I am talking about the ever dreaded, NEVER should be used, so foul your mouth should be washed out with soap, four letter word...yep, the F@#K word!

I bet most of you have your eyes glued to your computer screens at this very moment wondering where in the world I am going with this post...so before my mother falls out in to a full blown heart attack at the sight of me even typing that word I will fill ya in on what happened.

During Kyle's baseball game last night(keep in mind he plays on the 14-16 year old Bath Ruth league) we were loosing so badly I hate to even type the score(it's almost a terrible as the F word it's self!)...anywho, it was 15-0 and guess which team had the 15(just a hint...it wasn't us!)

The other team was up to bat with the bases loaded and the batter hit a killer ball. Well instead of the 3rd base coach taking it easy on us(which would have been nice) he drown the runner all the way around to third bringing in two more runners and upping their score to 17. Our coach was a tad upset at the other coaches unsportsman like conduct (since we were already getting creamed.) The he made a comment to the other teams coach and said "thanks man!"

To that the other teams coach replied....get ready here it comes.....

"F*&K you!"

the crowd of on lookers and parents gasped as well as several hundred dead grandmother's rolled over in their graves!

Are you serious!!!!! Can you believe the coach of the other team dropped the F bomb at a Babe Ruth ball game???

What in the sam hill is this world coming to? It makes me wonder what his child is going to grow up to be like and pray to God that his son stays away from Kyle!

The ump's kicked him out of the game and he was forced to leave that park and is unable to coach the next game.(If you ask me he should never be allowed to coach PERIOD!)

For those of you that have small children who are still in T-ball & little league. Listen to me when I say, enjoy every moment of it. Cherish each cheer, running the bases the wrong way, the children playing in the outfield...because before long, all the fun is gone. The teams & coaches are out for a win & only a win.... at all cost.

****side note, we also had two of our players hurt in last nights game by the other team. One had to be taken to Urgent Care to have his knee x-rayed the other is alright but was not able to return to finish the game.*****

I must say, I am so ready for this season to end. We have only 4 games left and I would be okay with never playing another one.

What a difference!

2010-05-20T09:55:00.005-04:00

This is what my house looked like at the end of Janurary. Yuckye & cold and snow covered....{{{{brrrrr}}}} ...me no likey snow!!!!!

And this is what my house looked like this morning...or at least it did when I left!

This is much more warm, green & inviting. Don't ya think? But I hate that you can't see the cute black & white polka dot cushions I made for the whicker chairs on the porch and my beautiful urns with my ferns....dang it! And I did such a good job on them if I do say so myself!

*****don't forget to drop below and enter to win my summer giveaway!!!!********

~ A Giveaway~

2010-05-19T13:37:00.009-04:00

I know I promised you guys a giveaway so here it is....you know I aim to please.

It is a full size spray bottle of Nutri- Vitamin Spray from Aloette.com. It is an amazing product to have on hand during the upcoming summer months(I have two bottles myself).

So let me give you the low down on how awesome this product is and what all it does for your skin.

It will instantly hydrate and sooth your skin. It contains 90% organic aloe Vera and silk amino acids with vitamins A, C E & B5.

This is a wonderful product that I can say enough about. It is great to spray on your legs & bikini line after shaving to prevent razor burn and bumps. It is a must have after sunning. Just spray on after your shower and it takes all the sting out. It has also been a life saver for Chris & Kyle when the burn their scalps since it is non greasy and can be sprayed directly on your hair & scalp.

So I guess you want the details on how to win huh???

Please leave a comment for each entry...

(ex: post my button for 4 entries leave three comments tell me you did)

1. Leave me a comment along with your email address so I can contact you if you win (1 entry)

2. Follow my blog or already be a follower (2 entries)

3. Post about my giveaway (3 entries)

4. Add my button to your blog (4 entries)

5. Follow me on Face Book-Trish Osborne Owens (5 entries)

.....................Hurry up gals you don't want to miss this one!

*********Giveaway ends Friday May 28th at Noon...HURRY UP!!!!!********

the count down begins

2010-05-18T15:35:00.009-04:00

There are 15 days left before my Bubba will walk across the stage and out the doors of his Middle School for the last time. I must say this is effecting me much more than I thought it would. It's an entire new phase in his life (and mine).

So much is changing so fast. He is going to Kentucky for almost 2 weeks the day after school lets out to spend time with my family. Then he will head off to church camp in July. He also will be working some this summer to save up money to buy a truck...WHAT?!? ......let me go back and re-read what I just typed.....did I really actually type that MY son is getting a job to save money for a truck! There is NO way that I am old enough to have a son old enough to need to get a job to buy a truck!!!!! Oh, Lord, I think I need to be medicated right now!

...sad for me but it is true.

Kyle is excited to turn 14 in July, become a Jr. Firefighter and start working for a farmer that we go to church with. He worked there last summer and I have to say, that boy worked his butt off and was so dirty when I picked him up every afternoon he had to presoak to get clean. He earns $75.00 a week cash money which I think is good money for his age....but I let him blow most of it on mud tires for the 4 wheeler and games for the play station....but this summer it will all be put away into his saving account.(highly recommend gettting your child a saving account and let them know thay have one as soon as theya re old enough to learn about money)

But this summer he has his eye on the prize....a 1996 Chevy extended cab with duel exhaust, with a 2 inch lift kit, mud tires, metal tool box and even a dog box(not sure why he thinks he needs a dog box Chevy isn't going to jump out and run off anywhere)...must just be the cool factor. Why he is dying to have this truck is beyond me but he has loved a Chevy truck since he could talk. And I bet all of you are wondering how I knew all this useless info to type it out...well, it's becuse Kyle has drilled into my head non stop since he could talk!

So in a few weeks, I will be the mother of a High Schooler. It breaks my heart to know in 4 short years he will be packing up and leaving home to start his own life. I know to some of you 4 years seems like a long time but when I sit and think of how fast the past 4 years have flown by I will be an empty nester in no time.

{{tear}}

Hello Summer!

2010-05-18T08:03:00.003-04:00

This is my new favorite perfume! Have you gals smelled this???? If not...you need to! It is AMAZING!!!!!!! It's like the beach all wrapped up in a cute little bottle, complete with a tad of sand...ahhhhhh....pure bliss!

I bought it a few weeks ago and have wore it a few times and I must say it just has that wonderful summer time smell....you know that smell that if you close your eyes and take a whiff you would really think that you were laying on a beach somewhere soaking up the sun.

It has a hint of floral and coconut that is just delish!!!! It's like a tropical island all stuffed into a bottle...of course without the cabana boy serving you cute little drinks with umbrellas!

So what is your favorite perfume?

I'm gorgeous...did ya'll know that????

2010-05-14T08:00:00.002-04:00

or so Tara over @ Keeping up with the Kelly's told ME! Thanks girlie!!!!!

So now I have to share 10 things about me and and then tell you 5 things I don't like.

1. I LOVE ice cream...did ya'll know that????

2. I got married when I was was only 19!

3. My 15 year Anniversary is in August...SO excited!!!

4. I have bungee jumped...and no I would not do it again(it happened during one of those brain fart moments in my life)!

5. I only do laundry one day a week(usually on Saturdays)

6. I really want to repaint our master bedroom but can't decide on a color, maybe I will let you guys pick one for me!

7. I am SO tired of Chris being so far away. I feel like he is missing out on so many things.

8. I have found an new wine that I love called Moscato...where the heck has it been hiding since I turned 21?????

8. I love to read.

9. I love summer thunder storms.

10. My wedding cake was a 3 tier cheesecake and it was delish!

Now for the 5 things I don't like:

1. Tomatoes & seafood

2. fake people

3. people who love to hear themselves talk so they never shut up!

4. spiders

5. and cleaning floors...I would rather scrub a toilet ya'll!!!

So now it time for me to pass this onto 5 lucky ladies out there.

Marlessa @ Southern Loves

Miss Jody @ Miss Fancy Pants

Bridget @ Among the Chaos

Heather @ Sugar & Spice & mostly nice

Tamela @ The Chatty Brunette

Thanks for playing along with me. Hope you all have awonderful weekend. See ya when I get back from New York City!!!!!!!

T minus 36 hours & counting....

2010-05-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

till I bored the bus yet AGAIN to head to the big apple. But this time, I am more excitied than normal...why you ask?

I am so stoked because one of favorite blog buddies has decided to come along and join me!!! YIPEEEEEE!!!

Can you believe it? We have never met in person and have only been communicating through our blogs for the past few months. She lives around the Raleigh area so I thought I would take a wild try and see if she wanted to come along...and guess what??? She said "sure"...HOW STINKIN CRAZY IS THAT!

So now Mrs. Sweet Tara over @ Keeping Up with the Kelly's(*psst*...her button is hanging out over to your left) is heading out with me Friday night to New York for a weekend of sightseeing and shopping.

I am so excited to meet her I could just pee my pants!!!! But to keep her from seeing my wet crotch I will just jump up & down and cross my legs when I meet her!!!!

So Tara, I am counting down the hours on the clock....SO excited!!!!

Wordless Wenesday

2010-05-12T09:39:00.003-04:00

I have never done this before cause I'm not good at being wordless...or quiet for that matter...see!

Dang it!....oh well...here's my picture

....I'm still not too sure about this Wordless Wednesday stuff but I'm tryin....crap...I gotta stop talking...I mean typin'........ah shoot

another conversation with Kyle.....

2010-05-11T08:15:00.005-04:00

Today I decided to grace you ladies with another episode of "another conversation with Kyle". I know how several of you look forward to this saga on my blog so I shall not be one to disappoint!

I will begin by setting the scene for you....picture this if you will....Me, Chris, MIL and a friend of mine, minding our own business watching Kyle's ball game last night. All the sudden this teenage kid walks up to Chris and says

Teenager "hey aren't you a cop?"

(1st off this is a BIG NO,NO with Chris. I won't go into the details now but just don't EVER call him a cop!....mkay...back to my story)

Chris "why?"

(2nd point, we live in a semi small town and most everyone knows that Chris is a State Trooper...which means we go very few places where he doesn't run into "past customers" as he calls them)

Teenager "well, I just wanted to ask you a question"

Chris "okay, about what"

by this time, Chris is starting to get a tad miffed since he is only home for 2 days and is missing Kyle's ballgame.

The teenager goes on to ask Chris if he should have stayed at the scene of an accident that he was just involved in where he rear ended someone when the car he hit just drove away.....they carry on this conversation for a few more minutes....Chris growing less & less patient with each cheer from the crowd, knowing he is missing the game.

They finish the conversation and Chris watches the boy walk back over to his mom and begin to explain everything Chris had told him to her. That when Sgt. Owens kicks in and he gets up to go talk to the boys mom and explain that he needs to call the Highway Patrol and go back out to the scene & meet them to file a report. Otherwise the boy could be charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failure to file & report.

Long story short, the boys call the patrol and leaves the ball game to go meet up with a trooper at the scene and we go back to watching the ballgame.

After the game we are walking back to the car and the mother stops Chris to thank him for the help and then tells Chris that her son had been waiting at the scene for over 45 minutes and the trooper had just showed up and then she made the statement of all statements!!!!

"I guess he had to finish his doughnuts"

at this point(knowing the hubs like I do...I just kept walking to the truck) I sure didn't want to be around to see him go postal!

She then asks Chris another question about the accident & the charges her son could have filed against him to which Chris replied....

"sorry, I can't help ya, I gotta go pick up my doughnuts" and walks off!

When he gets in the truck he starts telling me everything that was said. The whole deal about the doughnuts and his response to her that he needed to leave to pick up his doughnuts.

*******Know stay with me cause this is where the Kyle part comes in.********

Kyle is in the back seat minding his own business texting on this phone(but not missing a word we say). After Chris finished telling me everything Kyle leans up between the seats and says.....

"were picking up doughnuts! Cool, from where?"

Now I'm not kiddin people...I can't make this crap up. The boy really uttered those words to his Dad! I swear all that boy thinks about is food!!!

Chris rolls his eyes and me well, lets just say it's a good thing I didn't have a mouth full of drink cause it would have covered my dash board & windshield!!!!

Needless to say we DID NOT stop for doughnuts, but settled for Wendy's instead!

the best gift EVER!

2010-05-10T08:10:00.007-04:00

what did I get for Mother's Day??? I got the best gift ever from Kyle.....

he scrubbed.....

he sprayed........

and scrubbed some more(he even got all the bug guts off!) and he even towel dried it after he asked if he could drive it down the road to blow off all the water but that was a BIG fat NEGATORY!!!...nice try though

I must say, he did a pretty good job considering he learned from the best! (not me of course, but his Dad....Chris can wash a detail a car like you have never seen!)

ahhhhh...nothing beats a clean set of wheels especially on Mother's Day!!!! :O)

~Award~

2010-05-07T08:52:00.007-04:00

I received this cute award form Marlessa over @ Southern Loves.{thanks girlie} it has been a a while since I have received one so I am tickled pink to know that a new reader/follower really loves ME! Please head on over to her blog and say hello. She has the two cutest kiddo's(her link is on my sidebar).
So to play along I have to tell you 10 things that I love...just 10? Whew this maybe be harder than I thought????

1. God- first and foremost. He has saved my soul and blessed my life many times over.Everything I am I owe to him and I stand in aw of his beauty and miracles everyday! Oh and God...I know you have a sense of humor too{wink, wink}

2. My husband- he is the love of my life. We will soon celebrate our 15 year anniversary and I am so excited! The years have not all been easy ones and we have spend alot of time apart due to his job(like now!) but I know in my heart that everything he does is to make life better for Kyle & I. He always puts us first in everything he does and I am so proud to be his wife.

3. My Bubba- yes, my only child. He is the smile, laughter and chaos that makes my world go round. He is all sweetness, good ole' country redneck and mud rolled into one package. He makes me laugh everyday with his crazy antics and silly looks. I have said this before and I will say it until the day I take my last breath....."he is my grand finale"

4. My family- In my opinion I have the best in the world...but I guess we all say that huh? But it's true. I am the only person in my family that does not live in Kentucky. At times in breaks my heart to not be with them. One of the first things I told Chris when we got married and he swept me away to Georgia was, " don't EVER complain about how high the phone bill is cause I'm gonna talk to my momma!"....and you know what? He never has!(and trust before cell phones came along...it was HIGH!!!!!). Sorry, I guess I got off track! Anyhow. My family is always there for me and even though they are far away they make time to still be apart of my life everyday and I love them for that.

5. My friends- yep, can't forget them! I have the greatest friends. I have old friends who have been around since what seems like caveman days like "my Heather" and then I have friends who have been around a few years like " Ashley, Marsha and Meg"...and then there are the wonderful friends I will never meet which are you guys! Each one is special in there own way to me and you know what they say..."a girl can never have too many friends!"

6. The beach- if you have even looked at my blog layout you can tell that I love the beach. We try and head over for a day of sunning at least twice a month. I love only living 45 minutes away from the coast. It is wonderful to able to layout out all day and still get home In time to throw some steaks on the grill for supper....does it get any better than that?....I think not!

7. Ice Cream-okay this one right here is a given. If you have been a loyal follower for any length of time you know how much I LOVE ice cream. I really should be in therapy for this addiction, or maybe even start my own support group. I love it, can't live a day without it. It can be in a cup, cone, bowl, shake...whatever.....I don't care as long as it is ALL MINE! And I swear you can come to my house on ant day and open my fridge and there will be at least 4 half gallons staring back at you...SEEE...do you see how tempting that is....curse that ice cream!

8. Purses-some women have a shoe fetish, for some it is makeup or pricey purfume...me...not so much. I am addicted to purses. I bet I have 60 in my closet right now and they are all organized by color....sad I know.

9. Black Friday-okay, I know you think I am a tad strange now but I guess I am. I love Black Friday shopping. It is like a huge rush for me. I get the newspaper bright and early on Thanksgiving morning(forget putting Tom in the oven I gotta get my game plan together). I sit down and get in deep thought...plotting...planning...replanning. Then get on the phone with the girls that shop with me and we set times and places to me up. It is one of the most fun days pf the year for me. We get up early, freeze waiting in line, shop, laugh, eat, shop some more, stop for ice cream(see here we go again with that addiction)and shop some more. We have bought so much stuff before that we could not see out of the back of the Suburban....we are sad, sad women folks!

10. Monograms- yep, I do....it is almost to the point of extreme! I have my monogram stickers on my truck, monogrammed necklace, makeup bag, purse, door mat, a garden flag, note pads, mouse pad, lunch tote and even monogrammed soap(yep, no joke!)not with just an "O" either but with all 3 initials! I say a girl can never have to many things monogrammed but do you know how hard it is to find stuff with a "T" on it...just try it and let me know how that works out for ya!

So the are my Top 10 Loves (aka ere and strange addictions). Hope you enjoyed my list now I am to pick 10 wonderful ladies to pass this award onto. So my Top 10 ladies are(in particular order)....

Becky @ In The Trenches
Tamela @ The Chatty Brunette
Jenna @ Jenna's Jargon
Kristi @ The Brouse House
Tara @ Keeping up With the Kellys
Leslie @ Words of Me Project
Sara @ Domestically Challenged
Angie @ Treasures
Mary @ The Englar Family
Bridgette @ Among the Chaos

Most of these ladies are also hanging out on my sidebar head on over and say hello....they would love to here from you!

Blessing to all of you for a wonderful Mother's Day!

things I wish I'd known before they cut me open

2010-05-06T10:50:00.000-04:00

being a mom has it's good moments and "not so" good moments. Do you ever sit and ponder how nice it would have been for someone to fill you in about all these "mother things" before you had a child? Or maybe it should be a law that you have to take a class before you get pregnant...cause I sure would have attended, sat at the front of the class and taken a ton of notes!

Don't get me wrong..... Kyle has been nothing but a blessing to Chris and I but he has had his "stinker" moments over the past 13 years. Like the time he colored down my new comforter with a Sharpie marker. Or the time he locked me out of the house while I went to change the laundry. Or how he locked himself in the car while strapped in his car seat(don't ask, we still can't figure it out).

Kyle has definitely kept me on my toes. You never know what is churning around up in that head of his and what is going to make it down and come out of his mouth.

1. I wish I would have known how hard it would be to watch my child lay in the NICU for 3 days.

2. or how hard it would be to hear him cry and not be able to sooth him.

3. to know first hand how soured milk smells on your clothes.

4. how much he was going to make me laugh when he learned to talk.(even to the point of drink coming out my nose)

5. or how he wants every stray creature he finds, to take up residency at our house.(tadpoles, frogs, lizards, turtles, cats, hermit crabs)

6. and now all the times I just want him to be quiet for 5 mins(see example 4)

7. how hard it would be to let him go to his first boy/girl party.

8. how gross it is to clean up pee from all around the toilet...grrrrrr!

9. to wonder what he really looks like under all that mud he stays covered in!(I swear that is what holds him together!)

10. how much my brain would hurt from listening to him make siren and truck engine noises with his mouth while I am driving down the road(he still does this even today!)

11. just how far my heart would sink when I noticed in the mirror for the first time that he was taller than me.

12. how great his love for Chevy trucks and mud tires would be.

I am sure there will be more moments to come over the years. It has been a journey that will continue.....moments he will make my blood boil and times where I want to scoop him up and hold him forever. But I guess every mother feels that way. Some moments we love them to pieces and the next we want to stand back and pretend with our finger and thumb that we are"squishin da little heads!"....come on, you know you have done that before?