4.25.2012

Hardest Job

So I have officially classified my job (one of many) as the hardest job.

Everrrrr.

I'm not talking about my "paying job"....that's hard too, don't get me wrong. But I generally enjoy what I do and feel that I am called to work. Outside the home. But I won't get on my soapbox today about working outside the home. I'll save that for a rainy day.

Anyways.

Being a Mommy is by far the hardest thing to do. Whether it is one child or three or ten children (my Granny had 16! Sixteen people!) I have nothing to complain about. End of story.

But somedays....somedays are just hard being a mommy. My big man is the most sensitive, emotional child, who loves with all his heart. He is the kid that if he forget to give you a 'nite-nite' kiss and hug, then he'll call you back into the room and let you know. Maybe it's one of his stalling tactics, but I will never turn down a hug and kiss from my babies.....well, maybe if it's like the 67th one in a row and it's well past midnight ;)

These last few weeks have been so hard on him. He's been so emotional when I drop him off at "school" or when he's about to play T-Ball or if Peyterbug gets to pick a movie..... I know alot of it is due to the fact of them being FT in daycare again, they were PT for several months and now that Billy has a new job, they went back to FT. But it's the same room, same teachers, same structure that he's had for over a year now....I guess a few weeks of not going really misses his schedule up????  That's what I hoping for anyways.

But then, I look at this



and think just how incredibly blessed I am to be called a mommy.

Thank you Jesus.

4.24.2012

Date Night and Cocktail Dress

This weekend, the parentals made a visit. They had a "lay over" on their way to STL...

lay over = grandson's T-Ball game...

which also  = DATE NIGHT!

Me and my man were able to enjoy dinner AND a movie. Cha Ching! We felt like we won the lottery! I love my babies to death, but there is just something about being able to finish your meal in one setting, while it's still warm, ya know!? Saturday we had a jam packed day with ball games, lunch, birthday party.....so we seriously could not leave the house fast enough after that eventful day. I am so grateful for my parents!!!

We went and watch the Hunger Games....I know, I know, it's been out FO-EVE!!!!! But life is a little busy these days. I have to be honest, I was a little disappointed with the movie....it was still good but I'd rather read the book 1000 x over. Reading the books, I was totally for Team Peetra......however, once I laid my eyes on Gail, I had a different change of heart! So now, I'm on the fence. Oh the decisions.....

Sunday, after the parentals left, we went shopping. I had some CP's "cash" to use and I needed to go dress shopping. Not just any dress, but a cocktail dress. My first stop was Dillard's, where I was a little confused with the whole cocktail dress/prom dress. Most of the short dresses they had, were puked all over with gems and sequins. And since I don't want to feel like I stepped into my time machine and warped back to high school, I moved on.....

Next stop was WHBM where I think I hit the jackpot! Again, they didn't have my size, but I tried on a bigger size to "get the feel" of it....what do y'all think? Wait, why I am asking since I have disable the comments????? Ha, so never mind. Anyways, here is dress numero uno




So as a back up, I went ahead and order this one in 2 different sizes. I seriously think that I'll be able to wear this again, dress it up for my event or make it casual with some flat sandals and a belt. I'm also rummaging thru a couple of friends' closet to see if they have anything. My bestie from Tuscaloosa is flying up to come with me, they were planning a visit "home" anyways, so she just arranged it with this. I am so excited for us to get all dressed up and have some fun. Since obviously we can't shop together, we just created the first virtual shopping experience by sending each other photo's of what we try on. She is also going to FaceTime me (if she can) today with her options. What can I say, we try and make the best of the situation :)



4.19.2012

Thankful Thursday's- $0.75

Last Saturday, my little slugger had his first T-Ball game. It totally did not go as planned (what is a plan when you have children?). We started the day with haircuts and bubblegum and ended in tears and grounded for life.

As we were approaching the field, Big P starts in, " I don't wanna play baseball. I don't like baseball. I want to go swimming. blah blah blah." I explained to him that he loves playing baseball (at least 30 minutes beforehand he did) and he was going to have so much fun and that we'll go swimming with our friend Wells AFTER baseball AFTER lunch and AFTER a nap. He didn't follow me.

<------Exhibit A: Parker and his BFF Braxton

By then, we had made it to the bench and I knelt down so we could have a 'serious talk'......which lasted about 2.7 minutes because I just happen to look up and saw my sweet Babycakes walking around on the field with Big P's helmet on. Backwards. Thankfully, the "players" were just stretching but still. Sigh......

Long story short, I dished out 2 spankings and "you're grounded for life" and made him at least set on the bench since he didn't want to play. I wasn't upset that he didn't want to play (hello, he's only 4) but I was upset with his attitude. His Coach walked over to him and tried talking to him and he gets up and walks to the end of the bench and sits down. Where did my sweet, well-mannered child go?!

About half way through the game, I finally had a player on the field!

So I'm still sulking like a baby about that event 5 hours later. Billy had to go to WM later that evening and took Parker. He came walking in with his hands behind his back and said, I have something for you Mommy. I barely even looked up from my phone (stupid Words with Friends) and said, what. I knew it was something from the quarter machines because I gave him some change from his spending jar to get something. I just assumed it was another Super Hero tattoo or candy. Ya know what you get when you assume something, don't cha?????

Anyways.

I was presented with Exhibit B:


I put my stupid phone down and said, you got this for me? He (very proudly) nodded his head.

The flood gates come open.

Billy laughs uncontrollably.

Parker is swaying from side to side.

I am thankful for $0.75 and my very unselfish 4 year old.

I am also thankful that the Lord doesn't sulk and hold grudges like a pathetic 30 year old does.

PS. So if you see me walking around with my high-dollar-red-heart-map-necklace and my little 4 year in tow, please do not laugh at me.

4.13.2012

I just can't give them back......

An old sorority sister posted this link the other day about fostering. I don't know about y'all, but I am was one of those people who said "I just couldn't give them back" after reading this article, I felt really convicted on those words and how foster parents may receive them. As I have mentioned before, I have always had a heart for adoption. I used to volunteer some of my time to the local children's shelter and would get so depressed in the evenings just thinking about all those kids in there who didn't have a mama or daddy to hug. I used to think that fostering was/is difficult because you never know how long you'd have that child in your home. Now, after reading a foster's mother POV, I can't see how someone would not want to foster.While you may only have that child for a day, or month or years, they still deserve to be loved on and shown what it is like to have a family. I know not everyone is called to foster and/or adopt, but there is still something you can do. You can pray, you can volunteer your time, you can help out financially, and you can pray some more......


once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do.
proverbs 24:12

4.12.2012

Thankful Thursday

Have you ever tried making a list of things you're thankful for? I mean, I think I'm a thankful person but then when I think about the things I'm thankful for, some of them just seem insufficient....side note, that was a whole lotta T's......here are some things (and explanation of said things so y'all don't think I'm too cray-cray)

*I am thankful for my salvation...John 14:6

*I am thankful for my health.....did y'all know that while my husband was unemployed, we did not make 1 trip to the doctor???? Not 1!

*I am thankful for my church family, the people we have gotten to know and love mean so much to us and I am very thankful for each and every one of them

*I am thankful for water. Clean. Pure. Water. I almost always drink tap water, even if it tastes a little funny.....it just reminds me of how fortunate we are to have clean water when there are thousands upon thousands who die from thirst

*I am thankful for my little monkeys. They keep us on our toes, especially Babycakes. Sometimes it's a miracle of God that we get out the door by 7:15 and by the time I get to the office, I am so stressed and frazzled but then I stop and think that some families would love to be in my position, they would love to attempt to put a jacket on a 21 month flopping around like a fish outta water, they would love to argue with the 4 year old why he can't take Big Buzz into his school (doesn't fit in his cubbie...but don't fret, we have Little Buzz that does a remarkable job in Big Buzz's place).

*I am thankful for my family. All of them. Someone asked me the other day when was the last time I talked to my mom...I replied yesterday. What about your dad? This weekend. And you sister? A few days ago......I seriously talk to all of them on a weekly basis and I love it. LOVE

*I am thankful for my job and it's flexibility.....when I was at WM, there was hardly any flexibility and it was SO HARD! I'm also thankful that my boss is a Christian....how many people could say that?

*I am thankful for my husband......there are a few times where we want to ram each other's head into a brick wall and then most of the time, I am so glad he's mine. Marriage is hard work and I think I downplayed how much work it really is at first. This last year and a half we have gone through a lot and it was definitely sink or swim mode........very thankful that we are both good swimmers :)


4.11.2012

Puzzle Fundraiser

Awhile back, my good friend Kelly did a SUYL Adoption Fundraiser Ideas. Adoption is very near and dear to my heart and I pray that one day, that door will be open for us. Anywho, one of the ideas was a puzzle fundraiser. You sell a puzzle piece for $10 (or whatever amount you want) and that person/family gets their name on the puzzle. Once you get all the pieces sold, you put it together and frame it and viola! You have a great little reminder of all those who helped/prayed for you on your journey.

I filed this idea back in my little memory bank....which if it's not a number or some sort of data, I tend to forget it by the next day....so I pinned it on my Pinterest board :)

Anyways...moving on....

One of Hubby's BFF's daughter (did you follow that?) had to undergo open heart surgery at the sweet age of 11! ELEVEN PEOPLE! Can you imagine?! The night we found out, we just started talking about it, about them, what they mean us, etc and the puzzle fundraiser came to mind. I said, how awesome would it be for J to receive this puzzle and know that these people prayed over her during this time? So I started emailing, thankfully hubby's BFF just started a private FB group to keep all family/friends updated with her status so I had to email each one individually to get their personal email accounts and start my own little group without BFF knowing about this. We wanted to do this as a surprise to their family. Let me just say that these people were so awesome and open to this idea. We were able to give the puzzle to her this last weekend and she loved it. She saw her teachers names, neighbors, church friends, her family......I loved doing this for her. Hubby was even able to get a hold of some of their HS buddies and they gladly donated.

 Here is J and her puzzle
We are very blessed to have them in our lives. J has an older bro E who I didn't snag a picture of but he is seriously the best big brother to her. Here is her momma, I love, love, love this lady! We get along so well and she is so sweet and caring!
After we meet up with them, we picked up Big P. I was so excited to see him! It was about a 2.5 hour drive home and Babycakes someone screamed the whole way home......ok, ok, he only cried for 2 hours and 25 minutes, we had a brief pause with the tears. He is just not a good car rider, we had a movie going, toys, drinks, snacks....nothing could keep him happy. Big P even sang Jingle Bells (according to Big P, this is the magical song-I beg to differ). Hopefully it'll get better but every time we go to OK, it's pretty much like this. We actually thought about going to Houston this summer (someone has requested some beach time and it's not Mama!) to visit family but I honestly don't think we could survive it if we drove......


4.10.2012

Bikes and Poo

A few weeks ago, we were out walking. Well, I was walking while Babycakes got to pimp out his stroller and Big P rode his bike. I always get onto Big P about riding fast around the corners, I'm afraid some car will come flying out of their garage and not see my precious babe. Well, he started flying around the corner and I pick up my step a little bit and yell at him to wait for me. He turns to look at me and loses his balance and falls. I finally get to the poor soul and stand his bike up and pull him up and just happen to glance to the ground. Out of all the places the kid could land, he lands in dog poo. DOG POO PEOPLE! He is wailing, I am laughing, and Babycakes is looking at us like we are cray cray. I say, Big P, you landed in dog poo!!!! He stops crying for 3.4 seconds and glances down and then starts wailing even louder. He finally settles down and I attempt to stop laughing (which was a failed attempt BTW) and we head home. Other than a skinned up knee and an awful aroma to him, he was ok.

Rewind a few nights ago, I load up Babycakes in the bike trailer and go for a ride. We stopped by to visit a friend who just had a baby. While we were there, Babycakes walks past me and I get a good whiff of my boy. Yep, he had a stinky on. Here we are, no diapers or wipes on me and he decides to poop. My sweet friend thankfully had a closet full of diapers but she only had up to a size 2 and I needed a 3. So I told him to suck it in and thankfully it held up until we got home. Note to self: always take a diaper and wipes with you....even if it's on bike ride.

4.04.2012

nursing skills, or lack of

here is my week in review (for the 1 person who cares)

-hubby had surgery and the paparazzi from OK made the trip...because yes folks, it was just a knee surgery
-spent the weekend playing nurse, which is honestly not my best quality and i almost....almost flew my bestie from AL up here to play the part since she is the real deal
-made a impromptu road trip to marshfield, mo. left with 2 babies, came back with 1 (don't worry folks, i didn't kick him to the curb, he is visiting aunt sissy)
-still working on my nursing skills
-somehow i am managing to make it to the office and work. i'm not sure my work has been accurate and i'm probably sending 3 million scooters to stores as we speak.....but hey, i'm here
-i mowed. as in, the yard. usually hubby is all over that but it seemed a little harsh to ask him to do it after his surgery and all, so i got after it. i even started the mower by myself.
-i have NOT manage to make it to the gym, which for the record, i go about 4-5 times a week. usually on my lunch, or when the babies are sleeping.....but there has not been any time this week.

here's praying that this weekend and next week will be calmer!

and since y'all love to look at pictures, here is one of babycakes playing with some of daddy's wraps....he has a few to spare ;)