Family of Five

2010-11-21T17:27:00.000-08:00

OMG Mark, how can we ever thank you enough for pointing out our design flaw. I can't imagine having friends and family over and no way for them to enter through the front door. You really have an eye for detail. Here's the house as it stands today. I'll be so glad when they get those white vents and our front door painted. It's really starting to get close. Scott and Jason worked on installing cabinets all weekend. The granite people come on Monday to template for countertops. The painter will be there tomorrow as well to give the walls one last sanding and another coat of paint.

2010-11-07T18:11:00.000-08:00

Our shake shingle was installed Friday. They also wrapped the garage doorways in trim. Lots of other really important things happened this week but nothing particularly picture worthy. ie the AC/furnace units and hot water heater were set as wll as septic and propane tanks. Our wood floor was delivered this week as well. It looks so pretty in the box. I can't wait to see it on the floor!

2010-11-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

Rock went up this week. We are waiting for our shake shingle to go on and the outside will almost be complete!

Bead board ceiling in the bonus room.

We thought this was a pretty unique way to paint doors. Just line 'em up and spray 'em down. I'm going out on a limb with this dark trim. I think I'm going to like it though.

2010-10-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

How do you like our brown trim?

Our interior doors and trim were delivered today.
They started tiling this week. Here's the laundry room. They haven't grouted yet. The lines you see are just spaces.

2010-10-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

Drywallers are amazing! They hung all of our drywall in a day and a half and they mudded and taped the entire house in one day. Awesome!

2010-10-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

Papa got a new toy today. Kubota picked up his tractor and brought it back with a loader. Scott already has the pile of debri by the shed scooped up and put in the dumpster. I told him he needed the loader and that he deserved it! I was playfully accused of trying to store credits in the marriage bank. Hmmmm.....mama is going to need some new furniture. :)

2010-10-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

The insulators were at it all day. Here's the machine they use to blow the insulation into the walls. Pretty cool process. Here are some pictures of the finished product.

2010-10-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

Yea, Scott is home from San Diego!! He left Sunday and returned today. There were big changes on the house while he was away. The brickers started Monday and are almost finished. These pictures are from the end of the day on Tuesday. I didn't get any pictures today, but will get some tomorrow. We had a few issues while Scott was away with the wrong bring being sent, but Jason handled the issues and kept Scott in the loop. When we picked Scott up at the airport, Gabe said "Dad, Jason was like your wing man while you were away." Where does he come up with this stuff?

2010-10-05T08:16:00.001-07:00

Lots of action at the building site yesterday. They started bricking the house and got a ton done in one day. I couldn't believe it. On the inside the insulators got started. The caulked or added "great stuff" (you know that expanding foam stuff) to any openings around wires, pipes, or other nooks and crannies. Makes me feel good about keeping little critters out of the house. You know how I hate thos little pests. After caulking, the started hanging this cheesecloth like fabric on all the walls. Today they start blowing in the insulation.

Choices, choices....Somebody help!

2010-10-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, I chose my cabinets, then we chose this floor, and then we chose this granite. What's my problem, you ask? Well, after we chose our granite and flooring, I began to wonder if another cabinet choice would be better. I'm not going to tell you which cabinet I chose first, I want to hear your thoughts. We are just choosing the cabinet finish/color not the door style, so don't let the style of the door have any bearing on your choice. Below is a close up view of the granite, so you can get a better idea of the colors.

2010-09-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

No new pictures to post this evening. We are beat! Saturday, Scott and I went downtown and chose our granite for the kitchen and baths then spent the rest of the day watching Gabe play baseball, then on to the land to work on the house. Today with the help of the boys and Jason, we pulled all the scrap wood left by the framers away from the house and burned it. We stained the wood beam in the great room and broom swept, then vacuumed the house in preparation for the insulation installers next week. What a great weekend...not a moment to spare, but wonderful anyway!

2010-09-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

So the framers are done, Scott and Jason have completed the plumbing rough-in, and the electrician should finish up the electrical by the end of the week. Things are moving right along!

Here's a picture of the great room with fireplace.This picture is taken from the dining room. You can see through the wall into the kitchen. The blue tape on the floor marks the cabinet and island. Off to the left is the great room.
Bonus room! The stair take you up the attic space.

Scott trying out the new jacuzzi air tub. I can't wait to grab a good book, a glass of wine and soak!

2010-09-20T19:18:00.001-07:00

Okay, okay...I had a gentle reminder to check my blog today. When I checked this evening I couldn't believe how much progress we've made since I last posted. I wish I could say that I have more pics to post tonight, but I don't. Jason and Scott are pretty much running on fumes right now. It's 9:20 and they're still out working. I will post pictures either tomorrow or the next day. Gabe has a game tomorrow night, so it may be hard to get to the house before dark. You are going to be amazed how much has been done in the last 2 weeks! (How's that for anticipation?

2010-08-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

By the end of last week this is where we were. The framer's were working away. Scroll down to see the progress.

This is our view out the breakfast room window.

This is what we looked like this afternoon. They've started putting ceiling rafters up and sheating the outside walls. The bonus room joists are in place and the floor is decked. We even have the beginnings of stairs!

Gabe standing in the garage

This picture is taken of the kitchen. The door to the right leads to the half bath and stairs that lead to the bonus room (Scott and Jason are standing in the bonus room. The door to the left takes you to the boys end of the house by passing the laundry room, pantry, garage, and mudroom/hunting room. Jared is standing in the laundry room.

2010-08-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

Day two of framing. We arrived to find the entire floor decked and two walls in place. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

2010-08-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

Scott is back from Orlando which means my internet conection is back. Yea Scott!! Our garage floor was poured and finished yesterday and part of our lumber package was delivered. They started framing today, but it was too dark to take pictures. They got the framing of the floor joists done today and ready to start decking tomorrow.

2010-08-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

I've had a request for pictures of our rental house, so here they are. Before you scroll down, let me say that we feel very fortunate to have four solid walls and a roof over our head. We were one step away from living in a camper on our land while we built the house. That being said, we are more than ready to get in our new house.
Jared relaxing in his (and Jacob & Gabe's) room.
Here's our kitchen. Notice the lack of a dishwasher or microwave. We've gone retro! The rental house didn't have a refrigerator, so we bought just your basic top freezer fridge. Gabe went to get a drink and said perplexed, "How am I supposed to get water and ice out of this thing?"

Here's our living room. We've piled extra boxes and our dining room table on one end. Scott says it feels like we're hoarders with boxes piled up and pathways though the room. Decorating was done compliments of Scott.
We're storing our entertainment center in our kitchen. It's doubling as a pantry/storage. This house has great "bones", but not set up for 5 people. It's in need of some updating a.k.a paneled walls in every room.

Dad, I'm going to be without internet connectivity until Wednesday evening. We waterproofed the foundation on the new house today. Our backs are killing us. Tomorrow they are prepping the garage floor and laying it on Tuesday. Lumber is being delivered on Tuesday and framing starts on Wednesday. Scott and Jason have done an incredible job lining everything up! I should have lots of pictures when my internet comes back up.

2010-08-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

It finally happened. We have our foundation. Blockers showed up this morning (23 of them to be exact) and put up our foundation in one day. Eight hours and 2200 blocks later they were finished. Here are pictures from each direction.

Front of the house.

Left side with crawl space door.

Back of house.
Garage side of house.
We're back on track and ready to start framing next week!!!!

2010-08-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

We hit a slight roadblock this week. The block guy bailed on us. Now we have block sitting waiting to be used and no one to put them up. Scott's been out of town Monday and Tuesday evening (sorry no post while he was away--we use his cell phone for our internet).

We did have a little action on the building site. A porta-potty was delivered. Now that's exciting!

An Adult for the WHOLE Day

2010-08-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

There hasn't been much action at the building site this weekend...they finished digging the water line trench and Scott and Jason installed the water line. Okay, maybe there was a lot of action, but nothing that the camera could really capture.

We were all going different directions yesterday. Scott working at the farm with the assistance of Gabe and Jared, Gabe and I going to his baseball practice, Jacob working, and Scott & I attending a business dinner. We all met up at home around 10pm last night. We were all re-hashing the day, when Jacob says in partial disbelief, partial wonder, "Huh, I was pretty much an adult all day today!" We all laughed and he said, "No really, I got myself up, fed myself all three meals, went to work, and even bought my own socks."

Welcome to a WHOLE day of adulthood son! :)

2010-08-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

They brought the rock saw in today to cut the trench for the water line. Pretty impressive piece of machinery.

Good sign...Jason is still speaking to us. :)

They also poured the footers today. Exciting...we're really doing this!

Jared couldn't resist riding over the dirt hills on the 4-wheeler.

2010-08-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

They cleared our building site today. Leveling the area in prep for the footers to go in tomorrow. The water company was back today with a brand new $5000.00 tool to finish our water tap. Yea!

Here's a picture of Jacob's car. You can see in this picture that the drive branches off to go to the shed. Scott can't wait until the construction dumpster is delivered, so he can throw the pile of junk next to the shed in it.

Where the gravel meets the dirt (middle of the picture) is where the concrete begins (in front of the garage door)

2010-08-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

We made prooogresss! Yep, the drive went in today. The water company will finish setting the water tap tomorrow. They started on it yesterday, but while digging underneath the road, they hit good 'ol Wilson County rock. Surprise, surprise! They brought out a fancy, schmancy $5000.00 tool to break through the rock and...oops, they lose it. They told Scott, "That's alright, that's only the second one we've lost in eight years". I sure hope they don't pass that 5000 large onto us.

On a side note (dad you'll like this) Scott spent some time this evening discing up his food plots. I'll be sure to take some pictures for you dad.

2010-08-09T19:35:00.000-07:00

Our progress was a little disappointing today. We spent the day at work struggling to keep our attention focused on the task at hand, all the while wondering what are they were doing at the farm....what does our drive-way look like, have they taken the tree down yet? The dismissal bell rang and we ran to the car in great anticipation, struggling not to run over innocent children or break the speed limit as we reached our destination. We arrived anxious to see a little progress. Nothing! That's right...nada. It's alright, we are a little over eager. Today was just one of many exercises in patience that I'm sure we'll be forced to experience over the next few months. We really need to chill, huh?

2010-08-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend putting up our new mailbox, marking the location of our driveway, mowing, and basically playing. Here are some pictures of Gabe on the 4-wheeler and Scott and Jared on the tractor. Jacob was either working or out with Kendall.

Much Needed Update

2010-08-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

I decided to dust the 'ol blog off to use it to track and share the building of our new home. I thought we needed a new blog design to freshen things up a bit.

To catch everyone up: we sold our house, have moved to a 2 bedroom rental house, and are building a new house. We moved to our rental last weekend and started school on Monday. Busy weekend! We spent this week jumping through hoops to secure our building permit. It seems like every goverment agency had their hand out...septic permit, storm water permit, water tap fee, temporary electric hook-up, etc. Next week the real action begins with running the water line, electric, and cutting the drive. I can't wait!!

Down with the Girl Scouts

2010-02-20T16:20:00.001-08:00

Okay, before the den mothers out there get their knickers in a twist, let me first say that I think the Girl Scouts are a wonderful organization teaching upstanding values and principles to thousands of young ladies across our nation. That being said...why, why, why must you wreck my diet every year? I tread on a very slippery slope of temptation. A well mannered little girl, wrapped in a badge decorated green sash is enough to push me over the edge. I managed to avoid the first crop of cookies, but in a moment of weakness Thin Mints slipped through my resolve. I left the doors of Kroger with a full box and somehow only got home with half a box. How did this happen?

Hooked on Volleyball

2010-02-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

We spent Saturday at a volleyball tournament in Cool Springs. Jacob's girlfriend plays competitive volleyball and boy do I mean competitive. These girls are awesome! A volley lasts about 5 minutes with a serve, a set, a spike, a block, a dig...back and forth until one team scores a point. The athletic ability was amazing!

Facebook vs. Blog

2010-02-02T13:08:00.001-08:00

I must admit that I have created a Facebook account. I like it, I really do...especially for my voyeristic tendencies (not in a bad way). However, I realize that others are also "watching me". Not that I have anything to hide, it's just a little weird. I do, however, like the immediate feedback of Facebook. Quite frankly, some of you are a little slow to leave comments on the 'ol blog. (only kidding--kind of).

So we've had some snow. Yep, 3 inches! The boys have been out in it a little bit, but (don't hate) I haven't taken a single picture. Three inches of snow and we've been out of school since last Friday. Love it! I think it's about time to go back though. Yes the snow is almost melted, but more importantly my laundry is caught up, my bathrooms are clean, and I have started to look for things to do. Yesterday I colored my hair. I was trying to go back to brown hair without highlights. I don't think I got the shade right because Scott called me "Red" all evening. I kept asking him if I needed to call for an emergency hair appointment, but never got more than "not if you like it". Is that a yes or a no? Someone help...please translate into female please?

Jared's First Deer

2009-11-04T17:43:00.000-08:00

Jared got his first deer last weekend. Scott and the boys are busy making deer jerky, experimenting with different flavors...cajun, hickory, pepperoni, whisky pepper. So many delicious choices!

Perspective

2009-10-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

The worst morning ever...or not. We were running late this morning (as usual). The bus leaves at 6:46am and it was 6:43am. In my haste to get Jared to the bus, I almost ran over the crossing guard who was quick to blow her whistle, place her hands on her hips and give me the stink eye. I took my foot off the gas for a moment, but with the bus in sight I pressed on vowing to purchase the crossing guard a shiny reflective vest ensuring her future safety.

Jared throws me a quick goodbye as Gabe begins to cry because his pants are still damp from the dryer and they feel funny. I assure him they will dry, kiss him goodbye and wish him a good day as he exits the car.

Jacob who doesn't care for morning and rarely speaks before 10am unless directly spoken to, sits next to me with swollen eyes and a stuffy nose of what may be an oncoming cold.

What a HORRIBLE morning! Wait, wait, wait!!!!!!! Before I completely fell into the "woe is me" mentality, I came to my senses and looked on the bright side. I did not kill the crossing guard, Jared didn't miss the bus, Gabe's pants will dry within an hour, and Jacob can still breathe out of his right nostril.

It's so easy to think about everything wrong in life. With a little perspective the same situation can have a whole lot right. :)

Finish the dilemma

2009-10-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

I think you all know by now that I work at the same high school Jacob attends. This can be a very convenient at times, like when you run out of lunch money, school supplies, or need a schedule change your mom is nearby for a loan or to call in a favor. Today was not one of those days. Jacob needed to pick up some tickets from his Coach and I felt the need to remind him. The bell rang and I knew that Jacob had a class just down the hall and would be passing by the library. I unobtrusively opened the back door and stepped into the hallway waiting for Jacob to pass. I spotted him before he saw me. His face lit up and I realized his face hasn't lit up like that for me since he was maybe three or four so I glanced around the corner to see a young lady with the same expression on her face...and there I am in the middle. My dilemma...do I step quietly back into the library, or do I say what I came to say? Tell me what you'd do and in a few days I'll tell you the rest of the story.

Jacob tells me that he saw me as I quietly retreated into the library without saying a word. He said I looked like I was all over the place. I guess my indecision showed all over my face. I will from now on, I will say what I came to say. I mean really, how embarrassing can I be to my teenage son in the hallway at school during class change with all his friends around?

Fall Break

2009-10-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

We've been on fall break the last two weeks and boy have we made the most of it. The biggest most exciting news is that we closed on our new land and met with an architect to begin drawing up house plans. Very exciting, but that also means cleaning and decluttering feverishly to put our current home on the market. All those little projects you put off suddenly become very important. We aren't sure when we'll put the house on the market, but we're acting as if a prospecting buyer is coming tomorrow. I really need to chill a little.

Fall break has also been a time of catching up on doctor's appointments. Gabe and I both visited the dentist, Jared had an eye check up, and Jacob had his wisdom teeth removed on Monday. Jacob's been down the last few days, but he's bouncing back fast. He's a very good patient with very little complaining.

We have managed to squeeze in a little fun also with a camping trip with friends and Mark, Dad & Martha visiting. Family, friends, food and shopping...can't beat that!

On a serious note, Scott's brother Brian was in a serious motorcyle accident that left him in the hospital for a week. It was pretty scary there for a few days but thankfully after surgery to repair shattered ribs and a punctured lung, he's home with his family and mending.

We also had very sad news this morning. My very sweet sister-in-law Kim lost her mother to cancer early this morning. Beverly fought a tremendous battle and was so very strong til the end. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Kim.

The Dog's Are Howling

2009-09-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

Mark and Joseph are singing, so I must be slacking in the blogging department. Sorry! We've been busy with school, fall baseball, fundraising, dental appontments, etc...general everyday life.

Jacob had some exciting news yesterday. Coach pulled him and four other sophomores aside after practice and told them that he'd like them to go to Florida over Spring Break with the Varsity team. I'm sure they are going as back up in case someone gets hurt, but exciting never-the-less.

The Cake That Almost Wasn't

2009-08-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made a trip to WalMart where I purchased many items. Upon my return home I put away my purchases and began making lunch. I was searching for the cake mix I bought, but could find it nowhere. I looked in the pantry (no), the cereal cabinet (no), I even looked in the freezer to no avail. No cake mix! I then began to blame WalMart. They had done it again, forgot to transfer all my bags from their spinning bagging system into my cart.

It wasn't until this afternoon after church that I loaded the dishwasher and, reaching for the soap, discovered a small box of dishsoap that I didn't remember buying.

There sandwiched between two boxes dishsoap was my cake mix. Who put that there? I blame the kids. lol

I'm not telling you this story to highlight the fact that I'm losing my mind, but to reassure you that you're not losing yours or maybe that we're all in the same boat.

I am FURIOUS!

2009-08-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, furious is a really strong word and probably not the best choice for how I'm feeling, but I am very angry and frustrated. Gabe has been asking to go to the skate park for a few weeks now. I guess he has a friend at school really talking it up. I finally, after putting it off for as long as humanly possible, agreed to take him today after school. Of course I hyped it up and even used our trip to the skate park as leverage. Oh don't judge, you do it too. "If you don't stop_____we won't go to the skate park."

So the appointed hour has arrived and we are primed for fun. I go into the community center to change out of my work clothes and ask the lady behind the desk if we need to do anything special to use the skate park. She says, "I'm sorry, the skate park is closed". CLOSED! I wanted to plead my case and sway her with how highly anticipated this trip to the skate park is. I wanted to tell her that she holds the shattered dreams of a 7 year old in the palm of her hand and that 7 year old was standing just on the other side of the glass double doors. I held back and instead asked...

Me: Why?
Lady: Some out of control teenagers have been breaking the rules and even made gyrating motions at me.
Me: Why didn't you kick them out instead of punishing everyone in the community?
Lady: We are trying to send a strong message that this kind of behavior won't be tolerated.

Okay this is where my soapbox starts...

This is a perfect example of why our society is in the pits. We no longer have clear consequences for our actions. You break something?, you fix it. You're rude and disrespectful in a public place?, you are kicked out for a certain amount of time. If you returned before you are supposed to?, you are trespassing and the police are called. You see my point.

We have not only lost consequences for negative behavior, but positive behavior as well. Example? Field day at the elementary school level...everyone receives a participation ribbon. They no longer award a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place. Why should you compete if everyone ends up the same anyway--no winner. Are jobs still awarded to the most qualified person, the person who works the hardest? I was recently given a book (Boys Adrift by Dr. Leonard Sax) that questions the "why" concerning apathy in the young men of our society. The book points part of the blame at the lack of competition in our society. The author states that most boys thrive and rise to the occasion when faced with a challenge or competition. He goes on to say that our current society has taken competition away in many cases leaving in it's place an apathetic generation of young men. Of course there are other factors as well, but the growing number of young men living back at home with mom and dad well into their 30's is proof that something is out of kilter.

How can we expect people to make good choices if they aren't personally held accountable for their bad choices? In addition, how can we expect people to work hard and strive to achieve if we don't reward their hard work?

Whew....glad I got that off my chest!

And the winner is...

2009-08-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

So we're on our way home this afternoon when Jared randomly says..."I wonder if Grandma and Grandpa Floyd ever race their 4-wheelers around the farm?"... None of us commented on whether they did or did not race (that's a given), but instead chose to contemplate who would win. I know who we think would take the checkered flag. What do you think?

Worth Your Time...

2009-08-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

I just finished a book I think worthy of recommending. The Same Kind of Different As Me is about two men. One a wealthy art dealer, and the other a homeless man who is feared in his community. At the urging of his wife, the art dealer begins volunteering at the local homeless shelter. The unlikely pair become friends. It's a story of faith, friendship, and the spiritual need to give to others. Even better...it's based on a true story.

Back to School

2009-08-10T17:01:00.001-07:00

We officially have the first week of school under our belt. We miss are lazy mornings with plenty of time through the day to complete our many tasks, but it has been nice to get back in the swing of things, with the anticipation of a new year, football games, and friends. Each year I take a "first day of school picture". In the first picture you can see how they are containing their excitement. Mainly, I think they are irritated that I'm taking their picture.

After taking the first picture I told them that they look like they'd been sentenced to death, so they managed to break out a little enthusiasm.

For those of you not from our area, our school has a dress code. Solid colored bottoms (no sagging), solid color collared shirt tucked in, and a belt. Jacob is experimenting with a little teenage rebellion and resists tucking his shirt in until the last possible moment. Gosh, I hope that's as bad as it gets.

2009-07-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

Today we woke at the crack of dawn to carry our possessions; some loved and gently used and hard to part with, others rarely used and glad to have out of the house. We are not well versed in garage selling. Not because we have anything against them, but because we don't have a lot of time to wander from house to house in a random search of treasures. That being said, I find the process a tad bit uncomfortable. Have I priced items too high, are they too worn to sell? I sometimes wonder if I am pricing the sentimental value on some items. Scott said the whole thing makes him feel cheap and tawdry. lol. We didn't get rich today, but I'm thankful that people are hauling off my junk, so I don't have to carry it all to Goodwill.

2009-07-16T11:07:00.001-07:00

The nickel has landed...I repeat, the nickel has landed!

New Recipe

2009-07-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

This is a really good summer salad recipe. It was really light and fresh.

Romaine & Strawberries with Poppy Seed Dressing

1 head of romaine lettuce torn into pieces

1 quart of strawberries, sliced

1 small red onion, diced

Tossed together in serving bowl.

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 T. red wine vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1T. poppy seeds

Mix well or shake vigorously in a jar.

Add dressing to greens just before serving and toss well. Delicious!

**Recipe found in Beta Sigma Phi 75th Anniversary Cookbook p. 37

Gone fishin'

2009-07-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

Scott and the boys went fishing last night and reeled in several Hybrids. They brought three home to eat this weekend. When did Jacob pass Scott in height? They were even for several months and it looks like Jacob has had a growth spurt to take the lead.

Post Number 200

2009-07-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

I happened to notice that this is my 200th blog post. (Thank goodness because it gave me something to write about.) I was surprised when I realized that my first post was in October of 2007--wow, I've been doing this awhile. Thanks for reading my ramblings and leaving your hilarious, sweet, and loving comments. To celebrate/commemorate/compare...you pick a word...I am posting the picture from my very first entry and a current picture. The boys have changed alot in 2 years.

The Boys - Current Picture

The Boys - October 2007

Gabe's String of Bad Luck

2009-07-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

We've been back from vacation less than a week, and Gabe has had a tough one. First he backed the four-wheeler into the truck leaving a small but noticable dent, he then fell getting out of the pool and scraped his forehead. His last predicament brought him to me crying, "IDONWANAHAVSURGREEE". Once he settled down, I discovered that he had swallowed a nickel and he was saying "I don't want to have surgery". He wasn't in any pain or having any trouble breathing, swallowing, or drinking, so thanks to advice given by WebMD, we are patiently waiting for the nickel to reappear.

Good news? We've discovered a helpful use for the old newlywed saran wrap on the commode trick. My brother-in-law thinks we should throw 5 pennies in the commode and tell Gabe he made change.

Let Freedom Ring

2009-07-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

We went to Grandmom's today to celebrate the 233rd birthday of the United States of America. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the birth of this great nation than shooting fireworks and eating fresh grilled burgers, pie and homemade ice cream (almost).

There isn't a family I've ever met that has more fun with the 4th of July than the Williams. The men of the family typically go out a few days before the celebration and spend hundreds of dollars on explosives. Wasteful? By female standards yes, but husbands don't generally understand spending big bucks on matching shoes and handbags either...the world has a way of balancing things out.

In the eighteen years I've been part of this family, I have sat through swarming mosquitoes, stifling humidity, and relentless rain to watch the display. What started as the Williams boys playing with fire has turned into quite an incredible show. They now have different stations with fireworks being launched simultaneously. Don't get excited guys, you're not Riverfront good yet. However, at the Riverfront display you don't get the occasional misfire into the crowd, nor do you get the opportunity to see your husband, brother, or son duck and roll to safety.

Traditions are different in every family. Our tradition may sound scary or careless to some, but I wouldn't miss it for anything! Happy Fourth of July everyone, may you be burn free!

More Vacation Pictures

2009-07-03T19:38:00.001-07:00

Talkeetna, Alaska

2009-07-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

Shy, elusive Mt. McKinley shows herself completely on rare occasions. She unveiled parts of herself to us, but never fully. It's said that the mountain is so tall that it creates it's own weather.

The last stop of our trip brought us to Talkeetna, Alaska. Talkeetna is a small Alaskan town rumored to be the basis for the tv show Northern Exposure. Looking past it's tv fame, Talkeetna holds, in my opinion, a much greater notoriety. It's the base camp for hikers attempting to climb Mt. McKinley. As I sat gazing at the mountain in all her splendor I was aware of how many hikers must have sat in my exact place contemplating their trek. Were they ready...had they trained hard enough, did they bring enough food, the right equipment. I could almost feel their nerves and excitement. Four climbers have perished already this year attempting the climb. At first glance an attempt to climb Mt. McKinley seems foolish or irresponsible, but at closer examination I understand the desire to plan, train, and challenge yourself; setting and achieving a personal goal.

Our hotel (the only hotel besides a bed and breakfast) in Talkeetna.

2009-06-25T23:58:00.000-07:00

The Hubbard Glacier

What a day! We woke this morning to what we thought was thunder. To our surprise we opened our balcony door to a magnificent view. Over night we had cruised to the base of the Hubbard Glacier. What an unbelievable sight. What we thought was thunder was actually the glacier "calving" (when a chunk of the glacier breaks off into the water to form an ice berg). It was incredible. We saw a few seals today and porpoises swimming beside the ship during lunch.

This will probably be my last blog post until we return home. The cruise portion of our vacation ends in the morning (boo hoo!) and we begin the land portion of our vacation. We are headed to Anchorage, then on to Denali. Keep your fingers crossed that we'll see some bears and that the weather will be clear enough for us to view Mt. McKinley.

2009-06-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today we find ourselves in Icy Strait Point Alaska. It's basically a small village made up of two different eskimo tribes. The population is 850 people and 3500 bears. Unfortunately or fortunately, we didn't see any bears. Mark, Scott, Jacob, and Jared rode ATV's to the top of a mountain and rode the world's largest zip line to the bottom. (over a mile long). It took and hour to get to the top and 1 minute to get to the bottom.

Tonight is formal night with prime rib and lobster for dinner. Life is tough!

Jared filmed his decent down the mountain via the mile long zip line. The person speeding by on Jared's right is Scott.

Alaskan Update

2009-06-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Father's Day was a huge success with the guys catching an abundance of fish with 3 big keepers (1 king salmon and 2 silvers). I have pictures that I'll post when we return home. Yesterday we were in Juneau. We took a float trip beginning at the Mendenhall Glacier. Beautiful!! We had a few rapids. Today we're in Skagway. We're getting ready to go hiking and investigate the city. As always, the food and service aboard the cruise ship is amazing. I hope all is well on the home front! Bon Voyage!

The view from our hiking adventure.

**While in Skagway, we shopped, panned for gold with Gabe finding the most gold (21.00 worth). After our gold fever had passed, we decided to take a hike. The hiking was fabulous!

Greetings from Alaska

2009-06-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Jacob's Catch!

Gabe's Catch!

Jared's Catch!

The guys leaving to go fish on Father's Day.

We made it! Life is good on the cruise. We are well fed (understatement). We are now cruising the inside passage. The boys have found the arcade, the rock climbing wall, and are signed up for a dodgeball tournament this afternoon. Tomorrow the guys are spending Father's Day deep sea fishing while Martha and I are shopping and getting spa treatment. Sorry no pictures, this computer doesn't have a USB port. More later...

2009-06-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

This my last post before we're cruisin'! I will try to blog a little on our trip and keep you posted on our adventures. Thanks to all the Williams clan who are watching the house, feeding the dog and cat, picking up mail, mowing the grass, and watering the plants, washing the windows, sealing the driveway, repairing the fence, staining the deck, painting the half-bath. Oops, sorry I got carried away there. All kidding aside, you're the best! Remember there will be great rewards for your service. :) ha...there I go kidding again.

I believe Dale Evans said it best...

Happy trails to you,
until we meet again.
Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue.
It's the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here's a happy one for you.

2009-06-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

We have been working away preparing to leave town. Everything is clean...laundry, done...garden, weeded...grass, mowed...pool, cleaned and shocked... Jacob putting the finishing touched on the yard by weed eating.

Jared and Gabe weeding the flowerbeds out front? Uh...that's what they were supposed to be doing before they got distracted. lol Actually, Jared was helping Gabe add gas and check the oil on the 4-wheeler so he could take a ride..

2009-06-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

We are feverishly preparing for vacation. Part of the vacation experience is the excitement of packing, unpacking, and repacking. Gabe and Jared have been packed for a week now. They must share their mothers penchant for preparation. I think we are officially ready. Cruiseship here we come!!

What else have we been up to? We went to Cleveland, Tennessee with Jacob's baseball team. I'm not sure who had more fun, the boys or the parents. The players decided they needed haircuts for the tournament. We had two boys who ended up with their number carved into their hair, Jacob had "J Willy" carved/cut into his, and one boy was brave enough to wear a mohawk. Of course they had high school baseball tryouts the following Monday, so they were back to conservative, clean cut young men by Monday morning.

This picture was taken as the mohawk was unveiled to mom. She handled it very well.

As you can see Gabe really enjoys hanging out with the big boys. Scary! How else would he entertain his elementary school buddies with stories of his high school friends. Yikes!
Great news...the whole team (summer team) made the high school team for 2009-10. Great job boys!

2009-06-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hello friends. I know it's been awhile. I was telling some of my baseball homies (aka my peeps, my crew, my girls...uh okay...my friends) about my blog and I began to feel guilty. Guilty for my blog neglect. Can I get an amen? I do have a somewhat valid excuse. Our internet was out for er, uh...4 days (I say sheepishly).

What have we been up to you ask?

Baseball of course...and then more baseball.

The biggie would have to be Jacob getting his driver's permit. Scary? Well, I've only peed myself once. Don't judge, we were approaching the car in front of us very quickly, he wasn't braking, and I have a three baby bladder. Need I say more?

Jared tried out and made the school basketball team. We now have 6am practices 3 days a week.

Scott is traveling on business in Canada. How convenient that his trip coincides with the 6am practice schedule. hmmmmm....

Jacob has been to the doctor with a potentially broken hand. I say potentially because we don't have the x-ray results yet. It's a long story, but in a nutshell, the radiology technician "couldn't legally" give us the results and had to send them to our doctor. By the time we were through with the x-ray, our doctors office was closed. Very frustrating! What did Jacob do to his hand? He was at bat and got hit by a pitch. I received a little bit of ridicule because I responded with, "Thata boy Jacob, maybe he hit you out of your slump." Okay, sometimes I'm not a tender, touchy feely mother. I did make a special trip to the concession stand for his favorite color of Gatorade and took it to him in the dugout. Does that count?

Gabe-isms

2009-05-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

This little guys is really something else. He is sooooo full of life, smart, funny, a little (okay alot) stubborn, with some mischief sprinkled in to keep us on our toes. You never quite know what Gabe is going to come up with. His teacher assures me that he is a joy to have in class and is a great helper; always anticipating what she might need next. However, with two teenage brothers, I'm afraid he is educated beyond most children his age.

Gabe has been particularly funny this week and I'm afraid if I don't start writing down these cute little gems I'll soon forget them.

Story #1...every morning as I drop Gabe at school, without fail he kisses me goodbye, confirms that he rides the bus to my school in the afternoon, asks if I packed his lunch, and tells me he loves me. He surprised me this week when I pulled up to school and he opens the door to get out without a single word. As he's standing outside the car with the door open I say, "Hey wait, where's my kiss?" he replies, "Sorry, no time for kisses today. Love you." and off he went. I was left speechless with the irrefutable evidence that the baby of the bunch is growing up. That night as I tucked my little guy into bed, I smothered him with kisses and told him under no circumstances would he be allowed to leave for school in the morning until he kissed his mother goodbye. He agreed, with a little pressure from the tickle fairy.

Story #2...After school today Gabe was entertaining me with his daily adventures. He has many I assure you. I asked, "Are you feeling okay? You sound like your nose is stuffy." It was then that he informed me..."Mom, I'm not stuffy at all. That's just my voice, it's just changing and getting deeper...you know, like Jacob's?" I was driving at the time and couldn't see his face, but I imagine that he gave me the teenage why are you so stupid eye roll.

2009-05-10T17:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day everyone! We started out the day with breakfast at Crackerbarrel with the Williams clan. We missed Joseph & Tara and Brian & Tonya and their little ones, but it was a wonderful start to our day. I was even able to capture a group photo (see above), which is no easy feat (see picture below). After breakfast we were going to till up a garden for Romayne, but the ground was too wet from all the rain we've had so we headed home. The boys made me a thoughtful mother's day card (much better than store bought), Scott made the bed :), Scott had the boys do all the laundry for me (washed, dried, folded and put away!), and made sure I had a 2hour nap while they all did yard work. I must say that they certainly made me feel pampered. Thanks guys you're awesome!!!

Cousins pose for a shot.

Aren't they a beautiful couple!

Jacob decided to fish a little while we were at Grandmom's. Since the water is so high (you can see the dock in the background), Jacob got his lure stuck in a tree. It's not easy casting through a yard full of trees. Colleen and Michael paddled through the "yard" and got Jacob unstuck.

2009-05-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

For all the mothers in my life. Over the years , you've taught me so much...how to laugh, how to give, how to take care of myself and others, how to cook, how to clean, how to work hard, how to be kind, how to love, how to pray. I thank you not just today, but everyday. You are a special gift to me.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Colleen, I have a test for you....

Can you say Irish Wristwatch?

The Great Debate

2009-05-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

Every week before I head out to the grocery store to stock our cupboards with nutritional food that will fuel my family, I ask the same question..."Does anyone have any special requests?". I don't stop asking until everyone youngest to oldest has either given me an idea or I have received an unequivocal "no". Before you begin showering me with accolades in regards to my mothering skills and asking me for advice, I must divulge the true reason behind my search for special grocery/meal requests. First, each week I hope they have a better meal idea than I have thought of myself. Secondly, if they don't contribute to the plan, then they have no right to complain about what is prepared for them.

While I didn't receive a meal idea this week, I did have a request for Oreo Cookies. They didn't stop there, they specified "NOT KIDDO's". For those of you who are not familiar with Kiddo's, I will enlighten you. They are Kroger's answer to the Oreo (what some of you may call store brand or less favorably generic). For years I have purchased Kiddo's and for years my family (and extended family) have heckled me. Yesterday, I had had all the ribbing I could take. You might say I cracked. I was bound and determined to get to the bottom of the great cookie debate.

I returned from Kroger with both Oreo's and Kiddo's in tow and a taste test ensued. I had 9 test subjects, that included Scott and our boys, David, Colleen and Michael, and Colleen's boyfriend Nelson. I had them each close their eyes while I fed them a cookie (yes, I fed them because I didn't want the test skewed by reading the name on the cookie with their fingers--this is a highly accurate test we have going here).

I know you are dying to find out the results so I won't delay in telling you that it was a close call, but the Oreo did come out on top in a 5 to 4 split decision. I tried to argue that it wasn't an overwhelming win, but Jacob had a really good point. The people that I buy for are the ones that can tell the difference. He had me there. It was at that moment that I vowed to never again purchase Kiddo's over Oreo's unless of course it came down to Oreo's vs. Diet Coke and then Oreo's are out.

Stay tuned...next week we will contemplate the virtue of Apple Jacks over Apple Dapples.

2009-05-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

I have been so blessed with so many great people in my life. One of my favorite, is definitely my brother Mark. Mark and I go weeks and weeks without talking, then WHAM, he will send me a random text. Today was one of those random days where Mark sent me a smile.

Mark (by text): If you like pina coladas...

Me (by text): Getting caught in the rain

silence

It's at this point that I realize that Mark is trying to send me a gift (of sorts). He's trying to get a song stuck in my head. Doncha just hate having a song stuck in your head? What to do, what to do? Mark left me no choice, I had to pull out the big guns and reply with the ultimate stick in your head song.

Me (by text): Sweet Caroline ba, ba, ba

Mark tried, unsuccessfully I might add, to over ride my trump.

Mark (by text): Love shack, baby love shack

You might find this game we play silly, but it never fails to make me smile.

http://music.aol.com/song/player/audioplayer.jsp

2009-04-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

Just four days after his fifteenth birthday Jacob went to the orthodontist and was told it was time for his braces to come off. Take a look at his straight pearly whites.

2009-04-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

So I guess you could say I'm feeling sorry for myself. A severe toothache sent me to the dentist today. After careful inspection, it was determined that I am indeed a yuck mouth. I'm in need of two root canals, two crowns, and your run of the mill filling. So the fun begins tomorrow with a root canal on my birthday. I guess birthday wishes really do come true. Wahh!

My sweet wonderful boys are trying desperately to not only take care of me, but lift my spirits. Jared decided that since I won't feel like eating tomorrow evening, we need to have my birthday dinner tonight. Nothing cheers me up like Mexican food. Can you say muy bueno! Gabe carried my bag into the house from the car, exclaiming..."What do you have in here, library books?" Scott is insisting that I open presents tonight, so I can retreat and just lay low tomorrow night. I tried to talk him out of early present opening, really I did. That's a lie...I would never, NEVER turn down early present opening not to mention CAKE. Thanks fella's you're the greatest!

2009-04-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

It's a little hard to tell from this picture, but Jared took home a souvenier from his baseball game. He was playing second base, a runner slid, and kept on sliding right up Jared's leg. The joy of metal cleats. He's wearing it like a badge of honor, "Yea, that's where I got spiked".

**By the way, the runner was OUT!

2009-04-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

How I wish I could better recall some of the ridiculous things that went through my head at the age of seventeen. Not the crazy, dangerous things I did, but the ideas and goals that I thought were important. I'm not saying this because I'm unfulfilled or disappointed in where I am as an adult (quite the contrary), but working in the high school I hear students say some pretty crazy things. I wonder to myself if the milestones that mean so much to them now, once held similar excitement for me. For example, just today a student asked me the date, I answered, and the the rest of the convesation went like this... (Keep in mind that this student is typically a pretty funny individual)

Student: Only 2 months and 1 day until I'm eighteen.

Me: How many hours?

Student: I don't know, they don't care about hours on your ID.

Me: Why do you want your ID to say eighteen ? What will 18 on your ID allow you to do?

Student: Four things...I can buy lottery tickets, go to a gentlemans club, buy cigarettes, and buy cough medicine.

Me: (Sarcastically) Wow, sounds like your life will be complete.

I wonder to myself...was I excited when I was legally able to purchase lottery tickets? I recall feeling pretty grown up when I could purchase cigarettes and I wasn't even a smoker. As I approach my birthday I'm going to try and come up with some sort of milestone I can get excited about (besides menapause, lol). Maybe I'll go out and buy lottery tickets, cigarettes, cough medicine, frequent a gentlemans club, and pretend I'm eighteen again.

2009-04-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hoppy Hoppy Easter!

Putting together this display of our Easter pictures I am struck speechless. What a wonderful family I've been blessed with. I am so very thankful! Thankful for my amazing husband who understands me most of the time. Thankful for three incredible children. I can't begin to explain how much joy they bring me everyday (frustration sometimes too, but unbelievable amounts of joy). Mostly I'm thankful for a God that loves humanity so much that he gave us His Son. I pray that I never take any of these blessings for granted for I know that I do not deserve them.

2009-04-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

My sweet little bundle of Joy!

2009-04-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

Scott and the boys install lights out front.

Gabe took a break for tree climbing.

2009-04-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

Mark came for a visit this weekend. Anytime Mark visits, you're guaranteed a few laughs. My brother is one of the funniest, if not the funniest person I know. I always enjoy his company. However, I did discover an area of his life that needs a little work. Not to hurt your feelings dear brother, but you're a terrible shopper. Mark mentioned that he needed a new pair of jeans, so I drug him to several stores (while I Easter shopped) so he could purchase a new pair. He came home empty handed. Were they all sold out you ask? Yes and no. There were plenty of jeans to choose from, but it seems none of them were created in the early 90's and therefore not what he was looking for.

"Those are different color on the front."
"They're faded in the front."
"I can wear my jeans out myself."
"I set my own trends."

I do agree that once you're past your twenties you cannot succumb to every trend that comes along. I appreciate that my wonderful brother doesn't wear lowrise jeans, imitating a plumber, but a slight fading won't hurt anything. I say this in good fun. Mark doesn't need to be trendy to be cool!

Jacob begs Mark not to leave.

Begging didn't work, so Jacob & Jared try to force Mark to stay.
Mark proved to be too much for them.

2009-04-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

I returned home from work today with an hour to spare and a choice to make. What do I do with my hour? The refrigerator and eating are always a strong temptation, laundry is always there, and exercise is always needed. Today I chose exercise. Surprised? Me too! So I strapped on my running shoes, plugged myself into my ipod and set out for a jog. Maybe jog is too strong a word...more like a jog sprinkled with walking or actually walking with a smattering of jogging. I guess the definition of my movements depends on whether you're a glass half full or half empty kind of thinker. This is day three of my exercise routine and I'm feeling empowered. HAHA day three, empowered? HAHA Hey, day two was done in the rain. If that isn't hard-core what is? As I was jogging, I couldn't help but compare myself to a bear coming out of hibernation. The sun was streaming through the trees and I was breaking out of the cave for a stretch with achy muscles rebelling from lack of use all winter long. I noticed that a vulture was circling in the sky above. Was there something dead nearby, or was he waiting for me to drop?

2009-04-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

Grandma Landers & Grandmom "Sugarbug" congratulate Gabe after his win.

Grandma & Grandpa Landers pay us a visit.

Baseball & Friends

2009-04-04T17:40:00.001-07:00

Gabe played his first ballgame today. The Pirates won 16-5. He made two great plays at shortstop and hit a shot up the middle to get on base. After the game he told us that he was nervous before the game. He said, "I had tingles in my tummy".

Jared & Blake run off the field.

Eric & Jacob wait to go to practice.

2009-04-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

The storms have left and surprisingly, the baseball field was dry enough to play. Here are some pictures of Jared playing ball.

Gabe practicing his juggling.

Jacob as a spectator.
He would much rather play than spectate.

April Showers

2009-04-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

Lets hope these relentless showers produce May flowers. The evenings baseball plans were called off when the sky opened up and began pouring buckets and buckets of water. We haven't been hit with the high winds and tornadic activity as predicted. We thank our lucky stars, because counties to the North & South of us were hit with severe weather.

I am so anxious to get out in my garden and start digging. Over Spring break the boys rid our flower beds of pesky weeds, preparing for fresh plantings. I can already envision the bright blues, reds, and yellows of healthy, blooming flowers. Come on SUNSHINE!!!

2009-04-02T04:27:00.001-07:00

It was a great night of baseball last night, with both Jacob and Jared bringing home a win. A big thank you to Grandmom for getting Jacob to his game and keeping me updated on the progress of his game with frequent texts.

2009-03-31T16:06:00.000-07:00

Just when you think you have a plan...plans change. Dreary, rainy weather threatened, then succeeded to cancel our baseball plans for the evening. We are now settled in for the evening with Jared's favorite meal (chicken & dumplings, mashed potatoes, corn, and rolls) almost ready to consume. As I read that menu, I have to ponder...should I add another starch? lol I think a pan of 7 layer cookies would round out the meal quite nicely. After the dishes are neatly placed in the dishwasher (or or thrown randomly, I don't really care), we'll snuggle in to watch 9 hopeful American citizens sing their hearts out on American Idol. Who are you betting on to win? My money is on Danny...you know the one with glasses. Dad, do you think you could work us up an American Idol pool?

2009-03-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

Whew! That word pretty much sums up our first day back to school. We managed to get out the door without any yelling, threats, or accusations of who was going to make who late. We even had a heavy frost on the van that we had to defrost and yet, we delivered Jared to the bus just in the knick of time. The first day back is always interesting. You spend a good portion of your day trying to figure out where you left off...not in a bad way, but just trying to get your footing. I don't know if everyone feels this way or if it's just me. Most of the time I can't remember things one day to the next without a million post it notes written to myself. I'm not sure if this is called aging, or if it's all the Diet Coke I've consumed eating away my brain. For once, I hoping it's old age. Wow, how did I get so off topic? About our day...

I met Gabe at the school bus after school. He called Jacob's name (who just happened to be walking across the parking lot to the baseball fieldhouse) and waved to him. We shut the door and sped away to pick up Jared with just one quick pit stop at Exxon for a couple of Gatorades and beef jerky or as Gabe says "The Exxon Tiger Mart" since he now reads everything and that is what is written on the sign. We get Jared to his field in time to wish him well with an over the top, "Kick some Dickson tail!" (yes, I actually said that). We return to the high school in time for the first pitch of Jacob's game. After Jacob's JV game I was signed up to work the gate for the Varsity game. This is a perfect example of biting off more than you can chew. I counted my money bag...grrr...$4.00 over. I mentally blame the $4.00 on the person working the gate before my shift to make myself feel better while gathering Jacob and Gabe into the van. We make a quick stop at Sonic for a nutritious 8pm dinner, getting Jared a meal to go. We make it to Jared's game just as the lights are turned off and we're homeward bound.

Once home, we call Scott in Ohio. (he's on a business trip) The boys take turns talking to dad and taking showers. It's a finely tuned dance of Gabe showering while Jacob talks to Scott, Gabe reading me his book from school while Jared talks to Scott, Gabe talks to Scott and we say Gabe's prayers on the phone and tuck him in for the night.

As I wait for the baseball uniforms to finish their wash cycle, I'm enjoying a little quiet time. Today was especially crazy with Scott out of town and two kids playing in two different parks at the same time, but it was a very successful day. I got to see my boys laughing and enjoying their friends while playing a game they love. To add icing to my content little piece of cake, my husband left a love letter for me to find after he left. How did I get so lucky?

Good night everyone...
we do it all again tomorrow

A Successful Hunt

2009-03-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

My mighty hunters came home successful. In true warrior fashion, they added a few meals to our freezer. Jacob "won" a turkey hunting vest in the silent auction at the Governor's Dinner/Auction on Saturday evening. He's now referring to it as his lucky vest.

2009-03-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

Scott, Jacob, and Jared headed south for their annual turkey hunt with the "Awesome Kerm", a.k.a. Danny Kermicle. I told them they were a little dressed up for hunting. If I was a suspicious woman, I would question just what they are hunting for. They explained that there is a fundraising dinner tonight with the hunt being held tomorrow. One thing is certain, Scott will return with at least two turkey's in tow. (the same two he left with)

Jacob cheeses for the camera.

Jared poses for a picture, but refuses to show his teeth.
I don't know why since his teeth are straight and white.

Well, who's this handsome guy?

With dad and the big boys gone for the evening, Gabe and I decided that we are going to watch a movie and have a picnic. We headed to the grocery store where I told him he could pick out whatever he wanted for our picnic. I was fully prepared for a dinner consisting of ice cream sundaes, chicken nuggets, and chocolate chips cookies. Surprisingly, we will be dining on somewhat healthy fare (healthier than my expectations anyway) of cheeseburgers, baked potates, and donuts. I must go...my dinner and date await.

XBOX & Netflix

2009-03-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

The boys got an XBOX for Christmas and they have been wearing it out! They play their friends online--pretty cool technology. We recently subscribed to Netflix. I was a little skeptical as to whether we would get our monies worth out of it, but after two months I would say it's worth it. We receive one movie at a time, keep it as long as we want, and return it. Within two days, we receive another movie. In addition to receiving movies by mail, we can choose certain movies to watch instantly. Whenever we go online using our XBOX, we can watch the movies without waiting. I highly recommend Netflix!

Twilight

2009-03-27T20:07:00.000-07:00

Is there anyone out there hooked on the Twilight series written by Stephenie Meyer? They are soooo popular, but I haven't been able to convince myself to read a book with one of the main characters being a vampire. However, curiosity got the best of me and I rented the Twilight movie. Against the boys wishes, we watched it this evening and I will admit that I've been missing out. What a great love story! Of course the boys won't admit that they liked it, but I know they did. I will definitely be checking out New Moon (Book 2 in the series).

Time To Catch Up

2009-03-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Yes I've been hiding. Not really, but we have been on Spring break the last two weeks and laying low. What have we been up to you ask...

--Cleaning with several trips to Goodwill
--Painted two closets
--Doctors Appointments & Haircuts
--Baseball Practice
--Playing Video Games and Watching Movies/TV
--Opened the Pool
--Weeded the flower beds & trimmed the Crepe Myrtles
--Ordered our passports for our summer vacation

Nothing too noteworthy, but very relaxing. We head back to school on Monday. I can't believe there are only 9 weeks of school left.

Baseball Tryouts

2009-03-27T19:52:00.000-07:00

Basketball season is officially over and Spring is on its way. You know what that means...time to break out the bat and glove. Here is a picture of Gabe hitting a few balls before he went to tryouts. Jacob and Jared have started their seasons.

2009-03-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

Gabe played basketball for the first time this year. He really had fun. He had a great coach who announced the date for team pictures and then laughingly said "Wear your mohawks for the pictures". That was all it took for 8 seven year olds to break out the gel and hair color.

We Have a Celebrity in Our Midst

2009-01-31T09:19:00.000-08:00

Every year the Decatur newspaper, The Herald and Review conducts a Reader's Choice poll. Readers vote on the best food, best entertainment, best people and best goods and services offered in the city and then publish the results. The poll winners were made public today with our very own Mark Floyd a.k.a. "GM" sweeping the contest with the highly coveted title of
#1 Insurance Agent of 2008! Check out the link below...

http://www.herald-review.com/shared-content/topads/show.php?adid=1480132

Congrats little brother, it's about time everyone agrees on what we've known all along...you're the best!

Yet Another Difference Between Men and Women

2009-01-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

Last night I was upstairs reading while Scott and the boys played XBox Live. I'm reading Jodi Piccoult's, My Sister's Keeper. It's about a family whos youngest child is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. In order to find a perfect bone marrow match, the mother and father decide to have another child in hopes of saving their daughter's life. The baby is now 13 years old and has over the years donated blood, marrow, etc. to her sibbling who is now in need of a kidney transplant. The 13 year old decides to sue her parents for medical emancipation. Anyway, I'm reading this story and I begin to cry. Scott and the boys stopped and asked me what was wrong to which I replied "nothing". They asked, "Then why are you crying?"... "because this book is sad"..."Then why are you reading it?" they asked dumbfounded. Sometimes I actually like to read a story or watch a movie that makes me cry. Anyone second this opinion?

**By the way, this book is a real page turner. My co-worker has read it and tells me that there is a surprise ending.

2009-01-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

It appears as if the stray cat is going to stay, so as responsible pet owners we took Ms. Kitty (Kitty for short) to the vet to be spayed. Before we returned home, the vet had left a message asking us to call him. We had a sneaky suspicion that Ms. Kitty was in the family way. We apprehensively returned the vets call, reluctant to make a pro-life/pro-choice decision on Ms. Kitty's behalf. As it turns out, upon examination, the vet found that Ms. Kitty is actually a neutered male cat. It looks as if we'll have to drop the Ms. and leave it at Kitty.

2009-01-13T19:38:00.000-08:00

I realize that the pictures below are very blurry, but I wanted you to see what we were up against at this evening ballgame. Jared had the task of guarding a man that was just a tad bit bigger than him.

Week of January 12th

2009-01-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it through our first week back at school as well as a successfull week of diet and exercise. It seemed like the longest, hungriest week ever. :) I can't believe we're already eleven days into the new year. I hope your 2009 is starting out to be a good one!

As I said last week, I am going to post our schedule each week so you know where to find us if you're looking.

Monday: Jacob plays away, Jared plays away, & Gabe plays at home
Tuesday: Jared away
Wednesday: Home cooked meal!
Thursday: Jacob at home, Jared at home
Friday: Home cooked meal!
Saturday: Jacob away, Gabe away, & Jared's tournament begins TBA

It looks like we'll be putting in some miles next week. Mom and Jack are coming down Thursday. We can't wait to see them!

Sucking Wind

2009-01-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

It's been an ugly couple of nights of basketball. Christmas and video games have left the WCHS freshman team sluggish and out of shape. We've had two losses the last two nights. Not pretty!

Jacob is excited. With a new semester means new classes. His new PE coach told the class that he's focused on lifting weights--"He will help them get big and have a rock hard six pack." Jacob came home asking for protein. Should I take before and after photos?

Time to Get to Work

2009-01-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow we get back to our routine. No more staying up late, sleeping in, and playing video games all day. It's back to school, practice, and games. You've heard me say it before...it's time! We may turn into non-productive slugs if we don't get back to normal, but boy it sure has been fun!

Here's our schedule next week. You can reach us on the cell phones.

Mon: Jacob game at home 6:30pm
Tues: Gabe practice at 6pm, Jacob game at home 6:30pm
Wed: Dinner at home
Thurs: Jacob game at Smyrna, Jared game at home 6:00pm
Fri: ?

I get a little lax posting when we're going in so many directions. I will try to at least post our schedule so you know what we're up to.

Movie Matinee

2009-01-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

Took the boys to see Bedtime Stories yesterday. It was really cute and for once CLEAN. Yea! Check out the trailer.

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/bedtimestories/

The only downer was an inappropriate laugher. We had a lady a few rows backs who would laugh boistrously and not at the right places. Made me wonder if she was watching the same movie we were. Anyway...take your kids to see the movie, hopefully Ms. Inappropriate Laugher (sung in the Bud Light voice) won't share the theater with you.

Resolution Time

2009-01-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

It's not a new or interesting resolution. I've weighed, measured, have a workout partner, a goal, a person to whom I'm accountable, a fancy new ipod and nike workout gadget, my Weight Watcher point calculator and a brand spankin' new food journal. All that's left is me and a little old fashioned willpower. Sounds easy...let's see how bad I want it!

Do you have any resolutions you'd like to share?

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T17:34:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's 2009? We had an amazing News Year Eve. We spent the afternoon and evening cheering our Vanderbilt Commodores to victory at the Music City Bowl. This was Vanderbilt's first bowl appearance since 1982 and the first bowl win since 1955. It was awesome sitting out in the blustery 34 degrees with 55,000 other fans. We drank $63.00 in hot chocolate and barely noticed the cold. (Keep in mind those are stadium prices and we each left with a souvenier travel mug) After the big win, we "shook the shack" at Joe's Crab Shack. Yummy! We were home in time to welcome in the new year.

Where Will The Bird Choose to Roost?

2008-12-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

I can't quite recall how the chicken came to be, but I think either Karen or Joseph introduced this little hen into the family last Christmas. Whatever it's origin, he keeps showing up unexpectedly. Someone (Joseph maybe?) assisted the little birdie in traveling to Atlanta. It took Marie three days to spot our feathered friend perched on her bookcase. Thanksgiving means turkey, so it was safe for the chicken to fly the Brumbauch coop and land at Romayne's for a quick stop and then on to Karen's. Needless to say, dirty Santa brings out the hen in all of us (cluck, cluck)--Uncle Frank, after many gifts slipping through his fingers, found his prize. Alan, Linda, Stephanie, & Sarah, unsuspecting participants in the poultry pass, had a big surprise waiting for them in the backseat of their car Christmas night (or should we say the morning of the 26th?). You should have heard those Tuttle girls squeal. Funny!! Instead of taking the bird home, they seemed to have forgotten the little beast next to our mailbox down by the road. Hmmm.... Well after pondering the fate of the creature (fried, soup, sandwich, enchiladas, etc) I couldn't bear to end her life. I've decided that...

Into this box she must stow
Time will tell where she will go.
If she should end up on your stoop
Please welcome her into your family's coop.
When you feel the time is right
You may pass her on with great delight.

PS Could we please give this poor bird a name?

What A Wonderful Christmas!

2008-12-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

It was a great Christmas spent with family and friends. Gifts aside, my favorite memories have to be singing karaoke (Martha--you and I rocked on Fergalicious) and playing dirty santa.

Scott and the boys are concerned because I am proudly displaying the animal print purse lamp I "stole" playing dirty santa. For some reason they keep unplugging it. I've posted a picture of it above so you can tell me if it's a keeper or not.

Jacob and Mark stole the show with the self portraits they entered in the dirty santa game. I shouldn't say they stole the show, since Joseph actually did steal his entry. Shame on you Joseph.

Thank you all for such a Merry Christmas!

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas

2008-12-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

Wow...I can't belive the ridicule. I've been out Christmas shopping, baking, working, and cleaning for you people. I have the dishpan hands, bank account, and rearend to prove it. :) It's almost Christmas and I think I'm finally ready. I put my Christmas cards in the mail today. Whew...better late than never. Just in case yours doesn't make it before Christmas...have a great Christmas!

Four thousand pictures later these were two acceptable ones to use for Christmas cards. If you think getting your kids to be still, look at the camera and smile is difficult, then try adding your family pet to the mix. Always up for the challenge, we gave it our best shot. We could get the animals in the picture but they wouldn't look at the camera. Scott would call their names to get them to look but instead of looking they would come to him. Very entertaining.

Brrrrrrr...

2008-11-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

It sure is cold around here. It seems that winter is upon us. Christmas will be here before you know it. I really need to get out the Christmas CD's to pull out the Christmas spirit. There's nothing like a little jingle bell rock to get the juices flowing.

Gabe turned 7 last Friday. I can't believe my baby is already 7. He wanted his birthday dinner at Steak and Shake, so we feasted on birthday burgers, cheese fries and milkshakes. As I tucked him in bed that night, he said with a content sigh..."I wish everyday was my birthday".

Jared has now played two basketball games losing by a basket each game. He plays again tonight. Hopefully we will fare better.

Happy (or not) Post Election.

2008-11-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

Well the votes have been counted and a new president has been elected. We felt the aftermath today at school. There were rumors of racially motivated crime that was to take place at school at the end of the day. Our administration investigated, but found no evidence to support the rumor. Despite their lack of findings, they took precautions and beefed up security and required that no student be in the hall unless escorted by a principal. I hate that our society has come to this, but very proud and confident in the decision making abilities of our administration.