All About Me

No, I didn't get tagged, I just can't think of a single thing to blog about. So, I am gonna give you some embarrassing facts about me. Have a good laugh at my expense!

I sleep in my makeup. No, I don't do it to look pretty while I sleep, I'm just lazy.

I didn't get my driver's license until I was 21. I had been driving since I was 15, even getting a ticket for driving without a license. I was just too busy working and taking care of Chandler to bother with it. My mom drove me everywhere.

I was a bed wetter, until 7th grade. Nothing more to say about that, except my brother's liked to call me Frito Factory. Very humiliating...

Sometimes I forget to brush my teeth before bed. I'll fall asleep watching TV and crawl to bed. Gross, I know. But, I went until I was 31 before I ever got a cavity and haven't had one since.

I own more bras than one woman should be allowed. Try more than 15, not counting sports bras.

I try to be a dog person, but they drive me bananas. I see people with their cute puppies in their house or car and think I could do it too, but I can't.

I have only farted in front of Jon twice in 14 years, once when I was in labor with Hunter so it doesn't really count.

I am the nosiest person on earth. I am serious. I look in windows, cars, and I ask lots of questions. I try and act friendly, but really I am being nosey.

My family has never had folded socks in their drawers. Ever. They get them from a basket. Actually two of them.

I am so proud of my red hair. I'm kinda vain about it, which isn't good. But, whenever I found out that only 1 to 2% of the world's population had red hair, I felt pretty darn lucky.

I'm not much of a candy person, which judging by my curvy figure might be a shock. But, I only crave sweets occasionally. This body came from cheese and Coke. Lots of it.

I'm a yeller. And an occasional cusser. Ok, more than occasional. Trying to work on that...

So, I hope you are enlightened now that you know all these random Ashley facts. Wish me luck on finding something to blog about.

More talk, less body

Seeing as it's been a week since my last diet post, I thought I'd provide a little update. The good news is: I am thisclose to being in the double digits in weight loss. The bad new is: it took a nasty case of food poisoning to get me there. Yuck huh? Basically I have been eating anywhere from 1200 to 1800 calories per day, depending on my hunger and activity level. I know how many calories EVERY food I eat has, even tic tacs. If not, I don't eat it. I have eaten bread twice this week, once was toast, after "the incident"- which I will touch on later. I haven't had a regular Coke in 11 days. Seriously! I like Diet Coke now, believe it or not. As for my eating, I am pretty much eating only chicken, fish, fruits, and veggies. A couple of times I have had a Happy Meal with a cheeseburger, apples, and a Diet Coke. I was craving red meat, so sue me. Although, if the cheeseburger at Mickey D's actually contains red meat is debatable. So far, I haven't missed any one food too much. I have allowed myself to have stuff I love (queso and chocolate), but only in moderation. If I know I am gonna eat out, I eat very light that whole day. I know how many calories I can have, so I try really hard to stay under that number. I have checked every restaurant we frequent, and now know what is best to eat.

Which brings me to "the incident." Jon and I try and do a lunch date once a week, and Friday was no exception. I had been craving grilled salmon, and at Saltgrass it's AMAZING! So, we went there for our lunch date. Let's just say, I won't be craving grilled salmon for a very long time. So, there you have it. The end of week two. Cross your fingers and pray that I can keep it up. I feel so determined. Not to mention giddy. I am 1 pound away from a number I haven't seen in several years.

So Sad...

By now I am sure most of you have heard the story about the man who abandoned his 9 children at a Nebraska hospital. For those of you who haven't, you can find the story here. I am just so bothered and shocked by this story. This man must have felt like he had no choice. It really is sad. His wife died shortly after delivering their 10th child. (The oldest is 18 and was not dropped off). He said that he had quit his job to care for his children and was at the point where he couldn't afford rent or utilities. I remember a made for TV movie when I was a kid about a family that included 5 children, whom the parents felt they could no longer care for. So, they told the kids they were going for burgers. The oldest child took the other kids inside this gas station/cafe for a cheeseburger while the parents supposedly got gas, cleaned the windshield, etc. It was while these kids were waiting on their food that the parents drove off. The kids were turned over to police and put in separate foster homes. They were eventually reunited and I believe it was based on a true story. It kinda became a joke around our house as children if we were bad- "do you wanna go for a cheeseburger?" All kidding aside, I can't imagine what those kids are thinking. And, the dad. I can't even fathom things being bad enough to ever abandon my kids. Ever. Jon and I have always, always said no matter what our family has to endure, we will do it as a family. But, it makes you wonder in this guys situation, did he do the right thing? What would their life be like if he continued to try and press forward? The article said that several family members had stepped forward to take the children. Why then, did this man not give his extended family temporary custody while he got his life together? Why?

His name is Jonah...

What a great day! We just got in from Austin. We are giddy from seeing Amy and Jesse and meeting their new little guy- Jonah. What a cutie!! He is absolutely adorable! He is so tiny, it's like holding a doll. Amy and Jesse are in love and exhausted. Jonah Anderson (last name is being withheld) was born 9/22/08 at 12:30 pm. He weighed 6 pounds and was 19 inches long. See what I mean? He is teeny tiny and perfect. Right now he is a little jaundiced, but otherwise, he is doing great! Amy and Jesse are so cute and I know they are falling more in love with him by the moment. They really make such a cute little family, and I am so happy for them. I got a kick out of seeing my baby sister and her husband, they are parents! And, finally... what you've all been waiting for- PICTURES!! There's a TON of them, you might wanna grab a snack!

Amy, Jesse, and Jonah


Momma Amy and Jonah


Daddy Jesse and Jonah


Jonah!


Jonah!


Jonah Anderson


Jonah doing his impersonation of Frogger


me and Jonah


Chan and Jonah


Hunter and Jonah


Hunter and Jonah


Hayden and Jonah


Chloe and Jonah


Myers children with Amy, Jesse, and Jonah


Hayden and Uncle Jesse


Hunter and Hayden


Chan-Man


P.S. I also took my mom with us. But, we hogged the baby alot! Sorry mom. I do have pictures of mom with Jonah, but my flash caused her to blink and close her eyes several times. I feel so bad. She is going to stay and give A & J some much needed and I am sure appreciated assistance for the next week or so. Love you Mom!

A post about a purse

Yes, I have done this same post TWICE before, but I think it's fun. Plus- who knew how much you could fit in one purse? Here goes:

1. three pair of sunglasses
2. Pepto Bismol
3. bottle of Ralph cool perfume
4. 2008 seafood watch brochure (?)
5. two happy Meal toys
6. spatula
7. bank envelope (EMPTY!)
8. pink ribbon
9. razor
10. lotion
11. pocket Book of Mormon
12. Pamprin
13. pencil
14. business cards (mine)
15. three checkbooks
16. eyeglasses prescription
17. makeup bag (FULL!)
18. Ice Breakers mints (iced tea flavor, yuck)
19. two programs from church
20. M&M's
21. more receipts than I could ever count
22. 3 pens
23. paperclip
24. feminine products
25. wallet
26. family photos
27. two pairs of Chloe's earrings

and my personal favorite:
28. a container for a fecal sample from Pedro (no sample yet, thank goodness)

***You can read about my purse here and here***

I am THAT girl

The flustered, rushed, always late, disorganized one. I try, I really do. But, I am a mess. I am never on time, I procrastinate getting ready. Which means I have to drive like a maniac every time I go some somewhere. I am forgetful too. And, then there's my purse. Which y'all know from reading on here before, is a cluttered, black hole. I really don't know what to do about this. You'd think I would learn my lesson by now, but no. Take today for example. I had a Dr. appointment and of course I was late, which meant I was last to be seen. So, a quick appointment took two hours. Now, I have a mile long to do list that I have this overwhelming need to get done before bed. And, I am running out of time. Uggghhh.... But, instead of worry about things I can't control, I am taking my mom to dinner for her birthday. So there. I'll just stay up way too late and once again get no sleep. Oh, the life of being one of those girls.

Me: On a Diet

I'm not really starving... but I think I may be starving. I am trying so hard. At first I wasn't gonna blog about this because I didn't wanna jinx myself and my efforts. But, I figured what do I have to lose? It's not like I am gonna be a babe tomorrow or anything. I have a long road ahead of me. I have started this journey many times. I have even tried out for The Biggest Loser- twice. But, this time it feels different. For starters, this time I am praying. For strength, courage, and that I can have a clear and open mind about what my body needs to function properly. It sure doesn't need Ding Dongs and Coke. Plus, I am relying on faith, because as the saying goes it can move mountains. Surely it can help me get a smaller butt. Basically I have been eating smaller portions, and incorporating more fruits and veggies. I didn't even have a piece of bread for 5 whole days. That's a big deal. Then there's that lovely, fizzy, brown deliciousness- Coca Cola. That has been the hardest. The headaches the first 5 days were excruciating, from lack of caffeine. I have been guzzling water and am developing a taste for Diet Coke. That hurt to type by the way... I never thought I'd be able to give up the regular. I have exercised in some way, shape, or form every day for the past 7 days. And, while I won't tell you how much I currently weigh or what I have lost, I will give you a hint. I probably weigh more than you and I have lost the equivalent of a bag of sugar. I'll let you decide which size I am referring to. I am praying that I will be successful this go round, and here's hoping I have many more weight loss triumphs to share. Wish me luck!

I just watched the best movie

I taped this documentary about a month ago and finally got around to watching it tonight. Let me preface all this by saying, I am behind the times and this documentary came out in '05. But, it was sooo good I couldn't help but blog about it, regardless of how old it is.
Anyway- it's called New York Doll. It's about Arthur Kane, who used to be in the band The New York Dolls. Oh my gosh, awesome movie. In a nutshell this guy was in this band and he was just so into being a rock star and being famous. The band eventually breaks up due to drugs, alcohol, and the deaths of a few of the members.
Arthur takes this really hard and eventually hits rock bottom. It is during this period that he sends for a Book of Mormon. He ends up joining the church and lives a quiet existence as a worker in the Family History Library in San Diego, CA. For 30 years he still has the dream of the Dolls reuniting. His dream is realized when he is approached to do a concert with the remaining living members of the band. The members of his ward help him by getting his guitars out of the pawn shop and his home teacher even accompanies him to London for the concert. He gets all "dolled" up for his show and of course does amazing. It was such a neat movie, and of course I don't want to give away the whole movie, but it was soo good. Bittersweet would be a good word. I couldn't stop crying. Two of my favorite parts were when he gets ready for the concert and he wants his clothes to resemble those that Joseph Smith would have worn and when he plays Love One Another on the harmonica. I highly recommend it regardless of your religion or taste in music, because it really was a beautiful, touching story.

Things that make you go hmmm...

By now, those of you who read this know that I have odd things happen to me, often. All true, I promise. Well, today was no exception:

This morning I was headed to my neighbor's house so we could go walking when I spotted some trash in my yard. I made a mental note to clean it up after my walk. We are on a corner and people chunk trash in our yard alot. But, as I got closer I realized it was a bunch of bags full of something. I thought that maybe Jon had left fertilizer or seeds of some kind in the yard the last time he did yard work. They were about 5 inches wide and 12 inches long, and there were six of them in all. Thinking nothing of it, I flip over the first bag. Imagine my surprise when the words FRESH GROUND VENISON stares back at me. For those of you who don't know, venison is deer meat. We live in the sticks and alot of our friends and neighbors hunt. It's not at all unusual to be offered meat of some kind. I once saw a neighbor gutting and skinning a deer in his garage. But, I never in a million years thought someone would throw deer meat in my yard. I mean, I'm all about trying new food. But, at least ring my doorbell and offer it to me. And, yes we do get trash thrown in our yard ALOT, but if someone wanted to clean out their freezer, there are about 50 houses they pass before mine. I am thinking someone was pulling a nasty prank, but I am not sure why? Can't think of any enemies. I am baffled. I do not think it's funny at all. And, more than anything I want to know who did it and why. I would love y'alls opinions on this...

If it's Tuesday, why does it feel like Monday?

Ugghh, I am bummed!! Because of the child support "deal" we worked out with Bio-Dad, a few things we had planned this evening are no longer. Thankfully, Jon has been doing all of my dirty work for me. So, today I was able to be the same Supermom I always am while he ran around getting things in order. But, he had to miss a Father/Child pizza party at Hayden's school. Hayden told me he hated Cici's anyway, so I guess that turned out ok. Then, Chandler and Hunter both missed the bus. But, the biggest disappointment of the day- I was gonna start institute class at church and tonight was the first class. Bummer! Plus, I am trying to eat more healthy and less quantity, so I am freaking STARVING! I have only had 750 calories today and I worked out twice, which means I am grumpy. My head is pounding from lack of Coke, a true sign of addiction. Anyway- Before I "log off" I wanna share a little story Hayden told me. Today in class they were discussing gases, solids, liquids, etc. in Science. The teacher asked the kids to name a solid. Hayden told me a little boy in his class raised his hand and said, "diarrhea is a solid." And, the teacher said "no, that's a liquid, but next time let's not talk about poop."

Take me out to the ball game...

Well, we had our first softball game. The team we played couldn't have been out of high school long. Put it this way- we didn't win. We tried though, and no one broke any bones. Which are both pluses. Most important, we had FUN! I gave Chloe the camera and told her to snap away.

Me!


Jon! (pretty eyes)


Jenna and Jon


Marcie and our subs (not sure of their names, oops...)


Me and Chloe, can you tell she has been sneaking into the make-up?


Me and Marcie


Jesse and Marcie


Mia

My daughter the photographer

I was really impressed by this photo Chloe took of Pedro. I am by no means an expert, but it seems like a pretty good picture to me. Of course, I am biased.

My kid + my cat = awesomeness.

Help Wanted

One slightly desperate individual needed to assist with laundry duties in my home. On a light day, there are 3 loads to wash, dry, and fold. Light ironing of school uniforms a must. There will be days when there are 10 loads or more. Usually after I have been excessively lazy instead of performing my household duties for an extended period. This normally only happens once a week, sometimes twice if there has been good TV on. On occasion there will be ants "hanging out" in the clothes, don't be frightened, it only takes one sting for you to get the hint. Sometimes, you might come across clothes that are still folded, I like to think they are keeping the dirty clothes company. You will come across lots of socks, bathing suits, and towels, that do not belong to my family. This is somewhat normal, plus as I always say, "finders keepers". Squeamish individuals need not apply, as "skid marks" are a regular occurrence as are crusty socks that resemble donuts. And, speaking of socks, we own 1,342 pairs of them. So, a pillow for your butt is required, since it takes approximately 3 hours to fold all of them. You're butt will thank you. Pay is once a month, in the form of cookies and Coca Cola.

Momma's Boys

I am so proud of Chandler and Hayden.

First, Mr. Hayden got a 100 on his Spelling test!! Yay! I have promised him ice cream, and I am gonna have to pay up soon.

And, Chan-man had his first varsity game tonight. He started out JV, and they moved him to Varsity just this week. He didn't get much playing time tonight, but that will come in time. Just getting to see him suited up on a Friday night was awesome. The feel in the air was so infectious. The band playing. The cool September evening. And my favorite: the half time show! Friday nights are all about football here in Texas,and it didn't disappoint. I had forgotten how fun it was. I am excited to be able to spend Friday nights with my family watching my Chan-man. I can't believe how fast time has flown. I remember his first day of Kindergarten like it was yesterday, and now he is a Junior in high school!! Anyway, I'll stop reminiscing. They didn't win, probably because they didn't let Chan play enough... just kidding. Here are the few pictures I could get.

Chan on the sidelines talking to a teammate


Chan- he is so handsome!


talking with the family after the game


the empty field after the game, those two little dots running toward the end zone are Hayden and Chloe


the hubby- he's cute... I think I'll keep him


Hayden, cutie pie and best speller ever!


Hunter, heartbreaker

Score one for the Dad!

I don't care who you are, you would have done the same thing. Go Dad!!


DELTONA, Fla. - An angry Deltona father whacked his teenage daughter's boyfriend with a metal pipe after finding the boy naked in his daughter's room. Authorities say the father, 45, didn't even know his daughter had a boyfriend or that the youngster had been sneaking into the home for more than a year.

When he heard noises coming from his daughter's bedroom Thursday morning and saw a stranger standing naked on the girl's bed, he swung a metal pipe. He then chased the teen out the front door and called police.

The boy was taken to the hospital where doctors closed a head wound with staples.

The father was charged with aggravated battery on a child and bonded out on $10,000.

You can't make this stuff up

So- I am sitting at the computer, putting off going to bed. Entranced by the internet, I hear a beep. It sounded like the dryer, so I head to the laundry room to see what's up. The washer was empty and I had just put a load of jeans in the dryer. Nothing looks amiss, so I get back on the computer. And, I hear another beep. I head BACK in the laundry room and still nothing. I check the cell phones, thinking maybe some idiot is awake crank-texting us. Nothing. I sit back at the computer and the beep starts up again. And, this time it doesn't stop. It's our smoke detectors!! So, I run screaming in the bedrooms for the kids to wake up, the smoke alarms are going off. I run to our game room and yell at Jon to get up, (he's asleep on the couch) and then to the living room to get Hayden off of the other couch. (He's sleeping on the couch with a bucket because of a bad tummy ache.) I get everyone outside in various states of sleep and undress. We stand in the yard while Jon checks things out. The alarms proceed to go off and on for about 10 minutes. We check the A/C, the attic, the stove, all around in and out- sniffing the air. I grab the phone to call 911, I mean I trust Jon, but I am nervous and want the experts. Jon said no way, the neighbors would freak and there's nothing that he can see. So far so good. Everything seems fine. It's been about 20 minutes and nothing. We think it was the giant load of jeans in the dryer. Because the smoke alarms near that side of the house are the one's that went off. So, we have turned it off for tonight. They tell you that you can stuff a ton of clothes in the new fancy washers and dryers, but forget to mention that it might be unsafe. Now, my kids are WIRED and it's a school night...

Remembering...

I have read several blogs today that reflected on this day in America's history. I remember that day like it was yesterday:

I had just eaten breakfast and was getting ready for work. I was 7 months pregnant with Hayden. Jon had just dropped Chandler and Hunter off at school. He comes running in yelling for me to turn on the TV, that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I was kinda confused and shocked at the same time. So, I clicked on the TV, and we watched the second plane go into the other tower. I was completely stunned and so sad. I wanted to sit and watch TV all day. Jon thought it would be best if I went on to work, everything would be fine. So, I reluctantly drove to work, shaking and terrified. What was going on? Were there gonna be more attacks? Who did this to us? Thoughts kept racing in my head. Then, Jon called and told me about the Pentagon. I screamed at him that I was coming home and to immediately go pick up our boys. He assured me that things would be fine, the boys were safe at school, and to try not to worry. Ok, I won't worry... I kept thinking of chemical weapons, terrorists, my new baby that was about to be born, did we need face masks, was there enough masking tape to seal off our windows, and then there was our constant need to go grocery shopping. Not to mention the fact that I worked near the airport at a mail order facility. I was afraid who ever attacked us, would stop at nothing to attack again anywhere they wanted. Like postal facilities, more airplanes, etc.
I (along with all of my co-workers) barely made it through that day. We prayed often, watched TV as much as was allowed, tuned our headphones to the news, and organized a bake sale to help the victims. I don't think any of us knew how bad it really was. That was one of the longest days of my life. I was so afraid of the future, afraid for my kids, and so sad for the victims and their families. I remember leaving work that day and noticing how quiet the sky above my workplace was. Normally planes flew over by the dozen, all day. It was so eerie. I stopped at Wendy's on the way home, knowing I was too emotionally exhausted to cook and that I would never want to turn away from the TV. I got home, closed every blind and curtain and double checked every lock in our house. We ate in the living room and never stopped watching TV. I even turned it on in bed at night and kept it on all night long for weeks. I couldn't stop watching it. I would wake up at night with the TV on, the sounds of alarms at Ground Zero would fill my darkened bedroom. I kept praying that they would find survivors...

Today's Drama

Well, Chloe found her binder. It was on the bus, in the lost and found bin next to the driver. It was empty. So, whoever took it was nice enough to steal all of her supplies and leave the $15 Trapper Keeper behind. Kid's today are so gracious... And, speaking of the bus driver. Chloe told me he is her favorite bus driver of all. Because he crashes into things, like curbs.
Now, for Hayden. He got bit by an ant. No big deal really. Except where he got bit. I won't tell you where, I'll just let you guess. It's where no man wants to be bitten. Poor baby. I really feel bad for him.
And, on to Hunter, he almost got jumped this evening. Thank goodness he and his very expensive BMX bike made it home safely. We're not sure who they were. Pretty sure it's not the same group of guys who shot at him and his friend's with Airsoft guns the other day. I am gonna have to keep that kid in the house from now on.
Then there's Chan. He had a fairly normal evening. He went to Cici's Pizza with the entire offensive line. He told me they were quite a site. His exact words: "we looked really funny. A bunch of fat guys at an all you can eat pizza buffet." Then he showed me a picture on his cell phone of a tray full of pizza crust. And it was a very large pile. Oh, and then he told me he left his back pack in his friend's car. And I was like "oh no, Channy. What are you gonna do?" And he said: "it's no big deal Mom, the only thing in it is my binder"...

P.S. I just discovered that Jon stepped in dog poop and tracked it in our house. I had been smelling something for about 2 hours. And, it was my husband. I haven't gagged that hard in years.

Home Movie

So, my blog is desperately lacking pizazz. And good sidebar pictures. So, I made a movie to add some oomph... I'll work on the sidebar pictures soon, I hope. I got some footage of Hayden "talking Australian" (which is really British). He came home from school and told me he learned how to speak a different language. If you listen closely you can hear him reference Charlie. I am thinking he is referring to the "Charlie Bit Me" video. I also got footage of Coco swimming. Ignore the sock and broom in the pool. And my hick/British accent. Enjoy!

This first video is short because I wanted y'all to see Coco diving in.




This one's better. Man, I do sound like a hick though. And a dork.

Oh what a day I am having!!

Chloe's binder is gone. Into thin air. She lost it, who knows where? It was one of the expensive binders that zips, and it was full of school supplies. About $25 bucks worth. The kicker: no Lost and Found at school... Back to Office Depot we go.

Chloe and Hayden have so much homework today. Chloe had 90 math problems and Hayden has reading to do and flashcards and spelling words to study. Needless to say, I am hitting the Advil pretty hard. I completely suck at math. I max out at 5th grade math. Which is sad. Oh well, I have some talents somewhere. Need to find those.
Oh yeah, they also sent home a fundraiser packet today. Yippee! They lasted til the third week of school. Impressive.

My dogs drank beer today. And, not just any beer. Beer that has been in my Cowboy Cooler for 2 and a half months. Not sure why Jon never threw it out? Maybe he's getting a heads up on the Science Fair? Anyway, a bottle broke and the dogs went to town. Let's just say they sneezed and gagged as they continued to lap it up. They are now resting, hopefully they're not hung over. I am pretty sure Coco winked at me... Oh, and they chewed on the broken shards of glass.

My frig is on the fritz again! For like the millionth time this year. I finally bit the bullet and called Sears. Jon has been doing the temporary fix thing (blow drying the frozen coils) for several months. But, momma is tired of this crap. So, Sears will be here between 8 and 5. Nice large window there. I guarantee you they come at 1, which is the same time the missionaries will be here. Let's just hope the repairman wears the right size pants and a belt. Not really in the mood to see "Plumber's, but I'm a Refrigerator Repairman Crack". Unless, he's cute. Ok gag, not really.

And, last but surely not least: My cat keeps barfing. ALOT. His tummy can't tolerate canned or people food. Or too many treats. Mental note to self: talk to kids about spoling and overfeeding cat.

Weekend Update

My boys have done amazing at BMX this year. They will soon celebrate 1 year of racing. The best part is: Hayden is #2 in Texas in his age group and Hunter is #10! They had their last big state race yesterday. Hayden slept with his plaque. I am so very proud of my boys!

I went to my first softball practice yesterday. Our team needs lots of practice. I think we all forgot that we are OLD! At least I have a cute pink softball and pink glove. I am really sore, from batting. But, I hit 10 out of 12 balls, yay!

I saw a man come thisclose to getting hit by a train yesterday. It was so freaking scary. Idiot. Plus, it was an Amtrak. And they are fast.

Speaking of hitting things. I almost hit a 7 foot tall tumbleweed Saturday. That was pretty freaking scary too. Not sure where it came from? I had to swerve to avoid it and ended up in a ditch. It's times like that when I miss my Suburban.

Hayden asked me the other day if Jesus farts. I told him I would get back to him on that one....

I have a new favorite food. Luckily this one seems pretty healthy. I had a chargrilled chicken and fruit salad at Chick-Fil-A for lunch a few days ago. With berry balsamic dressing. It was really good, seriously. Go get one, now!

I am SO excited for 2 things: Kelli's baby shower dinner on Saturday AND my little sister Amy is having her baby in 2 weeks. I feel like a kid at Christmas!

And, that's all for now folks. I sure hope I have something awesome to blog about soon....

Happy Family

Just wanted to let everyone know that Hailey is doing great! I kept teasing her that she just wanted attention. She is such a little sweetheart. I took this picture of her and her family (minus her cute little bro Dalton) before she went home from the hospital. Thanks so much for your prayers and well wishes. I know her family appreciates it.

You have got to be kidding me...

Check out this story I just came across online:

DALLAS - A robber rolled into a Dallas convenience store armed with a bat and a knife.
He left with a lot of condoms and an energy drink.
Dallas police Cpl. Kevin Janse said Friday that a man in a wheelchair entered a Dallas 7-Eleven Wednesday afternoon, rolled straight toward the cash register and beat it with a baseball bat until it opened.

But he didn't grab any cash. Instead, police say he stole 10 boxes of condoms and an energy drink before making his getaway Wednesday afternoon.

Janse says the suspect may have been homeless and was likely intoxicated at the time of the robbery.

** I don't know about y'all, but I'll be steering clear of baseball bat toting, condom carrying, homeless men in wheelchairs who are high on energy drinks...

Plus, I keep getting this visual in my head...
Of a dude in a wheelchair banging, on a cash register. Wow!

Dear Abby, Dr. Phil, Prudence, and Oprah-

I need your opinions please. I have a few things on my mind that I need help with:

Is it wrong to feel relieved when your husband runs over a nest of baby mice when he's mowing?

At what age is it appropriate for a girl to get her ears pierced for a second time? What about makeup and shaving?

What curfew should I give my 16 year old son? He gets good grades and is appalled by alcohol and cigarettes.

Is it bad that I take a nap almost every day while my kids are in school? I go to bed at 2 every morning and get up at 6:30, I think I deserve a nap.

What do you think about placing a hamper in the middle of the bedroom floor or near the bed? My husband always drops his dirty clothes there, so I figured maybe the one in the bathroom is not noticeable. Thoughts?

Hamburger Helper for dinner? I say no way, but my husband and son love it.

How long is too long to go without shaving?

I am trying to teach my 6 year old son how to do an "armpit fart" whenever I should be teaching him to tie his shoes. Does this make me a bad mother?

Any advice on how to get a picky eater to be un-picky? I mean this kid will eat his own fingernails but won't touch a P B & J with a ten foot pole.

I think my 12 year old son is addicted to his cell phone. Is this possible? Is there a cure?

What exactly IS toe jam?


Wondering and Confused in Texas

Tuckered Out

Last night Jon and Hayden went to race BMX for the first time in F*O*R*E*V*E*R! We had loaded up our crusty old futon into Jon's work van so we could drop it at Goodwill and it has been back there for awhile. Anyway, Hayden climbed back there and fell asleep after the races. See his 1st place ribbon? I had a hard time not punching him when I saw this picture.



** for the record, this futon looked awesome and we hoped to make a little $$ off it, but no one wanted it. It sat in the sun for 1 day and faded and now looks awful. Oh well, somebody will want it, it just needs a new cover **

Please-

keep my friends Nona and Jesse and their daughter Hailey (she just turned 7) in your prayers. Little Miss Hailey isn't feeling well and just had surgery this evening. At this time I don't feel comfortable disclosing her condition. As soon as I am able to visit her and talk with her family, I will update y'all. I love this little girl as if she was my own and was very sad to hear that she was sick. As of now, she is doing great, and came through her surgery like a champ. Best of all, she should be able to go home soon. And, Nona and family we love you guys bunches and you are in our prayers as well.

**CONGRATS**

To Shannon and Cheree! You two lovely ladies are the winners of my candle giveaway!! Thanks for reading and entering!! YAY!

Took long enough....

Hayden has had a loose tooth for about a month, and it has literally been hanging there for a week. We have twisted, pulled, even tied a string around it and nothing worked. I have picked up literally hundreds of bloody, wet kleenexes and paper towels for days, and still nothing. I thought for sure today that when I picked him up it would have fallen out at school, but no. Today before dinner, I guess it was finally ready because he got it out. It must have been past it's prime because it was turning gray and it didn't even bleed. I had told him that if it didn't fall out by Thursday, that we were headed to the dentist. That must have frightened him and his tooth, because not 2 hours later it came out. And, we now know what the big holdup was, it had the longest, sharpest "root thingey" that I have ever seen, much like a shark tooth or something?

Proof-

that I DO have a 4th kid. I have come to accept the fact that Chandler is growing up and would rather be with his friends than his family. It bugs me, but what can you do? He is breathing down 17! Gasp!! So, he is almost never with us when we do stuff as a family, like today's bike ride. Sad, I know. But, before long he will be on his own. And, then there's the fact that he HATES having his picture taken. Which means that when I do a blog post he is almost never in the pictures, because he is gone or avoiding the camera. So, the other day in a desperate attempt to take new pics of the kids for the blog, I woke him up and bribed him with a cookie, if he would pretty please smile and let me take a picture. And, this is how that turned out:

Bike Ride!

Back when we lived in Arlington we used to go to Cravens Park and ride the bike trails. We would go about three times a week during the Summer. We have had some fun times on those trails, even out running more than one thunderstorm. The trails weave through the whole park and are about 3 miles long. So, for nostalgic purposes (and nothing else to do) we loaded the bikes in the truck and headed to Cravens. Way back when it took us about a month to build up to riding the whole trail, today we did it in about 2 hours. We took lots of breaks and lots of pictures. Plus, some of us are more out of shape than others... Anyway, we had a blast. By the time we were finished, we all felt like we were gonna croak. So, we went to Buck n Loons for cold drinks and greasy food. Not so good after you have ridden bikes for 6 miles in the Texas sun... We are home now, and we are exhausted!

me and the Chlo-meister


Mommy and Chloe


the kiddos


taking a break


sweaty Jon


family portrait


another family portrait


Hunter


Jon


Hayden