Why???

Why do people with the bumper stickers that say THINK in large letters on the back of their car always annoy the heck out of me? Promoting such a concept you would THINK one would actually do it.

I got behind some THINK person today in line to drop the boys off at school and while everyone else just drops their kids off, I mean I'm guessing they tell them everything before they get out of the car, but no not this guy, he has to carry on a conversation with his son for ten minutes. There are others still waiting to drop their kids off, why hold up the line? Why do you go through the drop off line and then get out of your car and help your child out, go park and walk them in, and don't sit there and wait for them to get into the school, I'm sure the teachers will make sure they walk that 10 yards into the school.

UGH, THINK PEOPLE!!

Okay off my soapbox

Forecast: Sunny and 70 with a chance of SNOW!

So for Thanksgiving we left the beach and headed west to the mountains. When we left I had on my rainbows and jeans and just a shirt, I mean it was 70 degrees. By the time we were about 3/4's of the way there, I could feel the temp dropping. And when we arrived it was freezing cold and I had bare feet. We immediately start a fire and cozy in for the night when we look up and it's snowing. The boys go out in their heavy coats and the shorts they left the house in.

The rest of the weekend was very cold and snow here and there. We took the boys snowboarding on Friday, they were making snow so it was cold and wet which is why I sat in the lodge and drank hot chocolate while Sean took the boys down the mountain.


Pick a number from 1-5, whoever is closest goes down first. And those two fought over it.


It's really wet can we go already?


Just let's practice some first.


The little guy and his board, he did really good, I guess it's his low center of gravity. He only fell a few times, Unlike his mom who would probably slide down on her face.




After snowboarding we went and picked out our Christmas tree, it was so much fun, being on the coast all the trees are shipped in (from these mountains) so we decided we'd go get our own. I forgot my camera on the second stop, because it was so cold my brain was frozen. But I did manage to get one picture of Sean in the middle of some trees. The kid just won't stay still for anything. But I got him. He's pretty cute uh?

We had a great time as always, we love going over to the mountains.

Evan a.k.a. Payne Stewart

Evan was a golfer for Halloween and he made the cutest little Payne Stewart ever. Of course I may be slightly biased, but it's my opinion.

He doesn't even look like himself, I think he looks much much older than 7. Click on the images and they will be larger.

Mr. GQ, check out the vamp and all....

I just love this picture, the eyelashes peeking out from under his hat, too darn cute.


Sean was a snowboarder and I didn't get one picture of him, everytime I tried he was stripped down again, I guess his snowpants got a little hot for him. But maybe I can get some real snowboarding pictures this weekend, if we take them skiing.

Friday Thoughts

All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Evan's Goal in life!

My little guy has a goal to reach 80 pounds by the time he turns 8. He's got about 10 mounths to do this. Last night he jumped on the scales and it said 73 pounds, he about lost it. He was like I just weighed 50 pounds how can I weigh 73 now? Woohoo, he thought only 7 more pounds to go.

Daddy had to confess though, he put his foot on the back of the scale and pressed down. He was okay with that though, I guess that gave him a thought, I can just tell the cop, I really weigh this much, after all it's what the scale said at my house.

Of course if he doesn't grow some teeth back, he's not going to have anything to continue eating with. He has none up top and only two on the bottom.
Notice in this picture he's sucking on his lips!

Momicked

Sean had his birthday party last weekend and if you've never sat in a room filled with about 15 8-9 year old boys well you're certainly missing out on life. So much growing testoterone and competition it was crazy. They played kick ball for three solid hours in the church gym. Amazingly, only two head on collisions, two small confrontations and the rest of the time it was screaming and yelling and hooping and hollaring. One girl came and she fit right in and played right along. Even at their young age, you could still tell it was all about impressing the girl.

There was one thing that no one missed, no one whined and cried, even when someone would get hurt. Ah Boys!

I know it's not all pie in the sky with having boys, but it seems a lot easier than some of my friends with girls. At least I'm not momicked with she said this and then she said that, and whine whine whine. I don't even like wine it gives me headaches.

I will gladly take my boys to sports events, practices, and buy them jock straps and athletes foot spray as long as I don't have to deal with the female hormones.

Happy Birthday My Big Guy!

I can't believe that you are nine today. It doesn't seem like you should be. You've always been my big boy, but in my heart you'll always be my baby. You have grown into such an incredible little man and I'm so very proud of you. I love your sweet and caring disposition. You show compassion to everyone in such little ways, that makes me burst with joy. I have enjoyed watching you grow in all areas of your life and look forward to many more memorable moments with you. I love you.

Happy Thoughts

"To see unconditional love look to the eyes of a child."

I truly don't understand people

One case we've been working on and a second one yesterday, Mama's letting their children die in fires. Then a child trying to burn down his parents house with his parents in it. What gives? What is wrong with people?

All this stuff is bringing me down and I don't like it. I'm going back to my naive world of 3rd grade romances. Which that too frightens me!

Just being honest!

He's got it bad!

My oldest boy has it so bad for a girl. He even cares about how he looks, his weight, his hair, his teeth. Oh my, I was hoping he wouldn't like someone seriously for several several more years.

And he loves hanging out with her and she with him.

My only saving grace is they still think it's gross to touch each other. Like when we were saying the blessing last night, the girls little sister wanted everyone to hold hands, and they touched fingers and then wiped their hands off after the blessing.

No Rest For Mom

With Soccer winding down I thought that I would have a free winter that I wouldn't have much to do, just Church on Wednesday nights where I teach GA's. Ahh, what a relief I was finally starting to see light and the pressure was lifting.

Upward Basketball, did someone mention that? Yeah, seriously, the boys who wanted nothing more to do with basketball want to play. Uh, okay so now I will have a month off, because practice doesn't start until December and soccer will be over either this weekend or next depending how far they make it in tournament.

However, I can't really say I get a month off, because well, somebody has to do the Christmas shopping, Sean's birthday is in that month and it's the time at work when everyone turns on their heaters which always makes for more business, not only more business, but a big trial is coming up and a big re-inspection. So while I don't have to run my taxi all over town after I get off from my day job, I will still be very busy.

BUT, I think I'm taking a weekend with some friends and hanging out and relaxing away from everything and everyone!!

Conversations with boys

With Sean being gone, I've had a lot of time to just listen to what my boys say to one another. Their conversations are so funny and innocent.

Lately, I've been hearing lots about girls, girls, and more girls. Of course it's the same girl for one and lots of older girls for the other. I guess I have one trusty old guy and one playa, isn't that what they are called now. Yeah, I'm sure you guessed who the Playa is, Evan. He likes girls who are older. They just think he's so cute and could just eat him up. They have even asked me for his phone number, but I would not allow that.

Sean, the old trusty one, has had his eyes on two girls since he was three, the same two. His question to me the other day was, Have you ever liked two people at the same time? Uh, not that I remember I said. I told him to just be nice to both and be their friends.

But I remember that excitment of first liking someone, I think I was in the fourth grade and was trying to do my multiplication tables and the boy I liked sat right beside me and I was so nervous. Of course we never told each other that we liked them, They seem to speak up these days. I would have fallen over dead if I had to tell him I liked him. Sean has had no problem talking about how he likes them to me. Please oh please let him continue to trust me with this information.

But of course we were about to be late for class this morning and I reached for his arm to hurry him up and boy oh boy did I embarrass him, and he just couldn't explain to me why. I didn't push, I just told him I was just trying to hurry him along, not hold his hand. He seemed to buy it. I acted cool like I thought it was childish to try and hold his hand. Though I remember it wasn't too long ago, he would grab for my hand when we walked that long hall to class.

My how times have changed.

American Division Champs

The Boys soccer team was undefeated in regular season. Tournament starts this weekend. We hope they can hold onto their title. We're so proud of them. Way to go Hurricanes!!

Friday Thoughts

Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.

Eddie Cantor

Uhmmmm!!!

So last night was the fall festival at the boys school and as usual you spend money on the tickets for rides and games etc. I did pretty well last night I spent $10 on tickets and then $6 more on pizza and drinks for us and then I bought Evan a school t-shirt. Not to bad!

This was the first year, I've had to go alone, my big boy is hunting but it wasn't so bad. Of course if you consider being ditched by your kids not so bad then well it was not so bad.

Sean not only ditched me, but also his friends for one special friend, a girl. They spent the entire night together riding rides, playing games walking around talking, he even found me and asked for money to buy her a drink. Sigh! Just like a real date, Yikes!

I like the girl, I like her parents and I couldn't have chosen better. However, I did have to have a talk with him about not ditching his friends for a girl, to just include his friends with her and her friends too. Groups can be fun. Of course I didn't add the part about him having to date in groups until he's thirty, but I figure at this point that's irrelevant.

My life with boys just keeps getting more and more interesting with each passing day.

Thursday Thought

I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Monuments

Small Town vs. Big City

So I spent a couple of days in Washington DC last week to see my brother who lives in Idaho, but was over with his son for a field trip. Actually, he was an ambassador for his school and I'm very proud of him.

But when I got there I was informed that the way to get around was by public transportation and I don't mean this to sound like "I'm so above this, are you kidding me" in my finest southern drawl. I mean, I live in a small town and "Oh my, I didn't bring my gun," of course in my finest redneck southern drawl. Because, we don't have public transportation here and all we hear about is the bad stuff that goes on, on them.

However, to my pleasant surprise it was kinda fun and exciting and not scary at all. In fact that's the only way to get around, I believe it's scarier driving there than letting someone else drive you. Talk about road rage.

But as I road the Metro or the bus, I looked around and there were tons of kids, unsupervised going around the city. Pretty typical for them. But I thought could I let my kids run around the city without me. Small town life if they walk down the street and do something they shouldn't be doing, I'm going to know about it before they get home, because someone is going to call me. On the other hand though, it was fun to have so much to do and offer in one place.

But in the end, I decided that I like the open waters and nothing to do unless you have a boat and no public transportation lifestyle.

One road in and one road out of our city, not I395/I495 which split by the way and you better know where you're going.

The Mixing Bowl of Emotions

When Evan picked up the soccer cone and threw it at his head, at first there was apprehension, then the sucking in of air for fear that the kid was going to retaliate then a sense of pride when Evan happily ran on with practice. Even though the child sat on the ground screaming his head off, I felt nothing for him, he deserved it. The bully had met his match had gotten what he deserved. Evan was targeted, he's the new kid on the team, one of the smallest. This kid never thought Evan would strike back. But he did and every parent on the sideline silently cheered for him.

Except one, yep, the one who made this kid the bully and just so happens to be the coach; had an outburst and threatened to throw any kid off the team if they threw any more punches. Then came the anger, What the hell is this man thinking? It's your child who is causing all the problems you go and take him with you.

Later, after leaving the park, I look back at Evan and he's crying and said that he didn't want to be kicked off the team and he didn't want everyone mad at him. I assured him that they were not mad and the rest of the team was pretty darn proud of him as was I.

But then I thought of what courage that took to hit him back, I mean you know you don't want to be picked on and you can end it, but what a commitment it is to actually strike back and be willing to take the next consequence. Wow.

My sweet little boy is turning into a young man. What a mixing bowl that is!!

It's Soccer time again! Let the Games begin!

The busy season has arrived. Last night when I got home and the thought of not having to go to soccer practice or anywhere else elated me. Woohoo, I have one day a week to do nothing but homework and cook.

Soccer started again about three weeks ago and on our first game we won! But the exciting part of that is, EVAN SCORED A GOAL!!! He was so excited as were we. He's having to prove he can play with these "big boys" and he's doing a great job.

Sean is trying some new positions this year. Forward and also Goalie. He's doing good at both. Maybe he'll take after his Uncle being goalie.

Thursday Thought on Friday

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

Thoughts for Thursday

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Eleanor Roosevelt

It's your Birthday, we're gonna party!

Today You are 7! I can't believe you have grown so much it seems like yesterday I was holding your tiny hiney wrapped in a blanket looking into your soulful eyes. You're such a sweet kid and still at this point love us unconditionally. I love that you still get excited over stuffed dogs and your room is still full of them. You're growing into such a little man and to see you at school in the second grade or playing soccer with such determination my heart could just explode. I look forward to so many new days with you and I pray the unconditional love never ends. I know mine for you will never fade.

Happy Birthday My Little Man!

Thursday Thoughts

I think people that have a brother or sister don't realize how lucky they are. Sure, they fight a lot, but to know that there's always somebody there, somebody that's family.

First Day of School; Check

Whew, the first day is done with and they came home very excited and ready to go back. They both said their teachers were really nice. Here's hoping the rest of the year is just as good!

No Worries

The boys had physicals last week. Both are obviously growing like weeds, Sean is just about as tall as I am and moving in on the weight quickly. Evan is growing taller, but his weight is not going as fast as Sean's does. He wants to gain 30 pounds by his 8th birthday, so he can no longer sit in the car seat. I think he may be closer to 12 by the time he makes it to 80 pds.

During the physical they checked their eyes, ears, hearts, etc. and in the end had to get two shots. They do not like shots, neither do I, but at least I don't scream and thrash around like some crazed animal. After much coaxing, Sean decides he'll go first. He does, does great doesn't even flinch, no problem. One would think that Evan would follow suit seeing that his brother didn't die right there on the spot. No! He cries, fights, screams like a crazed animal. The nurse and I both had to hold him down, he had to get his finger pricked, so yeah, I agree that does hurt. But even after the shots were over and he was free to go, he stood there screaming. We finally leave and he's okay after we exit the door.

Fastforward to Monday morning, first day of school, Sean had a reaction to the chicken pox shot starting Saturday that was localized, but not spreading or causing any other reactions, so on Monday when it still looked bad, I took him to the doctor's office after dropping Evan off at school. On the way to school however, Evan had some sage advice for his brother.

"You're going to have to get another shot, BUT DON'T WORRY IT WON'T HURT!" says the boy who was totally traumatized by his shots just two days earlier.

Thought for the Day

Cherish your vision and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.
--Napolean Hill

The Cool Crisp Mountain Vacation

Being a beach comber my first thoughts in the mountains were, what do these people do? Where do the kids ride their bikes or skateboards or skooters? How do you drive up the side of that mountain? I just couldn't live here. It's beautiful to visit but living here, I couldn't do. (although a few years ago I wanted too)

Our vacation started great though, we laid in bed and watched movies until 12, we had popcorn and oreos for breakfast, no compliants from the boys at this point. They were even happy to hang out outside because there's a big dirt pile of red clay that they drove their trucks on, dug holes into, fought in, rolled in, jumped in and loved every minute of it. We finally got up and dressed and went over to Boone and ate lunch, then went to the shops downtown, picked up some brochures and found some hiking trails. So we headed over to Blowing Rock and hiked a trail around a lake, it was so peaceful and nice. The hills/mountains were growing on me. I certainly can't hike around the ocean.

The next day I found out where you ride your bikes, you go to Damascus, Virginia and rent bikes they drive you up a mountain and drop you and your bike off, and you ride down 17 miles on an old train track across tressels, by streams, you can stop twice to eat or rest. The only thing needing rest though is your brake hand, it's all down hill. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. We can't wait to go back when the leaves are changing to do this again.

Riding down the Creeper Trail

Whitewater rafting is next. I mistakenly made reservations with the wrong outfit. It was very important for us to arrive at 10:15 am because we would be leaving by 10:30. At 12:30 we finally pull off after having to wait for them to blow up rafts, funyaks and then Sean and two other men had to wait for more rafts to be brought to them. Once we finally got going the water was so low from lack of rain, we had to paddle five miles. Not much rafting, but Evan's still not old enough to do a larger river. We paddled the Nolichutky and while it was beautiful, the paddling and heat overtook the fun. Sean paddled his own funyak though and did a great job. We were spent by the time we finished and starved since we hadn't had lunch, so we took our river funked selves to the Olive Garden and piged out.

On the fourth day we hiked again, one of the brochures we found mentioned a swimming hole and rock sliding which sounded like fun. We hiked and hiked and hiked, Evan even went skinny dipping. Finally we find the hole and it's breathtaking. Three waterfalls, three little swimming holes and a large one at the bottom. The water is cold, too cold for me, but the boys got in of course.

At the waterfall


Pure Beauty


Sean swimming


Evan swimming in the very cold water


Daddy taking Evan to the very cold waterfall

All in all it was a wonderful time. Very relaxing, probably because I didn't have to go to work, I didn't have to cook, I didn't have to wash clothes, I didn't have to walk the dogs, I didn't have to do anything but have fun.

PS. I'm still a beach girl though, simply because I don't like driving up the side of the mountain, especially when my car starts sliding backwards. I know, I know next time I'll have tires with tread. I probably should have mentioned that before going.

Cape Field Trip, we didn't do these kinds of field trips when I was in school!

The whole second grade class went to Cape Lookout for a field trip at the end of last school year. They drove buses down to Harkers Island and ferried the kids across. We took our own boat and man was it so much fun. When I was in second grade I think we may have gone to the zoo or something and it wasn't a great zoo either.

Anyway, the kids had a great time. Evan of course got to be a second grader for a day as will Sean when Evan's classes go this coming school year.

Snacks Definitely



Boat Jumping

Becept Pruberty!

These are two of Evan's word pronunciations. He says becept all the time, I've tried to get him to say except, but it just comes out wrong.

Last night while playing around with Daddy, Daddy says "wow, Evan you've got lots of little blond hair on your legs." Evan replies with, "yeah, becept I've got Pruberty now."

He thinks he's going through puberty, he says his brother told him the word and it means when you get hair on your legs, under your arms, down there, and on your feet.

oh boy, it's going to be a long road with these two, they already like to use "manly" soap in the shower and then they have to dot on some deodorant and of course comb their hair just right.

"That's my boy..."

Sean calls Evan his boy who looks after him. ( In other words, Evan's his little runner, his slave)

I guess when you're six, you're big brother is your hero and you'd do anything for him.

Summer Fun

The boys spent a week down in South Carolina with their Gunny and Grammy and they had a blast, riding the horse, grooming the horse, Evan played with new puppies and luckily did not bring one home. They are already planning for next year. So am I, I didn't think I'd have fun, but I really did, don't tell them that though.

Sean and I got to do lots of things we never do, eat in peace, go to the movies, go out with friends, shop in peace, go to bed when we wanted, all the things you take for granted when you have no kids.

It's great having them back though, they've been hanging out with Daddy every since, going to work with him, helping him, distracting him, going swimming, playing golf. They are having a great summer vacation. As long as they stay away from the Boys and Girls club, they are happy.

We are planning on going on a family vacation to our mountain house and take the kids white water rafting and tubing down the mountains. We may do the water park on the way over and possibly the zoo too. I'm just looking forward to a week off from work.

Next week we're going to meet Mimee in Myrtle Beach for the weekend. We always have a great time when we do that. Then they start soccer camp the next week, should be good and hot for them by then at least they'll be playing at night, when it's only 90 degrees instead of 100.

I wish it was summer vacation year round. It's so relaxing not having to run around with all the activities during the school year, we can ride our bikes after dinner instead of running in at 8 or 9 taking a bath and going to bed.

The Second Grader

I put a picture of the third grader up but didn't put one up of the second grader. He did great this year and gets cuter everyday, along with taller. His stitches are all healed up and his arm seems to not bother him either. I thought he had broken his arm this past weekend, but the swimming healed it miraculously. It's amazing. The sheer will they have when they want to do something or not do something. And this little guy here is the king of all stubbornness!

It's a sin

The boys started the summer camp program at boys and girls club Monday. This year is different because they separated the 6-7 from the 8-9's therefore leaving Evan with only one person he hangs out with. But that one friend of his hasn't been coming this week. The first day he comes home and says, "I only have one friend and he didn't even come today." So I tell him maybe he can make some new friends. He says, "I'm just real quiet and I sit by myself, I don't get into trouble that way."

So Tuesday he decides to take his stuffed dog, Belle, but when we get there they tell him he can't have the dog there. ( I don't know what that stuffed dog was going to hurt) So he starts crying and finally agrees to let her come to work with me. So I pick them up and he says, "I could hardly eat my lunch I was so upset over not having Belle with me."

He's completely serious with all this and while it sounds completely heartwrenching and sinful, when I pick them up I have to drag him off the playground from all of his non friends.

And That's the ballgame!

I promise to play fair and enjoy the game. Amen.

Sean's team played last night in the second round of tournament play and they in all aspects of the game outplayed this team, this team who went undefeated the entire season. Our boys should be very proud of themselves, most have either never played baseball before or they had just moved up from Coach pitch which is not like playing baseball at all.

I think they all had a good time and no one is the least bit phased by it, they each started a whole new day and now baseball is in the distant past. I am going to miss going to the ball field and eating hot dogs and cheering for our team. It's a summer past time and it was really fun. The one thing I will not miss is the boys being drama queens. Each one of those kids pouted if they struck out, each one pouted if they got on base, but didn't cross that glorious finish line with the neon lights flashing "You're Home Safe" I think next year instead of purple jerseys they should have pink. But this last game they did do much better with their attitudes and hopefully next year they will be a year more mature.

The pouty face!


Swing batter batter Suwing!!


AHHHH, YOU'RE HOME SAFE!

And that's the ballgame, until next year!

Bandaids, stitches and suits of armor!

My kids have not been out of school a week yet and one already has stitches and the other ate asphalt yesterday. I hope this is it for the rest of the summer. Last night I had to buy the mother load of bandages to make sure everyone had all the antibotic oitment they needed on and all the scrapes and things covered. My hieney can't take anymore! Everytime Evan jumps or falls or rides his bike or whatever my hieney hurts for him. Then Sean crashes on his scooter and gets one of those scrapes that doesn't bleed at first it just turns white, then starts to bleed. When it started it didn't want to stop. Ugh, I don't do blood, it's just gross.

Music

Sean got his report yesterday and it was very good and by way he's promoted to the third grade. Last semester he did really good except in music he had an "N" needs improvement. So I told him that was crazy to end up failing second grade, because basically he couldn't behave in music.


On his report card this time, he got an "O" Outstanding in music. Not just a satisfactory, but he made sure he got an "O" he wasn't about to tell anyone he failed second grade because of music.


Think I should tell him that he really would not have failed because of that or just let him figure it out.



Here's the third grader!

Stitches

I bet you can guess which one too, yep, Evan. He and a friend were playing at the ball field and he fell on a log and cut his leg (near his privates) and ended up with six stitches.

Getting them was not fun, but now he thinks it's pretty cool. Everyone he sees that's the first thing out of his mouth. "I've got stitches"

I'm sure when he's older, he'll want to show all the girls his "scar" considering it's location, oh the stories he'll tell.

Day 700 Pacified

He got him a new puppy. Not the one he's been begging for, but when Daddy and I went out of town we found him a cute little soft German Shorthair Puppy that we couldn't see him living without.

I don't know where he gets his craziness from.

More Wild Horses

A family of horses we came upon on Taylors Creek. They did not even look up when we pulled the boat right over to them and took pictures. It's really too cool.

Oh wait these aren't horses these are wild Banshees! But they are cute. They too were not bothered by the camera.