Nat's tree/Matt's Robot/Big Baby Standing

Here's a quick blog to display just a few of my children's talents.



Matt worked a very long time on this robot. He said he's been working on it since my birthday. He (and we) are very proud of it :)




I told you about Nat starting her tree...well here it is. This is just amazing! I cannot believe MY child is this talented!!




I told you the baby was standing... well, here he is in all his cuteness. And I attached a couple more just to display his talent of being cute :)






Hope you all have a great weekend!

I need more hours in the day...

Ack...sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day. It has just been really busy at my 8-5 job (S&S) since we are so shorthanded. I have been doing the job of 4-5 people for months now since we have had such a horrible turnover lately. They hire 3 people and it's like 2-3 weeks later they are gone for one reason or another. So my "light" days are a thing of the past. And the 2 guys that left S&S to start their own business have been really doing awesome, but since there's only the 2 of them they are really needing help...so I've been doing contract for them also. It's quick easy money, but I typically can't work on that stuff till after 5. Plus the daily chores that need to be done around the house. Needless to say that's the reason for me not blogging so much. Right now I "should" be working on a house plan that I'm doing on the side...but, I really need some chill time.

And things are just gonna continue to get crazier. Matt will be starting Little Dribblers soon and he and Jim will be gone 1-2 times a week + we'll all be going to games. And there's all the fun of Christmas travel coming up. That will all start on Dec. 10 - the 1st of the year. Don't get me wrong...I love Christmas time and I LOVE spending time with all my family. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I just want so hard to try to make time for all that I need to do and again...there's just not enough hours in the day. But you know what? I bet I could make myself this nuts even if I didn't work. I think that this is all self inflicted. I want to have time to chill, but most of the time when I do get the time...I find laundry to do or floors to sweep..yadda, yadda. And Jim helps...don't get me wrong there either.

I know I have been blessed with a wonderful life and I wouldn't want things any other way....well except winning the lotto :) Sorry if this came off as b-tching. I guess I was just explaining my blog absence lately. I'll do better..later gators...

Friday

Boring title I know, but I really don't have much to report. I actually should be working, but I have the "don't wannas".

Took the baby back for his 3 month check up on his drifting eye problem. Things look good enough that we can still put off putting him in glasses, THANK GOD! The doctor still isn't sure what direction his eyes are gonna take and he said that's just how it is with baby's. Their little bodies are constantly changing and they can't tell ya much ..yet :) But things are good and I just have a felling he'll out grow it. His milestone for the week is standing on his own (without holding on to anything)! He's in to Stage 3 foods & loves biter bisquits(sp?)

Well Matt has once again had a good week at school and got the A/B honor roll. We are very proud of him and how much his behavior has changed at school! Him and Nat have been playing everyday afterschool with Bobby's old GI Joe stuff. It's so nice that they have something they can play and get along! Matt made Jim's day ysterday when he decided to start throwing around the football. Jim has waited a long time for this and was adament not to push the kids into any sport! So happy day for Dad :)

Nat's also doing great in school. She's also on the A/B honor roll. She's currently working on a tree in art class and I'm very anxious to see it! She said that this artwork will go to Granny Berryman. Nat has (for the time being) changed her mind about getting a horse and has really taken an interest in riding Matt's old 4-wheeler. So those to have a fun time riding back and forth to the pond most every day.

I will be heading out this weekend to to the first of many shopping trips for Christmas. I hope to be a little more organized and a little less frazzeled(sp?) We'll see...it's my goal :)

Oh my...

I've always known that I am truely blessed to have the parents I have. ANY of my siblings will say the same. These are two remarkable people. And for anyone who knows their story, their background, their up bringing...you know that my parents should NOT be the awesome people that they are. My Dad should be a "leaver" and my Mom should be an "alchie". Niether one should be the openly loving, caring, generous people that they are. I mean they'll just floor you...they just floor me. And I realize this as I get older and can truely appreciate what they have done/continue to do. I (like so many of us) went thru an awful stage where I didn't think that they knew much and thought I was pulling the wool over their eyes. OH NO...they knew! And you know what?? They still love me after that horrible stage in my life. Heck, Mom tries to tell me that she doesn't even remember that. I do! And I will forever kick myself in my butt for being like that.

What prompted me to put this "down on paper" was the unbelieveable thing that they recently did for me. As you all know, we were robbed and and most all of you know (cause I think I've mentioned it over a zillion times now), the bastard took my pearls. This just levelled me! As most of you know, it was my b-day on Friday. My parents came and stayed the weekend with us. Which that in itself is a gift! I really is. Well, they thought it necessary to bring me a gift. They handed me a large box and as I unwrap and open it ...ugh...tring to hold back the tears here....there is a smaller box inside that says Grader Jewelers...oh shit (any one of you by now knows by know where this is going). Yeah, the box contains a FULL stand of pearls. I AM FLOORED. ABOLUTELY FLOORED!! I just absolutely could not hold back the tears. You can't find the words to say at that moment...hell, I'm having a hard time with it now. All I could say was "thank you, thank you, thank you" and "this was too much".

These are my parents. The most unbelievable people I know. I love you guys...not cause of the gift(s), just you...I just love you! You guys are just unreal and I'm just so freaking blessed. I wish I could've put this into better, more eloquent words..but you just take my breath away! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Birthday Loot

I wanted to share the gifts that my sweet family got for my birthday. You've seent he picture to the left already, but you haven't seen it framed. Jim did all by himself! And the new picture to the right! The pictures are awesome and so is the framework!! Matt also had some art work that I framed up and gave to myself :) I love them all!! I also got the dvd of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Bo Bice's single cd, Gwenn Stephani's new cd, and the 1st season of The Amazing Race...which will be a gift to all members of my family :)

I was also presented with a funny card and a rice crispy square with a candle. It was a very sweet presentation and I am very blessed to have sucha a terrific and loving little family!

Thank you guys. Thank you Jim!! I love you :)

Also, thank you Billy for being so sweet to do a blog for me. You are a super-d-duper big brother and I love you too!! Thank you Mom and Dad for calling and singing me Happy Birthday...I loved it! Beth thank you for the funny b-day ecard. Karen - thank you for the very sweet ecard! I love you all so much and again..I'm just so blessed.

Happy Halloween

Here's some pictures of the kids dressed up in their costumes. I hope to eventually send them out via Shutterfly, but I tried to load them last night and this morning and it locks up. Guess there are lots of people wanting to share Halloween pictures.





Brayden is not really any one thing (except CUTE), he's just sporting his Thor jersey.



Nat is an Army Diva/Brat?? Her uniform says "Mjr. Flirt". She was just so happy to have something to wear her Go-go boots with!



Matt is none other than Darth Vader! He was very happy to get this costume. We really only lacked one part of it and that was the voice changer, but it was almost $30!! Sorry...not happening :)


They have a really good time and got a TON of candy in a very short time. We stopped by the fire station, went to a ritzy neighborhood, and went to the First Baptist Chruch's "Truch-or-Treat". Tons of people filled the parking lot with their trucks, SUVs, and a few cars. They decorated the backs of them and the kids just went tail gate to tail gate and loaded up. It was pretty neat and quick..which was good cause it was pretty chilly. Brayden camped out with Dad in the truck. No need to get him sick again. We ended the night with a wonderful dinner from good ole Sonic.