When are you an adult?

Question for everyone:

When are you considered an adult?

a) when you recieve money for Christmas, and know that you are going to have to spend it on a vet bill

or

b) when you receive money for Christmas and know that you are going to have to spend it on a vet bill and you are happy about it

Harley...Come Home! (with happy ending)

Christmas Eve, we were getting ready to go to my aunt and uncle's house and I thought to myself that it had been awhile since I had seen our dog Harley. We called and called for him outside with no luck. Brent asked many of the neighbors if they had seen him and no one had. We were starting to get a little anxious wondering where he was. We went to bed waiting on Santa to bring us our dog back.

We woke up Christmas morning and had a good time seeing all the things that Santa brought to the kids. After playing for awhile, we all loaded in the truck and drove around looking for Harley. Still nothing. My parents and William and Christina came over for brunch and we enjoyed exchanging gifts with them. A neighbor came over and said that they had seen a dog roaming around the front gates of some hunting land, so Brent, William, and Dad left to go see if they could find him. They came home with no Harley! At this point we were supposed to leave to go to Georgia to Brent's grandparents house. We made a decision to not go since Reese was still not recovered from his sicknesses, and we still had hopes that we might find Harley.

Fast forward to Saturday and Sunday, still no dog. No sightings of the dog... nothing.

I had decided that I needed to get used to the idea that something had happened to him. Where we live has all kind of wildlife around. I was starting to wonder when it was going to be necessary to move Harley's bed and food off of the deck.

Monday morning Brent got a phone call from a elderly woman who said she had our dog on our front porch!! I rushed away from work, and drove to her house. She went on and on about how he was such a sweet dog. She had fed him the only thing she had---cat food. :) We both thought he had a broken leg so off we went to the vet's office. Kristy, (excuse me..Dr. Busby) took good care of him! No broken bone only one sore spot and one missing toe nail and some scrapes. I shouldn't say “only”, I am sure that he is in some pain. He is now sleeping on the floor beside me as I type this.

So I don't know why he went missing for 5 days. Maybe he had a mid life crisis and lost his mind for a little while. I really think something got after him and he took off.

We know that things don't always work out like we would like for them too, but it sure is wonderful when they do.

(Christmas pics to come later)

Merry Christmas!

Pizza with Santa

Last week Brooks and Reese went to eat Pizza with Santa. All of the children dress up in their pajamas and get to make wonderful crafts.

Here is Brooks making snow.

Here is Reese making snow.
Reese attempting to make a bracelet.
Austin and Brooks working on bracelets.

Brooks and friends decorating their bags that held the reindeer food.
The children listening to Santa.They had a wonderful time.

Now we are just dealing with one sick little 3 year old. He has a sinus infection, bronchitis, and two ear infections. The stuff in his ears is coming out his eyes. (Sorry if that was TMI!) It looks like he isn't going to get to be with the rest of the family tonight. At least he isn't really old enough to know what he is missing. We hope to then go to Nana and Grandad's on Christmas day, but those plans are up in the air right now.

I hope everyone has a safe and WELL Christmas!

It is that time of year...

For Christmas parties! Here is Brooks and his cheesy smile at his Christmas party at school.

Decorating his sugar cookie.

Mrs. Phillips opening her Christmas gift.

Here is Reese with his class at school. They all took turns telling what they knew about Santa Claus. Reese said, "Santa wears a belt."

Here was Reese giving Aden the present he brought for her. (They drew names.)

Reese opening his present from Madison. A Diego car!

They had wonderful times at their parties!

A boy and his.....cup.

Reese has been sick with croup/cold symptoms. That poor child. He suffers all winter long going from one illness to another. At least that is how the past three winters have been, and he is only three.
Unfortunately he takes after me when it comes to coughing. He coughs and coughs and coughs until he throws up. I don't know if I am ready for it because I tend to do this too, when I get sick, or it is because I have heard him do this so many times. You can tell it is about to happen every time.
Brent and I gave him a cup a long time ago that he is supposed to "use" when he needs to, (in case he can't make it to the bathroom) while he is sick. We didn't realize at the time that he would become attached to his cup.
I hope you can picture this: It is a 64 ounce plastic cup that has Spiderman on it. He carries it around like you would a sack of groceries. It has not been far from his side these last few days. He is well enough now that he is with my mother today. He carried his cup to Gammie's house this morning. She said he is taking his nap right now and his arm is around it.
Sweet little man!

Just for fun

I got an email from a friend today with this list in it. I thought these were worth sharing:

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing stinks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page document that I know I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever.
15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "What would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How in the world do I respond to that?
19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..

Thanksgiving wrap up

Thanksgiving went well this year. Everyone came to our house and just shared food, stories, and love.

Then, a few days later, we apparently shared stomach virus too.

Out of our extended family, one went to the ER with it, one spent some time laying on a bathroom floor with it, and one was well enough to travel only yesterday.

What else....

We snapped through our invisible fence line while trying to tear down a beaver dam.

That is right I said beaver dam.

So I guess that sums it up for us.

I am thankful for Imodium.

ENOUGH SAID!

I am thankful for my friends.

The kind of friends that when something makes them sad, it makes you just as sad.

The kind of friends who you can talk in code to, and they know what you mean.

The kind of friends that one word will prompt a memory that will take you back many years, and make you feel like no time has passed at all.

The kind of friends who can finish your sentences for you.

The kind of friends who can discipline your own children.

The kind of friends whom have blessed your life forever!

I am thankful for the innocence of childhood.

Oh, to have the mind of a child.

Where you believe in magical things.

It is such an innocent time, and I wish I could save this moment in time.

I am thankful for my sister.

Christina was married on Friday night and the wedding was beautiful. She used the colors of fall and everyone said it was gorgeous.

Each bridesmaid got to choose their own style of dress. I loved that!

Brent and I were both honored to be in the wedding!

Love you Tina!

I am thankful for leaves.

I am thankful for leaves because they provided lots of entertainment to two boys today.

They are kind of a novelty with our family because we have to go to Gammie's house to see some. We have no trees!

Brooks with Elaine.

Reese taking a break.

I am thankful for blogs.

I love reconnecting with old friends.

I love being able to go back two years ago and see what our family was doing.

I love using this as my online scrapbook, instead of having to do the real thing.

I love the ability to stay in touch with family all over.

I love blogging because of these two....

I am thankful for Sweet Tea and Ranch Dressing

That title pretty much sums it up. Do I need to elaborate?

Sometimes I am thankful to be living where I do, seeing as both of these things are in large supply down here.

Now if I could only find a diet form of both of these that tasted like the real stuff....

I am thankful for moments.

I am thankful for moments with my family and friends. All too often, I do not appreciate them. So many times, as one of my children are being particularly defiant, I have thought to myself, "Only 15 more minutes until his bedtime." I acutally look forward to the time when I wouldn't have to deal with them anymore.

I am thankful for today, that I have been given as a gift from God. I am going to cherish each moment with my family and friends and try to always remember these moments are a gift.

It makes me think of the lyrics to a song by my favorite artist...

So I'm gonna love my neighbor,
and I'm gonna love my wife.
Wrap my arms around my children,
and pray with them each night.
Thank God for all the good things,
'cause the good things are enough.
The ties that bind and leave behind,
a legacy of love.

I am thankful for my husband!

I am thankful for my husband in so many ways. One way that jumps right out this morning is that after leaving the house, he went back home to turn my curling iron off for me. Now if that isn't love...

Seriously though, after 10 years of marriage, I feel like it has only been a couple of months together. He has made my life complete and I couldn't imagine my life without him. I wrote a post a while back about him.

Now maybe I should call his work and tell them it was my fault that he was late! He works with all women, so I know they would understand.

I am thankful.

I have seen many friends on facebook that have decided to talk about something that they are thankful for each day until thanksgiving. At first I was thinking to myself, “I don’t have time to do that.” Then I felt bad for thinking that. “No time to count my blessings?” I should be ashamed. So between now and Thanksgiving I will take time out of each day to reflect on the things that I am thankful for.

I will start with this…. I am thankful for coupons.

Don’t laugh. It may seem silly but it is true. I take great joy each week in clipping them, sorting them into groups and placing them in my binder. I love seeing what is on sale each week at my favorite store and matching it up with my coupons. What better hobby than one that saves you money.

My children now even can spot a coupon and point it out to me. Maybe I am training them well, or ruining them. I guess time will tell.

Now if I could only find a coupon for tuition….

Reese

Mom said at her house yesterday morning, her and Reese were eating breakfast. She was listening to the radio and Reese kept asking over and over if he could watch TV. She kept telling him no, that she was listening to the radio. Finally she said, "This is my house and if I want to listen to the radio then that is what we're going to do. Reese said, "Can you please not talk about that right now, I'm trying to eat."

This morning we were cleaning up toys in the living room. Reese wanted to keep a toy out, so he asked, "Mom can I keep one out?" I told him yes. He then asked, "Mom, can I keep two of ones out?" I guess he thinks as long as he says "one" then it still counts as one toy.

Trunk or Treat

We had a great time again this year at Trunk or Treat.

Brooks went as.....

And Reese was a ....... (it's the red power ranger).

And here they are with their good friends Woody and Buzz.

Now just where did they put their candy? I need some!

Thank you Mr.X

Thank you Mr. X. Mr. Xterra that is.
Thank you for carrying me to and from the places I need to go.
Thank you for driving great, even though I don't get your oil changed as often as I should.
Thank you for being the kind of guy that can put up with me being a little rough with you.
Thank you for understanding when I stop you suddenly sometimes, when I am threatening my children.
(I have threatened to pull you over many times.)
Mr. X, This is my plea to you that you will be around for another 100000.
Can you do that for me?
THANKS!

Sincerely, Your biggest fan!

In Elmore County

Does anyone else think this is funny?

I saw a car in front of me the other day that was an older model car that had a spoiler and big racing stripes on it. It looked like a real redneck car.

Then I noticed one of those swirly monograms that you see on cars now.

The monogram just didn't seem to fit.

Recipe to share

I made these this weekend and was skeptical at first, but they were really good. I had to share.

Easy Easy Biscuits

2 c. self-rising flour
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 c. milk, at room temperature

Mix all together. Drop into greased muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.

Fall Break

On October 10 we went to the beach to enjoy Brooks' time of of school for fall break. The fun part about the trip was that the boys didn't know we were going. This was pictures as we were telling them where we were going.

I was so glad that it was still warm down there.

Brooks loved getting in the ocean. He seemed more adventurous than he was last year. He and I spent some quality time in the ocean just playing in the waves.

Reese loves to pose with a fake smile.

At sunset

On Sunday after church, we went to the Oyster House. Mom got some peanut butter pie, and Brent got.....well........maybe a treat for himself. OYSTERS! They aren't too bad if you put enough stuff on them.

You know how lots of families have those wonderful pictures of their children on the beach? That wasn't going to happen for us. Reese through a royal fit! If you look closely in this picture, he has tears and snot all over his face. I "disciplined" him right there in front of anyone who was around, but that didn't stop him.

Brooks was very cooperative though. I told him to sit how ever he wanted to, and this was how he sat. I love it because it is how you would picture a child sitting.

This one turned out ok.
Maybe next year!

On Monday we went to one of those massive playgrounds like the one here in Wetumpka. The boys had a blast, but it was so hot, that we couldn't stay long. Which seems funny as I type this because it is 40 degrees outside right now.

Brooks entertaining me while we were at Lulu's waiting for our food.

We had a relaxing time. The only thing that could have been better was if Reese didn't develop a cough, that he still is trying to get over. Can't wait until we can go back!