The Moore Family

A Little Bit of Everything

2010-12-27T19:10:00.000-08:00

Wow Christmas has came & went! It was such a whirlwind. I must admit that it was nice having a little extra money this year to shop, but at the same time I had so much to do around the house and shopping-wise, that it wasn't worth it.

I can't stand being behind.

I really can't.

And I'm pretty much behind on everything. Period.

Oh...I remember how easy everything was, when we decided to have Ansley. Oh...how I was on top of everything. The house looked good, laundry was done, dishes were done...now nothing ever gets done, it seems.

Back to Christmas.

We had a good one. We celebrated with my grandparents on Christmas Eve, and we pushed it up to about 8:00 since this year my dad had to spend it in North Carolina with my stepmother's family. The kids got tons of stuff. My grandmother hasn't been in good health lately, but she had a good night, and we very much enjoyed spending time with her. I have a very special grandmother. She is the sweetest thing ever. And boy does she love my children. I wish I had more time to just spend with her.

We came back here and assembled some things after the kids went to bed, and then finally crashed around 5 AM. Yes, you read that right.

Thank goodness the kids didn't wake us up until 9:40 AM. Bless them. They enjoyed seeing what Santa left them, and of course unwrapping presents. Spencer's big present from us was a cell phone. It was his year. He was very excited! Riley & Talan both got bikes from Santa, Spencer got a Razor scooter, and Ansley got a Barbie Power Wheels thing. So they all got ride-on toys from Santa. Spencer & Riley also got their first pair of Jordan's this year. Spencer has been dying for some. Lucky him. Those suckers were $104. Unbelievable! Riley's were less, thank goodness! Talan got his first DS, which we found out later we should've just went ahead with the DSi, since it was so close in price...but oh well.

And Riley got Michael Jackson: The Experience. It is awesome. Riley is the one who loves to dance and cares nothing about doing it and putting on a show. He is such a laid back, let's-have-a-good-time kind of kid. He is such a joy! He even busted some moves right there at Joe's Crab Shack at Myrtle Beach this year with the workers. LOL! He has some breakdancing moves. Well, I figured he's never too early to learn to dance smoothly, so we got it! And it is so much fun! We had our 2nd annual Christmas dinner here at my house on Christmas, and me, my sis, her bf, and my mom all challenged each other and my mom won! I was like, "What?" LOL it was so much fun! Thriller is so much fun, especially! Talan clearly has gift for dancing--he gets the beat and has an innate ability to "pop" his motions...whether it be his hip or his wrist. He's gooood. Spencer's good too, but he's pretty shy. Riley enjoys it, but he's kind of....barely doing it???? He just barely does all the motions...rather than truly dancing.

I enjoy it, too! And little Ansley gets right in front of the screen and dances with us!

Several times the boys have all 3 lined up like a boy band doing the moves and they are so freaking cute!!!

Every single day of Christmas break, Talan has asked, "How many days until we go back to school?" And every time he would say, "YESSSS!" He feels exactly like me. I don't want to go back! :( I want to stay right here with my favorite people in the world and not feel as overwhelmed all the time! Why can't there be more hours in the day?

And Ansley. What a joy it is to spend the days with her. I get to see what she does all day long, get to spend time with her and get down and play with her babydolls and play food and jewelry with her.

The Jury is Out (um...wrong title last time. LOL)

2010-10-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm just not so sure how I feel about working. I'm just not sure this is working out for us.

When I was a little girl, I imagined being rich. I really believed I would be. I was raised to be independent. I would be rich all on my own. As I got older, I decided I would become a psyhiatrist. I majored in psychology and completed the pre-med program as well. Having Spencer at 22 was a blessing that made me look at life differently. Obviously, I was not going to apply to med school. Obviously there was no reason to prepare for the MCAT. Obviously I would finish my senior thesis project and rely on my BS in psychology for a job. {laughing}

I kid you not that they paid me around $9/hr. As a child and youth case manager at Peninsula outpatient, a degree was required, and they paid me $9/hr. If that. I don't remember. The first day on the job, I rode around with a lady named Angie, and sooooo very much enjoyed her company. They were real people, not here to impress anyone, tell-it-like-it-is type of people. So Angie and I were talking, and she made the comment of how someone had told her, and she had agreed, that "this is the type of job that you don't do it for the money. You do it from your heart." Heart, shmart. I like nice clothes and now I needed nice clothes for myself and my beautiful little boy. LOL I knew this profession and myself were not going to match up too well. I worked there about a year, and since I worked fairly (?) closely with psychiatrists, I knew that yeah...no there's no way at all I'd want to be one of them. They hardly spoke to the patients. They were pretty much there to prescribe meds only. I had already worked for years as a transcriptionist/office worker for a psychologist in Cookeville, and knew I didn't want to do his job either. But on the job I also worked with teachers, and remembered my first love. {teaching} Which my mother told me I could not choose, as they did not get paid enough.

Well, I love teaching. I LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching. I LOVE kids. LOVE them. I am naturally a child advocate. I love getting to know them. I love teaching them. I love turning Social Studies into one big story that unravels as the year passes by. I love how lazy they are. Well I don't love that, but it is part of what make them them, and I do love it in a strange way. I love their little quarrels over who cut in line and who was or wasn't talking. I love the freedom that being a teacher gives me. I choose what we will learn today. (Well, in sync with the standards, of course) I choose how we will learn it. I choose if we will do centers, and what those centers are. I choose how we will spend our day. I LOVE that. I decide our pace. I plan, and then I readjust my plan. I choose if we do a Christmas craft, and what we will do and how we will do it. I love it. I am able to be as creative as I want to be. I get such a high off of a good day at school. I really do. I never, ever, ever, and I mean never...have dreaded seeing my students. I love them. It's like coming home each day. Twice. Because they are also mine. Now, I hate waking early, don't get me wrong. But I love having my own room and having my students that are always excited to see me in the morning, and I love getting the day started. And if I have had a chance to get a cappuccino that morning, I really love getting the day started. I can't even begin to tell you how much my boys love me being a teacher. That would be a whole 'nother post.

But here's the thing.

Teaching doesn't love my family as much as I had remembered it had. Teaching wears me out at the end of the day, and leaves me with little energy or motivation to do anything around the house. Teaching leaves me very little time with my very little girl. I will admit that I am whining. I am sure that other jobs are also hard. But I just don't know what to do about it. I can't function in a messy house. It does not have to be superclean, but it needs to be decent. I feel like all week long all I can do is get us ready for bed and then get stuff ready for school the next day. Who has time to clean or cook? Not I it seems!

So anyway, that's all I wanted to say. Being a working mommy is tough. And even with the most family friendly job in the world, I'm just not sure it's working out. Let me clarify. It's working out real well at school. It's not working out real well at home. My leftover energy just isn't cutting it. So I'm hoping things get easier, or there may be another change next year.

So, anyway, back to the beginning....now I have new priorities. I have grown up a bit, and know that "independence" isn't necessarily an asset in a wife. In fact, too much "independence" can start arguments. I might have figured that out in the beginning. LOL I personally think that good wives let the husbands take the lead, and be the head of household that he should be. But I do have trouble with that sometimes.

Although I do love some things that only money can buy, like vacations and nice clothes, I learned while staying at home that cutting corners here and there to save money is pretty smart. I am also very glad that we haven't accumulated a lot of debt. We don't charge anything...I learned that lesson years ago. We have managed to pay things off, and are sitting pretty debt-wise (except for student loans). I have decided that as long as we get a bigger house, it doesn't have to be my dream house. I have decided that having the finer things in life are great, but I'd rather be home with my babies (as long as we still go on vacation though). I have even toyed around the idea of homeschooling, just because they are growing up so darn fast. Just for a year. I know, it would be hilarious. I want to be the best mom I can be to these children of mine, and I'm just not being it right now. I'm hoping that over the course of this year, it will either become easier or more clear to me what I need to do. I have 6 more years until Spencer starts driving. Time is flying by. I want to savor each moment with my kids and enjoy it to the fullest. But I don't want to resign and then hope to get a position later. I would need to stay up to date on things in one way or another, and I am telling you I will never ever take an education class again. Those are the most ridiculous classes I have ever had the pain of sitting through. I'll take science and math anytime. Sock puppets and project after project? Um no thank you. But perhaps that was just my experience. I thought those education classes were kind of out there. LOL So who knows what the future holds. In the meantime, I am enjoying having the opportunity to put my energy wholeheartedly this week {fall break} into my family, the house, and a little photography :) All my other loves get to come first this week, and I'm liking it. :)

The Sleepover: How it all got started

2010-09-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

Ok well it started like this...last year I wanted the boys to have a sleepover. I initially said during fall break. I never got around to doing that, what with photography and just being worn out with having such a little one,etc.

Well, we finally had one. Their birthdays were 8/2 and 8/11, but I wanted to wait until I could somewhat breathe at work, so we waited until last night. I am still crazy busy with work and getting the house under some control, so it was hard to commit to this date. So hard, in fact, that I invited one of Spencer good baseball/football buddies before invites were made, on Sunday, before I could actually commit to it. Then I knew there was no changing it. I invited another one at church on Sunday, and it was a done deal. I planned on staying up Sunday to do invites, because I had handmade some before and just loved loved loved them, but oops who had grading and lesson plans to do late Sunday night? me, me, me. booo.

So Monday night I sat down, at 11 PM, and whipped up some invitations out of card stock. I had no fancy little embellishments like I planned to make, so there was really no point in making them myself at all. Should've just went ahead and bought them. But ah well. They did have a little cute timetable about what all we would be doing that night, so that was pretty cute. And Spencer loved them. Love his heart, he's so good to me :) And we all know Riley loves everything, so it was a success.

They handed out the invites on Tuesday. The sleepover was set for Friday. I thought, well, I'll let them each invite 5. Then 2 or 3 each will come, and it will be great. My biggest fear was that no one would come for one of them. Or just one, and the other would have several. So I sort of wanted to overinvite, in hopes that as long as 2 came each, they would be so happy they wouldn't compare. This is just Spencer and Riley we're talking about, btw.

Well, I know they have more friends that what they could invite, so I asked them if everything went ok and if they had their friends put up their invitations asap, so no one would see. (Well in Riley's case, I had his wonderful teacher take care of it, so as not to cause hurt feelings.)

Spencer said that Jordan unfortunately showed his invitation to 2 boys, who were also good friends of Spencer's. They came up to Spencer during recess and asked why they weren't invited. I thought about it and thought about it, and know that Spencer plays with these boys pretty often. I had to make 2 more invitations. Also, when I asked one dad if they would be able to come (a teacher), he sort of said something about making plans for the other 8 y/o brother, so I went ahead and scooped him up in case no one came for Riley. My boys love them, so I knew it would be great. So that's 3 more than I planned for.

Mrs. Ewing said that one little boy wouldn't be able to come for religous reasons, so I went ahead and made another invite for the other friend that Riley was sad about not getting to invite.

so 3 more invites went out on Wednesday. The RSVPs started coming in on Thursday. yes, yes, yes. The only "no" was one of Riley's friends who had to go to a wedding. Everyone was coming. O. M. G.

The boys were beside themselves with excitement. So was I! I had to clean, clean, clean--clean as though I hadn't clean since school started, clean! LOL But it was worth it. I knew they were going to have so much fun! I was thrilled for them. 12 kids. Plus my 4. 15 boys and a baby. And we're talking all boy boys. But I couldn't help it I was so happy for them to have this experience! I was caught up! I couldn't wait!

We haven't had a big sleepover since Spencer was in Kindergarten, and that one was a HUGE success--I mean I loved loved loved it--maybe 6 or so kids. Plus we had Riley and Talan was about 8 months old. We reserved a baseball field and had them play baseball, a walk in the dark with flashlights, oh wow it was really fun for them all. I enjoyed that experience, and it had been so long ago. We were due. I couldn't wait!

What a Mess!

2010-08-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

When I look around the house, I think, "What a mess!" And when I think of my Talan in Kindergarten, I also think, "What a mess!"

Talan has cried several times at Kindergarten. He is currently afraid of the PE teacher "with a mustache." LOL Oddly, that is the "calmer" PE teacher, I'd have to say. I could see him being afraid of the other one, but the "one with the mustache" is really so nice. And he has taken Talan aside and sat him on his lap, fetched him some Kleenex to wipe his tears, and even gotten him early from his classroom to let him play with some balls and other equipment. Talan, well...isn't sold. Riley said he had PE today (this morning while getting ready), and Talan asked anxiously, "Do I have PE today, Mommy?" So odd!

Every morning, he wants me to walk him all the way to his bus line in the morning. I don't--I let the teacher on bus duty or another teacher take over, to help him "let go," but he still asks me along the way if I could walk him there. When I say no, he asks me to ask the teacher to walk him there for him. Apparently he doesn't want to ask himself. Such a shy little thing, he can appear to be....

But he is NOT a shy little thing ;)

Just a few of his mischievous doings....

The first "staggered" week of school, his teacher called some parents in to go over classroom stuff--the parents of the 4 children whom she had that afternoon. My child was of course one of the rambunctious ones. Mine got told on for hitting. Talan said, "I said I was sorry," in his squeaky little voice. When the teacher told the boys not to build guns or weapons out of the LEGOS, mine was the one who brought over a falling tower, pointing one end at all of the parents, waving it from side to side as though he is shooting us all with a machine gun, and said, "I'm a fireman, Mommy. I'm putting out a fire." OK, Talan. One child brought over a drawing to his daddy while we were sitting there. Mine brings over a drawing of what appeared to be a face, but then random drawings on top of it. He brought it over and said, "Here Mommy, I drew you a picture. It's a picture of you.....and your nose....and your booby." Nice. Right there among 5 quiet adults at a kidney table. I said, "Go on, Talan."

Of course the first week that Talan has full days of Kindergarten, who has bus duty? ME of course. One day Jessica told him something...can't remember what...while I was on duty and he and the others were in my classroom, waiting...and he said something to the effect of he "didn't have to," and but he "wanted to." One day he pressed the call button while Kim and me were on bus duty. Kim found that hilarious. Until her daughter told her that he had pressed it in her room. hahahaha. Spencer did say that he just thought it was a light switch, and was trying to turn out the lights. Sydney, Kim's daughter, also cracked up as she told me that Talan said the scratch on his neck was from his granddaughter. LOL. Sydney and Cole both spelled out that Talan had called them "b-i-g-f-a-t-b-u-t-t-s." great. What to do with this child? On top of that, of course I banished them to my room and threatened them with their lives, but when Teresa (another teacher) came to visit my children and say "hi," Talan escaped out the door. When she told Talan that she didn't think he was supposed to be out of the room, he told her that he could do what he wanted. UGH! She said, "Spencer, you can take over!" LOL And then, when I was on bus duty today some of the car riders, who were downstairs outside of my room longer than I was, told me that my child "screamed" really loud, saying "AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" That is his typical scream. Half-opera like.

And then yesterday, his teacher told me that while they were "sharing," Talan had told this....

"My mom.....She had a baby....And we went to the beach....And she dropped her....And the baby died."

His teacher told him that she didn't think that was a true story.

Talan said that it was.

His teacher said that it couldn't be true, because he still has a baby sister.

His smile creeped across his face as he reluctantly agreed that he was lying.

A very very sweet moment was when we had our fundraiser pep rally thing and Talan was out there with his class, and he waved at me like 10 or so times. Each time, like it was the first. He can be such a sweetheart sometimes.

I did have big talks with him and I have been firmer with his fit-pitching, but losing nap has also been rough around here for him. I love him to death and I pray that I am disciplining him the best way possible. He knows there are consequences for his actions. He hates consequences, but he eventually accepts it. We do time out. We have spanked before, but don't anymore as of about a year. Talan is just different. I refuse to beat the life out of a child when he is who he is. Time out and logical consequences are what we do.

Ahhhh...it would be much easier if I didn't find Talan so amusing. He is such a little envelope pusher...and I have to turn my back all the time so he doesn't see me cracking up. I sure hope he does a LOT of changing this year!!!

Ansley Update: July Already???

2010-07-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

Is it really July already? How can this be???? Last July I was awaiting my brand new baby girl. Last year I was as big as a house. Last year I was praying that she would be both beautiful and healthy. Last year I was enjoying the last of my paychecks. Last year I was planning on returning to work at Christmas. Last year was...great.

This July is chaotic! LOL Having 4 is hard. I will not sugarcoat it. It is hard. Having 4 all day long during the summer and having a hubby that has put on his coach's hat at 5:30 (most times without coming home) and doesn't put on his daddy/husband cap until 7:15 on a good day is extremely hard. And there were many times he went back on to work after practice, and did not come home until 10 or so. Several times it was like 2am.

Talk about hard. It has been hard. That meant I had to do everything. And on top of it June was a busy month as far as photography, too. I plan to do 0 during July. It's not the sessions that killy you...it's the insanely long editing process that makes me want to kill myself. lol. But I did promote my business quite a bit in May b/c I wanted a lot of business at end of May/beginning of June so that we could go on vacation. I told Kevin I wanted to try to pay for it all with photography money. done :) We leave next week!

So I want to talk about Ansley Elizabeth. Well, I'm trying to instill our little house nickname as "Ansley-cakes." I think that's so sweet and girly and happy sounding. Spencer was called "Spencer-bear" some, but really it never took off. Now "Riley-bug" has been a sure fire winner. He even brought home papers this year, in 1st grade, with his name being "Riley Bug Moore." hahaha! I asked him about it, and he said, "Because that's my middle name." LOL And I said, "No...it's 'Alexander,'" and he said, "Oh. Well that's my other middle name." Ha! So yes, we do say that a lot. When Talan was born, I specifically named him so that we could call him "TJ," and yes, I do sometimes, but I'm the only one....

So I'm hoping "Ansley-cakes" will take off...Oh, and as far as texting goes, I like texting "ae" for her name. So cute!!!!

Oh yeah...Ansley...she is SOOOOO girly! I can't believe it! Her little squeals are soooooo girly!!!! I love it!!!! All of her little noises are girly now!!!! They are less "baby" and just flat out "girly!" I'm in heaven! She is wonderful. She is a breath of fresh air. She is pure joy to my heart. Seriously. She is pure joy. She is full of complete joy! Her spirit is so full of life and happiness. I cannot really explain it. She is so content, so confident, so...aware that we love her so much. It's just written all over her. Pure Joy. She thinks that her brothers are the best thing since sliced bread, and she just hugs on them with her little short arms... :) She also smacks at them in the face when she doesn't want them and I'm holding her. LOL She wakes me up by pulling my hair [of course] and smacking me in the face [why not] but the sweetest thing in the world that the boys never did was wake me up also by hugging me. She puts her face on mine, cheek to cheek, and just holds me tight around my head/neck, as I begin to wake up. All the while with her paci in her mouth. It still amazes me how she just gets one and plops it right in. Yes, she has been doing that for months but it is so so sooooo cute! She is the only one that has taken a paci, so I do find it a little bit extra adorable.

Because she sleeps in our bed, it has put me in a pickle at naptime. Now she wakes up and can obviously crawl right off. And she doesn't wake up crying. So I really have to listen for her on the monitor. She will talk....:)))))

I have walked in on her many times lying awake in the bed, paci in her mouth, just hanging out...She is just sooooo cute!!!! I just cannot tell you how in love with her I am. My heart just bursts inside and I can't really express it!

She has amazing persistence. Last Monday was the first time she stood up all on her own without pulling up--just straight up from the ground without touching anything--and she was so excited she was cackling in her very girly voice and waving her hands all around, so very excited!!!! She gets really fired up! :) I didn't notice until she made such a commotion over herself! LOL Then she did it again, but didn't last as long. She keeps doing it. Tonight she did it like 10 times in a row. Oh and she loves that praise. She LOVES it. LOVES it!!! She has a great sense of humor, and we are so much like two peas in a pod and all I have to do is look at her a certain way and she will just crack up. That big wide smile behind that paci. :))))

Let me see...what else does she do? She recently mastered the sippy cup. Yes, she began holding her own bottle when I took that trip to Hawaii in May. I sat her in the stroller and reclined her just right to where it was a little easier on her. Still she's only done it like 5 or less times in her whole life. Mommy and daddy happily hold her bottle for her because she is only a baby once! So now she does eat her Graduates and drink her juice all by herself. She loves it! She is such an eater. She will eat anything we eat, and would way rather eat our food than baby food. Kevin just sticks a piece of pizza up to her mouth and she bites a piece right off. No joke. He's not right. lol

She is of course still in the she-drops-it-you-pick-it-up phase, too. That's kinda cute...kinda not...lol. She has gotten to where she pulls out her hairbow after I put it in. Now she doesn't know what she is messing with there!!! That is not compromisable, as she is finding out. She can take it out 101 times, I will put it back in 102! She understands "No," and that little "Eh!" when she tries to put something in her mouth. What do I mean by tries...does, actually. She says, "Eh." nonchalantly back to us. hahahaha! When Talan naps on the couch, she goes over and over and over again to him to wake him up. She loves him so much :) I can bring her back, and she'll go right back. She's sneaky. And when I see her round that corner, I'll say, "Ansley!" and she will look back with the biggest grin in the world, and do her little laugh at me. She knows she's got me. :)

I have been blessed beyond belief with this child. Yes, the others are true blessings as well. But there's always something about knowing it's your last, and just allowing yourself to be overcome, since you're no longer trying to impress anyone or comparing milestones...it's really about pure joy and enjoying life together. And yeah, it's a little chaotic around here. And it's all good :)

I have already ordered 2 birthday outfits for her. One from an etsy shop, one from Gap. I don't know what to do with them. I want her pictures in them, and then I also want her in them at her little party. What to do, what to do...

Oh. And it was told to me that I had to return to teaching this year. So no option for taking a 2nd year off after all. I'll deal with it; I'll live. But there have been a lot of changes taking place, and I'm not happy with any of them. So I'm totally bummed out with work right now. :(

Too Busy

2010-06-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

Just a note to say that I have been overrun by photography stuff. Hope to blog sometime soon. Ansley is saying "Oh!" with 2 syllables. "O-oh!" in the cutest little girl voice in the world! She is pulling up and letting go [and falling]. She loves to take steps while you are holding onto her.

Riley made All-Stars! Yeah!!! He should have made it last year, but that's another story. He still needs to have his trigger thumb surgery re-done, but he's catching pretty well nonetheless. Just hard to open and close that glove at times. He's an excellent hitter. :)

Poor Spencer didn't make it this year. He moved up to kid-pitch, and moved up to a bigger bat, and the last several games hardly even swung. The pitches were just too hard and fast for him to line up and swing. I felt so bad for him. He got into trouble quite a bit for not swinging. I told him I didn't care if he hit the ball or not, he better swing. He ran a lot of laps for me. LOL. But after we talked, he let it out that it was less embarassing for him to not swing at all than to swing and miss. He just lost all confidence in his hitting, which broke my heart. Kevin stopped pitching with him in the yard long ago because he hits too hard and too far. So, sadly, Kevin never practiced at all with him as far as hitting goes this season. And he needed it. Especially this year, when the pitcher tries to throw it as hard as he can, so that they don't hit it. I practiced a few times with him with a hitting stick, but that just wasn't enough. Our nights have been so busy with church, games, practices, shoots, and oh yeah RAIN, that there were hardly any good nights for Kevin to take him alone to the field to practice hitting. Broke my heart. But, we will hopefully get him all ready for next year. His defense was amazing. He rarely missed a single ball this year--and trust me he got some lousy throws at him. He was definitely their best catcher and thrower--he throws very accurately in a play. :) He pitched, and was their #1 pitcher much of the season. [they were all first year pitchers, so that doesn't exactly mean he was amazing--just really good for 1st year] But his hitting just wasn't there. And it was our fault. KILLS me. :(

Talan is a mess! He's rotten as can be, and I love him to death. Ansley adores him, he adores her, and yet he is always into trouble because he keeps pushing the envelope with her! When she gets bigger she is really going to let him have it! LOL More later. No time for pics. I'll try to get them later.

A Merry Christmas with the Moores!

2010-01-10T22:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, so we actually got most of our wrapping done before Christmas Eve, which is quite unusual. All but 2 gift cards for presents were purchased 3 days before Christmas, which was even better! I've never been that ahead before. And yes, I consider that ahead! LOL! I have spent many years shopping 'til close on Christmas Eve...unhappily....

So Christmas Eve, Kevin had to work (of course). When he got home, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for a while and hung out. She had dinner made, and we ate a bit, and just talked and stuff. Then, we left the boys, and took Ansley with us home to...you know...get things "ready." We thought we wouldn't have a lot to do, but actually we did. There was also some picking up that had to be done, so that also put us behind. And I also wanted to take some Christmas studio pics of Ansley, but she was pretty uncooperative, so that didn't last long. So anyway, we head back to Grandma's at about 10:30 or so. We went ahead and opened gifts there, and had a great time. When we were little, Santa would come to Grandma and Grandpa's (we would stay all night there), and then we would come home and see that Santa had been there too. Through the years, the tradition got adjusted to where we opened gifts at midnight, that way everyone could still have a good night's rest in their own home. But this year, we went ahead and did it before midnight, as everyone was getting tired. We just said Santa would only come at our house, and that there wouldn't be a Santa gift at Grandma & Grandpa's. The boys and Ansley got lots of stuff there. Riley was a hit. He was sooooo happy about everything he got, and kept exclaiming every time he opened something, and then would thank whomever the gift was from. He made me pretty proud. I've always said that boy has the most grateful heart :)

Ansley was awake the whole time, and didn't fall asleep until nearly time to get in the car. She looked so very cute in her Christmas pjs.

Then we came home. We weren't "done" with everything, and had to just set everything in the playroom temporarily, so we told the boys to go straight to bed--and to hurry and get to sleep--before Santa came. Well, leave it to Spencer. He somehow snuck in to the living room and noticed that Santa had eaten his cookies and drank his milk, but hadn't left any gifts. Great. Spencer is going to be the end of me, I'm telling you. So Kevin told him we must have scared him off, and he's probably coming back. Talan was absolutely adorable. He was nearly quivering with fear that he wouldn't be asleep when Santa came back, and that he wouldn't get anything. I had to assure him many times. It sort of upset me, actually, how much this "Santa" thing meant to them. I know they're little, but still...Talan was really truly about to have a breakdown it seemed!

The kids ended up falling asleep pretty quickly. We finished what we needed to do, and then happily got into bed and waited for them to wake up. That morning they saw their unwrapped gifts from Santa, and opened the wrapped gifts from Mommy and Daddy. There weren't really any big wish list items this year. Their lists and wants were pretty much little things--nothing big like in years past. So in that respect, we lucked out! Spencer ended up with his DSi, and although I got it before he really really wanted it, he plays with it all the time and loves how it can take pictures. He also got one of those mini claw machines, which Talan seems to love more than he does. We figured Spencer would totally love it, as he is obsessed with them in stores, but...he is way more into the DSi.

Riley's main wish was for a T-Rex, so he got several dinosaurs that he plays with now. And he is a huge Wii fan, so he spends much of his time right now trying out all the new Wii and PS2 games that everyone got. The games are definitely his favorite. He also got a big monster truck that jumps over cars--he just loves the fact that it's so big, though. And one of those huge Nerf guns. It was nice that we didn't have to purchase anything big and electronic for him this year...only games. :)

Talan's fave is probably one of those bop bags, that we have had before. You know, the one where you can punch it down and it comes back up? Yep, that was his favorite gift until he cut a hole in it with scissors. That child, that child....I did tape it with duct tape, and will be checking to see if it keeps it sealed enough to keep that one until I can go get another. I got it from ToysRUs,and not sure if they have them at Wal-Mart or not... He got a 2 Wii games and a PS2 game, but Talan seems so anxious all the time, it's hard for him to stick with something. He gets frustrated and wants to quit. I hope to work more with him on that after the boys get back into school, and it's just us during the day. He also loves his new Thomas pieces and trains...he got a suspension bridge and tunnel, which of course cost a fortune in my opinion.

Ansley didn't get a whole lot...leggings, leg warmers (LOVE), tons of shoes and clothes, a teacup set, a play purse with stuff to go in it....not too too much, we thought we'd try to skimp on her this first year.

Kevin and I kept it simple--jeans for him and a sweater for me. We are soooo on a budget right now. Thank goodness that my parents still spoil me, or it would have been a total bummer. My fave gift is definitely my Coach purse and wallet from my mom. This one is just adorable...totally love it! Oh, and that Love and Luck perfume by Ed Hardy. It smells soooo good! And that LoveSpell lotion by VS. That smells soooo good too! Kevin and I both are loving all of that--perfume for me has been a rarity since I got pregnant with Spencer, and that was nearly 10 years ago! Now that I have found a new scent that I love, I wear it every time I've been out! Thanks to Steph for letting me smell it on her---it's delicious! And I'm soooo not a perfume girl! Well....I was before my first pregnancy....That has officially changed! I love smelling it! And my dad's main gift to me was photoshop. It is more useful than I originally had thought, as it was required by one specific lab that I use.

Okay, but the best thing about Christmas this year was that it was my first Christmas dinner at my house. At the beginning of our marriage, I kid you not that we were shuttling to about 6 different places on the 2 days of Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Now, I know that some say we are so "lucky" and "blessed" and that we should be "thankful," but....no. That sooooo wasn't happening! Christmas was a chore! I hated rushing here, rushing there, being starving because we weren't ever there at the time they ate...packing this, packing that. It was a total Christmas ruiner! Hated it. Hated it, hated it, hated it. So we have weeded out people out, and condensed it to just my Grandma & Grandpa's on Christmas Eve night, then mine and his parents on Christmas morning, then that evening at Kimo and Susan's in Farragut (my fave place, mainly bc it's the last stop of the night, and we can relax--the kids have kids to play with, and we usually play board games and have so much fun).

Well, I have been saying to Kevin for years that I want Christmas dinner at my house. And he has always been against it. (The kids get soooooo many gifts from so many different people, and he doesn't want to stress about putting it all up before company comes over)And he has always won. Well, I told him that it was enough, we had had it his way for 7 years, and sorry--but now it's my turn. I am a mother of 4. I obviously LOVE family traditions and anything like that...most people who want large families do...and it was my turn to have a tradition for my family. And so I did!!!!

It was chaotic! LOL! We were so rushed from picking up--we got home from my mom's at about 2:30, and people were coming at 6:00, and no cooking had been done yet! I was totally winging everything, and totally behind. But it got done!!!! (Kevin left all the gifts that weren't from us in the car--great idea!) And I had my Christmas tradition!!!! And it is my hope that when my children get older, they will know that Christmas dinner is at 6 or 7:00 at our house, and that that time slot belongs to me and our family! This tradition of mine excites me more than I can completely express. It is weird, because it's like a small dream come true for me. But, that's how I feel! So now, I hope to own that small piece of Christmas forever in my children's lives. (If they live close enough, of course).

So it was Mom & Jeff and Kimo & Susan and their children who came. It was wonderful. They had so much fun. Dinner was delicious. The only thing that could have made it better would be if my sister had stayed in town. She instead went to Cookeville, with her boyfriend, which kind of stunk. But, you can't win them all. We played a little game to open presents--a competitive game where you win a chance to start opening the gift by rolling a 7, then you try to open it with gloves, a hat, and a scarf on, and the person who actually gets to the gift on his/her turn is actually the winner of the gift--and I look forward to playing that every Christmas now. Very fun!!!! Kevin won us a $40 gift card to Connors/Chop House! Sweet! We got so many restaurant gift cards this year...I can't wait to use them right up!

So that was our Christmas. The first Christmas with our complete family. The first Christmas with our own family dinner at our house. The first Christmas with a little girl to dote on. I am so incredibly thankful....

And so there are the many pics that has been the root of all my slacking!!! And yes, some of them are on here twice, three times, four times. I just don't have the patience to fix it. I never even made it past the pics at my grandma's, so I'll just have to add a little as I go. I have to move on, or I'll miss the next 3 months as well!!! I'm so mad that I took this long and have missed so much! UGH!

Christmas Shoppin'!!!!

2010-01-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I only got a couple of things on Black Friday, one being the DSi, so needless to say, I had a ton of shopping to do--I DO have 4 children!

So I did most of my shopping either with just Ansley or with Steph and Ansley. Steph is great to shop with, and I absolutely love when she does with me! We have had our funniest moments shopping together, and crack up usually close to the entire time. We Christmas shop every year together, several times, and I just love it! On a side note, it upsets me that Ansley won't have a sister. Steph and I are 7 years apart, and I absolutely love her to death. There is no one like her, and no one that would ever come close to what she is to me. There is indeed a special bond between sisters--one that I don't have with anyone else. We can talk forever, or just cut up the whole time. Unfortunately, we have the same flaws when it comes to shopping, so she's not exactly helpful...hahaha! In fact, I would say she is worse. She will buy and then rebuy, and have a complete load of things to return, where she would rebuy after changing her mind on a present...then end up giving them all of the things instead of returning! She's awful about that. She has such a good heart. But it's a good thing she's gonna be a pharmacist, to help foot the cost of all of her gift giving! LOL!

Ansley is an excellent shopping partner, and has proved she is in it for the long run :) This is how I did the shopping thing...

Usually leave the house around 8:00 (remember how I procrastinate? I would seriously have everything pretty much ready to go, then cook, then eat, then watch a little TV...hahaha! Horrible!). Get to Knoxville around 8:45, shop at the mall shops until 10:00, when they close. Then go to Belk, because they stay open 'til 11. Then Belk closes, so I'm off to ToysRUs or Target, which close at 12:00. Then after they close, of course to Wal-Mart I go! I took Ansley with me on maybe about 4 or so trips altogether, and only one of them was a really late night, where I got home after 1. She really does like shopping. I would just strap her in the Baby Bjorn if she was awake, and she would just eat it up! She loved "talking" to strangers, wiggling around, and especially pushing off of my hands when I would put my hands under her feet so that she could stand up. Oh how she loves that:) When she got tired, she would start to give a low whine every few seconds, and I would take her out, cradle her, give her the paci, and she was out. Then I would transfer her to the car seat after a few minutes. I mean it when I say it--she is just wonderful! But yes, it was so late for her. I could have left her at home, and eventually did the last several visits, but to be honest, she keeps me company if there's no one else that I'm with, and I feel like we really are 2 peas in a pod a lot of the time...and I pretty much adore her and love keeping her close to me.

Alright, so there's one post!!!! More coming!

"This is Kevin"

2009-12-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

So today I got ready to pay the phone bill online, and realized when I pulled it up that it was WAY over. Now is not the year or the month to have a cell phone bill that is way over! So anyway, it actually had Kevin using up more minutes than me which never ever happens. And I needed to get detailed call billing, so I could see if this whole this was just bogus or not. And the phone bill is in Kevin's name. So guess what I did today? LOL

I faked being my husband.

Yep, I get so tired of hearing things like, "Well, Kevin is the name on the account, ma'am, so we'll need to speak with him. Could you have him call us back?" Nearly everything is in his name, so anytime I have a question or need to talk with customer service to change something, I get that. Sometimes I don't, but you know, a lot of times I do.

So I tried my best to deepen my voice and pretend I was him. I was totally cracking myself up and it was very hard to wing as many questions and answers that I had to do without any prior rehearsal. Totally hilarious. Sometimes I sounded really country, sometimes I didn't, sometimes I sounded like a homosexual! LOL I was dying. It was so funny because everytime I asked a question, I'd have to get my lips just right before I could say anything. And I knew....just knew....that I totally sounded like a very stupid person. Like very unintelligent, and from the hills.

Hilarious!

I did get the detailed billing info, and it does appears correct so far. (didn't nitpick it yet) And who has Kevin been talking to so much? Me! On the home phone, so it counts towards our minutes. UGH!

And as far as the cell phone thing, still haven't decided for Spencer. Steph thinks I should get him a free blackberry that she has seen several different places. I told her I don't care if its free or not he's NOT getting a blackberry! I just really want to wait until middle school, but I also know how blissfully happy he will be to own one. Tough decision! Raising boys esp. is tough, I think, because you really don't want to spoil. You're raising a future dad (hopefully) and future husband (hopefully). You don't want to raise someone who is used to getting whatever they want. You want to raise someone who is used to waiting, and understands earning. You want to raise someone who understand the value of a dollar (even at his age), yet isn't deprived (oh he's not). But then you also want to give them what they want because you love them so much! Spencer is such a great boy. I mean it, he's just wonderful, I think. He's so very helpful and he is so sweet. I would have loved having him for an older brother. The others are lucky to have such a good one. It may be up in the air until the last minute.

little prayers

2009-12-08T22:01:00.000-08:00

Well, we switched a few months ago from the regular child bedtime prayer to unscripted ones. We have done both before, but either Kevin or myself would lead the prayer and the boys would echo it. Well, we switched a few months ago to letting each one do their own prayer. Takes a little bit longer, but it doesn't seem that way because of how interesting it is.

A couple of cute things that have happened....Spencer loves it and of course is very thoughtful in his prayers. Riley is funny. He has thanked God for the days of the week, and asked the Lord to bless "everyone in the earth and the other earth. And bless everyone in the world. And other worlds." LOL Kevin corrected him the other night, but I told him I liked hearing his little prayers, "correct" or not :)

One night recently Talan was praying (and for some reason he never says, "Dear Lord..." he just breaks right into "Thank you..." His are so very sweet too! Well anyhow, one night recently he was praying and he began to ask the Lord to bless "Mommy, Daddy, Riley and Talan and the baby girl Ansley..." and Spencer gave out some time of signal that--ahem--he had forgotten him! Well, after the prayer was over, Spencer told him that he forgot him. And I did as well. And then I asked if he wanted to ask God to bless Spencer. His answer? "Naaaah!!!" LOL!

Spencer and I just cracked up.

busy busy busy

2009-12-03T22:15:00.000-08:00

Wow I have been soooo busy lately! I don't know what it is about me....why I can't stay idle for a while and just enjoy being caught up on things. I apparently have a huge character flaw that needs to learn to relax and enjoy life!

I'm talking about working from home. My small photography business. It's going really well so far. I love it. I love building it. I love making and designing every inch of it. I love bursting with new ideas over it. And it's killing me. I come up with something and it take me a while to deliver. I have had project after project after project. I've spent so much time on the computer that I am going to be fat! LOL Creating this, coming up with that, checking on this, designing that...and editing...editing...editing....

So I am really going to focus on taking a break now that I'm a little at a stopping point. I've designed all I need to design right now. I have to focus on my precious angel before time slips away any further! Just the thought of it is killing me!

I am already dreading now going back to work. Half the year is almost over, and I cannot imagine leaving her. It is going to hurt me too bad. Yes, I miss my coworkers and all, but I have seen them lately, and so I'm okay as far as that goes. I miss teaching, but I still teach Talan anyway, so I'm okay with that too. And now that it's winter, I'm so glad to be able to stay in my pjs a little longer in the morning (I'm still up early though). Yep, I've gotten over the fact that I miss my job and now I dread going back :( I AM totally the grass is always greener type of person. I'm horrible about that. In college, if I was with one boy, I'd wish I was with the other, then I would be with the other, and wish I was with the first. I'm horrible. I'm always wanting the opposite! Why is that???

I can't commit!

So....what's been up...

Well, I bought Spencer a DSi--the only great deal (for the kids) that I found on Black Friday, left it in the car, and wouldn't you know it that the next morning it's still there and he sits right beside it and obviously finds it?

Oh yeah.

It goes a little something like this...

Me: Kevin, you did get that bag out of the car, right (as the boys are in the car while we're getting a few forgotten items--story of my life)?

Kev: What bag? I didn't know there was a bag.

Me: Are you serious? It's still in the car? (panicking) Go get it oh my gosh!!!!

Kev: (about a minute later, coming back in with the bag) Well, guess where it was. Right beside Spencer.

Me: Are you serious? Promise. Promise me you're not kidding. Promise me.

Kev: I promise.

Me: You promise? You promise you're not kidding. You're lying.

Kev: NO. It was right beside him in the car. In a clear bag. WHO gives out clear bags???

Me: I don't believe it.

We enter the car....

Kev: So, Spencer... (nonchalantly) where did that bag go?

Spencer: What bag?

Kev: The bag that was sitting right here.

Spencer: You just took it in.

(I am laughing silently and incognito)

Kev: (dying too) Oh. What was in it?

Spencer: IDK

Kev: You don't know? I don't remember what was in it. You sure you don't know?

Spencer: IDK

Riley: (from back seat) I KNOW!

Spencer: Riley!!! Shush!!!! Don't say it Riley!!!

Riley: I KNOW!!!

Kev: What was it, Riley?

Spencer: Riley!!!! Be quiet!!!

Riley: It was game thing....a DS. With Mario on the front of it.

Spencer: It was a DSi. With Mario on the cover or something like that.

Kev: I thought you said you didn't see it, Spencer?

Spencer: Ugh!!! It was right here!! You shouldn't have left it in here!!!

Kev: Well, now we have to return it. We can't give it to you now.

Spencer: UGH! Riley!!!! SEEE???? SEEE??? I told you Riley!!! Now they're not going to give it to us!!!

And so Spencer is in a panic.

Then I explain that we may or may not give it for Christmas, as Mommy has commitment issues, and buys things a lot of times and then returns them. (Which is too true.) Spencer then tells me how much he wants a DSi, but is okay and understands my long and thorough explanation at how I buy and return things.

Yes, I have commitment issues.

I totally bought it with the intention to decide later whether or not to keep it, and now we're stuck. Which could be a good thing. Indecisiveness can torture the soul!

For Spencer's other gift, we are *considering* a cell phone. He has wanted one for over a year now, and has even secretly asked Steph and my grandmother if they would please get him one, and that he really really wants one. I keep asking him who he plans on calling, and that hey...I'm right here. He doesn't need a phone to call me. LOL.

A few months ago we saw a boy around his age outside of Wal-Mart with a cell phone, texting. Spencer pointed it out. So I ask, "Oh so you want to call him? You don't even know him." LOL I think he is TOOO funny! Who is he planning on calling???

But about a month ago, Kevin bugged him saying that I had a pink razr phone if he wanted it, and showed it to him. Well, Spencer had already taken Grandma's old cell phone (she gave it to him), which obviously doesn't work, and Spencer said that no, he didn't want my old pink phone.

Well, then like the next day or so I asked him if he was sure he didn't want my pink phone (joking). And instead of a definite no, he started asking me if it worked....and could he see it for a minute. Broke my heart, how excited he was for a minute because he believed me! It really did! He was going to take my pink girly phone! I called Kevin that day at work and told him we really needed to consider getting him a phone.

Spencer is really into secret messages and spy stuff and in a way has some Ferris Bueller tendencies, so I know he would enjoy texting his friends. The only problem is, I'm not sure who of his friends even has one. He named off a couple of people, but they aren't his close friends. But he wants one really bad, and we are considering it, even though I believe he is way too young and that would be more of a thing for a 6th grader. I haven't seen him want something so badly for so long. I know it's healthy to want stuff, but...I don't know. Spencer is a really good boy. He is an excellent older brother. He is wonderful at school. He runs out of patience at times, but he is soooo good with his brothers. He is always there to help me out if I need him to watch Ansley for a minute while I finish supper or to get something out of reach for Talan. He is just such a good boy, and I think I don't always have to totally understand what he wants. He wants it really bad, I think he is very responsible for a 4th grader, and well...I don't see any danger at this point. I'll peep in on his text messages, and monitor his usage, but I have to say I would trust him with one. So that's a definite maybe.

I've already spoke with his best friend's mother, so she has a heads up about it in case he begins to ask for one, too.

So that's all I have time for right now. 'night all.

Divine Intervention

2009-11-02T22:07:00.000-08:00

Ok so last week we had revival. Just knowing it was coming up got me excited. Last year at Revival, both Spencer and Riley went up to get saved. Riley was a young five at the time, and so I wasn't really sure how to take it. I actually sort of got in his way a little bit, blocking the aisle just a tad during the invitation...just to give him an extra moment or so to really consider what he was doing. He edged around me, and said he wanted to go. Of course, I let my sweet boy go. It was the same night...September 7th I believe (I could look it up, but I'm not going to--it's late). One of the happiest moments of my life. I'm still doubtful that Riley knew what it meant...and when it came time for Baptism, I asked him if he wanted to and he said, "No. I want to wait 'til I'm six," so again...doubtful. Pretty sure he didn't truly get it. But you know, it still means so much that he went up...regardless of whether he actually understood. Riley wanted to give his heart to Jesus. He could tell me how He died on the cross for our sins. He knew the story. But I'm pretty sure he didn't really understand what it meant. Here's a laugh. On the way home, I told them how we were going to have to make some phone calls to let everyone know about their decisions that night, and that they got saved. Riley said, "Who saved us?" I said that Jesus did. He mumbles, "Oh. I thought Batman did," with a chuckle. Ok so doubtful he understood. LOL

Spencer was of age, I believe. He got baptized the following Sunday. It was such a wonderful, wonderful night. I distinctly remember him asking me the next night during service, when Bro. Len Turner would mention the word "Christian," he would say, "Is that what I am now? I'm a Christian, right?" When I told him he was, he got a huge grin on his face. What an angel.

So I am forever grateful for Brother Len Turner, and absolutely loved and enjoyed his boldness, sense of humor, and Georgia drawl. It was excellent.

Revival with Brother Henry Linginfelter did not disappoint. Again, this envangelist was an excellent speaker (more softspoken than Len), easy to follow, and delivered messages straight to my heart. Kevin and I both went to the altar on different nights. And on the last night, Wednesday, my sweet son Riley went to the altar as well, wanting to be saved. Mrs. Jones talked with him, and said that she still wasn't quite sure he fully understood yet, and that she would speak again with him in a few weeks.

To see your son up their twice, both at such an early age, gives me goosebumps. I hope and pray that Riley will continue to seek the Lord and feel no inhibitions about walking that aisle. I hope that he will always be in tune with the tugging of his heart, always doing his best to be obedient when he feels the Lord is calling him. I hope that when he isn't sure if the Lord is calling him or not, he'll go. I pray that the Lord has a special, special plan for him.

And in case it isn't clear...I love revival.

Friday night I went shopping with my homegirl Ansley. LOL. 2 stores: Children's Place and Alumni Hall. It was about time Ansley had a VOL outfit, and I just hadn't found one cute enough yet. I like the pink, I don't like the pink...never was completely sold on it, since I sorta wanted her to match everyone else. Well, I got her an orange and white tutu. I'm gonna put her in a white onesie (sure which I got a white one with orange letters!), some blue jeans, and the tutu over the jeans. In case you don't know, tutus are really scratchy. Not really the ideal fabric against your precious one's skin. And plus, I like the whole jeans under it thing. Now since Saturday's game was also Halloween, I've yet to put in on her. But can't wait!

Back to Friday. 2 stores. Lost my keys. 2 stores. No one found them. I was actually stuck in the mall after it closed, with the custodial people and security people, waiting on Kevin to come with the extra key. I was so glad I brought the diaper bag in...what would I have done with no bottle and no diapers? As I'm talking with the Children's Place people, a lady walks over to me from across the mall, asking if I need any help. I mean, it was clear I needed help. I was going through the bags one more time, talking with the workers.... This lady stayed with me the entire time. She kept saying she was about to leave, and was I okay...but she never actually did. We sat in those really comfy massage chairs in the mall and talked. She asked me if I was a Christian, and we went on from there.

The exact subject matter is too personal to discuss. But I will tell you this...God had our paths intersect for a reason. She shared some things with me that I needed to hear, and I actually said a couple of things that she needed. It was divine intervention. That gave me goosebumps as well. I talked Kevin's head off about it. And then on the ride home, I realized something really really weird. I say weird for a lack of a better word. Perhaps eerie. I don't know. Eerie sounds like it has a negative connotation. I mean for a positive one. Anyhow, I remembered my first impression of this lady as she approached me in the mall. Me, overwhelmed, a little flabbergasted, and totally in despair...and she comes at me, with her pale skin and blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail...around 50 or 55 I'd say...asking if she can help me in any way. I thought, "Is she an angel?" And then I went back to my current situation. But when she asked, "Are you a Christian," --I remembered this on the way home as I was reflecting--I remember giving her a slight smile...and knowing she was going to ask me that. Now, I don't believe she was an angel. Simply because I was able to give her a few things to think about...not just her helping me. But I do believe she was sent to me from heaven. The time, the place, the situation....She also was a teacher, and that is what made it comfortable for me to talk with her...she told the Childrens Place worker that she was a teacher, and that one of her fellow teachers lost her keys that week 6 times in one day. (I was thinking, geez lady I'm not that bad. LOL) But this was all before I mentioned I was. In fact, she didn't ask me my profession until quite a bit later. But I must confess knowing she was a teacher did make her a little easier to talk to. I felt like we had a common ground, and I felt like she must be relatively trustworthy. Now, I know that's not necessarily the case, but you know...generally speaking.

So anyway, the Lord dropped in on me. He shook me up a little. He let me know He was there. He put me in awe, and reminded me of how Almighty He is. He reminded me that I am one tiny, tiny being, and that He controls it all. He reminded me that He is listening to my prayers. And for maybe the first time, He let me feel that I could actually help someone by telling my story...that I do have something to offer. Not that I feel worthless or anything, but when it comes to giving advice and stuff and relating it to scripture...I'm not necessarily usually the giver. I would say I am rarely the giver of information. I seek help through my closest friends...well, usually my good friend Angela. She has always led me back the Word and taken the time to pray with me and pray for me. She never claims to have any answers...but only leads me to Scripture, where the answers truly lie. She tells me of her own shortcomings, of her own struggles. And I am so very appreciative of her. So it was nice to offer something back to this wonderful stranger. I will never forget her name or her story. And I stand in awe at how the Lord placed us right there together, to help one another.

Our God is an Awesome God....

"Ya Can't Be a Policeman"

2009-10-26T05:21:00.000-07:00

Riley wants to be a policmean when he grows up. He has said so for some time, perhaps maybe a year or so. Would I like him to be one? Of course not! Little pay, and I would worry about him putting his life in danger. And dealing with crooked policemen, too. And who wants their child to handle a gun every workday? Not I. But, he's so little and who am I to tell him no when he gets so excited about the thought of it?

One of Riley's little things is that he has turned "cop" into a verb. If he sees an officer on the side of the road, he will alert us that he is "copping" that other car. When talking about his future, he says that he would indeed "cop" Kevin or me if we were to go over the speed limit. That he would also "cop" us if we weren't wearing out seat belts. He is puzzled as to if he would have to "cop" another officer should he be breaking the rules.

So on the way to the ballgame, Riley all of sudden breaks into...a show, really.... He is in the backseat and starts saying, "Mom, if you go over the speed limit, ya can't be a policeman." ....and it continued on and on....

"How do you get to be a policeman?" asks Riley.
"You have to go to a police academy," says Kevin.
"After you go to college, of course," I add (He will be going. I don't care what his degree is in. He will be going.)
"Oh, so I have to go to college and then, what dad? A what?"
"Police academy. That's where they train you and teach you how to be a police officer."

"Oh. Mom, listen. If you go to the police academy, and when you're done, you get in a fight with someone...ya can't be a policeman."
"And Mom, if you go up there when you're done with the academy, and when they hand you the piece of paper, you just crumple it up and throw it at someone...ya can't be a policeman."
"And if you do something bad, like hurt someone...ya can't be a policeman."
"And if you're 'posed to stop at stop sign, but ya don't....ya can't be a policeman."

He seriously had like 15. I wish I could remember them all. They were just so adorable. Talan tried to chime in and do some, too. It really reminded in a way of Jeff Foxworthy. Just the way he would say, "Ya can't be a policeman," with his little hand gestures and all...every single time. Adorable. He has so much character and I love it.

Another cute thing he did was the other night when my Dad and Marty and Steph came over. I made roast for everyone. (Oh yeah it was sooooo goood....) Towards the end of dinner, he says, "Marty. Grandpa. If you need anything (with his little hand gestures), just let me know. I'll get it for you. OK? So just let me know if you need anything." How sweeeeeeet :) I just love my Riley bug!

Fun Stuff

2009-10-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while since my last post. See, I really get my time on the computer at night. Sure, I get on often during the day to check fb and email (my only chance at adult conversation here), but of course I cannot stay on. So to actually accomplish something on the computer...well...it has to be done at night. And I have been so very busy with photography details, that I have been devoting my nights to that.

So what's been up? About 2 weeks ago we went to Dollywood. It was the first trip since Ansley has been born. She went too. And she loved it. We had a fantastic time. The only problem is figuring out what to ride next, and keeping everyone at different heights happy. So there were no roller coaster rides that day. We spent time at Beaver Creek (I think that's what it's called), the Country Fair, and some other things but I can't really remember what else. Oh yeah, this time we let them each play a game. I really wish Dollywood would a) get rid of the games or b) make them free. Is that too much to ask? Yes, I'm sure. But they are such a rip off, and I hate to say no every time, so I had to let them do it this time. I've never seen $11 get spent so fast with nothing to show for it. Unbelieveable. Then of course everyone is still whining because they want to play another one. Thanks, Dolly. 'Preciate it.

But in all honesty, I was like the happiest woman on the planet that day. Seriously. We get out of the van to walk to the tram, and we take out 2 strollers. 1 travel system, and one double stroller. And just like that, I feel like Jon and Kate. hahaha! Where did all of these kids come from??? And BTW, yes, Riley, my 6 year old still rides in the stroller. He is one easily distracted child. Trust me, it would be too hazardous for him to walk. But anyway, all day I just felt like a glow around me. Like, a cloud of love or something. I was just beaming, I was so happy. For one, Kevin was actually off. He is hardly ever off anymore. Then, I have such great boys, which all in all are pretty well behaved. I mean, I'm pretty strict, and I'm very pleased with the way they act, so I therefore consider them well behaved. And then the angel. Oh how proud I am to have my perfect little girl! And oh how sweet it was to hear Kevin tell me, "Could you walk up here by me?" rather than behind him, because he wanted to be able to look at little Ansley as I pushed her in the stroller. He just loves her so much. And it melts my heart. So anyway, I had like a perma-smile on my face all day. And I had like a perma-joy in my heart! It was the best feeling! We had a fantastic day!

So then the next day one of Spencer's friends had a party, and we went to it at the park. I was taking some pics of one of my friends, Jessica, and her family, and Spence was there at the party. Kevin came later with the other 2 boys and Ansley, and hung out until I was finished. It was so very funny because Trey's party was over, and another party came over to the shed that Kevin was at. So everyone left, and there is this whole other group that comes over to settle. And then it starts raining. So Kevin gets under the shed b/c he has Ansley, and he tells me he feels a little "awkward" when I gave him a quick call. LOL! I'd say so, Kevin! Then when I got finished with the shoot, Kevin and I were talking as the boys played, and he said that what was really weird is that Riley actually knew some of the kids that with the new party, and that he was playing with them--and I guess Spencer and Talan too--and that when the adults called out, "Pizza!" all of my kids went running back up to the shed too, to eat with them! Hilarious, I know! So Kevin was like, "No!!! Guys, come back here!" I died laughing, totally loving hearing his tale of being stuck with the kids in public. I LOVE IT! Better him than me!!! What else can I say???!!!

Let's see....well, they had a game last Thursday, and Talan made it home once!!! Riley did well, too, but I don't think he made it home. Again, no pics :( As soon as I got out of the van (I had to run and get ice after dropping them off), I hear Talan's little girly voice screaming, "Mommy, Mommy!" so that I could give him his Gatorade. He's so cute! Then periodically while he was in the dugout, he would call out for me, just to wave. He again spent a lot of time throwing up dirt while he was in the outfield.

Riley made me proud at 2nd. He actually got hit in the head with the ball as he was trying to catch a throw from 1st, and my sweet tough boy just trudged on, not needing a break or anything. The coaches ran over there quickly to be sure he was fine, and he sure was! It really amazes me how he is not afraid of that baseball. Even with how hard it is, he is so not afraid. He'll try to catch anything. He had some okay hits, but most of them were hit to 1st base, so he would get out before he got on. But not his last hit. It was a sweet, hard hit right up the middle. That was nice--he was so proud!!!

Hmmm....Kevin and I watched both Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Management. Ghosts was great. I mean it wasn't great, but it was just what I wanted. It was simple, sweet, and not at all complicated. Plus it had Matthew and Jennifer in it. It was nice to watch a movie like that. We have been watching a lot of movies that you get really wrapped up in and then have to pay careful attention to every detail to truly understand, and then get all let down at the end. So it was nice to just relax with my hubby. I needed that.

Fall break started, and since I still don't feel all that portable yet, we have pretty much been hanging around here. The boys played Twister. That was funny! I taught Talan how to play Go Fish with his little Thomas cards. Now that was really fun! If you haven't played Go Fish in a while (and I haven't), give it a shot. It is so much fun--and real fun--not fun that you have to sort of pretend you're having, like in Hi Ho Cherry O (which we also played last week). I love Go Fish! So then, I taught Spencer and Riley how to play this week on my birthday. Nope, hadn't taught them yet. Why? Well, because we have just mainly done board games, and not the card games. We have played Go Fish as a "fishing" game, and then the "Let's Go Fishing" game, too. But it is so much more fun with cards. They really loved it. I so recommend that game! Oh, and Kevin bought Battleship. So listen to this...Spencer plays Kevin first. There is so much arguing, it's hilarious. At one point I hear, "Spencer! You can't move your ships! Why did you move your ships! You better put them back where they started! You better remember where they were!" LOL Oh Kevin, oh Kevin....now that was funny too. I mean, how was Spencer to know? No one told him he couldn't move them....They were both so stressed out at the end of that game! Bet Spencer won't be asking to play that for a while. Or ummm...ever. That game lasted over an hour!

On Sunday, Ansley got her first cold :( We're pretty sure she got it from Talan, who also had a cold. I took her to the MD on Monday just be careful, since so much flu is going around. MD said said she looked great, 10lb & 2oz., and that it looked viral and like a cold or some type of upper resp. virus that would be no big deal. Yay for no flu!

On Tuesday, we met Misty and Izzy at the park to play. That was a lot of fun. I enjoyed talking to Misty and getting some adult talk in, and the boys got to run around and enjoy the beautiful weather!

Hmmm....my 32nd birthday was on Wednesday. I woke up to my Talan asking me when we were going to bake the cake...could we do it now. So we were up at 8:12, getting it done! As we were making it, Riley and Talan both spontaneously sang Happy Birthday solos to me. Spencer told me that "Daddy should have taken off work" because it was "important," my birthday and all. So sweet! Then that's when we played Go Fish together....it was a fun day. And what did my sweet Kevin buy me??? A Canon EOS 5D Mark ii. A pro camera. Not that pros don't shoot with what I shoot (some do, esp. as a backup), but this is an actual pro camera. 21 megapixels. Bought and paid for before I could talk him out of it. Did I want it? Yes. Did I expect to have it anytime in the near future? No to the way. He initially told me I could get what I wanted--a 50D--in March, after taxes. So this is a little intimidating. Very, actually. It will take me forever to tap into what it can do...and then I need a flash, so I'll have to experiment with that too. Oh, how I love that man. And oh, how he is horrible with money. So now the pressure is on to make that money back. I would love that present more if it didn't come with a side order of guilt and worry. But if I focus on that, I'll lose the point of the gift. So I won't focus on it. It was a total surprise, and therefore I'm going to just look at the good points. And praying that it landed on my lap for a reason. The sweetest part about it? I told Kevin I didn't know what to think--did he really think I would be that successful and could make that money back, or did he just love me so much he wanted me to have it? And he said, "Oh I don't care one bit about you making that money back. I just want you to have it." You heard it here folks. The sweetest man in the world. (When he wants to be.)

And then the next night (last night), Jordan spent the night. We initally had plans to play putt-putt. Kevin got off late, though...at 6:40. Then he had to shower and we ate...so we were really behind. But Kevin called, and the recording said they closed at 10. So we get up there around 8:20. Closed. So then we drive slowly around, looking for another one. I know there's another near it somewhere! No such luck. So we get to Zuma at about 8:30 and they guy says they close at 9, but he'll let them go ahead and play. I drop the 4 boys off + Kevin, and head to Joann's to get some cardstock and ribbon. Kevin says, "Are you really leaving me with 4 kids?" And I say, "Yeah! You'll be fine. They're all good." LOL But seriously, they are all good. Good boys. Then at about 9:20 they come out, with big smiles on their faces. They had a great time. They only made it to the 10th hole, but they had a blast. Jordan said, "We only made it to the 10th hole. Kevin looked at his watch and said, 'Oh no guys, we have to go!' This place closed 15 minutes ago!" Great story for Jordan to tell his mom! LOL Oh well, that's just the way it goes with sometimes. I mean, we called ahead. What else can you do?

So the boys had a blast with Jordan. Fun for Mommy? No. You see, Jordan is very well behaved. So are mine. But mine were all fired up. I mean, fired up. I would tell them to do something. I'd get all nods and okays, and nothing would happen. They were too happy! In one ear, out the other. Then, the fights. He brought over some new wii games, so my 2 were fighting over whose turn it was to play with Jordan on them. Talan simply could not handle the fact that the wonderful Jordan wanted to play electronics and things that Talan could not, so Talan was acting out and just plain sad and mad at the same time. The baby kept waking up. Ansley would go to sleep and then sure enough, Riley and Talan would be screaming down the hall, tattling on each other and fighting. Because when I told them I had to take a shower and that the baby was asleep and that they needed to be quiet and I would be out in just a few minutes, did they hear me? Why yes, everyone did. They said okay, right? No! They forgot! They didn't know to be quiet! So poor little Ansley couldn't really get a good nap in because she kept waking up to rowdiness. Now, she is used to noise. But not that much commotion. So...next time will have to be when she is a little older or when Kevin is at home. Maybe. Or maybe not. They had so much fun, and it's only painful for a little while, right? We'll just have to see....

Oh I forgot to mention we stared a chores and allowance thing. Spencer's chores are making his bed, clearing the table at breakfast, keeping his bathroom counter clean, sweeping the kitchen once, and of course having his room picked up at night before bed. Riley's are to make his bed, clear the table after dinner, and keep the shoes picked up in his room at night. Also he makes sure toys are out of the living room. Spencer gets $9 a week. Riley gets $6. Based on their age, of course. We sat them down and explained tithing, and so Spencer will tithe 90 cents and Riley will tithe 60 cents. They each told us something they want to save for, and wouldn't you know it--for both, it's a game. So they both decided to keep only $1 out for spending money each week, and save the rest for their wanted item. So the dollar is for candy. I love all of the ideas behind this entire system, but I know it's going to be hard to keep up. First of all, we hardly ever carry cash. And then there's just always a lack of time, so I'm not sure if this will work for them. This week, the chores have only taken about 15 minutes of Spencer's time altogether and I guess about 15 minutes of Riley's time (Riley's a little slower, even though he has less). But still, sometimes we just don't have enough time. So we will just have to see. But right now, I LOVE it! I think it is very important to teach them about money now, while they are under our wings, rather than just get them what they need/want whenever we can. I like that they can embrace these concepts early, and get used to the idea of saving, and delaying gratification, esp. in a world where everyone just wants to charge it all. I am raising boys, and I want them to understand how this money thing works. And yes, staying at home has me revamping a lot of stuff.

Crazy Lady

2009-09-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

Well, one thing Ansley and I have been doing a lot of lately is....shopping!! Now, I really, really, really do not like to shop. Yes, I like new things. But I have 2 problems: 1--I am pretty picky, and 2--I do NOT like to overspend. In fact, if it's not on sale, there's little chance I'm going to buy it. Kevin thinks I'm a little crazy when it comes to stuff like that--he doesn't really see the point in all that stuff. But if he knew how it all added up, he would definitely care. I have been blessed and cursed at the same time with a husband that does not look at our checkbook. Okay, well, I'll just go ahead and say we don't balance our checkbook. I get online and check things out all the time, and mentally keep up with things...but since I know what bills will be paid out of what checks...I know it always works out, and I know about how much we have. But Kevin doesn't even do that. It's funny because every now and then there will be boxes and boxes delivered over the course of a few days, and like for the last 4-5 days there have been big bags in the living room and kitchen, along with a large bunch of frames...and he simply doesn't even ask! That's totally NOT how I am. I am always asking how much this cost, how much he spent on that...I am a total tightwad when it comes to that. I accumulated a LOT of credit card debt in college because I was in total denial, and when we paid that off years ago, I was a changed woman.

Well, anyway, I usually go shopping for the boys' clothes at the change of the season, buy a lot at one time, and then I'm done until the next season. And when I say "season," really it's either "cold weather" or "warm weather." And I always wait until there's a sale, or I have a great "entire purchase" coupon. And it's pretty much always at Children's Place. So if anyone else has a boy that wears Children's Place (like at our school), I pick it out real quick--b/c one of mine probably has it too!

Anyhow, on Sunday I made a trip to BabiesRUs and Kohls with my perfect little shopping partner--Ansley Elizabeth. She is usually amazingly good, and sleeps the entire time. If she wakes, it's only because she is hungry or has gas :( TMI, I know. LOL Anyway, after purchasing her a little gym, some 8 oz bottles, some liners, some clothes, and some pacis (trying to find one she actually "took"), I headed to Kohls. BTW, I had coupon after coupon, and used some rewards dollars, and saved a ton of money!

Well, at Kohls, I was on a mission for frames that I saw were 50% off. So I'm looking for some 11x14s, 8x10s, and 5x7 frames, and of course they don't fit in those Kohl's buggies. I mean, what does? So I am shopping away and put those huge 11x14 plus mat frames in the cart sort of "crooked-like." I get 3 of these, and they just look so unstable. Well, at the same time, Ansley wakes up and needs to be fed. So I'm doing the whole hold-her-with-one-arm, feed-her-with-your-chin, and push-the-buggy-with-the-other-arm dance until I get to a point that I can just leave the buggy and look around in that area. Well, the frames fall. A sales associate helps me build the unstable mess again, and of course they fall again. So I ask if someone could bring them to the front for me. She says, "Sure!" and a kind older lady comes to pick up my frames. The helper lady asks me what register I'll be checking out at, I tell her, and she heads that way with my large frames. (I'm still looking for the smaller ones.)

She comes back a few minutes later to tell me that one of the frames is damaged--it came unglued at one corner. So I pick out another one, and as she is waiting on me to choose one she tells me to be sure to have them page her when it is time for me to check out, because she will carry these to my car. I tell her that I will, and she takes my other frame to the front. A minute or so later, I'm done shopping, so I head to the front as well. As I intersect with her, she secretly gives me a 15% off entire purchase coupon. Score!! Don't mind if I do! (That phrase is for you, Steph!)

Well, when it is my turn at the register, the cashier goes ahead and pages the other lady--apparently that kind helper lady...let's just call her Carol, since I don't know her name...okay, Carol is paged. Well, the cashier...let's call her Stacy...is making small talk with me, commenting on how pretty Ansley is, asking her how old she is...you know... I purposely don't tell her I have 3 others at home. She thinks I'm a first-time mom, and I don't feel like shocking her. Then she says she has a 3 year old at home. I ask if she has baby fever yet, and she says no--that she just looks at the baby photos of her little boy and that is satisfaction enough for now. I just nod and smile, still tending to Ansley as I put her in the carrier.

So then Carol comes up to help, and we all make more small talk as they comment on how quickly I lost the baby weight...the cashier mentions how she is still losing the weight she gained with her pregnancy a few years ago... Again, I don't mention I have the other 3 at home. Just trying to keep it simple.

Well, Nancy gathers the frames and walks out with me. I tell her it's the silver van. You can tell she's a little taken aback that it's a van, but doesn't say anything. Then, as she puts the frames in my very full trunk--loaded with baseball equipment and a stroller on top (3 batting helmets to the side), she can see the car seats and she asks, "Do you have 2 other children?" That's when I say, "Well, actually, I have 3 other children. They are all boys. I have been wanting a girl each time, and I finally got one." The look on her face was priceless. She said,"3 boys??? Well...I guess you finally got a girl." And I, "Yep, finally got one! Now we're done!" (before she thought I was clinically insane and had plans for another). Anyway, just like that, her entire perception of me changed before my eyes. I went from "Sweet, young lady with a little newborn," to "Crazy lady with 4 kids" in 0.7 seconds! Oh the look on that lady's face. She walked a walk of shock to the front doors, I know ready to tell that cashier how I had 3 boys at home.

And that's what it's like. I feel like I have to say very quickly how we're done--"We're done, people!" When I go to Wal-Mart, I feel like I have a small class with me. I hear things like "Oh my gosh...bless your heart," and "Are all 'a those yours?" It's really funny! And I have to admit, a tad bit annoying at times. I mean, bless my heart??? Yeah, go ahead and bless me, I'll take it :) But really, I love my life. Each child has a special special place in my heart, and I have so much love in me for each one, that when I think about it, it's almost too much. I am overcome with the blessings that I have been given. It is very hard to manage it all, don't get me wrong--especially with such a little infant. But my goodness I love having such a full house. I love that 3 nights out of the week there were 5 people sleeping in my bedroom because Riley didn't feel well, Talan was in his bed which is in our room, and Ansley was in the bed with Kevin and me. I love that when I got up to make Ansley a bottle, I had to balance and zig zag between Talan and Riley to safely get us out of that room. I love that it looked a little like a slumber party in there. I love it. I love my children. And I think about our future, and I am so very happy to have a little girl to go shopping with, and most of all to talk with late at night maybe over some cappucino or something. I am so lucky to have such wonderful, sweet boys who have such tender hearts...and have my precious little girl too. I love my life now. And I am going to also love it when they grow up, and we have huge Thanksgiving dinners together (I hope their wives let them come here every year!) I look forward to having a full house that only gets even more crowded as the boys grow up and have friends over more often (also when we get a bigger house!!!). I am going to love it when they get older and they can really aggravate each other and play pranks on each other and all that. I can't wait to see each of their real first crushes.

Spencer has already had a girlfriend--one last year. It was a teacher's kid, and boy is she a doll. They are no longer together, and Spencer didn't get all caught up in it or anything, but it was cute. I would prefer him not to really date anyone until he gets out of high school, if I get a vote at all. I would just rather him enjoy his friends and being young altogeher while he is still in school. All the drama that goes with high school and middle school relationships--well, it's unnecessary and I don't want him getting caught up in that.

Anyway, I can't wait for all of these events to occur. But when I look around at my life now, I want it to stay the same forever. I love Ansley being so little. I absolutely love waking up with her in the middle of the night. I love those moments together. I love taking care of her. And I really really love her smiles that are getting more and more frequent. I love how Spencer is so patient (or tries to be), so loving, such a perfectionist, so creative, and so wonderful altogether. It amazes me the things he comes up with sometimes. He has such an artistic mind...We got out of the garage all of the Little People toys that I had stored in a plastic bin. They haven't seen that stuff since Riley was like 3. So it was like brand new to them. They all played together, excitedly. Guess what Spencer does? He makes a jail. He takes a box that he found, gets some tape, cuts a hole, and makes a sign that says, "Jail." Who would come up with that? He's just so neat and his brothers just look up to him so much. They fight too, of course, but they really think he is just amazing.

And I love Riley's downright goofiness and the way he has such a grateful heart for anything given to him. I love the way he's so silly and for some odd reason rhymes all the time. I love that it takes us forever to do his homework because he laughs and giggles the whole time, talking to me and enjoying my undivided attention. Okay, the homework thing can be a hassle when we're in a hurry, but really...I love those times.

I love the way Talan is so mischievous and for some reason so mature with his "meanness." I love the way he already knows how to be sarcastic, and I also love how he has the sweetest little girly voice. I love how he gives me kisses spontaneously, his obsession with balloons (he blows them up himself), cutting with scissors (he cuts balloons(?), crayons (?), paper, anything...), bubbles (not so much lately though), and water. Oh my gosh how he continues to get into trouble for playing in the bathroom sink!

I love and adore each one. I look around and I can't believe I have 4 healthy, beautiful children. And I know that I must be doing something right. God has blessed me and has allowed me to raise 4 of His children. We're not rich. We need a bigger house. But I tell you what, I would have the children over the money anyday. There is not a single day that goes by that I take it for granted. Really. I spend each day thankful for them. I have wanted kids since I was a little girl. It's the only thing I was sure I wanted to be when I grew up. And I always had a nagging fear that because that was what I wanted, something would happen and maybe I wouldn't be able to have them. I wanted to be a mom so badly, I thought it might not come true. Well, I have been blessed four-fold.

And our marriage gets sweeter with every passing year. I am beginning to realize more and more how Kevin and I are made for each other.

Tired. Going to sleep.

Thomas

2009-09-25T23:58:00.000-07:00

Talan totally loves Thomas. I mean totally. He loves his train table, he loves to get out pieces of track and make another one of his own on the floor, coffee table, kitchen table.... He loves watching Thomas on DVDs... But the funniest thing is how he is obsessed with actual trains. We live very close to a train track, and you can see it clearly from our house from the play room. So anytime he hears a train, he drops what he is doing, desperately asks me to open the playroom door, and goes through to the other [outdoor] door, to open it and watch the train go by. He loves the "ding ding ding" thing. He does this many times a day! When driving through town, he is always turned to the right, looking for trains. We cannot make a trip without him either asking him to "go that way" to see a train [which no sane woman would do, so I of course never have. I would NOT take a complete detour off of my route simply to please my 4 year old son, putting me in a position to where he now barks directions to me from the back seat. Because that would be ridiculous....], "slow down" to see a train, or telling us to "look" because there is a train. Seriously. When we went to see Thomas in April, well...for him it was amazing. He remembers the odd route we took there (it was a crazy day and we headed there from a different city), and each time we pass that road he says, "That's the way to Thomas!" I love that he has such a deep infatuation with them...it makes him unique, and plus it's adorable!

The Monday following the party, we put together his Thomas the Train puzzle. It has really large pieces, and it was pretty fun! He didn't quite get that when you're looking for "a piece with a mouth" on it, you actually have to turn that piece to where the mouth is in the correct place. For some reason, he thinks as long as it's the right piece, it can turn any which way! LOL

When we finished, he proudly got his little trains and matched up the ones on the puzzle to the ones that he had.

Side note: One day this week he as playing with his trains, and since he has several that are the same color, and a couple that are exactly the same (4 Thomases), he was asking me "same" and "different" questions. Very funny!

Talan's Birthday Party

2009-09-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a small family party for Talan's birthday last Friday. I am really liking this party on a weekday thing. Then you still have the whole weekend! Anyway, Talan's party actually fell on his birthday as well, so he was beyond himself with excitement for days! Kevin and I gave him his Plasma Car before the boys left for school. Boy, was he happy!!!

It is such a smooth ride, and he flies in the kitchen. He likes to go really fast and then do donuts!!!

Then the entire day was spent asking me, "Mommy, when is it going to be my birthday?" "Honey, it's your birthday all day long today. But we're going to have your birthday party after Daddy get's home." 30 minutes later..."Mommy, when is it going to be my birthday?" LOL

The party was a lot of fun. We had Thomas tattoos, balloon animals, and we played a few outdoor games. Talan really loves Duck, Duck, Goose, so we played it about 15 times :) Then we played the Blob. Kevin and I both had played that many many times in elementary school b/c we had the same PE teacher (but went to different schools). I tried to tell him they wouldn't really "get" it (it was hard for my 4th graders in the past to get it), but they had so much fun anyway! Everyone laughed so much! Steph, Kevin, and I all tried to play the Blob with them but nobody would get us LOL! The kids would just couple up without even being caught...it was just hilarious altogether.

The cake...well, I'm going to spare you the drama behind me making the cake, and leave it by saying that I made a desperate call to Food City that morning at 8:00 AM, and thankfully she had it ready by 5. Thank you cake lady!

Here are a few more pictures...

It was last year when my baby turned 3 that started making me think about having another one. Now he's 4 and we have a baby girl. Isn't it amazing what can happen in one year?

Talan now knows the sounds of L, M, T, and A. He can match objects beginning with these sounds to the correct letter. He can recognize the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. I introduced the 5 just 2 days ago. And he can write his first and last name. We have also done quite a bit of cutting and gluing, so he's gotten a lot better at that as well. So academically, he's doing great and I am so proud of how quickly he catches on to things. And as hard as it is, I am so glad to be staying at home!

More Pictures of the Beauty

2009-09-17T14:23:00.001-07:00

Well, we did go back on Tuesday to take pics. We actually went to Riverfront Park, and just did her because the boys' shirts weren't pressed, my dress hadn't been rewashed yet...So here are some picture that I took of her. I absolutely LOVE the skirt that my grandmother bought her. And the ribbon was from Leslie--she gave a 2 little baggies of ribbons that I now stick on with K-Y. I still think that's so funny! You know it was totally a mom somewhere that came up with that--moms are so inventive! Well, the first time I put one in Ansley's hair and let it dry, Talan plucked it off of Ansley's head and said that he had "found it" in her swing with her. Poor Ansley--that thing dries pretty hard! She stayed sound asleep, though.

As I post this, I have decided to get back into photography for a while. At least while I'm staying at home. I just love taking pictures! I'm a little uncertain about what to do with all of these portraits of her--I love so many of them, and I can't have large wall photos of her everywhere...or maybe I could :) So anyway, if you run across someone wanting some outdoor photography or wedding photography...I would love to do it. I don't want to get my studio equipment out just yet...and I really would like to have 1 more light for it anyhow (I only have 2)...but so I guess I'm going to do like others and start a photography blog or website. I'm very excited! You know, since I'm not working now anyway...and because I am just dying to feel productive! I love staying at home, but I really just have a drive to do something. And this will give me a chance to continue being creative!

And here is my favorite....

1 Month with Ansley

2009-09-14T23:04:00.000-07:00

Ansley at 4 weeks

Ansley is one month old today! She had her second well check appointment, and weighed in at 7 lbs, 11 oz. Her head measured an even 14 in., and her length is now 21 1/4 in. She jumped from 3rd percentile in weight to 10th percentile. We still have plenty of room to grow! Her doctor says she is looking great, and thinks she is gaining very well. Truthfully, she would have weighed a little more, because she had a long (1.5 hours+) nap before I sweeped her up and put her in her car seat to go to the Dr.. While there, she woke up, had a bm, and became very very hungry. So she was weighed with nothing in her tummy and no help at all. But, the exact same thing happened at her newborn well check at 4 days, so her weight gain was appropriately measured.

She got one shot today--her second Hepatitis B. I had the paci in her mouth and was right beside her face, talking to her, when the nurse gave it to her in her thigh. She wailed out, and you could tell it hurt her feelings so badly! Oh it was so sad because she did not expect it at all. But as soon as that band aid was on I scooped her up and she was just fine. She is such a sweetheart.

She actually smiled at me this past Friday, and smiled at my mom as well on the same day. (I'm thinking she thought my mom sure did look a lot like me :) She looks like she is about to smile a lot. But she never actually has since then. Oh well, it will come when it comes. But you really can tell she's happy. She really does smile with her eyes, and you can see her look relaxed and happy at the same time. Can't wait!

In other news, we are making the switch to formula. I hadn't planned on breastfeeding in the first place, but then decided to for a little while...and now she's 1 month and I'm still doing it. For some reason it is so hard to make the switch! Nursing is such a sweet, sweet special time for us. I love how God made mommies bodies able to nourish their babies just perfectly. It really is the neatest thing. It's the last actual physical tie to the baby. Once it's done, well...I don't know...it feels like she's a little less "yours." It's really quite strange that I feel that way. It's not very sensible. Oh well, I don't know the reason behind it. All I know is that it is one very large reason that she loves me so much, and who in the world wouldn't love being the favorite? But the switch must occur...and although it's painful both emotionally [and physically!], I will [eventually] be much happier when it's done.

I am ready to claim my body back and begin exercising to finish off the last few pounds and get back to normal. I actually think I look fine, but I apparently am not because I fit into nothing. I'm still having to wear that Bella Band thing on all my shorts/pants/capris, and that's annoying. I mean, really. I can't go on much longer not having any clothes. I used to have a few pairs of jeans that were a little bigger from just after I had Talan, but I thought I was done [with kids], and took them to Goodwill a year or 2 ago. Ugh. They were cute, too. And worn only a few times.

She wore the absolute cutest outfit today. But she has several absolutely adorable outifts. And I was going to take pics at the ballfield tonight (1st official game...still no uniforms yet), but because my camera has taken up rebellion, I realized I forgot my CF card and obviously could take no pics. That's okay though, and yes, I do blame that on my camera. It should have known better. Esp. one day after pulling the battery card.

I will get some pics of her in that outfit soon. She is growing so fast! She now wears 0-3 mo. instead of newborn sizes, and she had moved up to size 1 diapers last weekend. There are so many newborn outfits she did not get to wear! And I am so taking advantage of this warm weather as a last opportunity to get her into some of the cutest summer fashions that I thought I would never get to see her in! Yay!!!! I just love having a baby girl! I love dressing her! I love how one outfit and one hairbow can look so good on her! I love all the different shades of pink! I love absolutely everything about this little blessing!!!!

Frozen Head

2009-09-14T22:57:00.001-07:00

We went to Frozen Head last night to take pics. We all looked so nice. Then, as I was heading out the door I checked the battery on my camera, and noticed it was low. I tried hurriedly to find my backup battery. No luck. And I was running out of light, so we had to go. Battery died within 10 minutes. I actually cried on the way home.

It takes so much effort to get everyone's clothes clean, matched, ironed...make sure no one has sweated that day, have Ansley perfectly timed with feedings to be content, and well...you know. Not to mention I have to do either an overcast sky or early morning or evening. It's hard! I got all of it together as they napped, and also got a pile of props to take. Kevin had to load of ton of things into the car because I was prepared to stay over an hour taking pics of her (not that long with the boys involved). I was even dressed up myself, looking forward to some precious mother/daughter shots to have Kevin take of us. Oh I was so heartbroken. But the bugs really were just terrible. So I will take it as a blessing, and we'll go somewhere else tomorrow. If nothing else, Kevin felt so sorry for me that he promised we would go tomorrow, and now hopefully he'll be extra patient and helpful just out of pure pity. Hey, I take what I can get :)

Fall Ball

2009-09-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

Well, fall baseball games have begun. Kevin called a scrimmage this past Tuesday, and we had an exhibition game this past Thursday. The boys did really well! Riley's hitting is back to great, and he is currently playing 2nd base. He is really making some awesome progress at catching! He is soooo not afraid at all of the ball...it's a little shocking, how he just goes for it no matter what...and doesn't seem to care if you throw it hard. I'm so impressed! He still has room for improvement of course, but my goodness he's doing wonderfully! He is SUCH a little hustler! Hopefully by the end of this season he'll feel even more confident about his position!

Talan is doing so good, too! He's following directions, and on Thursday he made it all the way to 3rd before getting out off of one of his hits. (It wasn't a triple, but with other batters, he made it to 3rd.) I am so proud of him, too! He played in the dirt a lot on defense, but what do you expect--it's boring out there!

I'm telling you, they are both just adorable in their baseball gear. There is just nothing cuter than baseball uniforms altogether, though, is there? If so, I've never run across it...baseball uniforms are the absolute cutest! In fact, every year I find myself just gazing at my boys, loving how adorable they look in their little pants (the best is when their pinstriped) and sporty hats. We don't have uniforms yet this season, but we should by Monday. Oh, and I don't have any during the game pics because little Ansley kept me busy/confined what have you...when I would finish nursing, she wanted to be held. So I got pics afterwards.

Spencer is enjoying the free time he gets during the games. He runs around getting into stuff, plays his DS, and studies a little bit for upcoming tests. He helps Kevin when he needs it, but overall he loves not having anything to do! And I like it when he hangs out in the van with me too (Ansley keeps me hostage there a lot).

And here's Ansley during their exhibition game...after eating, of course :)

Proud Mommy

2009-09-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

Well, Talan officially writes his name correctly! I am soooo proud of my little boy! He's doing wonderfully. He also recognizes the numbers 1, 2, and 3 and writes them in his own little way. Here are some pics of his work.

Here are some pics of Talan riding his bike--you can see him standing up on the pedals! He is very daring--loves to fly down hills without any fear at all!

And here is my Ansley again, this time in blue. Of course, on a stroller ride. It seems I'm going to have a lot of pictures of her stroller rides!

Ansley's 3 weeks today!

2009-09-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Where oh where does the time go??? I can't believe she is already 3 weeks old today! She has been starting to noticeably focus on our faces. She's so funny! She is a really loud breather when she sleeps, and if she does so happen to find your face and you are talking to her, she will wrinkle up her forehead, raise her eyebrows, and stare as though she is very surprised. Then she begins her heavy breathing LOL. She is so funny! And an absolute joy!

Is she sleeping through the night? Why NO! Of course not! She's too young anyway, but since I'm nursing her she conveniently wakes me up when she's hungry...every 3-5 hours--it just depends--and then I feed her a little, change her, and then feed her a little more...then it could be her or me who falls fast asleep first. I enjoy these nights with her. I just love the way she feels so safe in my arms. I love the way she likes to snuggle up to me...to smell me. I love her little cry to let me know when she's hungry and I'm taking too long, or when she's not happy about being changed. I love waking up to see her sweet face. I just love taking care of my baby girl! And I love saying "baby girl," too. It's so funny, but saying, "I just love my baby girl," is one of the main things I say all the time to her. The actual words "baby girl" roll of the tongue so well. It's fun to say! I know, it's silly. But it's really true.

She's also gotten to where she wants to hold me back by hugging me with her tiny arms or just laying her hand on my chest or even holding onto the back of my arm as she nurses or when I burp her. So precious to feel her small, perfect hand on me!

Mischief

2009-09-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Talan is so mischievous. He is rotten to the core! But I love it! Take tonight. Since we had ball practice, we got fast food. Long Johns, actually. Well, I initially ordered a sweet tea and then Kevin later changed it to a Dr. Pepper since we have sweet tea at home. Riley must have overheard, and when he got home wanted his sweet tea. He was very upset that he didn't get one after all. I explained that we didn't order drinks--only one for Daddy, but that we had sweet tea here anyway, so I would make him one. Then of course Talan wanted tea as well. Then I asked Spencer what he wanted, since I was already giving out nontraditional dinner time drinks. He wanted Mello Yello. Now the only reason we even have Mello Yello 2 Liters here is because some visitors brought it over with their food for us. Yes, I like Mello Yello, but I have pretty much cancelled caffeine out except for occasional use. (I have been brewing decaf sweet tea.) Anyway, I obliged and let him have Mello Yello, and told him it probably wouldn't happen again.

Talan saw the Mello Yello, which I accidentally put near Talan, and asked, "What's this?" in an excited manner. I said, "Oops, Spencer. That's your drink. Get that from Talan, please. Talan, that's Spencer's. Sorry."

Talan says, "But I want it!"

"No, it's Spencer's. I got you tea like you asked."

"But I want it!!!! Pleeeeeeaaaaase?"

"No. It's Spencer's."

"Well, I already took a drink of it!" (Knowing I'll let him have it then, so as not to spread germs.)

"No you did not."

"Yes, I did! I took a drink of it!!!"

"No you did not!"

"Yes I did!!!!" [Spencer has the drink by now, though.]

That little stinker! He did not take a drink of that Mello Yello!

Then a while later, after I had cleared the table and they were nearly ready for bed, Talan, Spencer, and I are in the kitchen...Talan saw Spencer's partially empty glass sitting on the counter and scooped it up and took a big gulp before I could react. Oh he's a mess!

A Conversation With Riley And Some Updates

2009-09-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

We had baseball practice tonight, which means that we of course got a late start on eating dinner and all that good stuff. Well, the boys have school pictures tomorrow, so even though it was late and Riley had a bath yesterday, I went ahead and washed his hair so that it would work well with me in the morning. (We usually do baths for Riley and Talan every other night unless their actually dirty.) Spencer does showers, and sweats almost everyday...so he's in the shower almost every night.

As I was blow drying Riley's hair, Spencer asked,"So, Riley and Talan have to take a bath tomorrow, right?"

"Right."

Then Riley adds, "Yeah, it has to be tomorrow. Not the next day."

I ask, "Why not the next day?"

"Because I'm going to the Tennessee game on that day."

"Oh, that's right. So it can't be that day." (Actually, it can, if he gets dirty at the game...but I just wanted to make it easy and agree.)

"Are you going to the game, Mom?"

"No. I'm going to stay home with the baby."

"But you could take her with you."

"Yes, but it would be better to stay at home because if she cries, no one will have a good time. So I'm just going to stay at home and take good care of her here."

"Alright."

"You know, when you go to the game, and every time you go to school, Ansley and I miss you."

"Well, if it's in the game, and it's starting the second half, you can tell her I'll be home in a minute. And if the game is almost over, and it's at the end, tell her I'll be home in a second. But if we just got there, and the game's just starting, tell her I'll be home in one hour."

"Okay, Riley, I'll tell her." (I was impressed that he knew the differences in time values--well you know, from greatest to least is pretty good! When do they teach that?)

"And don't forget to give her her 2 dolls."

"Okay. Which one does she like better?"

"The one that makes noise."

"Okay."

"Just give her that one, and if she doesn't like that one, then you can try the other one."

"Okay. So is that the big one or the little one?"

"The big one. She likes the big one for me. But I don't know which one she'll like for you."

How sweet he is! I love how involved he feels! In reality, he doesn't play with her all that much. He has had a bad cough that just went away, so we've sort of been keeping them apart. Plus he has been all into the Wii lately...but he'll just smile the sweetest grin when I tell him to give her a kiss on the head and when I tell him how much she loves her Riley kisses. Riley has such a loving heart!

Oh...and both of my boys did so well at practice!!! I am super proud of Riley for hustling and getting those grounders and throwing hard throws. He's totally not afraid of the ball, and even caught a throw to him while he was on 2nd. I couldn't believe it!

Talan played a lot in the dirt, but he also did so good going after the balls! He's still working on getting his glove open wide enough and down correctly, but he hustled and did great!

It turns out that Spencer's age group will not be playing after all. He's not too disappointed. though. This is the first off season he has had since he was 4! He has been in baseball, basketball, and football...meaning year round and all the time. He will likely enjoy his time running around and just being a kid.

Spencer is so very sweet to Ansley too. He's so mature! At least sometimes :) When I picked them up from school today, Ansley was crying. He comforted her, saying, "Ansley, Ansley," over and over...and she stopped crying. He did this the entire way home, changing it to "Answey, Answey," and saying that she likes it when he calls her that. Spencer is an excellent big brother. She is going to totally love him.

SAHMs

2009-09-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

It's official. I requested to extend my unpaid leave at school to the end of the year. Today I got the letter. I was granted the extension. Here is my list of pros and cons that I have been wrestling with in my brain for some time now. Although I wrote this earlier this week, I am actually just posting it now, 9/5...because I just got the approval notice.

Some wonderful things about staying at home (right now):

1. I get to have these precious memories with my baby...not someone else.
2. This is my last year with Talan before he starts Kindergarten. And when that happens, time really begins to fly :(
3. Babies are only babies once :(
4. This is my last one, and I want to soak it all in.
5. My personal opinion is that babies belong with their mommies when possible. Feel free to disagree. That's just how I feel.
6. I can focus on only my children for now, and I'm not as stressed out at the end of the school day.
7. Now when I pick up my boys, I have a genuine smile on my face and am eager to hear about their day and all they have to say...rather than getting onto them about getting their things together so we can leave [my classroom at the end of the school day] to go get Talan and I guess now it would be Ansley too--both at different places.
8. I won't have to argue with Kevin about whose turn it is to take off when the boys get sick.
9. I get to focus on prepping Talan for K, and I will hopefully get him reading some 3-letter words at least before school begins for him.
10. I will never get this time back. Once it's gone, it's gone.

Some cons of being a SAHM this year:

1. Lack of adult conversation. (Kevin just doesn't have a whole lot to talk about. And college football starting tonight did not help matters!)
2. No concrete deadlines, objectives, or goals...I set my own, which mean sometimes I'm the only who notices I even did anything. (I know--waaaah waaaah LOL)
3. I feel "out of the loop."
4. I'm missing out on the one chance I'll ever get to teach Spencer 1 subject.
5. Ummmm....money!!!!!!!!!!

Learn a Little Each Day

2009-09-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

I once had a teacher--the one that focused on Kindergarten instruction--who said that his motto was to "learn a little each day." Well, that's what I've been doing with Talan, and it's going really well!

Talan has been able to write his name on his own since around the time he had his 3rd birthday. Not because I sat down and "taught" him, but because I would always write his name for him as something to do, and show him what it looked like, and such...and then he would do his version next to it. For never having been really instructed on how to form the letters and such, he did awesome. His "T" was always a lowercase T, and both of his a's were always backwards (the sticks were on the wrong sides), and sometimes he would leave out the l. I joked that he would always write "tlolon" as his name. But still, pretty impressive I thought. Especially the first time that I saw him do it.

Well, now that we are buckling down and getting ready for Kindergarten, I have been working with him on making his name correct. So the biggest thing has been writing his name correctly. I have been focusing on getting those a's right on paper. He's getting it--but it has taken some practice because he has written his a's the other way for so long. I really should have taken care of that a long time ago! So all in all, these are most of the things we have been doing....

1. Practice writing name correctly. (With a focus on the a's. Will work on capital T's once the a's have been mastered)
2. Working on the sounds /t/ and short /a/. He is doing fantastic!
3. Practicing writing the numbers 1, 2, and 3 and putting the correct amount of items on each number.
4. Meanings of "same size," "same," "bigger," "smaller," and "different." Doing great on these, but "same size" for some reason is tricky...I think it's because all the rest in the row are about the same size too.
5. Things that "belong together" like a racquet with a ball.
6. Coloring neatly.
7. Holding a pencil correctly (Hard right now!).
8. I've introduced AB patterns, but just once.

On the worksheets out of the book, we do them together for a few days to practice the skill before I let him actually write in the book and circle the answer.

Talan really loves it so far. After I'm done, he likes to do it to me...so he can boss me around, I think! He'll be like, "Okay, now write your name right here." "Trace this." And even, "Draw 2 circles right there. Good job, Mommy!" So, as you can see, we are definitely "learning a little each day." I think Talan's fave part is just having my undivided attention. I like it, too :)

We have a neighborhood friend that is Spencer's age. He is such a sweet boy, and since school has not started back for him yet, he has come over to play with Talan outside almost each day. He has went on bike rides with us, and also came over to jump on the trampoline. Talan is over the moon when this boy comes over. He is so kind to Talan, and really is quite innocent compared to other 4th graders I know. He is a little different in several ways. It makes Talan so happy to have another child to play with! It's too bad he'll be back in school soon! Too bad there isn't another preschooler that could come over a few hours a few days a week. Talan would enjoy that. If you know anyone who needs a part-time babysitter for a while for a 4 or 5-year-old, let me know!

Talan with the neighborhood friend

Ansley on another stroller ride. Isn't she lovely?

I love her expression in this one!

Baseball Beginnings

2009-08-31T22:10:00.000-07:00

Look carefully and you can see Talan in the outfield (playing in the dirt/grass), and Riley practicing on short.

Baseball is going okay so far. Riley is not hitting as well as he usually does, and well...we need to practice. Talan, on the other hand, hit better than we expected him to. He'll turn 4 in a couple of weeks, and we haven't really practiced at home using a real bat (we use plastic usually), but he's pretty stout and he hit like a little champ. Now, Talan's in the outfield, which means he is always in the dirt, but still...I thought he did really well overall.

Now, let me clarify...Riley is doing well too, just not as great as I thought he would be. He had strike after strike tonight off of Kevin's pitches, but when Kevin moved behind him and let someone else pitch so that he could watch Riley's swing better, Riley started hitting. The other man was pitching overhanded, and Riley was hitting alright. Not as good as I've seen him hit before, but alright. We have expectations for Riley because we know what he is capable of. It appears he is starting out in a slump. I truly do believe that performance is hugely impacted by confidence and good mentality, so I am hoping strongly that he pulls out of it quickly, before it begins to really affect him. I know, I know, it sounds as if I'm taking this way too seriously. I am. I know. But if you have a child that loves baseball as much as he does...it would just tear you up to see him struggle and get down on himself.

When I say he loves baseball, I mean he loves baseball. This child has such an imagination, and he does pretend games in the house and outside when he plays. He makes up players, makes up numbers for them, and makes up their ability level--meaning sometimes he's good, sometimes he's not when he's pretending to be them. He'll know who's on 2nd, on 3rd...and so on in his pretend game. He keeps track of everything. Shoot, sometimes he's even a left-handed batter, and swings with his left hand. He loves to watch baseball on TV. He and Spencer have fought on many, many occasions about what channel to watch when they go to sleep. (Yes, I know, bad habit.) I always put it on 32 ESPN when they go to sleep, but on the weekends and many nights over the summer I'll let them watch Nick at Nite or Disney. Well, guess who pitches a fit, wanting to watch baseball? Oh, and yes, he does it for football too. Not so much for basketball though. Not yet, at least.

What about Spencer's team? Well, we're still waiting to hear if there will even be a team for his age group. It's looking like not enough signed up, so we're waiting to hear more information. Spencer doesn't seem heartbroken right now, though. I think he's glad to have some unstructured free time without his brothers. He played his DS and walked around a while. Then headed back to the van with me. Then, he asked Kevin if he could bat, and he also ran the bases with the team. I thought that was pretty cute.

Out and About

2009-08-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

Mommy with Ansley. Look--Ansley is saying, "Hi!"

Daddy with Ansley. He just loves his baby girl!

Well, other than when I had my eye appointment on the 18th, this past Thursday was the first time Ansley has been out in public. I took her out to eat with me at Los Primos. Melody and Kendra met me there, and they had a few gifts for Ansley with them. We had a fantastic time reminiscing about old times. Specifically, old college times. Oh how I love talking about the good 'ol days! Of course, I absolutely love my life right now, but talking about the times where we had so few responsibilities and lived for excitement and made decisions based on our own selfish desires...well, of course we enjoyed it!!! I wonder where some of those people are now....

Back to the subject...Ansley did wonderfully! She slept the entire time--until it was time to go. Then, of course, she let her needs be known and I jetted to the van to feed her as quick as I could. So of course, dinner was perfect!

The next night, my sister came down...Yay!!! My mom and Jeff took us out to eat at Ruby's, and again Ansley slept the whole time! Dinner was great! Steph has 2 years left of pharmacy school, and we are all so excited when she comes down to visit. The boys just love their Aunt Stephanie. And because Ansley didn't wake during dinner, Steph came over later that night to spend time with her new niece. And of course nephews.

On Sunday, Dad, Marty, Grandma, and Grandpa came over, along with Steph, for a while after church (Ansley and I haven't been yet. But all of the males went. We will go back next week). Talan was so funny, dying for Steph's attention. He was ready for everyone else to go home--and telling them bye--so he could have Steph all to himself!

On Sunday night we ate at El Cantarito with my mom and Jeff. I know, a lot of Mexican lately! Ansley had her first huge diaper blowout. It was so disgusting! It was all over her clothes, carrier, blanket, shoes...I had to take her out to the car to get her all changed and cleaned up. That same night, she had another blowout right after I put her little sleeper on. Poor thing! Uh, and poor me, too! FYI, blowout number 3 happened today (Monday) while picking up the boys from school. Yuck!

Oh, I forgot to mention that Jeff's son Drew came down, and they brought their new son Siler to our house. Here are some pics of that as well!

Ansley "playing possum."

For anyone wondering, I did get Ansley out to finish her pictures, but she politely said, "No, not today." So I guess we're done with those.

So Far, So Good

2009-08-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

Talan & Ansley after a bike ride/stroller ride

Talan doing his most favorite thing right now--water balloons!

We have been busy here around the Moore household! I have been able to set up somewhat of a routine the past few days, and it goes a little something like this:

Wake up, iron clothes for all the boys
Make Riley's lunch, sometimes Spencer's
Feed Ansley
Spencer & Riley leave for school
Get Talan dressed
While Ansley is sleeping, take a shower
Laundry
Play school with Talan
Get ready--hair, makeup, clothes
Play with Talan if Ansley is still asleep
Ansley gets up. Feed her.
Feed Talan lunch
Go outside (bike/stroller or back yard)
Come in, cool off
Laundry/pick up
Nap
Go pick up Spencer and Riley

There are a few things I need to change about this schedule. It's not my ideal routine yet. I'd like to add some outdoor time earlier in the morning when it's less hot, for one. Another thing is that I could get up earlier and [ideally] shower and get ready before Talan wakes up. Before I iron clothes for the boys. But then, of course that would mean less sleep. So I'm gonna put that off for now. Also, getting up early would mean risking Ansley waking up and crying and waking the others up while I am in the shower. That's a pretty good excuse, isn't it??? So I'm going to keep on sleeping until almost 7 for now. It's nice sleeping so late!! Perhaps I'll alternate early wake-up days...who knows.

A couple of things going on around the house lately....Yesterday, after I got home from picking up the boys, Ansley was still asleep in her carseat. As I was picking up around the kitchen, she began to fuss and wake up. Riley came to tell me. So I asked Riley to go talk to her or sing to her for just a minute. He said, "What? Okay, let me get my microphone!" LOL he's so funny! He sang "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" to her until I got to her. Then he followed us to my bedroom with his microphone and continued to take requests as he put on a show on my bed. Riley is hilarious!

Talan can now stand up as he pedals on his bike! It's true! Yesterday was Ansley's first stroller ride (she went on 2 yesterday), and so Talan rode his bike with us. My little 3-year-old was standing up on his pedals, riding like a little pro! Cutest sight to see--he's still so little to be doing that! He still has his training wheels on, but still--so cute!

Spencer will be starting kid-pitch baseball this fall. I am very nervous about it. Baseball is his favorite sport, but to be honest, we are pretty competitive with it. He has always been really good at baseball (it's his best sport), and I really hope he continues to both enjoy it and do well at it. This new advancement makes me pretty nervous! I've heard of kids doing well all up until this stage!

Riley and Talan will both be playing in a fall league as well. Kevin will be coaching, and I'm pretty excited about it. This is Talan's first time playing an organized sport, and I am curious to see how he does with it. Riley is great at baseball. He has a natural ability to understand the sport and was batting I guess since he was one. Of course, he grew up seeing Spencer play, so that has a lot to do with it. But Riley really is great at it. He bats wondefully. Fielding is harder, and part of it is because he has trigger thumb in his left hand. He initially had them on both hands (they weren't bad, but they did hinder some abilities). He had surgery around Christmas last year on both thumbs, and at first it seemed successful, but then it came back on his left hand. That's his catching hand, and with him already being so little...it makes it even harder to open his glove wide enough to catch the ball. I didn't want to redo the surgery over summer because I knew we'd be doing a lot of swimming, but I need to plan it again. I'll probably try for November/December. He did do great at the Thunder Baseball Camp that we sent him to, though, over the summer. He was still able to catch a lot of grounders--but I know it has to make it harder on him. But oh, how he loves baseball.

When Kevin or I play baseball with them in the yard or sometimes in the playroom, Talan will sometimes play too. Not always, but sometimes. Well, Talan is (was!) the baby. So he is used to getting his way. If he hits it fair, he'd cry foul anyway just so he'd get another turn at bat. And many many times he would refuse to run to first. And then he would sometimes get bored and simply be finished once he got to 1st or 2nd base. He'd do his own thing (like bubbles or riding his bike) until he wanted to hit again. And that child is very stubborn. He will pitch a fit if he doesn't get his way...oh my we might be in for a show come baseball season! I can see him being one of those kids with a lot of talent, zero discipline. But I can't wait, nonetheless! Being the obsessive coach that he is, Kevin has called their first practice for tomorrow because he just can't wait until next week, when they are actually scheduled to have the field. I am set to go out to eat with a couple of friends, so I won't be able to see his first practice now (um, thanks, Dear). I can't wait to hear about it, though!

Our First [Work]Week With Ansley

2009-08-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

Last week was our first full week with our baby girl. The boys have really enjoyed her, and we have been very blessed with lots and lots of visitors who came bearing some delicious food! On Monday, Misty Magill came to meet Ansley, and left us with lasagna, Texas Toast, and brownies!

On Tuesday, our Couples Sunday School Class came with salad, baked spaghetti, bread, and banana pudding. Yum again! They stayed for a while, and it was good to talk and share labor and delivery and newborn stories.

On Wednesday...(I'm beginning to feel like the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar--which is one of my absolute faves, although I think if I remember correctly, someone told me that it's supposed to be a chrysalis instead of a coccoon. But I do LOVE that book!) Anyway, on Wednesday, Elaine and Leslie came over with roast (my favorite meat entree!!!), mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, and some delicious blackberry cake. I am going to get a recipe for the roast and cake! (I still have yet to ever cook roast, and I love it!)

On Thursday, I got to see my coworkers! It was soooo good to see them and I miss them dearly when I'm at home! I miss having lunch with them, chatting at recess, and just being around them in general! They brought over some good 'ol KFC with all the fixins :) and also some chocolate chip cookies and brownies. Kimo and Susan also came over that night, and brought Ethan, Macy, and Callie with them. The boys were so glad to have some playmates over!

On Friday Mona and Lucille from our Disiciple Training class came over with lots of pizza, cheese sticks, and chocolate dipper sticks. It was so good! They also left us with a Cracker Barrell gift card from the class.

My mom and stepdad also came over nearly every night to come and see Ansley. They were fully prepared to bring food, but there was always too much already here! So they brought us dinner on the weekends. It's so good to know how much Ansley is loved! Riley's teacher Mrs. Cates even had the entire class make cards to welcome Ansley. And 1st grade drawings and handwriting are just adorable!

So needless to say, we have now been spoiled. Tomorrow will begin our 2nd workweek with her, and time to really begin getting into a routine. Ansley is beginning to have some spurts of being awake and alert now, which is just wonderful. She likes the mobile in her crib, loves her brothers, and is really a peaceful and happy baby! She is beginning to let me lie her down some while she sleeps, and I am resisting the temptation (sometimes) to just hold her anyway. I do have 3 sons, and it's really not best to just act like a mattress, I don't guess....But I do love to hold my baby girl. It is right now my favorite thing to do. Besides talking to her and kissing her. Oh she smells so very good!

Yesterday is the first time I have broken down into tears about returning to work. I did twice. The thought of leaving her is already stressing me out! I realized that I've never left a baby all day long before. Spencer only had a babysitter for 3 hours/day his first year of life, and I simply stayed at home with the other 2. So the idea of leaving my baby girl all day long is killing me. I realized, she won't even be able to sit up when it's time for me to go back. How sad is that? She will still be so little. It tears me up. But I'm going to try not to dwell on that.

Today's news: Ansley's cord came off! 9 days old and she has an outtie for now--but I believe it will be an innie later, like the rest of them.

Here are some pictures of my favorite people in the world--hanging out around the house.

I took some newborn pictures of Talan in this very same basket, and have a picture of it framed in his room. I loved how they turned out, so I decided to do the same with Ansley. Then I added some baby girl flair with a tutu skirt and of course a headband. I like the way the color brightens up the picture. I didn't get a good face shot of her with the skirt and headband, so I've been trying to get back out there to do it again...but she was fussy twice, then on another day there were too many bugs, and then the last two nights it has been way too chilly. But hopefully one day very soon I'll get her back out there and finish up the pics!

Happy Birthdays!!!!

2009-08-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

Although this is old news, I'd still like to post something on the boys' birthdays. For those of you who didn't know, we now have 3 birthdays in August and one birthday in September.

Since their party dates are rarely ever their actual birthday dates, I always bake a simple cake just for us on their actual birthdays. This year the each got 2 "home" cakes--a bundt cake and a small square or round cake--because my cake pans are still at the church LOL. I just can't remember to get them! I have made very cute party cakes for them in the past, but not this year. I did last year and Spencer's cake was just hilarious. I did the Autobot and Decepticon symbols and did 2 cakes. Well, the food coloring never allowed me to get the vanilla icing "red enough." So one of them looked fuschia. The other one was purply gray. So you can imagine how Spencer felt about one pink and one purple cake last year. But he's so sweet. He still told me I did a really good job. But this year, when discussing cakes, he initially wanted the same cakes as last year, and to do Transformers all over again...but added, "But could you make the cake a little more red this time? I mean, you did a really good job, though." hahaha :) Then one year Spencer wanted "The Thing" from Fantastc Four. Well, there was no attainable flesh tone. Pink that year, too.

So anyway, let me write about how picking out this year's birthday stuff went. It's lengthy, but I want to have it in our book later (the chaos makes me laugh when it's all over), so.... The 3 boys and I were at Wal-Mart one day in June. I decided to stroll down the party aisle to let them look at invitations. It was still early and there was plenty of time, so I thought we would just get some ideas to think over. Spencer went ahead end picked Transformers, and Riley refused to leave until he had some invites in his hand as well. Finally he decided on some cute little "ticket" invitations that say "Admit One" on them, saying he wanted a baseball party. Invitations done!

A couple of weeks later we go to Party City to get all the plates and cups and stuff to go with the themes they chose. Yep, me (big and pregnant) and the wild 3. I am a glutton for punishment. They were beside themselves. Riley was trying on hat after hat, begging for one, saying he "never ever gets to get a hat." There was just no way I was spending $12.99 on a fuzzy baseball hat. Plus, then they would all want to pick something out. But there was no stopping Riley's fit. Riley ended up in time out. On the ground in Party City. Talan of course wanted out of the buggy the whole time, especially since the others were getting to "touch" stuff, so to pacify him I had to keep wheeling him over to the stuff he wanted to touch. And then I would have to try to figure out what he wanted when he couldn't reach it from the buggy. "That. No Mom, not that. That! No that!" And then Spencer kept trying to walk off and look at his own things. I'm pretty sure my 9 year old may have ended up in time out too. Not positive, but pretty sure. Well, anyway, after what seemed like an eternity, I finally got them focused long enough to put actual items that we came for into the cart. They both decided to do sort of an "All Sports" party, with football, baseball, and basketball themed stuff. So this meant Riley's invations were okay, but Spencer's Transformers ones needed to be returned. He chose some new baseball ones. But, mission accomplished. Except for getting party favors to go in the treat bags. I could come back for that.

A few weeks later, we all go to order the cakes at Krogers. I tell them we need to get a "sport cake" to go with the theme, and turn the tab of the binder to "Sports." Well, don't you know it...racing is a sport. Not one of the sports that goes with our party, but it's a sport. So Spencer asks to have a Dale Jr. cake. I explained how that wouldn't really fit all the stuff I already bought for this party. Being the good sport that he is, he agrees to pick out another cake and says he understands. But looks disappointed. So I think, "Oh, who cares! Let him have the cake he wants. They're only little once--and they don't care about matching." So he picks out his Dale Jr. cake. They don't have the Dale Jr. stuff to go on it. So then he picks out a Jeff Gordon cake. (Obviously not that devoted a fan. Kevin acts like he's dying, though.) No Jeff Gordon cake toppers left. "OK, Tony Stewart." Ha! They have that one. So we order that one. Since we're already messing up the theme, I ask Riley if he wants a Tennessee cake. "Oh yeah!!" Riley says :) Riley is a HUGE Tennessee fan. If it's Vol orange, it's a hit! Before leaving, we decide we'll find Spencer a Dale Jr. car on our own to sit on the cake, and have Krogers make a cake without the topper stuff. So, in the end, not only is there not one single baseball, football, or basketball on either of the cakes, but also the color scheme went from red, blue, & orange party plates, cups, and napkins to adding Mtn. Dew green, yellow, and Volunteer orange to the mix. But really, who cares, right? They were thrilled and that was all that matters. But now Kevin and I had to hunt down a Dale Jr. car and something UT that could fit nicely on a cake. We eventually did, so in the end it was all good.

I am going to spare the details (and drama) of shopping for birthday presents while [sometimes] with the boys. It's hard for me to shop because I can't commit. I change my mind unless I really do think it's just perfect. This means multiple trips to ToysRUs. Trip 1:look forever, get ideas. Trip 2: buy. Trip 3:return, buy something else. I get on my own nerves when looking for presents!

We decided to have Spencer's and Riley's party together this year--to save money and effort as Ansley's birth was just around the corner. We had it at the Kingston pool rather than my mom's house so that there would be plenty of room and less stress. Well, there wasn't "less stress," but the kids had a lot of fun nonetheless. They really enjoyed the slide and diving board, and Riley got to show off how he no longer needed a vest! The lifeguards kept a good watch over everyone, and that was nice as well. The 2 hour time constraint, however, was painful. They had to swim, eat, do cake and ice cream, and open gifts all in that time! One more hour would have been perfect. But still, it was fun! And it was done! All in 2 hours! Since I had already started back at work and we did it on a weeknight, it worked out fine. They each invited a few friends and had cousins and family come as well. School hadn't started yet for the boys, so we didn't have a way to give out invitations to all their friends this year...and I wasn't willing to wait until school started, since we never knew when Ansley might decide to arrive :)

Talan's birthday is September 18th, so it's already time to start planning for that one! We've already got his present, so at least that's one thing out of the way. Here are some pics from the party and actual birthday pics...

Spencer's cake on his birthday, August 2nd, at home

Riley's birthday cake at home on August 11th

Riley told us his wish--that Talan would ne nicer!

Party Pictures

Talan got a new Webkin, too!

Talan enjoying the chocolate out of his treat bag. What a mess!

A Little Bit About Us...

2009-08-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

After reading blogs of other families (and enjoying them very much), I have decided to do one for ourselves. I am hoping to get hard copies made of it later, and have it serve as a keepsake of memories for our family.

Kevin and I met in high school, and dated pretty much the entire time. We weren't together during college, but later married and now have one incredible family. We have 3 boys--Spencer Evan, who just turned 9; Riley Alexander, who just turned 6; and Talan James, who will turn 4 in a few short weeks. Ansley Elizabeth was born just 6 days ago...and she was clearly our last shot at having a girl.

I was sure that I wasn't going to have any more babies, as 3 is plenty...but when Talan had his 3rd birthday...and Kevin kept on and on about trying one last time...and keeping up around the house was getting easier...and the finances were getting better...well, I decided I wasn't quite ready to close the childbearing chapter of my life. I thought long and hard about it, prayed about it, and carefully weighed how it would affect my sweet sons. And then I decided, you know, that I wasn't overwhelmed... I felt like our family was doing fabulously... I felt like the needs of my boys were easily being met, I felt like I had plenty of attention going towards each of them, and I felt like I could try just one more time. But I still fought the desire, thinking that I was blessed enough...3 healthy boys and things going so well between Kevin and me...I should just be thankful for what I have and not push the envelope with four.

And then I gave in. When I decided it was a go, I was giddy with excitement...this was the only pregnancy that we got to truly plan! Kevin was reading the internet with tips on how to produce a girl...and that's what we followed! That was the end of November/early December. On Dec. 22nd, I found out I was pregnant! We were soooo excited. And I was a little anxious about finding out what the sex of the baby was (OF COURSE!). I had boy and girl names picked out, because I knew that whatever God blessed me with, I would still of course be thrilled with (but I did want a girl). Brady for a boy, Kendall for a girl. We had picked out Kendall for a girl name back when I was pregnant with Riley, and had always thought we would use it. Later during the pregnancy, however, I wasn't so fond of Kendall. Kendall sounded so much like Spencer, Riley, and Talan...and I didn't want her to fit in so nicely. I wanted her to have a definite girl name. I mean, I had waited my entire life to have this baby girl. I wanted a girly name. So Kevin and I bickered about the name for weeks. Months. And finally I just told him that I deserved this name. I had wanted a girl all my life, my body had now went through 4 pregnancies...I deserved to name this baby. And so I agreed that it wouldn't be named Sophie, and after a day of thinking it over, he let up and let me have the name. He said he "wouldn't be happy with any name other than Kendall," so whatever I picked would be "fine." If that was a last ditch plea for the name, I totally ignored it, and enjoyed my newfound freedom of picking the name. Later, we agreed on Ansley Elizabeth. And yes, he likes it :) but he did tell me once after she was born that she did "look like a Kendall." Ugh.

I am taking off nearly 4 months with Ansley, and am scheduled to return to work on December 14. I can already tell you that that will not be easy. I stayed at home after Riley's birth and Talan's birth, and didn't go back to work until Talan was 11 months old and Riley was 3 years old. So it will be very hard to return. But Spencer is in the 4th grade this year, and along with loving my job, and missing my coworkers (I do have the best coworkers that I know of...by a longshot), teaching Spencer for Social Studies is plenty of incentive to get back to it.

How is Ansley? She's wonderful. She is an absolute angel and she just has a cloud of sweetness that surrounds her. For now she is sleeping with me in the living room at night. She is quickly becoming spoiled, and wants to be held all the time. This might be because we like to hold her all the time. But I am aware that this is a bad habit to start. She usually sleeps in my arms (or Kevin's), and occasionally has a nap in the swing. She spends most of her time asleep. If you want her to wake up, just sit her down :) Then of course she will want to eat. She LOVES to eat. That is definitely her favorite activity. I am breasfteeding, which means she's stuck on me nearly all the time right now. I really do enjoy it, but Kevin has to return to work tomorrow, and breastfeeding seems to tie up a lot of my time. It will be hard to juggle both Talan and her, and I am going to have to improve in many ways in order to please my little boy.

Talan has been just super with Ansley (they all have), but you can tell he is definitely more emotional and needs attention. He got so much attention from me before...he was such a momma's boy...that it's sort of hard to deal with. He adores--and I mean adores--Ansley, but it's hard for him because she has so much of my attention now. It has opened the door for Kevin this week, and Kevin and Talan have really enjoyed quality time together...while Spencer and Riley have been at school. So that part is good. But it does make my heart hurt to see Talan turn to Kevin when he would always turn to me before. I am beginning to get my energy back though, so hopefully Talan and I can get back on track very soon.

Wow I can't believe I have just written that much. I have plenty to do...the 4th grade teachers are bringing us dinner tonight! I can't wait to see them!