Lock-In 2010

We had our Lock-In Saturday night at the church for 4th grade up. 19 kids came and had a great time. They ate, far too much! We sang songs, they did a great job and we had fun too.

One of the games we played was the mummy wrap, this was the winner. So fun to watch. I think they enjoyed every game we played. After we finished each one they said, "we're going to play this one again". Let's just say we didn't have time to do that. Bun Shuffle was the last game we played. Some of them went home with some bruises...lol

Brother Tim did a very fun and interesting devotional, each one of them wrapped themselves in "sin" yarn. They thought that was great. The boys and girls each had a separate devotion time. Amanda Wilson did the girls and it was done so well. Thank you, Amanda, so much for your time and effort.

Ashley, Josh and I stayed up all night. Let me just say it was easier than I thought. When we got to the movie at 5:30 I was having a tough time. Josh and I crashed at 10:30 and didn't wake up until 6:30. I can't wait until we do it again!

Opossum

I told you that we get a lot of critters at our place, never a dull moment. Today was no exception to this. I had been super busy all day. Kalan was sick with the stomach virus, bless her heart. No details needed about all that goes along with that. Once she finally settled down I had to start on the treats for the lock-in at church tomorrow night. I always look out the window while I'm washing dishes and this time I see an UGLY opossum coming up out of the pasture. This is unusual because the are nocturnal creatures. This opossum was on a mission. They can be very aggressive and carry rabies. I ran and got Josh's pistol, I unloaded all 9 rounds at the opossum, luck thing. He ran only a few feet up a tree, I knew as soon I left he would be back looking for food. So, okay...I know this is a little overkill, but it was the only rifle I was comfortable shooting. I got the .270 out and killed it with one shot. Please no hate mail...lol I don't kill harmless animals, these are not harmless. We have dog and cat food in our storage room in the garage, if they get food from one place they come back and are vicious. They can and will kill small pets, like our cat. They have been known to attack humans; my kids feed our animals.

On a brighter note...I am super excited about the lock-in tomorrow night. I made 45 cupcakes and over 100 rice crispy treats...there will be no lack of sugar! I will definitely blog about it...stay tuned.

Unlike me...

If you have been reading my blog lately, I told you that I would be doing a "Catch Up" of 09. Well, I went back through all of my pictures and I did not take any pictures of kids at Halloween 09. Why you ask...I don't know. I can't remember why I didn't take any. That is so unlike me. I am usually that mom you see just trying to get that perfect shot, even when the kids have clearly had a meltdown or are in no mood to be photogenic. I am the one who has a camera for every event, both great and small. I guess I had a mental lapse. I have tried to remember why I wouldn't have taken my camera with me. Josh said I told him that Mia and Mindy would be taking pictures and I wasn't worried about it. Yet, again, that does not sound like me. I like to feel as though I am cataloging my children's life in photos. I have my photos in my photo library in chronological order and even sub grouped by events. I sat down at my computer at home last night and went through every folder! Couldn't find any pictures from Halloween 09. I then got out my camera, and thought, maybe I had forgotten to get them off my memory card. Not the case. I will admit defeat. I guess that Josh was right...maybe I did say I would just steal their pictures. Anyway, it's a mystery to me. I am going to steal some pics form Mindy and put them up of Halloween 09. After my Halloween post I will put up my Ka-Ka's most important moment form 09 and that should conclude my 09 rewind. I feel I have touched on all of the memorable moments from 09.

Basket Case

My children never cease to amaze me with the things that they do. Sunday night Josh and I had folded clothes in our bedroom and were taking each pile to their rightful owner; we came back to this. Nathan in one of the empty baskets. He was watching TV while chilaxing. As you can see (in the bottom pic, sorry out of order again), he's way too big for the basket. I cannot see how he thought of this as comfortable. Josh put the other basket over him and kicked it off, see above pic. I know that most of these are blurry, but he will not stay still long enough for me to get one good one.

He thought it was the funniest thing when Josh picked him up, suggesting to throw him out. I just love how he has his arms behind his head...he really makes me smile :)

The basket gave him static!

My little Basket Case!

Big Love

Okay, this is my second addiction, well actually it was my first. I have been watching Big Love since season one. The show is now in it's 4th season! I can not get enough of this crazy story line. This show has more twists and turns than a gymnast, seriously! I have it DVR'd so I don't accidental miss an episode. The bad part is this season, though very short, is quickly coming to an end. ONLY 2 EPISODES LEFT! I don't know if I can wait until next year to find out what's going to happen to the ever growing Henrickson family. I do have to say that I am going to miss Amanda Seyfried who plays Sarah Henrickson. I don't know who they will get to replace her or if they are going to write her character off. I'm sure it will make for some excellent TV drama!

I have my theory as to how they will end the season this year. I believe that somehow the Henrickson clan will not be outed as a polygamist family. If they did what would the show be about? I do think that they will have to watch over their shoulder for Hollis Greene and his cronies. You don't just cut a sociopath's arm off and him forget about ya! I do believe Alby will go crazy and maybe off his first wife. That JJ has got something up his sleeve, but I can't quit put my finger on it yet. I guess we will have to stay tuned.

My New Obsession

I only have a few T.V. shows that I watch, but this is one of my new favorites! I am totally obsessed! I didn't start on the series until the second seasoned had already aired. My sister, Mindy, had the first season on DVD and suggested that I watch it. Josh and I both where kind of sceptical at first because the accents were so over the top and I thought that might get annoying, but I have grown to love them. I was so hooked that when I heard there was a book series I ran right out to Wal-Mart and bought the series. I have to give it to Mrs. Charlaine Harris and the whole "Southern Vampire Mysteries: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel" Series. I could not stop reading them. I am a total Team Eric fan (see above picture)! I am now patently waiting for the re airing of season two on HBO starting March 21 . I have already pre-ordered the second season from Amazon along with the latest installment in the "Southern Vampire Mysteries: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel" Series, "Dead in the Family" which I will receive May 4. If you already watch "True Blood" and decide to read the book series, don't be surprised or disappointed if they have changed some things around.
Parental Warning: This book series and HBO series is not for anyone under the age of 21. Very adult content.

Kalan's 7th Birthday Bash!

Kalan had all of her little friends at the house for a sleepover. She had just recently busted open her chin. Side bar: she tripped over Nathan in the hall which required 4 stitches in her chin.

This is her cake I made. This is before I started making my own icing. I still think it turned out really cute. The only reason I stated making my kids cake was due to their crazy requests. I refuse to pay $80 for someone to make a cake that will be devoured, and I only paid $150 for my wedding cake. Okay, I'm off my soap box, for now.
Kalan wanted a round cake with black and pink poka-dots. I used four cakes to get it this high...lol It was tall. I used jar icing and before we could cut the cake, icing was oozing out from each layer.
I didn't have any icing to write on the cake, other than white so I improvised and wrote on each dot on the top. I even hand made her "Happy Birthday" banner. She wanted zebra print. Like I said crazy requests. She had a great time with all her little friends and everyone stayed up way past their bedtime.
Sorry these two pics are out of order.

WHOOOO

We always have some kind of critter roaming around our place. This was the most interesting one, since the black mother bear and her two cubs 2 years ago. This fella showed up the week after Christmas. I had just got finished fixing all of the kids some lunch when my dad came up on the four wheeler and told us to look at the fence in the back yard. At first sight it looked like a deer hide had gotten stuck in the fence. Daddy said it was an owl. There is no telling how long it had been stuck like that. The dog didn't even bark at it and the cat was scared of it. I have never been that close to an owl before. It's feet are huge! These creatures are so beautiful. I know it looks like it's eyes are open, but when someone touch him his eyes opened up and they are neon yellow! A little freaky!

We called the Game Warden, Brad. Josh, Brad and my dad had to cut the barbwire and cut the skin on the the owl's wing and push the wire out. None of us can figure out how the wire ended up inside the bird's wing like that.

They finally set him free. Brad took him to a rehabilitator so get him well and set him free. So we all felt like we animal rescuers.

Pictures in the Park

We all got together and had our picture made for my Mom's Christmas present. We gave her a canvas back when Kalan was almost 2. In that picture we were missing Nathan, Janet and Taylor. So we decided to do a new one for her. The picture of my family below was sooo cute, but it wouldn't fit on our Christmas card. The kids did great, but Trey on the other hand...was just Trey.

My Mom has the most beautiful grandchildren, if I do say so myself. I love Andrew's smile in this picture.

My baby's are sooo adorable!

I took all the pictures I was not in. I love pretty pictures.

Meet me in St. Louie

And that was what we did, well, actually, we met them in St. Louis. As I told you in a previous blog we went on family vacation in September. We had a great time. I will briefly enlighten you about our adventure. My Mom, Dad, Mia and Jason took the kids while Josh and I were still in Jackson, MS. Mindy stayed behind on this trip, she had one of her own, she went to Disney World. We got there later that night. This first picture should be the last, since this was our last stop on our way home, but I will get to that. Our first day there we went to the St. Louis Zoo. We all Loved it! The train was so fun, but you wouldn't guess that by the look on Andrew's face. We went in the petting zoo, which made me nervous, mainly because the goats and their horns were at eye level with Nathan. They had peacocks just roaming free through the zoo, such a beautiful bird. The Memphis Zoo could take some landscaping pointers, it was gorgeous! The flowers where just beautiful.

After a long day at the zoo we went to the Annual Hot Air Balloon Race. Let's just say that was not the best idea due to the 3 plus mile walk, one way, to get to the field with the balloons. It was like nothing I have ever seen before! Out of the whole trip that was the most interesting thing by far. I have only seen a hot air balloon on tv or in books, never in person. They are HUGE, loud and hot, hence the name...The picture below is of one of the balloons being inflated. After all of them were up, they sounded a horn and all of them lit up the night sky. It was neat, I only wish my camera would have been able to capture the glow.

We went to Six Flags on the second day. I found another thing that Nathan is absolutely petrified of, any mascot. He wouldn't even stand close enough for us to get his picture with them, not even if one of us was holding him. He literally climbed up Josh and tried to jump over his head. Andrew and Kalan didn't have any problems with them. We did have a great time. Andrew and Kalan got to ride their first roller coaster. Kalan did great on the first one, but she lost it on the second one. From then on she rode the rides with Nathan. We did get rained on that day, but they did not put a damper on our fun.

We went to Busch Stadium the last day there. It was raining and cold. The kids are looking out of the parking garage at the stadium. At that point it was pouring down rain and we had 2 blocks to walk out in the rain to get to the Club Store in the stadium.

We wanted to visit the Arch that day too, but it was foggy and raining and I was not getting out in the cold rain again. It still was very beautiful looking at it from our warm car. We would love to go back and spend more time there.

She will be the DEATH of me!

She is my daughter, Kalan. As beautiful a creature she is, she will be the DEATH of me! I have always been told that two people that are too much alike tend to clash. I would say the word clash is an understatement for her and I...lol PLEASE don't get me wrong, I love my daughter will all of my heart, but she knows how to push my buttons. And let me tell you she knows the right combination. My husband says we are like oil and water, and he doesn't even want to imagine how it will be when she is 16.

The reason I say this is because she loves to take her time. We have always said Kalan has her own little world. Well apparently it has its own time zone too! Every morning for school it's a struggle. She is 7 1/2 and has been doing this same routine for the last 4 years. It never fails that I have to tell her every morning to:

1. Go use the bathroom, before you put our clothes on.

2. Put your clothes on.

3. That means your socks and shoes.

4. Brush your hair (since I'm to ruff, hard not to be with dried toothpaste stuck in all that hair).

5. I need a rubber band to put up your hair.

6. Eat breakfast.

7. No you can not take your cereal in the car with you.

8. Brush your teeth.

9. Mouthwash alone doesn't count.

10. Get your backpack.

11. Get in the car.

By the end of that, I'm exhausted! LOL! I know one day it will get better. I pray that anyway.

On the same hand she is just so sweet and innocent. I try to remember, at least she still thinks I am smart and beautiful and loves to spend time with me. I'm sure that won't last too much longer. I hope that one day we will have a great friendship. For now, I'm stuck being Mom, that's okay, she will understand one day. I can't imagine my life without her, it would be totally boring. We do enjoy spending time together. She is a girly girl and I love that! She loves to dress up and pretend to be Nathan's mommy. I hope that I can shape her into a wonderful Christian women. She is but a third of my heart that is walking about this world. She makes me smile.

Andrew's 12th B-Day

One more year, or so I have been told. That's how long I have let with my sweet, innocent, respectful son; then it's all down hill from there...lol I sure hope that's not the case with my Drewpy, as I like to call him. I know that I have said this time and time again, but I just can't believe how fast 12 years have gone by. With all that said, on with the birthday pics. Below you see him sporting his favorite college football team with Taylor on his right and Spencer on his left. He says that one day him and Riley will go to school at LSU and play on the football team. I'm not going to be a dream squashier by telling him that I really don't want him so far away, so I just tell him to work hard and maybe one day it will happen. Kalan gave him a John Deere Hat, so sweet, at times. Okay, Okay...I know that my horse shoe is lopsided, but I had to improvise. You don't find Colts wrapping paper around here. I did give it my all, and Andrew thought it was the best thing ever.
It's hard to buy for a 12 year old boy, especially two weeks after Christmas. He did get a lot of great gifts. He likes to invite a few of his buddies over to spend the night and stay up all night getting jacked up on sugar and playing video games. This year he only had 3 spend the night. I learned my lesson the hard way. More doesn't not mean more fun, it only means more drama. So Taylor, Riley and Spencer stayed and we had no drama.
I did supply an adequate amount of sugar for all 6 kids at my house that night. I made Andrew's birthday cake to his specifications, well almost. He wanted the fish to jump up out of the middle of the cake, but that didn't happen. It was chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream icing. All I've got to say is they make it look a lot easier on Cake Boss than it really is. I made up my rice crispy treats and tried to shape them around a bent wooden stick. I guess the weight of the crispy treats and the fondant was just too much and the day before the party, it fell apart. No worries, I just improvised. If you use your imagination you will see the large mouth bass jumping up out of the dirty lake water. You don't see it you say, well that stuff at the end of it's body are ripples or splashes of dirty water...lol
OOOH, how could I forget the worm coming out of the fish's mouth, just in case you were wondering why it had a brown hunk of something coming from its mouth. See the picture above for a closer look.

Happy 12th Birthday Andrew Jose Garay, I love you!

Christmas 09

The Children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.

These are the goods, which were far to many. Our children are the only children I know of that sleep until 8 on Christmas morning. I guess it's best not to complain.

Nathan got the wheels this year! He was sooooo excited! His very own four wheeler, no more cruising around in Kalan's pink Barbie Jeep...lol
Kalan got her pink boots, pink coat, and K necklace, so she was a very happy girl. She also got some church dresses with matching tights, a glow station (which is soo neat), DS games, and much more. I can't remember what else she got.
Andrew doesn't ask for much, lol. Sometimes he asks for the strangest things. This year he wanted a football, work boots, work pants, and flannel shirts...crazy I know, but that's what he wanted. So he got all of that and a LUS/Colts flannel reversible blanket.
Okay, this is Sir Nathan in his armor...lol He is too cute in it. He has worn it to church, to Kalan's cheer practice, to Wal-mart let's just say if I would let him sleep in it he would. It has now been incorporated in our bedtime story every night.
They are super excited. These lovey moments are few and far between!
We have a family tradition that I have been doing since I was a little girl. My sisters and I would have to call my Mamaw, who lived next door, and let her know that Santa had come. She would make homemade biscuits and we wait patiently for her to get to the house before we could open any of our gifts. We now do that with my children. They call my Mom, Dad and sister (Mindy), and they call Mi-Mi and Jason, and Uncle Mike, and Gi-Gi too. My husband thinks it's cruel to make them wait to open their gifts, but it's so much fun watching them pace at the front door. After we have opened all the gifts from Santa, we eat a huge Christmas Breakfast. I love that day!

My Baby turns 4

There are no words for my disbelief that my baby, Nathan, is 4 years old, already! It only seems like yesterday when he was born, and what a birthday that was. He scared us all to death! I never ever really believed my parents and grandmother when telling that time flies by the older you get, but it really does.

This is his Lighting McQueen cake that I made for him. This was my first do-it-yourself cake. I think that I did a very good job. Everyone loved it and it made the birthday boy happy, and that was all that mattered.

I do have to say that I did not realize how much work was involved in making one of these cakes. I had someone ask me how much I would charge to make them one and I said their wasn't enough money for me to make one for someone else...lol I would truly stress myself if I had to please someone else. This cake was far from perfect, but I was satisfied. It was French Vanilla cake with chocolate gnash filling and butter cream icing. The checkered flag design on the side looked easy on paper, but once you start making each one of the thousands of stars that make it up it was more to it then I thought. My grass turned out cute! I searched the web and found an idea to make the road out of ground up oreos and it worked perfectly.

Of course he got way more than he needed, but you only have one birthday a year... :) I only wish his birthday was during warmer months, not November, so they could have played outside more. The pinata was a hit. We did opt for the pull string type, so we wouldn't send someone from our party to the ER. When they are this age having a child blind-folded with a stick can be very dangerous.

He will always be by baby! I just can not imagine, no, I don't want to imagine him being a teenager... I'm sure those days will hold some fun times in them too. For now, I'm satisfied with him yelling MOMMY every time I come home and preferring me over Daddy to tell him his bedtime story at night. How can I forget his sweet little kisses! I love you Nathan Owen Meredith.

WOW!

I can't believe that it has been so long since my last post. The above picture is from Easter. To be honest it won't be long before the Meredith Clan make the trip to Shiloh again. Of course a lot of things have happened in a years time. I guess the first thing that I think of is my job promotion. I am now the Director of Food Service for Tate County School District. I have 6 cafeteria, 28 employees and we serve 3100 students a day. It has definitely been a challenge. I do truly enjoy my job!

After I did some training this summer for my new position and once school got started we took a family vacation to St. Louis. It was sooo much fun! The kids enjoyed Six Flags and the SL Zoo. I would love to go back one day. I don't have pictures of that on this computer, but I will post some soon.

All and all I was soooooo glad to see 2009 come to an end. I am going to do some back peddling on here. When you see pictures of birthdays and holidays they will all be from 09.