Oh yes we did!

I just love this time of the year! The weather can be so beautiful. Not too hot, not too cold, most days. I also love this time of year because it brings back soooo many memories of my youth.

Softball was my addiction from the age of 3 up until the age of 22. I played every year at a community center that was in walking distance from my house. We would just cut through ours and the neighbor's pasture. And there it was, the reason for my existences. It made me giddy to see the fields, smell the fresh cut grass and grill cooking hamburgers. I spent countless hours at those fields. I shed blood, sweat and tears on those fields. Made some of the best friends a girl could ask for at those fields. I can't even begin to tell how much money I collected over the years standing at the gate. I sold countless cokes and candy bars there too. That is where Josh and I first sat together in his mom car listening to the radio. I fell for him right then, but shortly there after he broke my heart by hugging another girl. Several years later that is where he had planned on asking me to marry him, out on the pitcher's mound. We lost the game that night and he said he just didn't feel it going right there. Instead he waited the whole 2 minutes it took to get back to my parent's house and he asked me out in the driveway. I will forever hold a special place in my heart for that community center. I just can't believe how fast time has gone by.

Now I have a daughter. I want her to have the same warm memories of playing ball. I have never wanted to coach a team before. I fear all the headaches that my mom and dad endured over the years being our coach. I witnessed it first hand, the anger from the parents when my parents didn't do what they thought best for their child. If you know me at all, you know I do not like confrontation. I prefer to avoid it all cost. This is what has kept me from coaching. My daughter played All-Stars last year and it left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I ranted on and on to my mother. Her only words to me were, "you can't say to much because you are not the coach and you are not the one in charge. If you want to change something then coach your own team." Josh and I went back and forth with the idea over the winter and we decided to bite the bullet and just do it! Oh yes we did! We are doing it, coaching Kalan's softball team that is.

We have been through the draft. Thank goodness. I stress about everything! We have had our first parent meeting and practice. Everything went extremely well. Almost too good to be true.

We have a team name: AFTERSHOCK

We have a uniform: Lime Green/Black/White

Josh's only request was not to have hot pink uniforms. All I have to say is he is luck that they didn't have the hot pink because I know he would have looked super hot in it.

We actually had our second practice yesterday. So far things are looking pretty good. I hope that all of the girls have a great time!

I'm Baaaaccckkk!

Hello beautiful world! I am back from my very horrible personal experience with the stomach virus. Don't worry no gross details here. When a grown up says things about bodily functions they are not as cute as when a child with a cute lisp says them.

I returned to work today and it feels great to feel human again! I just wanted to let all of you know that I was back...all three of you that read my bloggity blog. Thanks so much for your dedication!

Kids say the darnedest things...really

WARNING: This might gross out some people. Consider yourself warned.





My poor boys, all of them, have had the stomach virus all weekend. Poor Nathan...this was really his first time getting sick. I told my mom that he was like a deer in the headlights, kinda freaked out. He was a trooper though. He got sick all day Friday. He was fine Saturday. Sunday this is what happened. As we were getting ready for church he had to go to the bathroom.

"MAMA!!!!"





"What Nathan?"





"Mama, my butt hole is pukin'!"





"What did you say?"





"MY BUTT HOLE IS PUKIN'!"





At this point I am laughing so hard I thought I would pee my pants. Poor thing had diarrhea. Kids say the darnedest things...really.

Sad to see it go

The boys have been growing out their hair for sometime now. I thought that Andrew's curls were so cute. Josh didn't feel the same about them, dream crusher. Andrew really loved his curls too. I think he was trying to impress the ladies. He would never admit that of course, but I believe that was the reason behind all of the fuss. I liked them too, they are better than the giant cow lick in his bangs. Andrew and I lost the battle. He got his hair cut, I was sad at the thought but the finished product looks so much better!

Nathan, my sweet baby boy. I wanted him to grow a shag, daddy protested. Dad is just not as hip as mom. I thought he was so cute when he would take one of his sweet chubby fingers and sweep his hair out of this eyes. Daddy thought it was annoying to watch him do this and yet again Nathan and I lost. When we got to the hair salon Nathan said he wasn't getting his hair cut. He even told Emily, our stylist, he didn't need a hair cut. Either way he still just as cute as he was before. Still, I was sad to see it go.

Strike Zone

Sorry my loyal blogger fans, I know it has been a few days. It's been crazy. Josh's grandmother passed away on Friday and Nathan, Andrew, and Josh have had the stomach virus.
Back on point. We took the kids bowling on Wednesday. We picked Wednesday because it was dollar days at the bowling alley. One dollar per person per game. It was St. Patrick's day and poor Andrew was the only one not wearing green. OUCH!! Nathan has had several firsts this week. Bowling at a bowling alley was one of them. He loved it and was a good sport. He didn't care that he didn't win. This is him, he was totally into it. After every bowl he would strike a pose...lol He cracked us up. In the picture above he was trying to get a spare, as you can see, not happening. He's so funny.

Kalan, Mrs. Drama Queen, we expected no less. Not even bowling. She did have the bumpers up, but she beat all of us the second game. Most of the time she never would watch the ball go down the lane. Josh and I still don't know how she beat us...how? She doesn't know, but she was so happy. Not to beat us of course, beating Andrew is what made her day.

I just had to throw this pose in for you. I know you will get a kick out of it. I wasn't feeding you any bull. Hands on the hips, the stance. He only crossed the foul line once...like watching a deer on ice.

Here's Andrew. Bless his heart. He had a ruff day. Not only did he get pinched, but got beat by his sister and baby brother. He is not a graceful loser...not at all. He did bowl a strike, that made him happy for a brief moment. His next turn he bowled a double gutter ball. Bless his heart. We all had fun that day. I had forgotten how sore bowling makes my thumb. We made some memories and had some laughs. I love my babies!

Cinnamon Rolls...yummy

Trust me people, the pictures does not do these yummy cinnamon rolls justice! They are soooo good! I got the recipe from one of the blogs that I read, The Pioneer Women. Not only are the cinnamon rolls delicious, but the icing is to die for.

Just look at it in every single crack and crevice...my mouth is watering just thinking about them again. They were very easy to make. My house still smells like cinnamon and maple syrup.

We ate some for brunch that day and and breakfast the next morning. I had to give my dad the other pan. I was scared I would not be able to resist the temptation. He was grateful. Below is what happens when I am tempted by yummy cinnamon rolls.

I survived...

Yes, yes I did. I survived the depths of parenting hell, a little place called Chuck E. Cheese. I love my children and would do anything for them...anything. Even if that means going to the unnameable place. It's like in the Harry Potter books and movies; no one says "The Dark Lords" name. It makes me shiver, makes my blood run cold. So, you ask yourself why I would do this to myself. As stated above I love my children. They can melt my heart. That little Nathan, looked at me with those big brown eyes and said, "Mommy, I want to go to the Chucky Cheeses. Do you know dat I never been dare before, uh do ya mama?" How could I say no to that? I couldn't I tell ya, I just couldn't.
This is Spring Break and we are trying to do some fun things with kids around here. We went to St. Louis in September and I really didn't want to go on another trip right now. We took a poll with the kids to see where/what they wanted to do. Of course those cursed people that market the unnameable place run a thousand commericals an hour in order to brain wash poor children, like mine, to want to go where a kid can be a kid. I know this because when I asked Nathan how he knew about that place he said, "on the TB Mama, day show him on dare. I need to go dare where a kid can be a kid and get some of dat Chucky Cheeses muney!"
Definition: muney= money
As a parent you get to see pure joy through the eyes of your children. That is what happened on Monday. We were on Goodman Road heading west and he spotted it from there. His face just lit up. By the time we were in the parking lot he was dancing in the van. He was so high on the thought of some "Chucky Cheeses Muney" you couldn't tell him anything. Once we walked in the first set of doors there is a picture of the Mouse, he lost it. "Mommy, Mommy, look! Dare he is! I'm here Chucky!" Let's just say the excitement didn't stop there. The "chucky Muney" comes out of this coin return thing by the cash register and he literately jumped up and down as it counted it out.
It was a crazy madhouse in there! I am trying to block the visions from my mind, but the kids had a blast. Nathan won the most tickets, with the help of Andrew, and everyone got several of the $.50 toys. As we walked out of the doors, we came up to the picture of the mouse again. Nathan stopped and said "bye bye Chucky Cheeses, see ya lader!" And he gave him a big thumbs up and wink. I hope that I do not have to grace the doors for another four plus years...lol Doubt it. I have to say the joy on Nathan's face was priceless and I would endure it again in a minute.

Taco Night with the Teens

Always fun when we fellowship with the teens from our church. To be honest I don't know who has more fun, us or them. Tonight was no exception. The key to a successful event with teens is food. There wasn't a shortage of that. I didn't have a chance to get a picture of the taco bar we had set up, for fear of having my arm mistaken for a piece of meat. Just know that we had every fixin for tacos available. We also had cupcakes and cookies and enough Dr. Pepper, Coke and Mountain Dew to fulfill there sugar needs. In the picture above Clint and Ashley were testing out the cupcakes, they passed the taste test. Well done Ashley.

Here I go again, getting my pictures out of order! One day I will figure it out, til then you will have to try and follow my storyline with no rhythm or reason to their order. The above picture is from our game of Mafia. Out of 4 games the poor townspeople only beat the retched Mafia once. Let's just say that was the only game I played and Jay narrated and selected the Mafia and of course I was one of the retched Mafia. Coincident, I think not.

But before we stared the game of Mafia all the kids played "Boogie Superstar" on the Wii, I think Katie won. In the picture above was my lovely Kalan, so beautiful! Bless her heart she is clueless as to what Nikki is doing to her.

Bo was the first of the Teens to try Ashley's green cupcakes. They were green to represent the spirit of St. Patrick Day of course. He gave his stamp of approval by consuming 3. I love all of these kids. They are a great group and make me strive to be a better christian. I do believe that the award for most food eaten went to Jay. He consumed 10 tacos, cookies and cupcakes. Way to go Jay. His competition was stiff. Clint put in a good show consuming 7 tacos, 4 cupcakes and cookies.
Good luck with the diet Clint, never challenge a hungry 15 year old teenage boy...lol

I am a GROWN woman...

...or at least I think I am. I found myself saying this, to myself last night. I have never been one that likes to be alone at night and yes...I will admit I am a light flicker.

Definition for light flicker: a person that goes through a dark house and flicks on every light that they get remotely close to.

Now that you have the definition we can continue on with my little tale. All the kids had been in the bed for an hour or more and Josh and I decided that we were going to go to sleep too. I forgot to plug in one of my phones (yes I have have 2) and was going to the kitchen to do that and take an empty cup. I opened my bedroom door and quietly shut it, the TV was on and I didn't want Nathan to hear it and wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed. That is why I didn't start flicking on the hall light and bathroom light, it's like Nathan smells a light on and he thinks, oh it's time to get up. Well, as soon as I shut the door and turned into the dark hall my stomach sank to my feet. It was very dark in the front part of the house and my imagination began to run wild (no, it doesn't have to go far). The only thing I could think of was every single scary movie that I had ever seen, all at one time. I didn't move for a few seconds, which felt like an eternity.

Then I began to think of the bogey man. You know the one that is always looking at you through a window or door when it's dark outside and you have a light on and you can't see out of the window, and due to the thought that someone might be outside the window you won't put your face up to glass and cup your hands around your face so you can see past the light because you are scared the bogey man will reach up and pull you outside. Yeah, that's the one I was thinking of, along with Freddy, Jason, Michael, and a Scrunt (the thing from Lady in the Water).

What do I have waiting for me in the kitchen? Only a valence above my kitchen window and sliding glass patio doors. I began to think really hard about the blinds on the patio door. Did I shut them? Did Josh shut them? Josh never shuts them, he always pulls them down but never closes them. Just great here I am in the dark hall trying my best to keep it together until I get in the kitchen and can flick on a light. By this time my pulse is racing and small amounts of sweat are popping out on my body. The whole time I hear the theme music to Halloween playing in my head, and the thought that their was a scrunt behind me in the dark didn't help either.

Right before I reach the end of the hallway I tell myself, "I am a grown woman, none of those things exist, pull it together!" I run to the kitchen and flick on every single light I can get to. I compose myself, do my business, checking over my shoulder briefly just to make sure the bogey man isn't looking. Once I am finished I flick the last light off and race down the hall as quickly and quietly as I can.

I walk in the room and act as though nothing ever happened.

What were we thinking?

Please can someone tell what in the world Josh and I were thinking when we built our house? Our house has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. In our children's bathroom we only put one sink!!! I know, what were we thinking?! Apparently we weren't. Every morning and every night, now that I think of it we have an all out war. A war that divides the good from the evil. The screamers from the criers. I could go on and on. I won't, I promise.

Anyway, back to the point. This morning I had to step in and break up the battle of the bathroom sink. Normally Andrew is up and dressed and ready to go before Kalan ever gets her clothes on (please see previous blog entitled "She will be the death of me"). For some odd reason Kalan got up and dressed and got in the bathroom before Andrew. This disrupted his normal flow, apparently.

I always open my bedroom door once I get dressed so I can hear what's going on and of course instruct Kalan ("She will be the death of me") step-by-step what she needs to do. This morning I hear Andrew raising his voice to someone about brushing teeth. I stepped into my doorway to get a listen.

Andrew: "It only takes two minutes to brush your teeth, not twenty years. I need to brush mine"
Kalan: "I'm sorry Andrew, but I want to make sure that my teeth are clean"
Andrew: "Oh you get on my nerves"

This is when I step in because voices are becoming louder and more shrill. Nathan is NOT a morning person. It makes my morning go a lot easier if he stays asleep until the last minute. I told Andrew that it is not nice to be mean to people. She was in there first and she was almost done before he started his outburst. I know this because she was putting her toothbrush back up. 30 seconds later she was out and he was in brushing his teeth. Thank goodness! My mother was right, go with the double sink in the only bathroom for the kids. Why, Why didn't I listen?

Eclipse Trailer!

AWESOME!!!! I am so glad that this trailer is out. I only thought I was giddy about True Blood! Now I'm ready for the other trailers to come out the next few months. I know, I'm greedy like that. June 30th is 110 days AWAY!!! What am I going to do til then people?! WHAT?! I know what I will do, I will read the whole Twilight Saga again, that's what I'm going to do, well other than my day-to-day routine. I am so excited! Mindy will understand how I feel right now, and maybe even Ashley. Okay I will stop now. HEHE!

Thank you Mr. Wranger Man

I would like to take the time to say thank you Mr. Wrangler Man. Just when my day looks a little gloomy, I walk into a room and see a pair of these. You have brightened the lives of so many women (men, must be politically correct). Wranglers just warm my soul.

What makes them even better is to have a sexy man in them. YUM! And what makes them even better is for him to be a real man and wear a pink shirt. YUM! YUM! And if both of those things weren't enough already....

What makes a pair of Wranglers even better than having a sexy man in them while wearing a pink shirt is to have him cooking dinner in all of the above. YUM-O!

So, without you Mr. Wrangler Man none of this would be possible. Thank you very much!

My Wrangler wearing man still makes my heart go pitter patter!

Hooray!!!

I have done it people! I have set my DVR to record the whole second season of True Blood!!!!!!! Why am I giddy? Because I love this show and Josh and I have no social life to speak of. TV shows or movies are our only oasis. The only place we can go to escape our mundane life. Going out to the movies is too expensive. Don't get me started on trying to find a babysitter. So, my oh so many people that read my blog, this is why I am plum giddy to record True Blood Season 2. I have been so inpatiently waiting for it to re air since Josh and I got completely addicted to it back in the fall. Like I have previously posted, my loving baby sister, Mindy suggested I watch it. If I haven't thanked you already Mindy Lu Who, Thanks a bunch! You are the sole reason that I am now head over heels for vampires. You are the bomb diggity!

Big Love Season 4 Finale

Well, I hate to see the season end, but what an ending! There was so much going on that I can't even begin to tell you very thing. Click on this link for the synopsis about the episode. http://www.hbo.com/#/big-love/episodes/4/43-end-of-days/synopsis.html/


These are my thoughts/questions:

I would have to say I am not sure if Barb will be a wife in the next season, due to the conversation her and Bill had prior to the acceptance speech.

I am glad to see JJ go. Hopefully for good.

When will Joey came back?

And yes Alby has gone even deeper off the deep end, if that is possible.

I wonder if Adaleen will actually have a baby next season, hopefully not.

I hope they bring Tommy back.

I wonder if Margene will do something stupid with Ana and Goran?

I guess I will have to wait patiently on next season. I have no patience. Keep your fingers crossed.

He Tickles me

Okay, this child marches to his own drum! To say the least. I guess he has seen me on the elliptical machine listening to my iPod. Of course I am singing along, off key because I have the volume up too loud and only think I whispering. But all of that is beside the point. As you can see in the picture above, the headphone aren't even plugged in. He is singing "Dangerous" by Akon. His version is a little different. His goes something like this; that girl so danger us.....that girl so danger us...that girl a bad girl....um um um um I seen her before....

Once he realizes that I am listening to him singing, to a song that is not playing, he becomes a little embarrassed. He goes to run away, but........

when Kalan said she wanted to go now he then returned to his seat and continues with his singing. He tickles me...lol

BL the end is nearing

I cannot believe that this season (4) is almost over with. I love this show. It is great, only problem is, there is only 1 episode left. I just don't know if I can wait another 9 months to see what will happen to the Henrickson Clan. So far some of my theories from last week have not happened. Alby hasn't killed his wife, yet. That man is crazy and is capable of anything, so don't rule him out too soon. They haven't shown Hollis Greene since the escape from his compound in Mexico. That might wait until next season. I did have one thing right, JJ is defiantly up to no good. Marilyn is up to no good as well, she might be the one that outs them. I now know how they plan on writing off the character Sarah, she is "moving" to Seattle with her new husband Scott. Nicki has flipped her lid too, well if you can get any crazier. I never ever know what to expect out of her. I think that's why I like her character so much. She is not a square. I'm not sure what it is going to happen to her mom, that falls under the whole JJ thing. I do think that JJ's son, the doctor, is giving Nicki some medicine that will keep her from getting pregnant. I can't leave out Margene...what a dense, don't get me wrong, I love her, but come on. Sometimes I think the lights are on but no one's home. I think the whole "paper marriage" is going to blow up in her face, or the whole family's face. I really don't see how they keep all of their lies straight. It sure does make for great TV!!!

Go Upward Go!

Well, it doesn't seem like Kalan's cheerleading season with Upward should be over already, but it is. She had her awards night Tuesday. They performed a cheer, Y-E-L-L, and they all did a great job! They had a photo slide show playing while we were sitting waiting for the program to being. There were some great shots of Kalan in action. I took my camera with me, but we were at the very back and the light was so dim you couldn't see the pictures very well. The picture to the left is from the beginning of the season, her official photo. She looks so beautiful. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the items, (uniform, pom-poms, undershirt) for the price we paid to participate. Kalan had a wonderful time and says she wants to do it again next year. At first, she acted very shy and didn't really want to go, but once she met all the girls and her coaches she opened up. At the first game, which was that Saturday in January when it was 8 degrees outside and not much warmer in the gym, she was very nervous. They had to do a cheer in the middle of the floor during half time with everyone watching them. I could tell by her body language she was not comfortable. We all encouraged her and told her she did wonderful. The next Saturday she was a completely different child. She raised her hand to lead a cheer and even looked more at ease during their half time routine. By the end of the season she was leading the cheers during the half time routine. This makes me elated! Kalan has always lacked self confidence. She always uses the words "I can't". Bless her heart, she was a very clumsy child, 4 broken bones by the age of 4; she is seriously double jointed in her elbows. Her T looked like a sick M. So, I might be partly to blame because I shielded her from doing things that might hurt her. She did shine doing this. I am very proud of her! I do have a video of their little dance they did during half time, I just don't have it with me now. I will post it separately.