Soccer

My Nathan...this is his first sport. I can not believe it! He did really good. I can't wait until his next game. He struck the pose above all by himself. I didn't tell him what to do. He had been at my office on Friday and seen a picture of Andrew when he played Upward Soccer. I guess he just thought this was the pose you had to do. I laughed so hard! Here is the picture of Andrew ...that picture is on my desk.

He was so happy that he was the one that got to kick in the first ball! Little did we all know...he had mistaken this for a full contact sport...lol He did clothesline a child, tripped and pushed some down. I do apologize to those children's parents.

Let me just tell you...all of the little bitty kids were so cute! This whole experience will help him when he starts baseball next Spring...please pray that it does.

Critters in my bed...

I LOVE my bed...I really love it on the weekends when I get to sleep past 6 am. My children love their beds too, most of them do anyway. There is one that does disturb my sleep from time to time. That is him...pictured below:


This was Saturday morning...he crawled in the bed and got behind me. I was trapped. I couldn't move. Soon after Josh rolled over on top of me and I couldn't breathe and thought I was going to pee in my panties. I jumped up from the middle of the bed...went to the bathroom and came back to see him sound asleep...in my spot. Needless to say I just stayed up. I couldn't bare to wake him up.

Then Monday(Labor Day Holiday) rolled around...this is what I found in my bed:

Reagan spent the night with us...her and Nathan were up at 7...yep...7. They were playing Kalan's keyboard as loud as it would go. So much for sleep. Nathan is pretending to be dead. Not real sure as to why...but he is. Reagan was "loven on her Untel Josh".

I wonder if Rid spray will get rid of these critters in my bed...

Football

So...yesterday was Andrew's first football game. No he didn't start and No they didn't win, but he had fun. He did get to play about 6 plays, which is good. He played on defense...don't ask me the exact position...I have no clue. I was told that he did his job. So I am proud! He is number 61...I know it's hard to see, I was in the stands and took it with my phone. He has his helmet off and is standing at an angle. I can't wait until the next game! I just pray for an injury free season...you know my children...they are accident pron! After we got home Nathan wanted to put on all of Andrew's gear. Isn't he cute...is that correct? Should I say doesn't he look tough? Either way he is cute to me.

Carlie's Cake

I know that I am always going on about time. How I can't believe how fast it goes by. Well, today is no exception. I really and truly can't believe that Carlie is 6. Where has the time gone? She is in the 1st grade too. Really! So Sheri asked me to make her cake for her. She is no different from any other girl. She couldn't make up her mind. She finally chose peace love and softball.


This is the peace sign. The colors are really bad, but I can't complain, I used my phone. The base cake was orange and the peace sign was blue on a purple cake.

Like I said, the color isn't great. The softball was the actual color of a fast pitch softball with the red stitches.

This one is better...color wise. I think it turned out really cute!

Sheri said she loved it. I couldn't be there because I had a Scentsy party. Sad I didn't get to see her face...it's the best part of making a cake.

A lot of cake! Still working on trimming skills. It's okay...the birthday girl loved it.

From this to that....

This is Nathan...all the time; morning, noon or night.



High strung...full on energy. This child should be the poster child for Ritalin. I am not kidding. I am already praying for his Kindergarten teacher. He is a mess...lol I tell people, often, that if he would have been my first child he would be an only child. He definitely marches to his own drum. There are good points...when he crashes, it's hard. So...he goes from this(above) to that(below) and is out cold....aaahhh I love nap time!

A new School Year!!

Scary I know...but it is so true. This time of year I am so busy I forget what day of the week it is. I have had dreams where I forget to get dressed in the morning and go to work in my underwear. Totally not cool!

My babies are growing up...I can't believe that Andrew is in the 7th grade and Kalan is in the 3rd. My my how time flies!

I will post some pics of them soon...for now I got work to do people!

He's First Sport

Nathan Owen Meredith:
My little angel's face...he was such a beautiful baby...often confused for a girl...beautiful no the less.

I can hardly believe that he is old enough to play an organized sport...but it's true. He is growing up so fast. It makes me want to cry. I still see him as a little bitty baby. Trust me those little piggies (feet) are not so cute and do smell pretty bad! I still like to cuddle up with him and pretend that he is still my little helpless nursing infant. I know he's not when he asks me questions like... "who'd gave me my feets? Did GOD dude it?" I answer after I wipe away the tears of joy and sorrow. Joy because he is so sweet and sorrow because I know in 3.5 seconds he will do something mean to his sister.

So...please don't let the 50's throw-back Steak-n-Shake hat and sheepish grin throw you off...he's a boy through and through. To the core. He love to play any sport with a ball. He wasn't old enough for baseball this year because of his late birthday, but by George he is playing Upward Soccer! I can't wait either. He is our last hope for a competitive athlete. The other 2 could care less about sports. Now...don't get me wrong, Kalan love to play softball...at the start of the season. After 2 games...she's done.

Nathan is super excited too! We told him he would get some cleats and shin guards. It's like Christmas. He always feels left out from the school shopping...not this year...he will own some new cleats and shin guards!

We have been playing in the yard and he seems to enjoy it. I think it will be better when he's not playing against a 12 year old brother and father who play for blood. When he's on the field with some kids he's own height and age he will enjoy it more.

LSU

Let me just start by saying that this picture does the color of this cast NO justice. This cast is neon yellow!! I am not exaggerating. Andrew asked the man if he could do it purple and yellow...for LSU colors. The man, who we are told to call Jr., that put on this cast said that wasn't doable. Josh tried talking Andrew into just putting on the purple, but he declined. I told him I would decorate it when we got home. I know that the LSU isn't the same size, but it's hard writing on that thing. If you can't tell what's underneath the word Tigers, it's claw marks. Just in case you are wondering.

I know...I know...I'm lacking

LONG EXHALE......okay. Sorry for my lack of posts here lately. Life has yet again found a way to get in the way. It seems like there is not enough time in the day to do what I want or need to do. We have had quite a few things happen here lately that I would love to share with you. I am going to try and play a little catch up again.

As you all know, Andrew broke his arm and we have been going to the doctor weekly since. We now have a yellow cast that I have decorated with LSU Tigers. I will post a pic later. He is scheduled to get the cast off on June 24. He is counting down the days...he is so ready to go swimming that he doesn't know what to do with himself.

****side note**** There will be no pictures with this post. Sorry I don't have any uploaded at this time...remember...life has been in my way.

Josh and I worked all weekend Memorial Day Weekend to build a new shed. That project is complete.....hallelujah!

That project led to another project...cleaning the garage and storeroom and painting them both. Thank goodness that was finished the past weekend. Thanks to hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, and a swimming pool. People love a bribe.

Of course we can't forget about Kalan's softball team. This is our first and more than likely last year coaching. It is not due to the girls or their parents...it's due to lack of organization. It has been horrible, just horrible. That is blog in and of itself all together. We do see a light at the end of the tunnel...next week it will be over with, for us anyway. The last day of the tournament is June 18th. AMEN people AMEN!

My dad has been having some health problems and they found a mass/spot on his lungs. He goes for the CT tomorrow, Friday 6/11. He is scheduled to get the results next Wednesday. Say some prayers. He has smoke the "cowboy killers" for 43 years now. So...yeah...we need a lot of prayers.

I have lost 14lbs as of today since April 15th. I hope that 14lbs in 57days isn't bad. I have 17 more pounds to go to get to my goal weight. Which I am hoping that life will slow down just a bit so Josh and I can increase our walking from 1-2 times a week to 5 times a week. When I walk I feel so much better. We are starting back our yoga. I love yoga. If you have never tried it before please start now! I am being serious. At first Josh didn't want to do it. He thought it was only for women. I was also reluctant. I didn't think that it did that much. I thought that in order for an exercise routine to get you in shape you had to pour sweat and I just knew that downward dog and warrior one wasn't going to make me sweat. WRONG PEOPLE! I am always sore in new areas each time we do it and trust me you sweat. You will be amazed at the muscle groups you are working. It works!!!! Core workouts are the hardest and yoga is the master. Josh likes it because it helps with his lower back, core and flexibility. TRY it...you won't be sorry.

I know...I know...I'm lacking, but I am going to make an effort!

Future Stylist

Here she is....my future Stylist. She did this just 5 days before her 8th birthday. She never did this at the age you would think children cut their own hair. That is why I am just a little confused by the whole situation. Kalan his to match everyday...her hair must be perfect. That is why I am so shocked about this.

This is how it went down....
On Monday morning I called Kalan in my room so I could put up her hair for school. At first I did not notice this very large chunk of hair missing from the front of her head. When I did I almost lost it...poor child.

Me "Kalan...WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR?"
Kalan " I don't know Mama...it must have happened at Gran mama's house when I was playin hide-n-go seek with the babies. I was under the bed and it got caught and it must have sliced it off."
Me "Why didn't you tell me...or someone?"
Kalan " I don't know...I didn't know that it did it."
Me " Now Kalan, I find it hard to believe that you didn't know that your hair was 'sliced' off. You would have seen all of that hair."
Kalan "I'm sorry."
Me "Don't lie to me...tell me what happened to your hair."
Kalan " I don't know...I don't remember. All I know is that it is gone."
Me "Did you cut your hair Kalan?'
Kalan "No ma'am."
Me "Is it in your garbage can?"
Kalan "NO Mama...it's not in there. I didn't cut it."
Me " If I go in your room and find your hair in the garbage can you are going to get a spanking for lying to me....so, tell me the truth. Is your hair in your garbage can?"
Kalan "No ma'am it's not in there."

At this point I leave out of the room to go look in her garbage can. Her Daddy is in there talking to her. I saw a small little piece laying in the floor near the garbage can...and then I moved one piece of paper. There it was all of her beautiful hair....that has take us 8 years to grow out so she wouldn't have bangs. I took the garbage can back to her to let her know the gig was up.

Me "Kalan, what is that?"
Kalan "I don't know how it got in there."
Me "It's your hair...and you cut it and put it in there didn't you?"
Kalan "I DID NOT! I don't know how it got in there."
Me " I know you cut it Kalan...here is your hair and the Fiskar scissors are laying on your book shelf. Don't lie to me...why did you do it?"
Kalan " I didn't do it! I don't know who did it."
Me "Did Nathan do it?'
Kalan "No...I don't think he did."
Me "Okay...that's it...you are getting a spanking for lying to us."

So after the spanking it still took her a few minutes to confess to the crime. Why must children lie? I just knew once I had brought that garbage can full of hair in there to show her it would be an open and shut case...but it didn't happen that way.

In the pictures I has grown out a lot! She cut it down to less than a 1/4 inch. She will look back on this one day and say, "I better just tell the truth because they are going to find out the truth anyway." At least that's what I am hoping she will say....

8 is Great!

I can hardly believe that it has really been 8 years since my baby girl was born. Her entry into this world was a sign of what was yet to come...lol She is my more headstrong child. She definitely has her own opinions and is very intent on seeing them out. What can I say...she takes after her mother, bless her heart. Bless my heart, nope bless Josh's heart!

Case in point...her cake. They don't make iCarly cakes around here. She was dead set on it, so I gave it to her. Yes, I did it myself. I looked at the picture online and drew out my stencil and made it from that.

She wanted strawberry cake. So it was strawberry cake with chocolate cream cheese filling and of course butter cream icing! It was very good!

What's that? You want to know what happened to her hair. That's another blog in and of itself. She is soooo beautiful, but I am jaded! The candles are neat they are spiral. She had a bit of trouble blowing them out too. We had to throw this party together because of so many schedule conflicts. At least this year she didn't have stitches in her chin. She was a little upset at first when she couldn't invite her whole ball team!!!! I know, I would have had to take a nerve pill for sure...lol!

Here she is with all of her loot! She racked up! She loves clothes and shoes and make-up and pretty things. She got plenty of those things. All of them had a great time! They did stay up and watch Flicka 2 twice. I believe they went to sleep well after 2 am.

I woke the poor little things up at 8 the next morning for pancakes! We went to Church and then to Carly's birthday party. I know that when I blink again she will be 16...gasp! I shan't think of such horrible things! For now 8 is GREAT!

Andrew and his new accessory

You know the old saying goes, "boys will be boys". Why question is when will it end? I love my boys. They are fresh breath of air, compared to the daily drama of girls. I do love my daughter too. Just a little much in the drama department.

Boys just tend to be easier...they don't mind what they are wearing. Heck they wouldn't mind going out in their pjs. Their hair...ha! My boys look like their hair hasn't seen a brush in weeks...no months...better yet, years! Both of my boys would wear their boots with shorts any day...even to church. Oh wait, Nathan did that last Wednesday night. See, no drama or dilemmas there. No one ever notices, except for Mom. All I worry is oh my they think we are some kind of trash that has washed up on the front steps of the church building. Then when I think about it more I just say to heck with it, Josh's family has been coming to church here for years and they have never been kicked out, so we should be good!

Back on point....I know I do tend to drift.

My Andrew has him a new accessory as of Monday. He left me on Friday night in one piece, by Sunday he was a broken child...literally!
The picture above is of his left arm. See the hump? The one just below his wrist. Yes that hump. That my friends is a clean break in his radius! He has had a hairline fracture and a buckle fracture in this arm already. Yes, he drinks milk, before you call, text or email me with that suggestion, but thanks for the concern.

How did this happen you ask...On a 4-wheeler. We dropped him off at Riley's house Friday night and this happened about an hour after we left. My baby is one tough cookie! Not only did he stay there until Sunday night til about 6, but he went to football camp Saturday from 8-3! He never shed a tear! We still don't know why he didn't call us, his only answer was that he didn't want to have to come home early, so he just dealt with it.

I told the x-ray tech that he is either really tough or really stupid...I would have to get back to her with the answer to that one.

He got himself a really fashionable cast accessory...in black. His choice not mine, you know...boys will be boys.

The Toothfairy Does Make Mistakes!

You heard me people. She does...really and truly. I don't quiet know what was up with her a couple of weeks ago. My Kalan lost her other front tooth. We went through all the normal Toothfairy motions. We tucked her in and she placed her front tooth, which she pulled all by herself I might add, under her pillow.
The next morning as I was getting ready Kalan came into the room with tears in her eyes and a dollar in her hand. I asked what was wrong and she could barely speak through the tears. she opened the other hand and to my horror it was her TOOTH! All I could do was hug her. She said, "The Toothfairy left my tooth...she left it Mama...why did she leave it?"
At that moment I couldn't answer that question. I told her I would call her after I dropped her off at school and get to the bottom of it. My heart broke and I kicked myself!
The Toothfairy said it was an honest mistake. She said that she searched high and low under Kalan's pillow for the tooth. Just when she was going to give up, she stepped on what she thought was her tooth in the floor. She said to place Kalan's tooth in the window seal and she would leave her the rock and take her tooth.
Kalan did as she said and the next morning all was right with the world.

All I've got to say is the other Toothfairy...the male one...better oil all of his joints to keep them from "popping" cause this fairy is hanging up her wings the next time!

Easter Slide Show

The Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny

I believe they both were in my house on Saturday night. Kalan lost a tooth right before bedtime. The Easter Bunny called the Tooth Fairy and they made arrangements to come in together. This made things easier for them. I think it worked very well. The Tooth Fairy left her goods in the Easter Bunny's basket. I have soooo many pictures from Easter morning and egg hunting. I am going to put together a slide show and put it up. But until I find the time for that here are few of the kids that I liked.

Andrew...where did the time go? Can't believe he is 12.

Kalan Olivia...a heartbreaker. She is going to give her daddy fits in 9 to 10 years.

Nathan...I feel sorry for your teacher and principal. He is T R O U B L E!

Our Happy Family!

I might have another little heartbreaker on my hands. He is so precious!

Beautiful!

A time to Dye

Eggs that is. Something that my children, well two of them anyways, has been dying to do. I put on a happy face and let them do it. I hate easter egg dye. It gets everywhere.

As you can see my children like to put their fingers in there with the egg. So for several days later we still have dyed fingers. Don't let Nathan fool you. He wasn't gentle at all. Poor egg didn't stand a chance.

Andrew was very calculated with his egg dying. He was also aware of the chance he might dye his fingers. He opted not to plunge his fingers in with the egg. He took the high road and used the flimsy plastic egg thingy.

Did I mention that dye gets everywhere? Case in point...Nathan digging his egg out of the crazy looking dye cup with the flimsy plastic egg thingy. Yes he got dye everywhere. It's okay, nothing a little bleach won't get up.

Two of our finished products! Aren't they pretty? I think so. We didn't take them on the egg hunt at my in-laws. My child love boiled eggs. If you take them hunting they will eat them as they find them. This means bad stomach aches for their lack of self control.

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!

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!