Brighter Day

I talked in my resolutions post that I would work harded at giving things to God and let him be the ONE who makes the decisions in my life. I write all of this to also help me be more accountable. 2011 started out rocky and the stress grew and grew. I was praying and asking God for help. I didn't know what to do and I certainly didn't have control or I wouldn't have been so stressed out. My stress finally came to a head and I had had all I could physically take and amazing thing happened. Granted, I know it's not how or what I wanted but HE stopped me. I felt like he told me to stop and my body did just that. I started getting sick, I had severe headaches for 4 days in a row. I felt terrible and looked just as bad. I kept willing myself to go because I had two kids to take care of and two jobs to get to. Tuesday, I thought, if I am not better by the morning I am going to the doctor. I can't do these headaches another day and I am wore out. I came to work Tuesday morning and by 11:30 I was home in bed. I have never slept so good in all my life as I did those 3 hours and that night. Wednesday I woke up feeling better, not great, but better. By the end of Wednesday I felt like me again. Still had a weak headache, but I could function again.

Today, my headache is gone, my stress is gone and I know what HE was doing. He was making me stop and forget everything else. I asked for his guidance and help with what I was dealing with. He got my attention and today I begin a brighter day working to be a better me because it's what I need to be with God's help. I need to not worry about all the things I was worrying about, and struggling with. There is a bigger picture, I haven't seen any of it yet, but I know it's there waiting. Sometimes what we ask for and what we get are not what HE has in mind for us. I'm still a work in progress and trying very hard every day.

February???

February? Already? Where did January go? I feel like just last week was New Year's. Grateful it's not, but I feel time has really gotten away from me this month.

January has been a crazy hectic month. First, I'm running around getting estimates for my car, hoping to get it in the shop by the end of the month so I can have my car fixed and back to me feeling safe in it. Well, we are now in the month of February and I am still jacking with the insurance company~fun!! Just so much freaking fun!!

Mom and dad found a place!! Hallelujah!! It's nothing big or fancy, but will work til dad retires!! So, we are working on a slight remodel at the new place, boxing stuff up, unpacking stuff, moving boxes to and from storage. It would be sooooo much easier if they were able to move everything! But they aren't and some will stay and some will go. Good news, at least it's only 30 miles if they need anything!!

Weather! We have had some freezing weather and with it freezing water lines!! At least on the hot side. We have cold running water, but who wants to take a freezing cold bath in freezing cold temps. Got that problem fixed(Hopefully!! Fingers crossed) this weekend. We moved the water heater and pray that this next round of bad weather we get, we will have hot water!!

Kids have been busy too. Went back to school and are heading into the end with smiles abound. Have had plenty to do with homework and programs. I was upset because I missed Tanner's Texas History Program, but heard they all did an awesome job!! I'm staying busy with both jobs and doing what I can to help my parents.

Hope this month doesn't go by as fast as last month did!! Everyone stay warm, spring is just around the corner!!

Resolutions?

Happy New Year everyone!!

Tanner got a phone for Christmas this year and loves it. He has been using it to talk to his dad by text and to me as well. He has been taking pictures with it and I have enjoyed watching him use it. The other night as we were winding down I got a text on my phone. It was from Tanner and he was sitting in the same room?! He asked me what my New Year's Resoultion was this year. I told him I didn't have one and asked him if I needed one. He thought for a moment and said he didn't know. I asked Tanner if he had one. He said he didn't. I asked him why he was texting me instead of asking me while I was sitting next to him. He said "Mom, sometimes I want to have a conversation without Ella being involved." I understood and left it at that. Later that night, as it is every night, I was laying in bed with Tanner talking to him about what or if we needed to make resolutions. I told him that if he felt he needed to make some resolutions he could.

Tanner did get me to thinking though. What would I change about this year from last year? I have been working on being a better mom and taking care of myself so I can be a better mom for my kids. I am working very hard on providing for my kids. I have been working on the kids and I going to church. I don't like the idea of not always being able to go with them on the Sunday's I work, but we are getting back to where we need to be. Then I remembered what someone who is very wise told me. He said "It's not what man thinks of us, but what GOD has in store for us." So, instead of making a resolution, I'm making a change, to work on letting GOD lead me/us in what we need to do. This is not something new or something I wasn't taught. It is something that I quit doing and became lost along the way. I have been talking to Him every day asking him for guidance and thanking him for the many blessings he has blessed me with. Especially Saturday!! I am so very grateful for so many things that happened or didn't happen on Friday. Every day is new.

My change isn't to diet and exercise, which I know I should so I can be healthier. It is life changing though. It is something that the kids need to see and be a part of.

Many blessings to you and your family on this new year!!

Polka Dots

I feel like I am seeing spots!! With all the changes going on right now, I decided that part of the changes that we were going to make would be the kids decision. I asked them if they wanted their rooms painted. Of course they did!! I asked them what colors. Ella informed me her room would be pink and purple. Tanner said he would be happy with one blue wall. I'm thinking an entire room bright pink and purple, there has to be an alternative. One blue wall I can live with, but bright pink and purple? She concedes and says one wall pink and one purple. Ok, options are getting better, but how do I make it work? Then an idea hits me, how about stripes or polka dots? Polka dots it is!!

Last weekend I started on painting and scraping ceilings. I knew the kids would be gone that weekend and thought I could have it done by the time they got home Sunday. Friday night I moved out furniture, scraped ceilings. Saturday after work I painted everything white, trim, door frames, walls and ceilings. Perfect, paint polka dots on Sunday and the room back together by the time the kids get home.

Well, the kids came home early on Sunday and I was not finished like I had hoped, but they got to help me paint. Ella actually helped me draw the dots on the wall and then we began painting. I outlined one dot and turned my back to outline one for Tanner. I got halfway through and Ella had taken it upon herself to finish painting the one I had outlined.

I left her dot that she painted by herself there. As a reminder of her helping me!!

Tanner painted about 4 dots and was through. Ella had to help me paint all the dots on the lower half of the walls. 4 hours after we started painting, we finally finished dots. I was very thankful that I didn't draw as many as Ella wanted. By 8 Sunday night, we had a new room with pink and purple polka dots.



Next task, blue and green striped walls in Tanner's room!!

A Season of Change

This fall is bringing not only a change of seasons, but also of other changes in our life. We were fortunate enough to celebrate my mama's 90th birthday a few weeks ago. We were all able to be there and all had a wonderful time celebrating. It's amazing that she is still living in her own house by herself. I hope that I will be as strong as she is when I grow up!!





Then we started flag football. I love to watch the kids play. Tanner has enjoyed it more this year than in the years past. He loves blocking!! I'm hoping one day he will not feel bad about hitting or blocking another player :/ Ella loves to watch too. She wants to be a cheerleader one day so she can cheer for him!!




My dad did get on with AEP and is now going to be moving!! This is something that I knew was coming and is mixed with bitter sweetness (is that a word?). I am so excited and happy for my dad and mom but at the same time sad for the kids and them that they won't be here like they have been for the past 9 years. Wow! 9 years. That doesn't seem possible. Tanner has had a few worries, but are hopefully eased now that he realizes they will only be 30 miles from here.

More changes abound as I started a second job!! Yay! I was so excited when I got this that I feel like a weight has been lifted. It is only going to be a few nights a week and a weekend here and there and is a really awesome opportunity for me.

More changes are on the horizon, but mostly we are adjusting to new things. Taking care of the right now and TRYING not to worry about the future. However, I am excited about what the future holds for us!! It is going to be AMAZING!!

End of a crazy two weeks

This weekend marks the end of a crazy two weeks. School started for Tanner on the 23rd. I had to be in Panhandle for court that day. Then I had court and treatment placement to get done by the end of the week. All of that mixed in with back to school night for Tanner and Ella on the same night, getting back in to the routine of homework, supper, and bed times made for a tiring first week.

This past Monday was Ella's first day of Ms. Angie's. Oh how we have missed her, but sure do not like the attitude in the afternoons. That tied with allergies kicking Ella's tail have not made for a fun week.

So, how do we end a crazy two weeks? By having a little fun ourselves!


We hope everyone has a great school year! It may get a little crazy for the kids and I, but we will have fun doing it!!

Vacation 2010!!

WE HAD A BLAST!!!

We started off our trip to Castaway Cove before driving on to Burleson. We had a super time. Tanner loved the wave pool and Ella loved the lazy river!! A girl after my own heart ;) We would have stayed in the lazy river all day had it not started raining. It rained a little bit and then moved on and we got to play some more. We went down some slides and played in the water and floated the lazy river some more. We left and headed out to Burleson, but not before stopping at The Olive Garden to eat!!

The next day was the Fort Worth Zoo. This was Ella's favorite place. She got tired of walking and decided that she would ride the rest of the way in the stroller. We got to spend a lot of time walking around and looking at all kinds of animals. Ella made sure cheetahs were the last thing we saw and Tanner made sure the reptile house was the first.


After that we went to the American Airlines museum. It was really neat to see. I didn't realize passenger planes were around as early as they were. The kids got to fly a simulator model which Tanner liked and Ella could have done without.
She saw the big plane and wanted to get on it. Now Ella wants to get on a plane and ride it somewhere!! Tanner, not so much (he's not a fan of heights).


Our third day was to the Dallas Aquarium. The kids got to feed some of the birds berries and see lots of big fish. Ella liked the manatee and flamingos. Tanner saw a guitar shark (?) and thought that was cool. (I'm probably not right about that, and he will correct me I'm sure). Then that afternoon we went and watched Despicable Me in 3D. It was a great movie. Of the last 4 movies I have seen, I have loved the kids movies better! Ella kept trying to reach out and grab the characters in the movie.

The next day was Dinosaur World. Tanner was in heaven and so excited he could hardly contain himself. We walked through the walk and he knew everyone of the dinosaurs on the path and what they were all about.

Ella was "leading" the way. She was having more fun showing us which way to go than looking at the dinosaurs. At the end of the walk we got to do a fossil dig. Ella calls them her shiny things that she got. Tanner had such a hard time deciding what to keep and what to put back. He wanted to keep all of his fossils, but finally decided on which ones to keep. We then headed to my sister's house and spent the rest of the weekend relaxing and swimming!!





On our way home I asked the kids what was their favorite part of the trip. Ella said the zoo. She said she would have liked the water park more if the big waves wouldn't have crashed in her face. She said she liked the little waves, but not the big ones. Tanner's favorite was Dinosaur World. Said that the next would have been the water park because of the wave pool. I on the other hand felt like the little girl in Despicable Me when she finally gets her big unicorn and says "IT'S SO FLUFFY!" about my new car!! I LOVE IT!!!! I LOVE IT!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

The one wish I have after all of this: to have my vacation kids back instead of my home kids. They were so good while we were gone and once we got back home, it's fighting, arguing and yelling to get out of the others room!?! So much fun though!!