Busy Busy

Since I last posted a lot has been going on....

Tanner's room has stripes and is now put together



Tanner had a birthday party with his friends at Pizza Hut


He wanted a cookie cake for his birthday and asked if he could draw it himself



Ella started t-ball and has enjoyed batting...she would rather play in a dress and flip flops, and really doesn't like catching or throwing...


Then she had her recital at Ms. Kim's....She loves tumbling and actually has more grace and balance than her brother!


We cannot forget her star attraction!! She wants to do it and loves to talk about herself, but when she gets in front of her class, she doesn't say a word, she just gets embarrased.




Our family from Australia came in and we got to meet another cousin, Chloe. She and Ella are about 5 months apart. They are A LOT alike and even look alike too. She LOVES dress up and tea parties as much as Ella!



Easter was soon after they got here and Easter on my dad's side is big. Mostly because of so many people, but the food is always good and we ALWAYS eat WAY too much! I love though getting to spend time with them, talking and enjoying everything about family


Ella wanted to hunt eggs again after we got back home, so I hid them and Tanner decided he could do it one more time, after all, there was chocolate involved!!


Mother's Day Tea at Ms. Angie's is my most favorite by far. She makes some of the best cucumber sandwiches and cookies!



Then more family get together's....more laughing and sweet little kids faces...






Playday for the elementary...



And Ella's graduation from Ms. Angie's (this will not be her last)


Whew! All of this fun and going has us being lazy and wore out




We are ready for things to slow a bit and enjoy the sweeter things of life!! We wish everyone a safe and happy summer!

Tanner is 10!

Happy Happy Birthday to my sweet son!!

I have wrote this, re-wrote this, edited it and his birthday has come and gone and I am still struggling. I was not crying when he went to pre-school, or his last day of pre-school, or his first day of kindergarten. But I am crying now. Why now? I have no idea. I guess I didn't realize how fast these 10 years have flown by. He is still suppose to be a little boy. Not necessarily a baby, but my sweet little round faced boy.
Tanner slept with my dad holding him every night for the first 6 weeks of his life...


I am a very blessed mother to have him as an amazing son! I truly do not know what I would have done without him. In a lot of ways, he is my guardian angel. That sounds crazy, but when I had him I was not in a good place. I knew though, that I would be better and we would accomplish a lot in his lifetime and so far we have!!





He is smart and funny and a compassionate son. He loves his sister even, when she is not so nice to him. His imagination is always going. He loves reading and writing books and is a pretty good artist. I am very thankful for him and his kind heart and gentle spirit.




Tanner, I hope you had a wonderful day! You are very special to me and I love you more than you will ever know!!

Moments

Have you ever had those moments when you realize things are going too fast? Or your kids are really growing up without realizing they are growing up? I have had a few moments here or there and it really hit home when my dad and I were talking about plans.

The first time it hit me was about two years ago when I was buying shoes for Tanner. We had gone to the boys section to try on shoes, only for me to realize he was no longer in boys shoes, but mens. AHHHH!!! Not only did the price shock me, but so did his excitement. He was soooo excited that he was no longer in "boys" shoes. What? You have to stay in boys size shoes til you get to Jr. High, at least. Yea, that didn't happen.

Next shock was last year buying clothes for my sweet baby Ella. She went from toddlers to girls. I was ok with Tanner going from toddlers to boys sizes but not my Ella. She is suppose to be my sweet little baby who never grows up. Well, this weekend, as I was shopping for her some more clothes, my heart sank even more. She is not even in elementary and she is already growing way faster than I want her too. I would go to pick up the smaller sizes and realize they are too short and not big enough.

A few weeks ago this really hit home. HARD!! My dad and I were talking about their house. The kids and I are going to live in their house til dad retires in 10 years. After that, I'm hoping I will find something and they will move back and I will be able to either build(yea right!) or find something that fits us. Anyway, I was thinking that would be great. I'll have money saved, Tanner will be graduated, Ella will be 15 and wait.....Tanner will be graduated? Ella 15? Are you kidding me? NOOOOO!!! I don't want that to happen. Yes. Reality hit me hard that I have had Tanner for 10 years and in another 10 years he will probably be gone. Oh my heart broke. I know it is crazy and I love every minute I have with my kids, but I wasn't ready to come to terms with that just yet.

I guess, I have been thinking a lot about the kids and our future and am not really dealing well right now with them growing up. Don't get me wrong, I love that they are growing up and I want them to grow up to see who and what they become. But I don't know how my parents or anyone does it. Sometimes it breaks my heart, but to see who they are becoming brings me so much joy. Just wish it wasn't going so stinkin fast.

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!!