Aliens in Our Attic?...

No, not this time.

That's Yellow Jackets I hear swarming in my attic.

A four layer thick wasp nest. So disgusting...

Below is a short video of my wonderful husband
explaining his recent adventure with the attic invaders...

{I love his cute :) at the end of this video}

Bloggable

So okay this is a random post, I agree. But at the same time this is soooo "bloggable" (A term Jeff & I came up with:)



And the reason is, because in the past 2 1/2 years Grace has been with us we have NEVER taken a picture of daddy and all three of his kids together!!! We are awful, I know!! We have pictures of daddy and the boys... or daddy and daughter, none of all three together. So here it is, drum roll please.....

WHAT THE HECK IS MY DADDY DOING?!

Feeling Awfully Loved

For about a month, I've not been feeling well. Nothing to complain about or really slow me down. I've slowly been feeling worse over the last few days. Last night before I went to bed I felt awful. I called the doctor this morning and thankfully he called me in some meds. Grace was such a blessing to me today. All day she was so sweet and helpful. My hubby was so wonderful, he picked up the boys from school while Grace & I took a long well needed nap. And he fixed dinner for all of us tonight.

I ended up in our computer room/study (the smallest room in our house) my hubby was on the computer so I plopped down on the love seat to visit with him, after my nap. This is where I spent most of the evening. Jared joined me for dinner and asked if I would like to watch a movie. Later the other two kiddo's saw what was going on and joined us. I love my little family and I guess they love me too even when I'm sick ;)

We Love Giving Our Kids A Hard Time..

At dinner tonight we were enjoying our very difficult meal to prepare...De Giorno Pizza! Jared had 1/4 of the pizza on his plate and this was seconds. I told him, you can have it, if you think you will eat all of it. He told me he could and if he did, we were to make us become rich! Ha! rich in love? NO. Rich in money, he told us. Yeah we are already rich in love. All the money in the world will not make you happy, there is only one thing in the world that will make you happy. Caden interrupted... only God will!! Yes that's right. Jared said," I know that". By this time Jared was finishing his piece of pizza. Giggling he says... okay make us rich. Caden said I wish there was no money so we would not have to buy anything. If there were only kids on the earth it would be this way. They decided Caden was too violent to be president and Jared would have everyone playing video games. Well I know who would be president. Who!? They asked. Grace would be! Caden said, but she doesn't know anything. That's what you think. We finished eating and I looked at daddy and said well I guess we need to get going, they have everything under control. Be sure to give Grace a bath, fix your lunches for school tomorrow and you might want to set your alarm two hours early, because it will be a long walk to school. Daddy said oh and don't forget to pay the electric bill. Also, be sure to feed the dog because she will get hungry too.

It's a good thing we tough him how to pump gas...but wait we will have the car with us... never mind.

Don't go!

Please stay.

Don't go daddy!! As they are sitting & laying on his feet.

Okay....we'll stay. Good! Can I have my desert now? Sure! Oops...just kidding. (As I'm shutting the pantry door) Since we're staying and we are still the boss.

On A Moments Notice

Jared asked if we could go visit Memaw, as we are on our way home from school today. I always forget to take a picture when I visit, but today I had all three of my kiddos with me this time, so I grabbed my phone to take a quick picture.

It's not the best quality, and Grace with no socks & shoes in the cold wind holding a toy car and blanket...oh well it's one of my favorites anyway. The spontaneous visits and pictures can sometimes be the best. I love how the sun is shining through the picture, I didn't see this when took it. I think Memaw was saying hello ;)

The boys love reading the marker at the foot of Theron's (Buddie) grave every time they visit.

Praying...

that this is not a sign of what's to come when our children start to drive.

We thought Grace did this while playing today. We asked the boys if she was in the car at the time?

No! We did that, it was in our way when we were playing Basketball, so we drove it into the trees. Oh okay....well it would not have been a surprise to us if Grace had been in it. We did think it was a little odd that they could not have just parked out of the way, in the trees was more fun.

A Senior Moment

The other day I needed my 1/2 inch Dewalt drill to finish a job I was workin on. Went to were it was supposed to be and found only the empty case. This revelation filled my mind with anguish at the thought of someone having invaded my space and taken my drill. Well, I calmed down and thought that perhaps I loaned it to a friend or family member. This launched a wave of calls to everyone that might have possibly needed or had a need for such a tool. No luck. I prayed about it, we simply could not afford to purchase another one to replace it.

Well today, long after I had given up on finding my drill, I was lookin for somthin else in our lawn building and saw a box that used to be mounted in my truck. Looked in the box and lo and behold a senior moment was revealed. I fell to my knees in praise. Apparently I stuck it in there "for a minute" and got side tracked. My wife was happy and amused with the situation and suggested that I blog about it. I agreed and said "A Senior Moment."

Getting Warmed Up

Last weekend he was asking me, when will Baseball start? I told him it wouldn't be long and you should be getting a sign up sheet soon. Well what do ya know, just two days later he came home from school with one!! He is so excited!! After church, he asked me if he could wear his baseball pants. I got this of him practicing this evening... WOW...you better watch out! He can really hit the ball!

Jeff Thought It Would Never Happen...

It's always a family event when we wash the truck, because it can be such a big job, and doesn't happen often enough.

My Conversation With The Boy's

Last night I was talking to the boys, telling them we were going to visit my grandparents on Saturday. I said you have met them before, but Caden you were only 2 and Jared you were 5 so you probably don't remember them. Caden asked if they were dead..too cute. Because, Memaw passed away last March so we visit her quite often at the memorial park. I said no. They have not passed away, we just have not seen them in a long time. Then Jared asked where they lived..I told him, he said oh...okay. I didn't go into details why we haven't visited them in so long...they will read this journal and one day find out why.

It was the first week in January of 2005 when my grandmother had heart surgery. This was only 2 months after my brain aneurysm on October, 21 2004. Even though the doctors were talking about brain surgery, I was so thankful to still be alive, with my husband and at the time 2 very young little boys. So when my grandmother got ill I was there to help any way that I could. She was very worried about me as I was about her. I feel now as I did then, that family is very important and I will defend what I believe is right. To make a very...very...long story shorter, a comment was made toward my mother while granny was in surgery, and I rightly spoke up to defender her. Doing this caused a family disagreement and lies. We tried to make amends the following year...what a disaster that was...Satan was loving this indeed!!!

Through a newspaper add "The Babies Born in 2007!" I had placed Grace's picture in the paper... this was how they found out we had another child...and this time it was a little girl!!

For almost a year now they have wanted to meet her and see the boys again. We were very hesitant because of what happened years before when we tried to work this out. We did a lot of praying before going to visit today and God answered our prayers! Jared was out on the porch with me, watching the rain fall and he said, I remember this place (last summer looking through our wedding album he asked who they were, because he couldn't remember them, this broke my heart) this is where Caden & I got those green and blue chairs!" I said it sure is! He was 4 years old when they gave them those chairs! WOW! Just a glimpse, he remembers, but so glad he did, I love it! We had a wonderful visit, Grandaddy thanked us for coming and for forgiving him, he has even mentioned the Lord several times to my sister. Granny asked us to please visit again soon, and we will do so.

Thank you to those who have been praying for this visit to go well.

Watching the Raindrops

Today while visiting my grandparents the rain started fallin...

So these two (Grace & my nephew Garrison) ran to the porch to watch the rain fall.

So thankful we had a good visit and enjoyed or time together. What a blessing. I will post more on our visit soon~

We Finally Get to Sleep Together Again...

or should I say, next to each other again. Jeff has been working nights these past two weeks and tonight is his last night!!!!! It hasn't been too bad, except I haven't been sleeping well. He leaves for work when I'm getting ready for bed. Call me weird...I have always had trouble sleeping when we are not together. We've managed to keep our evening routine the same as always, and he has actually been able to spend some extra time with the kids in the mornings on the way to school. I have so much to be thankful for, he was home last night when the weather got so bad. Being home alone with three kids, and him being away not knowing if he's okay, is not my idea of a fun evening. And that these past two weeks are behind us!!!..wooohooo!!!

All Resting Quietly on a Sunday Afternoon... or so we thought...

Caden woke us with the words "Grace has a comb stuck in her hair, and I can't get it out." Jeff and I looked at each other and with a sigh he said GREAT.

Not as bad as we thought...

Just another little adventure in our life full of Grace :)

Growing Pains...

Jared and I have had several conversations this week that is showing me he is definitely growing up. It's almost if it happened literally over night. Our conversation on Monday started off with him saying.."Mommy, I am now going to start calling you mom. Well I am 10 1/2 so I'm not a baby anymore." I said, okay sweetheart I know your getting older. As I'm giving him a hug in my irritating baby voice I said, "your... not... my... baby... anymore..!?" STOP IT MOMMY!!..I mean mom!

In all honesty I'm surprised he was still calling me mommy. We didn't ask or force the issue, because we knew he would on his own time.

As some of you know Caden lost another tooth this week. So this involved the "Tooth Faerie" coming to see him. Well, after dropping him off at school, Jared said, "why don't you tell him?" We will son, he will find out on his own time, just like you did. "But isn't it like your lying though?" Your daddy and I have thought the same thing for years, and that's why we are thinking about changing this with Grace. "Well I'm not going to tell my kids there is a Tooth Faerie and a Santa Clause." I said yeah.. parents tell their children make believe or faerie tales because children love to play pretend. Yeah, I know.

~The Redhead Alien Kid~

Caden was so excited after school today. He's getting into the car, with a huge grin on his cute little face, and saying "LOOK!! I look like an Alien." Wow! You sure do! Well, how did you lose this one.. Were ya eating lunch? No. You had the nurse pull it? Nope. I pulled it myself, and it didn't hurt or bleed one bit! I went to see the nurse, just to get my tooth necklace.

He has yet another loose tooth, if he keeps this up "alien food" just might be his only option. ;)

What will He Say Next...

Last night I told the kids they could put in a short movie while they waited for their turn in the shower. After all were bathed I walked into the boys room, and saw that Grace had a very comfy pallet on the floor. Caden said that he had made it for her. "It has three blankets and two pillows!" I see that, you did a awesome job! I said, you love your sister... hua? Yes.. Do you remember before she was born, when it was just you and Jared? Yes. Aren't you glad she is in our family? "Well, I did like it better before." (Honestly, I was shocked that he said that, because they are pretty good buddies. Jeff and I catch him looking at her like she is just so cute) Why? I asked him. "Because I had my own room." I bet it is still pretty cool sharing a room with your brother too. "Yes it is, but he talks a lot. Even after you tell us, no more talking after we have gone to bed."

Huh~ just never know what that child will say next.

Thankful for Her Return

Yesterday morning our plan was to let our dog outside for about 30 minutes, while we took the boys to school. With the weather so cold, we didn't expect her to run off when we opened the gate. Well...she did! The last time she did this was 4 months ago, back in September, and she was gone over 12 hours! Jeff and I were beginning to think she was not coming back, because she has never been gone that long before, when she finally walked up to the house. Well yesterday she was gone 6 hours, when a woman knocked on our door. She asked if we were missing a dog? Yes. Is it a Golden Retriever? Yes it is! Well I have your dog in my car. She was at our shop drinking lots of water and walking in circles like she was very confused. We told her how she got out this morning and that she was 9 years old. She said that she thought she looked to be older, and maybe she couldn't find her way home, so she wanted to help. We are so thankful for her thoughtfulness and willingness to help. We will definitely be keeping closer tabs on Abie. We told the boys about what happened, and they took the news pretty well. We feel that if they know whats going on with her health, when she does pass away (whenever that may be) they will take it a lot better.

Yes, this was another dog post and it may have bored you, but this is what our family is going through right now, and I wanted to journal. Thanks so much for reading.

Abie Update

After a few calls and emails, we have had a few of you wondering what we decided to do about keeping our dog warm these next few days.

Well...after a good brushin and some good old baby powder...

we led her into the house where she could be warm.

She has a small area in the laundry room, just enough to move around a little. We will still let her out side throughout the day to potty and play.

This was her first time so she was refusing to come in, Jeff had to drag her into the house. Later she came in with no problem. She is such a good dog, Caden and I forgot she was in the house because she is so quiet!..Just happy to see us when we go to check on her.

Ice Cold...

Was our dogs water bowl this afternoon. Abie is our 9 year old Golden Retriever, so she is no puppy anymore. I was talking to my parents today about what we should do with her over the next few days. I got some good advice, but we are still unsure.

We have always left her outside with hay and blankets and she has been fine. But like I said she is getting older...will she be okay in this bitter cold, with the wind chill dropping in the single digits?

We would bring her into the laundry room, but with her needing a bath and several of us with allergies, I am afraid too. What should we do....

Another One Bites The Dust

We have been working on that tooth for three weeks now.

At his dentist appointment two weeks ago he was told to wiggle~wiggle~wiggle every chance you get. Today after school he was complaining about it hurting. He said, "I want it out today!" I looked at it, and indeed it was ready! Three down and a lot more to go.

Daddy Still Wins!..for now

This looks like Jared is walking up to also give his dad a hug, after a long day at work.

Well...don't let the picture fool you.

There was lots of wrestling going on (in the kitchen of all places) as soon as he walked through the door!

Grace loves the nursery rhyme, "You Are My Sunshine." Were thinking, she is pretending to be the sun rising, because every time she climbs to the top she says "morning!"

Here is a short video of the wrestling match that took place last night. Also, a lesson on putting your thing away ;)

I'll give you three guesses...the first two don't count.

Look closely at the images below.

Find the one that does not belong.

A. Caden taking down Christmas lights off of the house.

(With help from his parents of course)

B. Grace playing in the winter leaves.

C. Jared swimming at a water park.

Yes, while we were home wrapped in our covers and coats trying to stay warm, Jared went swimming today in an indoor water park to celebrate his cousin Christopher's 10th Birthday!

As We Welcome 2010

We spent this new years eve with the kids. Last year they asked if they could stay with us to bring in the new year, just to see what it was all about. We had a lot of fun... We went out for dinner and the boys wanted to bake a cake, so we stopped by the store to pick up a few things. We got a cute video of Grace dancing to the Dick Clark New Years Eve Concert. I would post it, but it was too dark...bummer:( She was in bed about 10:00.. she wouldn't have lasted that long but she had a late nap today.

Jared seeing if he could take mommy down...he was horribly wrong! I give him 6 months and he will be as tall as me!

He tried so hard! It was about 11:40 when I asked him if he was okay or if he would like me to put him to bed? He said he wanted to stay up. This was 5 minutes later...happy new year sweetie.