January Comes to a Close

So today is the last day of January. So many things have changed this month and I have a new outlook in many aspects of life. One tornado a week and a day ago has changed so much for me in a few seconds, but I know that there are many blessings to come out of this truly tragic event.
This morning the school had a small gift for the parents as part of Catholic Schools Week. It is always a fun morning in carpool when they do this. The kids are excited and it means a lot to me that they do this for the parents. Having my boys in Catholic School is definitely not easy, but I know that it is what they need and that it will make them the best that they can be throughout life.
One more load of laundry and I will be done, well caught up. As you all know laundry never really ends. I was so proud of this very small feat though. Of course I left it on the bed, which does not make Brandon very happy. I will get better on that note.
The boys' had great days today and did pretty good at basketball practice. John Michael was not feeling it as much as Danny, but that is okay. He will get there.
Well, I am off to bed, I was so far behind on my blog mainly because until tonight I have sat down and fallen asleep. Things will get better.

Back to a Routine Sort Of

Brandon headed back to work, the boys to school, and me, well laundry was on the to do list and then some. Of course there was so much going on that I did not even get half of what I wanted to get done but it is okay. Mom and I were able to get some things done that had to be done and that is definitely the most important thing right now as she starts rebuilding her life.
Brandon said that it was a long day, and I definitely believe that. He said everyone asked about mom, and all of us, which is so appreciated. I wish that they would have given him the time off with pay and without having to use his PTO, but I am very thankful that he had it.
Catholic Schools week is this week and my name was mud with John Michael because today was hat day and I had no idea. He never brought his bag upstairs, and I never thought to check his folder because of everything that was going on. Hopefully I will do better.
I will get my list of stuff done as soon a possible, and it will all work out. Nancy, thank you so much for dinner, it was delicious and enjoyed by everyone. Again the outpouring of support from so many people has been so touching, I honestly cannot even begin to truly explain.
I cannot believe that it has been one week since the tornados changed so many things for me. I will get into this soon.

Walk Through

Sunday morning we headed to mom's early. We wanted to walk through the house and make sure there was nothing there. Then it was on to storage. This is where we needed help and again so many friends came through. Thank you all.
I was pretty convinced that Metro would add a sign to their location about children. The kids had so much fun playing cops and bad guys while we unloaded the truck. This was no easy task and before we could begin we had to rearrange the storage buildings and pray that they would be able to hold everything. Going back through these is going to be a task to say the very least. Again to Metro, thank you so much for everything you have been great to work with.
Amy and Terry and the kids came back to the house and hung out for a while. Amy even made dinner for all of us and it was so good. I know that she was exhausted after two days of helping. I cannot tell you what it meant to us, thank you.

Helping Hands

Saturday was moving day. The boy's decided to miss their basketball games and help at Nana's. This was a decision that they made on their own and made me so proud. They are growing up to be truly amazing children. I cannot explain in the blog how proud I was of them.
So many people showed up to help pack up mom's house. We knew that the upstairs we could get but the basement was going to be a challenge. So many memories and so much stuff. I have a list of thank yous I know that I will leave people out but to everyone, all I can say is you have no idea what it meant to me, Brandon, my mom, and even my boys to have your help physically and mentally.
We took one load to storage, well Brandon and the men did. Metro was amazing to work with and I recommend them to everyone who needs a truck or a storage unit. They helped us in so many ways and they were so understanding and patient. Thanks to everyone at Metro.
There was so much to go through in the basement and I hate to think about everything that was destroyed. It is just sad, a lot of memories, will soon be a pile of rubble.

It's A Total Loss

So this morning I went to reserve a large truck from Metro after I dropped the boys off at school.

They were excited because today was an out of uniform day. I went to the home and school meeting on Tuesday and that is the reward. I would go anyway, but this incentive is what makes them push me to go, even after a day like this Tuesday.

This morning the foundation engineer met mom and Brandon at her house at 8:00. After about 10 minutes he made the call to total the house. He said that it is safe for us to continue moving out but it is not repairable. This was the news that we knew was coming, but it is still not easy to hear.

I got the boys from school and we headed back to work. Almost all of my mom's upstairs is cleaned out. Well, what is being kept is boxed up, and what is not is either still there on the floor or is in bags. With a bulldozer coming I am not stressing about the trash or about what is being left behind. If it is damaged we have taken pictures of it so that she can itemize her list for the insurance company. If it is just not needed or wanted it is just there.

Tomorrow is finishing everything off upstairs and tackling the garage. Right now I am get it done mode, but I also am an emotional wreck. There is so much to do and so little time so that is definitely keeping me motivated.

Thank you again to everyone who came out today and helped. Mrs. Terri the cookies were amazing and so were the sandwiches, but those cookies....Wow! Mr. Mike, thank you so much for helping go to storage and getting that process really underway. Beth and Brandon thank you again! Packing up and taking out means so much. To the guys and girls from Trussville High School. Thank you so much for helping get the truck on its way to loaded and for all of the boxes. Sonia thank you for the help packing and the boxes, tape, and bags. To Regions thank you for the hot hamburgers! To everyone thank you!

Mud Surfing...Maybe?

So today I decided not to send the boys to school. With the weather as nasty as it was we needed the extra hands to get as much packed as we possibly can. I was worried that the weather would get bad, and I just needed us all together. Maybe it was selfish on my part I really do not know, but tomorrow they will go back.
The packing got started hard and heavy today and progress was made. The kitchen is almost done. Mom's bedroom is completely done. I still have to do her bathroom, but I will aim for there tomorrow. My old room was already pretty much done, but now all but the closet is done. The living room has been packed up. And well, progress was definitely made.
The rain today was not fun, it turned my mom's yard into a muddy mess. Walking down her little hill seemed more like a mountain covered in ice. I had to laugh because I had gotten a new pair of black pants for myself for Christmas. They are now mud and insulation covered and have several holes and well by the time this is over they will definitely make great work pants. They have been comfortable though, and for that I am very thankful. Pants can easily be replaced.
Thank you so much to Amy and Chandler, and to Beth for coming and helping. Through the tears, which were minimal it is just hard for anyone who grew up in Clay to be here and not be emotional. Through the laughs, because if we did not laugh we would cry. Through the rain and mud, and buddy that made everything a little more difficult. Just through it all, thank you so much.
Beth and I uncovered a few hidden treasures that I knew would mean a lot to my mom, and it did. One example was the knife from her and dad's wedding that we looked and looked for when Brandon and I got married. Now we have it and she is thankful. When Brandon and I renew our vows we will definitely be using it. Just something positive to think about.
Today the activity around was definitely lighter, the rain kept most people indoors. I cannot say that I blame them.
To the American Red Cross, thank you for the hot meals. To Beth, Amy, and Chandler thank you again your help and the boxes meant so much. To Nick, thank you for the Durango. To everyone and anyone who I forgot thank you. Anyone who has ever been through this knows that there are no words to describe how much everyone's help means to all of us, but I will keep trying. Oh yeah, thank you for the people at Metro who helped so much with getting mom storage for this interim period.

The First Flood

This morning was the first school Mass that I missed. And while I wanted to and feel like I needed to go I also knew that I was needed at mom's and I know that God knows that. The boys' said that they would definitely thank Jesus for keeping so many people safe and to please continue to do so.

After I dropped the boys off I picked mom up. She was ready to go. We made our first venture down Old Springville Road since Sunday. This was a horrific sight and one that will forever be with me. Nothing is the same. The landscape has forever been changed. So many amazing memories, learning how to drive for one that all seemed to take place on Old Springville Road. While the road is still there it does not look the same.

Now to mom's.

So today we waited and waited on the insurance man. In the meantime we cleaned out the deep freezer and the refrigerator and freezer and took inventory so that she can get reimbursed for everything that she lost. This was the easy part of the day.

When we made our walk through for the morning and the rest of the ceiling in my old room had come down and was on the floor. This was unbelievable sight to see. She had her China and Crystal from when her and dad got married there and it was also on the ground. While there is a monetary value, the sentimental value for her cannot be matched.

Brandon headed to the attic to see what he could get out and down came my childhood or what was left of it. I guess when I was about 13 and wanted a "big girl's room" I packed up all of the things that I could not get rid of to save for when I had a little girl. Well, there was no saving them. While the value was all sentimental except for my Little Women Madam Alexander Dolls there is a lot to be said about watching it all come down.

When I started to really go through I had gotten the boys from school. There was actually a few things that they wanted so we boxed them up as they looked salvageable, just need some good cleaning. So many things went to the garbage. 6 bags of my childhood.

My first jewelry box. i remember dad buying it for me when I got my ears pierced. My Valentine teddy bear that daddy gave me when I was almost 8 years old. The baby doll that I had and played with so much that her head had to be reattached several times, even when I went to daycare for the first time and the wicked woman was so mad that I was up asking her that she locked me in a closet. My cheerleader uniforms from the days of cheering for the Huffman Raiders where I met some of the most amazing people that I am still in contact with. This list could go on for day, but that gives you an idea of where I was on memory lane all day. There were a few things that made me laugh, and that is what I chose for the picture today.

I would like to thank again all of the volunteers who have given of their time and talents to help. Thank you to Home Depot who took the time to come out and bring boxes full of things that will definitely be useful. Thank you to Chick-fil-A for the HOT chicken sandwhiches for lunch. Thank you to Shane Shirley who took the time out to get look at mom's house and give an opinion from a builder's perspective. Thank you to all of the people that I know I am forgetting. You have all done so much and it means so much! Thank you Mr. Ken and Lance for the boxes, they will definitely be useful as we start this packing process hard and heavy tomorrow.

Well, again a shower and the bed are calling my name. Until tomorrow!

Thank You

While the emotional roller coaster is definitely running fast, there is more than enough time to say thank you. I am a little behind in posting so this is for Tuesday, January 24th.

Thank you to the power company for working around the clock to get the lines down cut off, new poles up, new lines run, and risking your own to be there for others. While I know that there is a pay check involved, these men and women are going through and not only working they are there for the community and they are risking their own safety to get things done. While we cannot turn on the power at mom's because of the wiring in the house being ripped and the risk of fire being high this is something that is small and means so much.

Thank you to the Jefferson County deputies who are working tirelessly to keep people out who do not need to be in these areas. They are out offering help, directing traffic, and doing all that they can to ensure the safety of all who were affected.

Thank you to the endless stream of volunteers. Those cutting trees, cleaning debris, bringing food, bringing water, helping to tarp, and everything else that you are all doing. You are selflessly giving of yourself. Many of you have taken off work just to lend a hand.

The list goes on. So many people have been wonderful and I know that I am leaving people out. To all of you, thank you so much.

Thank you to my friends and family who have offered to do whatever they can to help.

My post for the next few days, weeks, who knows it could be months will probably contain some type of thank you or problems or whatever. For now we are hoping that the insurance adjusters make it today, with the rain coming tomorrow we want to be able to get as much as we can out, but they are telling us we need to leave what is in there so that they can see all of the damage.

Thank you all for prayers, for thoughts, and for everything that you have done. The picture is of the boys helping move limbs after school. They have been so worried and wanted to help so we gave them some gloves and let them help.

The House that Built Me

Since I first heard Miranda Lambert's song The House that Built Me I was in love. There are so many things about the house that we grow up in. Maybe where we had our first kiss? Maybe where we said goodbye? Maybe it was where we learned how to walk? No matter what the memory they are powerful and there is a strong association to the memory and the house.



At 2:00 this morning I was up watching the weather and praying for God to keep my family safe. At 3:00 we started to call our family to make sure that they were awake and watching the weather. At about 3:20 we got the boys up and headed downstairs to watch the weather. From there my timeline is off and there has not been anytime to read the paper, no Internet to read online, even my 3G was up and down which took out the cell option. But what I know is we got into the closet under our stairs when it was coming through CenterPoint. We got out to try to find out where it was. We thought it was past but not sure. We started to try to call and text but the lines were so jammed. As we did get to people we were thankful that they were safe but the story was just getting started.



The tornado ripped through Clay, AL. This is my hometown. This is where my family lives. This is where Brandon's family lives. Friends and their families all in this one town that until today was still a place in Alabama that so many people did not know existed. It is an amazing community, it was before it was a City, and is today. Clay is a family and today they showed it.



We knew that Brandon's mom, pop, Aunt B, and Meemaw were safe and that they had no damage. We knew that mom was safe as well as my grandmother and uncles who live down the street. We knew that friends and family were safe despite having nothing left. The tears of loss, the anger of the destruction, the fact that everything has changed in a few seconds will come but today we were truly thankful for the lives that were spared. To say we were blessed is an understatement. The fact of miracles were ever present today as house after house the words we are okay were uttered.



The first time I arrived on my mom's street it hit me that the house I grew up in was going to be gone. While it is still standing the foundation has cracked in several placed, and that is just the start of the damage. The thing is the woods that I used to "get lost in" with friends, just so we could make getting out an adventure were gone. The basketball goal that I learned to play 21 on was gone. The landscape was changed and my heart was broken. I am so thankful for the safety of everyone that is what cannot be replaced, but there is something about walking down a street that you know as well as you know your own hand and finding out that you have never seen it before.

There are many pictures I could have used, but this is of my old bedroom.

This is not a message that ends tonight, but for tonight I am done. More to come soon. I am exhausted, a day behind, have lots of company, and well, I just need to get a shower and get some sleep so we can get back to it tomorrow.

Basketball

This morning we went to the 11 o'clock Mass. John Michael was so excited that we let him wear his basketball uniform to Mass. We had a game at 1:00 and had to be there at 12:30 so the timing was perfect and it made his Sunday morning. I love starting the mornings off at Mass with my amazing family. We get closer to Jesus and we do it together which is great.

John Michael's game was at 1:00. The boys were definitely more awake than they were Saturday. Of course so were all of us. Today we were playing St. Rose Academy. They won. The score was 4-2. I have never seen a group of boys more excited to win any sport. These guys have been the underdog and the win meant so much to them. They all played so good. They are getting to be pretty aggressive and are getting some of the technical things down too.

I had a photo shoot today at 2:30 at Aldridge gardens. I tried to get in touch with the lady all week because I knew it would be just generally nasty. Well, she never called or e-mailed me back so we rushed from Irondale to Hoover and she never showed up. Meaning I not only did not make anything, I lost money in gas today. That is the hard part about owning my own company. It is very disappointing when the people do not show up at all. We waited around but nothing so we headed home.

I have been working on homework and editing most of the evening. I have a lot to get done and this week I will make serious progress.

Well, I am headed to bed. Hoping to get a nap in before the weather gets bad. Everyone please be careful tonight. This weather makes me nervous. Praying for everyone to be safe tonight and in the morning as these storms pas through.

Basketball and Fundraisers

So this morning started with a lot of rain and a basketball game. At 8:00 in the morning we were at St. Francis, it was sort of like every other day. Except the boys were in red and white instead of navy and white. Looked just as handsome though.
John Michael played first. They ended up playing the same team from Our Lady of the Valley that we played last week. The end score was 10-0, not in our favor. The boys had a good time though, and they are definitely getting more aggressive. Maybe tomorrow will be our day. We play again tomorrow.
Since we had several hours before Danny's game we came on home and I tried to get some photographs edited and some homework done. It never ends, but it is all good. I actually got a good bit done and was super thankful for that.
Danny's game was at 2:00 at Our Lady of Sorrows. For the first time they lost. It was a tough game, a lot of rough playing, bad calls, and bad sportsmanship. They were ready for our guys. They had double coverage on two of our guys almost the whole game. It was a hard game. The boys played their hardest down to the last second literally. I am super proud of them. It was a sad day for them, but they should be proud, they played hard and next time they will be ready for them.
Well, we headed to Subway for dinner/lunch and then I rushed to get ready for the fundraiser I was photographing for The Independence Place. This is an amazing thing and while it is a small part I am so glad to be a part of something that is truly going to improve life for so many people.

Bye Santa

So anyone who has driven by my house knows that as of this morning we were still ready for Christmas. Well, Brandon got all of the big stuff out of the yard. He still has the wreaths, and lights to go, but Santa and the reindeer are put up. I told him that made me pretty sad I liked Santa waving bye to me everyday and hello to me everyday. Now it is just boring.


Seriously, I am glad that we are making progress. We still have so much to do. It is always a task to get it all up especially because of basketball we seriously just do not stop. These rainy days are not helping us to have a few minutes to get it done either. It will all happen though. No rush.


So the weather today is weird. It has rained off and on all day, and tonight the wind is insane. I think all of the warnings and watches are to the north of us, but we will definitely be weather aware. I am thinking all weekend we will need to be.


I spent a lot of today editing. I have a lot to get done and I want to increase my production time a good bit this year. We will see if it happens. I think that it would help the business a lot. I am pretty timely now, but I want to get even quicker. And I want to get caught up and even ahead would be awesome. I will get done on the session I am working on now, this weekend.


Next week I have to be able to devote time to getting taxes ready. As soon as Brandon gets his W2 I want to be able to file. The sooner we get that done the sooner that we can get some of these medical bills paid. Not to mention the boys desperately need uniform shirts and tennis shoes and we are going to need to pay for baseball, the lake, and school. Sorry needed to vent for a few minutes. Over it now.


Well, games are early tomorrow. At least one of them. Good night and sweet dreams. Know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

100th Day of School

So today John Michael is 100 Kindergarten days smarter and Danny is 100 3rd grader days smarter. Of course to Danny it just meant 80 days left.
To John Michael it meant the day that they had been counting for was here.
He made a hat with 100 google eyes on it, it was cute and he was so proud. Some of the other hats had 100 stickers, 100 paperclips, 100 gummy bears, 100 puzzle pieces, 100 blue spikes, and so many more cute ideas.
While they were at school they made fruit loop necklaces with 100 fruit loops. He could not wait to get home and eat it, he even shared with Danny, but I did make him wait so I could get some more pictures.
I went to his class at 2:30 to take a few pictures of his class in their hats. It really meant a lot that Miss Ghossein let me come and do that. Of course I really needed to for the book that I will be making for her, but that is a surprise, so I just have to ask like it is for me.
They also drew a picture of where they would be in 100 years, John Michael said that he would be dead. That made me sad, but he was so funny. He had to explain to me that 100 was so so old....to quote him "even older than Meemaw and Nana." I have not laughed so hard in a while.
I cannot believe that both of my boys have conquered their 100 days of school and now we are halfway to summer, which I am so totally looking forward to.

Date Night with my Boys

So today, even though WAY too cold, was great.
Today the third grade did the teacher appreciation for the staff at St. Francis Xavier. I was responsible for plates, napkins, and forks. Definitely easy enough. I always just tell those in charge to let me know what is needed and that is my job. I do not mind doing anything to help out and most people know that. I love being involved with my boys' school lives.
It started with Mass with the boys for school. It was said by Bishop Foley, which is always nice.
After Mass and a quick hug from my boys I headed for a photo shoot with a gorgeous newborn and a great family, I managed some candid shots while I was there too. It is always nice to get children in their element. I really like this family, and I know that I have made a new friend for life. Which is always a nice feeling. I truly love my job and feel so blessed. Watch for more on this photo shoot at http://www.monicaannephotography.com/
Today was the 99th day of school which is a HUGE deal for Kindergarten. We finished up John Michael's hat and got it ready for the 100th day of school.
Brandon had a training tonight so he was gone so the boys and I made a date at Arby's. They love it and Brandon not so much. It was a nice treat for the family and I was very thankful to be able to do it for them. They ate great and even when I met a client there they were on their best behavior. My babies are growing up so so fast.
Well, I am off to bed. I hope that Brandon makes it home soon. I miss him like crazy, and he was home this morning, and will be home tonight. Yep, that is how much I love him! I do know that he is on his way. YAY!!! You are all in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that all of your dreams come true. I know that I am making mine happen!

Back to the Grind

Everyone was back to work and school today. It is always nice when we have some time together, but routine is what works best for us. As I am sure that it does everyone.
Our alarms did not go off, but the thunder at 6:10 this morning did the job quite nicely. While it is later than we like to sleep it was not too late.
I got ready and got the boys up while they got ready I fixed breakfast and Brandon headed out. While the boys were eating I got dinner in the crock pot. Roast and potatoes. Because both boys have basketball it is easiest to do crock pot meals on Tuesday nights.
I came home and managed to get three loads of laundry done. Danny's bedding changed from Christmas to Auburn, which made him happy. Now just two more beds to go. I was able to knock out some homework and got some photograph's edited. The time went by quickly and before I knew it I was heading out to get the boys. Then it was time for homework.
John Michael ended up with a yellow face, which meant extra homework that I make him do. He has to write an apology to his teacher. Tomorrow will be better. I am a little sad that we have this string of yellows that keep appearing. We will just keep working on it, I know that he can do it and will keep encouraging green and discouraging anything else.
Both boys had practice tonight and it came a serious downpour while we were there. It was pretty much done when we left but it made the ride home a little scarier than what I like. It was pretty bad but we made it safely.
Well, bedtime is here and I am glad. It has been a long day and I am beat. I hope that everyone has a great night. Do not forget a jacket tomorrow it is going to be cold.

Martin Luther King Day

So today was my day with the boys, Brandon had to work.
We started the day by cleaning rooms. John Michael had his perfect in no time, and destroyed again within a few hours. It cracks me up how quickly they can move.
Danny took a little longer, but still got done overall. It was a great thing to see them working together, of course they had a great end goal.
If they got done we were going to the movies. We went and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. The boys loved the movie. I had some issues with the trip in general, but not the movie or the boys. The boys were excellent and we had a great time. It was a nice date day with my two favorite little guys.
Brandon got home and we had dinner and pretty much went to bed. Lately it seems like we never stop so any evening that we can relax is much appreciated.

Sundays

I love Sundays. They are my favorite days of the week. Not because we relax but because we are together. This is what I love about the weekends.

This Sunday started out with a photo shoot for the Hahn family. It was at Morris Avenue and it was freezing! I could not get over how cold it was. Since there were 5 children we went really fast because everyone was freezing. It was great though. Keep an eye for them to appear on the blog at http://www.monicaannephotography.com/ it should not be long as I am working on their photographs now.

After the session we headed to Mass. I love Sunday Mass because the family is together, and that is so important to me that we all attend Mass together. I cannot wait till we are all receiving Jesus, but I do not want John Michael to grow up any faster than he already is. It will happen soon enough. We are all visiting with Jesus together though and that means everything to me.

After Mass we ran through and washed the van. It was scary bad. I am hoping that I can get the boys to get their stuff out so that I can do a deep cleaning on the inside, but that is for another day. Today I was just happy knowing that is clean on the outside.

We then had a quick photo shoot at the Civitan Park in Trussville. The boys love it when I have a shoot there because they can play. I also was able to snag a few shots of them, which is never an easy task. My favorites though are of them playing hot potato with a baseball.

It was a great day! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Sunday!

Toy Bowl Week 2

So I have to say I love a Saturday of Basketball with my boys. I love watching them play any sport, but I am seriously starting to enjoy basketball the most. The toy bowl is the tournament that the Catholic Schools play and it is definitely a big deal.

John Michael's game was first, he played at Our Lady of the Valley at 9:00. They all played great and were so improved from last week. They lost, 10-6, but they had a great time. John Michael made his VERY first goal ever! It was during warm ups, so I did not have out my camera yet which made me a little sad, but I was so excited! Definitely a proud momma moment!

Danny's game was at 1:00 at St. Rose Academy. We had a little time to kill so we went to Cost Plus World Market on 280. Very dangerous, had I had more money I could have spent a lot. I loved their furniture and they had some GREAT props for pictures. I had a gift card that I had had for several years so we used that. The boys each got a surprise and then I got some Christmas gifts! I also got 2 valentine's champagne flutes. They are so pretty and will look great in my glass collection. Then we headed to Subway for lunch.

Danny's game time finally arrived and the boys were ready, and that is putting it mildly. They did great. Danny even got his hands on the ball during the game. He usually sets up a pick but is not aggressive otherwise. I was glad to see him getting in the mess. They won 30-16.

GO SAINTS! That is for both of my boys and their teams!

I had a session at 3:00 at Miss Kelley's Dance Studio in Trussville. It went great. For more on it watch the blog at http://www.monicaannephotography.com/

Friday the 13th

While many people associate today with bad luck, I have always had good Friday the 13's. Today was great, and I save $48 on a small nativity that I really wanted. It was at the Galleria, and was $60, it is a snowman nativity and I was not about to pay that much for it. Brandon and I went today and I was so stoked, they still had it and it was only $12. YAY!
The boys' had great days at schools, which is always great news for me. It does my heart so good to know that they are happy and enjoying their days.
John Michael brought home a project today, we have known about it, but today they were given the hats. They are making hats for the 100th day of school, which is next Thursday. He is so excited. I am hoping to get to go to the class for a few minutes to take a picture or two. We will see how it works out.
The boys and I dropped Brandon off at Best Buy so that we could give B her birthday present. She was super excited, and I was thankful she brought him home.
The boys and I came home and played Ker-Plunk for about an hour. It was a lot of fun and served as a great way to unwind.
John Michael had basketball practice tonight and he did great. If I could get him to get in front of the opposition we would be doing good. I love the fact that he is having a good time, that is what means the most to me.
Mom is spending the night tonight and going to the ballgames with us tomorrow.
Well, I am off to bed. Know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Strange Happenings

Well today started off pretty good. John Michael has been overly whiny but I really think that lack of sleep has a lot to do with it. We seem to go go go and I was looking at my schedule the other day and there is not one day that is empty. It is all good though.
Green faces came home so the tears must have stopped at least while at school. He got into the van and the dam broke. He lost it because of a paper that he was working on that he did not get to finish or bring home. I felt so bad for him.
Today was Thursday papers for both boys. I was very proud of them both. Danny did not do as amazing as he did last week, but he still did VERY good. I think/hope that soon the fact of "if you do it right the first time you do not have to do it again" will set in soon. It is a huge lesson written in bold it just needs something to snap and then viola they have it. We shall see how next weeks are.
Danny had basketball practice tonight, he did great. I am really proud of how much he is starting to grow and evolve as a ball player!
Well, I am off to bed, I am having some issues and I just need to sleep and pray on them.

Stressing Slightly

So today started off great with Mass with the boys. I will say it every Wednesday but it is the one day a week that I am always looking forward to. It just allows me to unwind and get closer to Christ, which is something I work on daily. The fact that I am able to share the time with my boys means so much.
I am slightly stressd about the registration that I am about to have to pay for as well as tuition that is quickly coming due, but I know that it will all work itself out. Being in a school like St. Francis is truly a blessing, and I know that somehow everything will work out.
This year in organizing my life, I am also determined to get out of debt and make life at least on the monatary front a little easier. It will be nice. I would like to save a little for a mini-vacation but we will just have to see if it is possible. Our vacation this year might be at the lake.
Well, just needed to vent and destress a little.

More Yellow :(

So I think that these rainy days are effecting my children and not just me. John Michael got another yellow face today. :0( He will do better tomorrow, I might even click my heels together for luck!
We had basketball tonight, but because the boys felt it was play time instead of homework time we were pretty late. John Michael's practice started at 5:30 and we got there at 6:20, he literally got to practice for 10 minutes. I made him apologize to his coach for being late and explain why we were so late. Danny was there for his whole practice, which is good for him since he was not the reason we were so late leaving.
I am so tired of being stressed about homework. Mine and theirs, one day it will have to get better or at least easier to get everyone to sit down and get it done.
I did great on day two of keeping up with my calories, Brandon went over by a few, but there is always tomorrow.

Congrats to the University of Alabama

Even though I am a very proud Auburn fan, I am happy for the University of Alabama and their victory over LSU for the National Championship. It was an awful game to watch though, very boring!
The boys had pretty good days at schools, Danny more so than John Michael. John Michael ended up with a yellow face, which just bothers me.
Brandon and I started our hard core dieting this week. Well, this week we are more or less getting use to keeping up with everything and making sure that we on track. While I have continued to exercise and keep up with my calories, now I will be writing everything down. I am praying that whatever is up with my hormones that has continued to keep me from losing weight and has my moods and seemingly everything screwed up will be correcting itself sooner than later.

A Soldier, A King, and An Inns Keeper's Child

Sunday started slow for all of us. We were able to sleep in a little which was definitely a nice change for all of us.

We went to the 5:00 Mass tonight, which was a nice change and surprisingly John Michael was great. We usually go to the 8:30 Mass because that is when he seems to be at his best, but he is growing up and that is so bittersweet to me.

At 6:30 was the Epiphany pageant, and in my opinion there is no better way to end the Christmas season.

Danny started as Caesar's soldier, then a quick costume change and he was a king. He did great and was so proud that he was able to do both parts, since nobody else had 2 parts.

John Michael was one of the Inn Keeper's children. He did a great job, and Patsy did a great job as his momma. He has a little crush on Miss Patsy, which he developed while getting ready for the Christmas Eve Mass. It is so sweet.

Meme, Aunt B, Meemaw, Aunt Paula, and Sydney came to watch the boys which meant a lot to them and to Brandon and myself.

And the Toy Bowl Begins

I love Basketball season. With both boys now playing it means that most Saturdays will be spent in the car but they will be so much fun.

Danny's game was first today at Prince of Peace. His game was at 12, which means be in Hoover at 11:30. No problem. His team won 21-13. It was a great game and I was so proud of how well all of the boys' did. I know that they were glad to get their first game out of the way.

We decided to go eat lunch with Teresa, Aunt Paula, and B since they came to Danny's game and were going to follow us to John Michael's. It was nice spending some time with them this afternoon.

John Michael's game was at 3:00 at Our Lady of Sorrows. Even though Brandon and the turns into OLS seemed to be at odds we made it. John Michael's team is almost entirely Kindergarten and First graders, I think there are 2 Second Graders. The OLS team that we played was 6 Second Graders and 5 First Graders. We had them until the last minute though, the final score was 6-7 OLS. It was a great game. I saw several old friends there from our days at St. Barnabas. Well, I know I saw one because I talked to her, I am pretty sure I saw another one but by the time I could get out the door she was gone. It is always nice to run into old friends.

Amy, Terry and the kids came over tonight so we could let the kids exchange presents, yes it is still Christmas :0) It was a great night, we had a good time with everyone just hanging out and talking. We all tend to be so slammed through the holidays we do not get to just chat. It was a lot of fun.

Today was a GREAT Saturday. And for the record I pulled the flip flops back out! I need a pedicure!!!

FRIDAY!!!

So today while the boys' were at school Brandon and I had decided that we would use some of the gift cards that I seem to have been collecting.
Well, it was fun, but I only used one and actually got one in return because we had to get razor blades at Target :) I love shopping and if I had the money I would do it so often. There was a lot that we found, but it was outside of the gift card budget.
We had a great time just looking around and spending time together. Definitely no complaints!
The boys had great days at school, which makes me super happy! John Michael finished out the week with all green faces. Danny finished out the week with a great job on his math test.
We had basketball practice tonight, well John Michael did. They did a scrimmage with the girl's team and even though they seemed to be dominated by the ladies they did really good. I am so excited about game time tomorrow.
Well, I am off to bed. Super busy day but I am so so excited! :0) I hope that everyone has a weekend full of many blessings.

Report Cards, Practice, and More Practice :0)

So today was report card day. Even though I can view their grades online there are always a few nerves that come with this day. Danny got all A's and B's. I am so proud of him. He even brought his semester average up to all A's and B's for the first semester. I knew that he could do it, especially since the one C he got was really a mishap and not all his fault. This came from his teacher, not me. John Michael did very well too, of course his grades are not like this yet, but he seems to be a pro in Kindergarten or at least working on becoming one.
John Michael planted some seeds at school and brought the "tree" home for us to water and help it get sun and start to grow. Hopefully we will be successful. Danny and Brandon are the two with green thumbs, John Michael and I are working on it. Maybe this will be the turning point. I am not sure it is a tree I think it is grass but we shall see, he knows it is a tree!
After school we had Epiphany practice. We just hung out at the school. Did all of the homework and read and celebrated the awesome report cards.
Epiphany practice went great. Danny is now playing 2 parts, he is the soldier and a king. He is excited, so is John Michael. I am hoping that I can get Brandon to film it for me. We shall see. I think I will e-mail Mary and ask her now if it is okay. Fingers crossed.
After getting fitted for costumes Danny had basketball practice. He did great as usual.
After practice it was time to come home eat, take showers, and go to bed.

Christmas Season School Mass

So today was a great day, I got up early enough to enjoy a few minutes before waking the rest of the family up. They were excited to wake up to breakfast being ready. Well, it was ready when Brandon left, but when the boys got up. So it worked, the boys ate at the table and Brandon took his to work. It was a great morning.
Today was the school Mass, and it is the one school Mass during the Christmas season. I love the fact that they prepare for Christmas through Advent together and then are able to celebrate Christmas together. I am also very thankful that I was able to go to Mass and celebrate with them. This is my favorite day of the week, it is just a very personal time with Jesus and my boys.
After School we had Scouts, it was the den meeting so I took the 3rd grade boys to the scout room and we got to work. We had to discuss fire protection, water protection, and ice protection. We also played the card game Sorry Revenge and talked about the rocks and minerals found in Alabama. It was a productive meeting and I am so glad. We are on schedule to get all of the boys' their Bear Badges next month! This is what I wanted to happen, then we can focus on the elective the rest of the year.
We came home and I was about to start cooking when Danny informed me he wanted leftovers. John Michael wanted cereal so yeah, I decided their idea was much better than mine.
Well, I am off to bed, I hope anyway. The boys are in bed, homework is done and I have a lot I need to talk to God about. Know that you are all in my prayers.

Back to a Routine

So this morning we slept a little later than we wanted, but everyone was on time, which is a definite plus to day one.
I got home and could not believe how quite my house was. There is so much to do and yet I found myself trying to catch up on the little nit picky stuff. At least I feel as if I accomplished something, not sure that it is visible to anyone else though. Tomorrow I will work on the more noticeable things, like getting the games back downstairs and in the game closet.
The boys had a great day at school. John Michael is so excited about some new things that they are doing in class to learn more about money. He also came home with a green face :0) Danny was excited because he was able to finish watching a movie that they started before Christmas. My favorite movie, A Miracle on 34th Street. He said that he liked it too.
Homework was minimal, but it was there! We managed to knock it out for both boys in about 30 minutes which was good for all of us.
As soon as we were done with homework it was time to change and head to basketball practice. They both had practice so it was 2 hours at the gym. It was fun though. Games start this weekend and I am SO SO SO excited! So am I. I am also glad that they are not at the same time so for this week anyway, we both get to go to both games :0) That is always great news.
Brandon came home after work and hopefully fixed the problem with the drain for the washing machine. We will see in the morning when I do laundry. I could not today, because of the problem. Praying that all goes well.
Well, I am off to bed, it is 11, and I was hoping for 9 or 10, but I got 10 yesterday and was after 11 before going to sleep. LOL! Maybe tonight I will just sleep!

Last Day of Vacation

I cannot believe that the boys go back to school tomorrow and Brandon goes back to work. We got up early this morning, even though everyone was late going to bed. This translates to it is 9:30 and the boys are asleep and as soon as I put this load of laundry in the dryer I will be headed there too!

I will miss them all so much tomorrow though. I am sure I will get more done in the house than I have been able to since Christmas, but still it will be sad with them all gone.

This morning I fixed everyone waffles for breakfast, and then we went to run some errands including going to the store. There is always something to do. Then we came home and the boys played football, I tried to stand out there, but it was too dang cold. Brandon had fun though. John Michael ended up playing Ghost busters, which was so funny. He even rewrote the song so that it was his "ring tone." Such a good day with fun memories.

Danny finally finished off the antibiotic for his spider bite. There is still a little bump there, and we will keep soaking it and watching it very closely. The good thing is the cellulitis seems to be gone. He was glad to be done with the medicine. I am just glad that we do not have to fight about him taking it anymore.

I started taking pictures of stuff for e-Bay. While I have gone back and forth I have to get some financial release and I am hoping that this will help. Maybe between this and the photography we will be okay. I was unsure until I walked downstairs and there was WATER everywhere coming from the washing machine. Brandon worked on it for a while, but we are worried we will have to call a plumber...which means more money. It will all work out, while I doubt I make enough to pay for a plumber right away if I can just make enough to help get the debt down we will be okay, I know that we can do it.

While there is the plumbing issue, hopefully it will work itself out sooner than later. I am going to try something tomorrow. Pray for good results :) Today was a great day with spending time with each other and just enjoying the day.

Hello 2012

Happy New Year to everyone and to Brittany Ann....a VERY HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY! Yes, everyone 17, seems wrong to us, she was just a baby, I am almost sure of it!

2011 was an amazing year. So many wonderful things happened and blessings seemed to be everywhere. This blog was one of those amazing blessings as it made me seriously think about and be thankful for each day.

2012 I know will be full of many more blessings, it seems some are already appearing. So thankful for so many amazing things in my life. Especially my husband and our two amazing boys.

We kicked off the New Year with a kiss at Midnight. It is something we both think is important and a fun tradition. We were also surrounded by friends, and there is something great about starting a year with those you love! Thank you again for having us over Amy and Terry! It was great to see everyone there and meet some new people. Definitely a wonderful start to what we know is going to be an amazing year.

We ended up sleeping a little later than we meant to today, but it is okay, we all obviously needed it.

We went to the movies today which is a tradition we started last year, go to the movies each New Year (and hopefully more often throughout the year). Today we went to go see We Bought a Zoo. This was a GREAT movie, but I will say I needed tissues, so if you go see it taking a few would be a good idea. I love a movie that makes me laugh, cry, and genuinely smile. This movie definitely fit into these boundaries. It also makes me want to visit the zoo that it is about. Maybe one day. I love a good zoo....of course I always wanted to own one myself. Mainly because I wanted a pet Tiger. The boys really liked the movie too, which I was super glad of. I always like it when as a family we are able to enjoy something together and to enjoy being together.

I took some pictures at the movie, but I cannot find the USB cable for my point and shoot! YAY! Not really, another prayer to St. Anthony. He is going to be busy helping us find that and the wallet. These pictures are the last one from 2011 and the first 2 of 2012. :0)

Well tomorrow ends Christmas break for everyone. I hope that it is as good of a day as today was. I love spending all of the time with my family and will miss them so much as they head back off to work and school. I cannot believe that it is over.

Know that I pray all of you have an amazing 2012 you will all be in my thoughts and prayers! I know that there are many great things out there for all of us and I hope that they are abundant and in your palm this year and for many years to come.