Day 2 District Tournament

This morning we got up and headed to the new house.  We needed to sign a change order because of the fifty cent balance that was there.  It sort of cracked me up when it appeared, but regardless it had to come off.  While we were there we headed to the house to see the finihed tile.  For the most part it looked pretty good.  The shower in our bathroom though was horrible.  Seriously I think they tiled it blindfolded.  They will fix it though.  This week we are supposed to get hardwoods, countertops, and a driveway so stay tuned to see how it all goes.  Our fireplace is so pretty though!!!

We headed to the ballpark from the house.  We played Pinson and won.  It was 27-10.  GO CLAY!!!  This put us in fourth and gauranteed our spot next weekend.  Now we play tomorrow to see where we go from 4th.  The boys played amazing and I was so proud of them all. 

We headed home and literally relaxed.  Well, I edited and did a little homework.  I also did laundry as the boys were wearing their white uniforms again since it is going to be hot.  I fell asleep editng at the computer so I fell behind on my blog.  Catching up right now though!

I did manage to get  few things on eBay and I am so excited about how well everything is selling.  Hoping that I can keep up listing and that they keep selling! 

The Tournament Begins

So this morning we took the boys to their last day of VBS.  I cannot believe that the week is over.  They had a blast.  Today they got to dress up like superheroes.  All of our costumes are already packed but they made some things and we did still have John Michael's cape out.  I was able to get in before they were done and I gt a few pictures of them.  I am seriously considering starting the books for the teachers now for next year.  Maybe it will eliminate some of the problems that I had this year. 

While the boys were at school Brandon and I headed to the Botanical Gardens.  I had a photo shoot and it was a great one.  Stay tuned to the blog at http://www.monicaannephotography.com/ for more on this shoot.  I am really hoping to get it caught up soon.  I am slightly behind.  About six months to be exact.  Maybe one day! 

We had to go on a helmet hunt this afternoon to try to find three helmets as close to the team helmets as we could find but a little larger.  We had a few boy who the ones that we got would not fit.  Danny was one of those boys.  We finally found some and Rick got them.  YAY!  Thank you so much Rick.

We started the district tournament tonight.  We played the Pinson 1 team at Huffman.  This was a rough game.  We lost, which means one more and we are out.  I do not want All Stars to be over yet and I know that the boys do not either.  This means we have to seriously pull it together and show up tomorrow ready to go.  We have to come in at least 4th to go to regionals.  Praying that it happens.  I would love to see the boys really do great tomorrow.  A lot of rest and a little motivation will hopefully be the answer!  GO COUGARS!!!

Well, I have written a paper since we have been home and gotten a few more things on eBay.  I also had to get some laundry done so Danny would have sliding shorts for tomorrow.  Progress is happening all over the place! 

Working Sundays

So his morning Brandon and Danny headed to Pell City.  Brandon had a Mass to video for a priest at Our Lady of the Lake.  I am so thankful for him having a few jobs coming in, they are definitely an answer to some prayers. 
John Michael and I got up and headed to Aldridge Gardens where I had a few photo shoots.  I love working out there and today there were no snakes.  There was proof that they were there, like snake skins,but I did not see any, which was a nice break from the norm.  We did see a lot of baby turtles, they were so cute!  It was also Art in the Gardnes. and I hatesd that I could not really look around but it is not like I could have gotten anything so what is the point. 
John Michael and I came home to get some work done.  Since I am seriously behind we got the laundry caught up which was a nice plus all by itself.  Being behind is not something that I enjoy even a little bit. 
Brandon and Danny headed to the lake to see his mom and Dale, and Danny stayed with them for a little while to swim.  They stopped at Bojangles on his way home, which really made his day.  He got to swim for a few minutes and that is something that he has missed.  Hopefully we will make it up there sooner than later. 
Well everyone was home and tucked in long before the rain, it thundered and lightening here horribly but no rain.  That did not come until we were all tucked in.

Basketball Pratice x's 2

Tuesday was day 2 devoted to laundry. I really need a plumber who wants to donate some time at my house. This leaking washing machine is about to be the end of my sanity. I cannot get caught up much less ahead which is slowing down the Christmas stuff coming down drastically.
The boys had a great day at school, which is great for mommy! We had homework but it was definitely bareable. We still ended up being about 10 minutes late to practice.
John Michael had practice at 5:30 and Danny at 6:3o. They both did pretty good. I am glad to see them improving. That is what matters the most to Brandon and I. They do not have to be stars, but to see them doing their best and their best getting better is truly amazing. There is something about watching a child grow in the many faucets of life.
We came home and I rushed around the kitchen making chicken and dumplings. I already had the chicken done and just needed to make the dumplings. I have never made such a small amount or made them so quickly, but it was really good and definitely hit the spot.

Just another Monday

Monday I worked a lot aroung the house. There is so much to do and well, I dedicated today to laundry and Christmas. I do not think I accomplished much of anything other than rearranging the junk piled up in my bedroom. I tried, I just was not as successful as I wanted to be.
The boys had a great day at school today. Which means a lot to me. There was a little homework but nothing too bad.
I started to look at house plans. Mom wants to build a house for us all, which is great, but I think we should look to buy outside of Jefferson county. Maybe I will run it by her soon. I love her neighborhood, but there are some so much better, especially for families. We will see what happens.

Basketball

So this morning started out simple. We tried to move slow and just enjoy the morning. I made cinnamon rolls this morning, and the boys' helped. They are a great help, and that means a lot. Just the extra time with them means so much to me.
John Michael's team was off this week. They probably need the off week especially after the way that they were at practice this week.
Danny's team was definitely on. They played Prince of Peace Catholic School at St. Francis. Home games are always nice. Mom's head was still hurting so she stayed home. Uncle Kenny and Uncle Patrick came though, which was nice. The boys' always like to have an audience and I cannot blame them. It is always nice to have people cheering you on. They won, 26-20 I think. Super proud of them.
Chandler came home with us after the game to play. Danny, Chandler, and John Michael played kickball, baseball, and of course basketball. They had a blast. I cooked a few frozen pizzas and they ate them quick. While they played I cleaned out the van. Now to wash it and really clean it. Brandon worked on the decorations outside. He is almost there, which I know makes him feel better. The hard part is getting it all down, not putting it all up.
I also tried to knock out a good bit of laundry today, with the washing machine still leaking it is never easy, but while it was not raining and we were all outside I just left the door open and swept out what I could when it came. Almost there.
After Chandler's dad picked him up Danny and I went to the store. I have needed to go and just have not had five spare minutes. I am glad that I was able to get it done. I did forget a lot, so I guess tomorrow I will be headed back. It never stops, but I am definitely working on it.
Dinner was delicious if I do toot my own horn. It was easy and something I will probably be doing a lot more. We shall see, especially since mom and the boys liked it and it went a long way and still have some leftovers for Brandon a lunch next week. Another positive.
Well, I am trying to get back to normal, or our new normal. I am giving myself this month to do that. It has not been easy, but I know that there are reasons far beyond what I understand (or think I do anyway) and I am not questioning I am just going with it and trying to do the best for everyone.
Good night all. I am determined to get some good sleep and maybe just maybe make it to Mass at 8:00, otherwise it will 11:00 or 5:00. I like having options, but I do not like not knowing when I am headed where.

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 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.

On the 5th Day of Christmas

So I am enjoying the Christmas season and I am determined to make each day special and something to remember. Well, I try to do that every day, but I really want to make sure that we all are together and enjoying each other this Christmas Season. So many people assume the 12 days of Christmas are referring to the 12 days prior to Christmas when in fact it is the 12 days after Christmas Day!
This morning we went out for breakfast, which was nice even though it was just Jack's. Jack's is Danny and Brandon's favorite place ever. Then we headed to Home Depot and Lowe's to get a few things that we needed for the office.
After our errands we headed home to make a dent in the to do list here. I got John Michael's room completely done. Closet, dresser, chest, under the bed, and it looks great. I have informed him if he EVER throws anything under his bed again I am going to put the mattress and box springs on the floor! The things that we pulled out of there were seriously scary.
I also got a good bit of laundry done. I have been determined to keep it up and so far so good. I am to a point after today that as long as I maintain one load a day I will be okay in that department.
Tomorrow the goal is Danny's room and possibly our room and the den. We shall see how the day goes and how it gets started. As long as I am able to get on a good start all should be okay. Praying for the best results possible.
Well, John Michael is in bed, Danny is fighting sleep and I just fixed my sleepytime tea, which is SO SO good! Hopefully I will be in dreamland sooner than later. Tonight I pray for everyone to have the best dreams and the best day tomorrow!

Monday can Definitely be a Funday!!!!

This morning started off with me getting up when I wanted to which meant a workout, some me time, bills taken care of, laundry started, breakfast cooked, and the boys up and ready and to school on time. YAY! Hoping tomorrow will work out just as well. I like it when I can finish a pot of coffee before 7:30 AM. It makes for a great day!

While the boys were at school Brandon worked on the lights outside. It is always an ordeal getting them ready and he is GREAT at it. I am super proud of all the work he got done. I finished the laundry that I am doing the day and then headed back out for photo shoots. This is going to be a busy week for me. As a mom, wife, daughter, chef, taxi driver, chaperon, decorator, photographer, and student to name a few I am relying on very little time. Stay tuned to http://www.monicaannephotography.com/ for more on the photo sessions, some will be up soon, some not till after Christmas.

The boys had a great day at school. That is what I love to hear. Danny finished all of his homework in class and John Michael has a vacation from homework this week. So they were definitely in good moods. They came home and were super excited to help Brandon work on the lights. They love to help their Daddy and they love Christmas so getting help is never a problem. Such sweet boys.

While we did not get finished, we did end up at Lowe's for a few more extension chords. Brandon said as long as the rain holds off tomorrow he will be finished in a few hours. Then he will be able to help me. I am nowhere near a few hours away from being done. We still have three trees to get up and decorate. Not to mention everything else. It will happen though! There is really no other option so I am staying positive :0)

Well, I am off to bed, I was aiming for 11:30 at the latest but definitely did not make it. Will work on that tomorrow night. Know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Home and School

So this morning we were running late. I do not like starting off the day running behind. I am not sure if it was the rain that had me all cozy this morning or the fact that John Michael came in our room last night and is such a cuddle bug. We were all late though, which is just not something I need on my agenda right now. I know that there must have been a reason for it though, so I am not going to stress myself out about it.
While the boys were in school I took care of their bedrooms. I was so tired of asking and threatening, and so today I threw a lot of junk out. We have to get up the Christmas stuff and that is just not possible the way that their rooms looks. I also got some more laundry done, but I also got more piled up as I found more clothes scattered around their rooms and I did not know if they were clean or dirty so I am taking the safer bet. I also got a good bit of editing done. Right now I am a little ahead of the 2 weeks I shoot for with a regular session, but I have to get them all delivered which is a little easier said than done. I am hoping to mail a good bit of them because I have so many to get out and with the sessions that I have I am not sure where I can squeeze in delivery times too. It will all work out.
The boys' had great days at school today. They both had homework that we had to get done pretty fast so that we could get back to school for the Home & School meeting tonight.
The Home & School meeting was very nice. It was a brief introduction and then break away sessions. Brandon went to the K-2 session and I stayed for the 3-5 session. I enjoy being a part of the school and like knowing what is happening with the boys. Another plus to St. Francis is how close the parents, faculty, and students really are.
We came home and I had school work, and editing to work on and Brandon worked on burning and labeling discs for me. He is awesome!
Well, the boys are in bed and since it is not 10 minutes until midnight I guess I will go to bed. One day soon I will be in bed early! I will, I will, I will!

Monday Mania

So today was a great day, while I did not get up quite as early as I was hoping we were up with plenty of time to get ready and get to school on time! A great start to what I know will be a great week.
While the boys were at school I worked in our den, and worked on laundry! There was a lot with me being down the end of last week, but it is caught up and after one more load I will even have all blankets that were out washed. Seriously disinfecting the house. I also started to get what Halloween stuff we had gotten out up. We did not get it all out, and I have yet to get it all up, but I am not far from having it all either.
I got the boys from school and am glad to announce that they had GREAT days. John Michael had a green face, and if he keeps it up the rest of the week we are going to take him and Danny to Logan's this weekend. They have been wanting to go for a while and we figured it would be a good treat. Danny got his Social Studies test made up and I think has almost everything caught up. Another definite positive!
When Brandon got off we headed to Subway to grab a quick dinner. Then to his mom's so he could help her with her computer. Then to the grocery store. Tomorrow I am attempting beef strogannof in the crock pot. I have never made it in the crock pot, but with a photo shoot at 3:30 tomorrow I will not have time to do anything else. Hopefully it will turn out good. With the sessions that I have coming up, topped with basketball coming up I will be relying on my crock pot a lot!
Well, homework and work have me slammed tonight, but I have to get in bed before midnight. That is my goal. We will see what happens. An hour left. Know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Scheduling and Resting

Well, John Michael was definitely not feeling great today, he even took a two hour nap, which translates to the fact that he is still awake and it is almost midnight. He says that his nose, throat and tummy hurt. Poor baby is breaking my heart.
His Aunt B made his day when she stopped by and brought him a surprise. Spongebob card games were definitely a hit as he and Danny had a blast playing with them. Thank you Aunt B for making your little rock star's recovery a little brighter!
Well, my photography schedule for 2011 is booked. I am seriously slammed to the point I do not know when or how I will be able to do my boy's pictures. I was stressed but I decided to say a prayer and ask for peace and guidance. His hands are bigger than mine and now I see it for the blessing that it is. I love the fact that business is booming.
I got some laundry done today, not quite as much as I wanted, but progress is what matters. We have been taking it easy all weekend...probably too easy. It had to be done for little man though, we are usually none stop and that was not possible this weekend. John Michael getting better was the priority.
It allowed us to work towards cleaning off the DVR which is a good thing considering that we are getting a new one on Friday. Brandon is pumped because it is high definition which will look amazing on the new television I am sure. He has been impatiently waiting for a month now for this appointment.
Well, I am hoping that John Michael goes to sleep soon so that I can. Know that you are all in my thoughts and in my prayers.

Boxing Up

So I have these great containers under my bathroom sinks. I have tried to keep them organized and up to date. The problem is stuff gets thrown around them and on the counters. Today I took back the organization in the bathrooms! YAY! It is the small things that make me excited.
I also managed to get laundry almost caught up. I have one more load to do, and I will do it first thing in the morning. Laundry is one of those never ending chores that one day unattended likes to take over a whole day. I try to do one load a day and then I stay on top of it. I like to be on top of the mountain instead of under the avalanche.
Danny had a great day at school today. He even got a compliment from his teacher about his new hair cut. It is nice to have Brandon cutting the boys hair. He can do it right before bath time and then they do not get the "Itchies" which is a big plus!
John Michael had an okay day today at school. He got in trouble for talking back....I have no idea where he gets that ;) He ended up with a yellow face so he was grounded the rest of the day. Hopefully tomorrow we will be back on green smileys track!
Well, the boys are in bed, and I am going to get a little editing done and head there myself. Hopefully before 10! We shall see. Know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Sunday Sanity

Again Sunday is no day of rest for us, but it is a good day for us.
I was able to get all of the laundry caught up, which makes me happy. Now if I can keep it that way throughout this week.
I also cleaned out one of the hall closets. The linen closet to be exact. I ended up with one bag for donations. I am always glad to get rid of things. Now if Brandon will clean out the bottom of the closet all will be well. I would have done it, but the 5 gallon paint buckets are out of my realm of where to put them knowledge.
Brandon started working on the process of getting the television moved to the far end of the living room. The old TV is in the den and the one that was in the den was donated. The old armiour was donated also. It was great to get some things cleaned out and starting to have some definite progress on the house, which is something that I need for my sanity.
The boys played baseball outside. They love sports and being outside. I have to admit I do to and I am going to start getting out there with them more. Again, something that I need to save my sanity.
Brandon grilled steak for dinner. They were super good. We also had salad, mushrooms, and baked potatoes. It was definitely a good dinner.
Well, as my sanity has been tested, I am taking control of the things that I can. I am ready and willing and it is just not an option anymore.

Happy Birthday Blessed Mother Mary

So today was a much better day. I think having the bed to ourselves, and better having lights to get ready by seemed to put everyone in better moods. Of course there was some serious catching up to do, the blog is just one of those things. It will be tomorrow though, because I still have to upload pictures, and I am too tired to do them tonight. Just being honest! :D

Today is the Blessed Mother's birthday so the boys took flowers to put in the classrooms for her. It was such a sweet moment. They were told to pick them, not buy them, and they did! I was so proud of my little men. Of course I needed pictures.

Well, I had and still have a ton of laundry to do. I was able to get school shirts washed which was VERY important. I was very concerned about how we were going to go to school. I am still in some serious need of laundry doing, but I am hoping I can get it done tomorrow. We shall see.

I was also able to cook dinner tonight, which was great. We had pot roast. It was delicious, but I think at this point anything cooked at home would have been delicious. ;) Of course I had to go to the grocery store first. After cleaning out the refrigerator and the freezer upstairs there was nothing left to cook. 5 garbage bags of stuff. I was literally sick taking them out. So sad.

There is good news though, our freezer downstairs, the deep freeze that I had just filled up this weekend never got above about 10 degrees! YAY for dried ice and 2 wonderful uncles who got it for us!

Well, I am off to bed! I will get pictures uploaded tomorrow and be back on track. At least that is the plan, hopefully it will happen.

Determination

Today we all woke up a little later than what we like, but we did okay on time. Nobody was late and that is pretty important! Uniforms really make getting ready so much easier, plus they are so cute! I love seeing my little men in uniforms! They make my day. Of course when we got to school John Michael almost forgot his bag, but we got it!

I had to run by the post office as I have had some stamps grow legs and leave me. I am thinking that the boys might know where they went but so far they are not telling me. Now that I have paid for more I am sure they will appear, isn't that the way that it works. I had to have them though. Bills are due and I do not think the companies will buy that they are paid, just not mailed yet.

I am determined to take back over the house and so far it is going as planned. I am having to work on editing pictures and homework all at the same time, but it is all progress being made! Laundry has been maintained so far and I am hoping to keep it up, one more lod today and I will stay caught up. I have done the colored clothes and towels now for the white clothes. Gotta keep the uniforms circulating! I also scrubbed the boys' bathroom, I swear it never fails...toothpaste everywhere and then just random stuff. I clean the bathrooms once a week at least, but this was a good old fashioned scrub down! I also worked on JT and Danielle's wedding pictures. They are almost done,which makes me feel so much better, but I also know that I still have a lot to get done! I will get there though. I do not think people realize that phtogaphy is not just clicking. I also went through my frames. I have several things that I need to frame so finding ones that would work was a task that had to be done.

Well, I am a day behind again, but mainly because last night I was tired! I will do better tonight!

A Storm to Bid You Good Night

So I was sitting down last night to do my blog and a storm came up and the lightening and the thunder were intense. Needless to say the computer was unplugged and turned off so I am catching up tonight. Maybe one day I will get to a point that I am not playing catch up. Until then, I will enjoy life.

All I could think when the storm rolled up was why is Danny now asleep. I could have gotten some amazing sleep during this time. I love stormy sleep. It is most definitely the best that there is. Oh well, he finally fell asleep and when I headed to bed and got the candles all burned out the storm was pretty much passed us. Maybe next time.

Today was a very productive day for me. I was able to get all of the bedrooms cleaned, including dusting and changing the sheets. This might seem like a simple task but it was not. Two bags of garbage, two bags for donations, and a serious sense of accomplishment.

I was also able to get all of the clothes washed. Laundry is never fun, mainly because it is so constant, but getting it caught up for at least one day was super exciting.

The picture that I am using is from the storm. It is through the window so not the best.

Well, I am off so I can do tonight's blog! I will do better, I will do better, I will do better! Now that is covered!

Orange Garnish

Today was pretty uneventful, I was not sure if we were headed to the lake tonight or tomorrow so once I had that question answered it was time to get some things done.

Homework, editing pictures, laundry, cleaning house, well those are routine. At least for the next 5 weeks, then I get a one week break from homework at least! It is definitely the small things that matter the most sometimes. I am trying to break up computer time so my children do not think I live on this thing. It will be a little easier to do when school starts. I can get most of my stuff done while they are in school and then the nights will be for the family.

John Michael has become fascinated with fruit and drinks. So today he asked if I could put an orange on his cup. At first I was confused, but then I was with him. Orange Kool-Aid, sliced oranges, all topped off with an orange garnish. He was a happy little man. He even shared his orange with Danny, which is rare.

Well, it has been another late one, but at least I am on time with the blog, well sort of it is after midnight. Anyway. I will see how it all works out tomorrow.

Good night everyone! I hope that you all have an amazing Friday! Know that my prayers are said for all of you each night. Find your blessings and count them each day...they truly are priceless and everywhere. Who would have known that today one of my joys was an orange!

It's Full

So I have been so excited about my curio cabinet. Now it is completely full. The problem is I have 2 more boxes of glasses that I know of for sure in the garage. What is a girl to do? I did not even get a glass like I normally do while we were at the beach because I have nowhere to put it. Tomorrow while cleaning out a little I am hoping to make some progress on my actual cabinets.

Right now Brandon and I are working on a few problems. Well, not really problems, but we want to make sure that whatever decision we make is the right one. Sometimes a brick on my head would be super nice. Well, as long as it contained all the answers that we were seeking.

With the dreary weather outside the boys and I did not do much at all today. I got some laundry done and the cabinet full, but really nothing spectacular. Tomorrow maybe. Danny did lose his sword, he was mad and threw it so I confiscated it. Needless to say he was not happy for a while.

Well, I am off to bed. I am glad to be caught up on my blog, this one at least. Know that you are all in my prayers and hopefully tomorrow will be more interesting to follow.