Triumphant Thursday

So today we got up on time and everything went like clockwork, which makes me one happy momma! I love it when we are not rushing in the mornings, everyone is in a better mood. I even got to walk John Michael across the cross walk when we got to school. He thought he was too big for momma earlier this week, but I think he knows that sometimes it is okay to still hold my hand. Of course Danny would not even look at me, he did give me a morning hug and kiss before we got out of the van. They grow up way too fast, and that is all I can even say about that!

When I picked them up from school they proceeded to tell me about their great days! John Michael was even wearing a crown, that they made...because it begins with C. Of course this became a storage place for the smurfs that were in the van so that they could ride with John Michael. He is so silly.

Homework time was well, as always a struggle to say the least. John Michael did great, but Danny for some reason just does not want to do it and in third grade it has to be done and then some. We will get on a better routine next week with it. I hope anyway.

I was able to finish up the wedding that I have been working on, which made me feel great. I even started on the first of 2 baby showers. I feel like I made some real progress. My kitchen is done, which always makes me feel better and let me just tell you all if you don't have a Swiffer Vac you should seriously consider one! So worth it. I am going to get on for the lake, at least that is my plan!

Well, I am off. I hope that you all had something triumphant happen to you on this amazing day!

Laundry

Today the purpose was laundry! It is the one household task that is never done because even as you are getting it all done you are wearing clothes and creating more. Drives me nuts, but with uniforms being worn and me not having enough to buy about 30 shirts for each boy it is a struggle. I am working on getting better though! Today I am caught up and now if I can just maintain we will be good to go! I am taking my house back, it has been controlled by the little folks all summer!

I made 2 dinners tonight. Not so I could freeze one, but because I made meatloaf which neither John Michael or myself care very much for. So I decided to go on and make spaghetti. Guess what though, we will have spaghetti tomorrow night and I am already done with dinner, other than the noodles that is. YAY! This is really good news for me because of how busy my week is about to get. I am not complaining though. In fact I am very thankful. I hope that it keeps it up!

This year has been about changes in so many areas and they are all definitely paying off. It is not always easy, but I am really determined to be the best person that I can be and do the best that I can. I am so glad that all of the changes have been positive and that so many things continue to look brighter each day. Now if we could just get the budget under control, which will come sooner than later. We are on our way to some amazing things!

Sorry for the crazy talk, but I have just had a lot going on today and really started to think about how much better things are now that we are taking time and truly enjoying life!

Homework time was pretty rough again, but it is done, which is always a nice feeling. I cannot understand what the deal is, but I am confident I am not the only mom with kids who do not want to get it done and over with. Oh well, hopefully soon they will get that I will not change my mind, they have to do it!

The boys both had good days today, John Michael was so excited about PE. He keeps talking about how great big kid school is. He cracks me up! He did come home with a yellow face today, which made me a little blue. We had a long talk and hopefully it will not happen again, especially since he repeated what I told him word for word to Brandon when he got home. At least I know he was listening.

Well, I am off. The boys are in bed and I am hoping to work on a few more pictures and then go there myself. Know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers!

First Project

So today was another great morning, in fact we were even better on time! YAY! The little thing that make me so happy! The boys were in a great mood this morning too!

After school, the boys told me all about there days, and they seemed to be great one.

John Michael brought home his first project. He was pretty excited, especially since it was one I got to help him with. It is an all about me project and we started on it as soon as we came in. We have till September to get it completely done, which is good since I need to print some pictures for it. He got all of the stars colored and I got most of the blanks filled out. It was great to hear his answers...example When I Grow Up I want to be "A Superhero just like Mario!"

Danny had some Social Studies homework and after some fun with balloons and feeding the dog he got started!

Brandon had to go to the ballpark and just so everyone knows it is not looking like it will work out, thank you all for the prayers on this one. It is okay though it means all Saturdays are not booked for this Fall so if you need a videographer let me know! :)

I got the boys fed, bathed, and in bed. It was an early night for all of us! Which is why I am not blogging until the next morning ;) I will be back on schedule tonight though!

Jammed Fingers

So today was progressing nicely when my phone rang. Danny jammed his fingers today on the playground. I went to get him, because I know that it hurt, and he just needed some TLC from his momma. He did have to miss basketball practice and getting his pinewood derby car. The rule no school no fun had to be used. He did not seem to mind so I know he was in pain. Thank you so much Tonya for getting his car cut for us!

John Michael had a good day at school and was excited to see Danny after school. He is not a fan of sitting in the car for an hour after school waiting for Danny. This will be the last year though, next year they will be in school together and I cannot express how excited I am for this to happen!

So I have to explain the pictures, first my new favorite candle scent and believe it or not it came from Walmart. I am not a huge fan but every once in a while I venture in. I went in last month for After Christmas Sales anyway, I ventured down the clearance isle and fell in love!!! In cleaning out the den I finally found it so I decided it deserved a picture since Honeysuckle is just one of my favorite scents. It takes me back to so many memories of being young!

My second picture is of these awesome coke cans. Now I am not a huge fan of buying just stuff to add clutter, but I had to have these. Now I will only keep one, Danny cannot wait to drink them so I will probably just keep one.

Anyway, I know that it is short today, but I am exhausted and since the boys are asleep I am headed there myself. I will as always say a prayer for all of my family and friends, I know that there are so many intentions spoken and not.

Good night and I am excited about Friday and finishing the den with the help of Brandon and spending some time outside this weekend.

The day that started with a backpack!!!

Well if it was not enough that we started this morning late.... I was so proud we all slept late, and somehow managed to get in the van and into Irondale with time to spare this morning. That was until Danny asked where his backpack was. The very backpack that I told him to get on his way downstairs. So we turned around came home got the backpack and took John Michael to school. On the way into John Michael's school I noticed Danny was not wearing his belt, which is a uniform essential. So we came back to the house so he could get his belt and then finally off to his school again!

Monica vs. the House got off to a late start because of the backpack adventure, but still in today's episode Danny's room was the target and I got a bulls eye. I even got a head start on tomorrow which is the den. This is the room that I am scared of. Seriously! Today alone two bags to the trash and two to donations. I have been tossing bags from my Christmas 2011 shopping in there so now it is time to get them somewhere until time to wrap and give. I am proud to report that currently Monica is defeating the house.

Well, it is almost 9 and unless a miracle occurs and Danny's goes to bed (his bedtime is 8) then I will not make it in bed before. Oh well, I will not give up. Before I go to bed as always I will remember all of my friends and family in my prayers. While today was super hectic and definitely not my ideal morning, it was a great day and it was productive! Remember even when things do not go what we perceive as right does not mean that they are wrong just that we have to make it work. I was very irritated this morning and then a few deep breaths and I figure that there was a reason, maybe it was just for the few extra minutes with Danny. Whatever this morning was meant to do it did not ruin my day! Enjoy each day and the blessings that it holds.

Christmas is not going anywhere here

Well, it is January 18 and we still have a lot of Christmas decorations to get down. Sometimes I wonder if it will ever end. I want to go t Auburn this weekend. I need to throw a roll of toilet paper in the trees! And more than that I want a picture of my boys doing it. I need to get the Christmas decorations down. What should I do? Here is the thing, part of my resolution is not to stress and enjoy life, which would put Auburn first. It is also to be more organized and on top of things, this would put Christmas first. Grrr.....

My pictures of the boys are of them sleeping again. Mainly because they both went to school today and then Danny had choir and Brandon picked him up and took him to basketball, then when he got home he finished homework, got in the shower and then went to bed. John Michael and I played for a while and then he took a bath and went to bed. I wanted to be in bed by nine, that obviously did not happen I will try again tomorrow night.

My other picture is of the gifts that I have purchased, and some actually wrapped for Christmas 2011. Some areas of my life I have organized. If only I could get it all there. Anyway, I am proud of my progress so I wanted to share. I have a few more bags in the van, and I hope that I have it all wrapped before February party time. Mainly so I can get it in boxes and put away.

Well, my mom and her friends arrived safely in California but not without a little excitement. The wheel on her suitcase broke at the Birmingham airport. Now she has pink (and I mean hot pink) luggage. When she saw it again in Sacramento she said that it was black. Her friends told her it looked like quarer luggage from a garage sale. She was upset, but it was pretty funny. Tomorrow they go to San Fransisco, Alcatraz beware...these three could end up being the tourist attraction! I love you guys and am just kidding! I hope that they have a wonderful time and that one of them took a camera, I know my mom didn't her son managed to take that with him...convienient huh?! Anyone who knows him knows what I am talking about.

Well as I head to bed I remember all of my friends and family in my prayers and I hope that they do the same for me. I know that there are some serious questions that I have been praying for the answers to. I also pray that the winter weather stays away at least for this weekend. I am so over being cold and stuck inside.

Free At Last!

Well, we got out today to take Danny to school. We were all glad to see something other than the walls of the house, but it was pretty scary. There were several vehicles that had spun off the road, and a few wrecks. It will be nice when it warms up some and the streets are improved. I was white knuckled driving to Danny's school, and it took me a little over an hour, usually 20 minutes! Crazy but at least the sun was out so hopefully if it is out again tomorrow and the temperature rises above freezing like they are promising then all will be well.

Danny has started working on cursive! I am so proud of how well he is doing. He has been asking me a lot so I show him the letters that I remember how to write correctly. Over the years I have established my own style and I do not know that I can do it the correct way, but I plan to look at the cursive alphabet and refresh my memory!

We are finally taking down the Christmas decorations, at least on the inside. The ice needs to go away so we can do the outside this weekend. We are not really crazy we leave them up every year until the epiphany, which is January 6th. We usually take them down the following weekend. Well that was last weekend and we spent the weekend preparing for the snow that was supposed to be here, instead we were iced in! Oh well, hopefully we will get it all done. John Michael and I got 5 boxes full today and Brandon should be off tomorrow and then we have the whole weekend. It is a task when there is so much, but it is a blast. I also need to start wrapping for 2011 Christmas, but I cannot do that until I get the last of the gifts that I have delivered. I will work on that this weekend and next week too!

Well, we had basketball today so we are still working on homework. Gotta run so that I can make him hurry. We are already past bedtime.

Before I go to bed as always I will be praying for all of my family and friends. I also continue to pray that this ice goes away and that everyone is safe while traveling! I also hope that nobody ever takes for granted the amazing things that happen everyday. Yesterday it was a little sun hitting the ice in the trees that was such a gorgeous little gift. Today it was getting out for a little while!

2010 National Champions WAR EAGLE!

So I am a little after midnight, but it was due to lack of oxygen due to holding my breath during the 2010 National Championship game! It was an amazing game. In fact it was AUsome! I love the Auburn Tigers, the fans, the coaches, the player, the school. It is great to be an Auburn Tiger tonight as they defeat the Oregon Ducks 22-19. We all sat around and watched the game, and there was not a dull moment! It was unbelievable and came down to the last few seconds! I would have loved to have been in Glendale Arizona tonight to celebrate with everyone, but my home in Birmingham Alabama was full of excitement too. The Magical Elves and Aubie the reindeer even came back to watch the game with us. You know Santa is an Auburn fan too!

Had I been in Arizona though I would have missed the fun in the snow/ice with the boys. It was definitely more ice than anything, but we pulled out the boogy boards for the beach and used them to sled down the driveway. It was a lot of fun even though it was freezing outside! We bundled up, and had a blast. It continued to mist freezing rain throughout the day so again the schools are closed all day tomorrow and Brandon's work is until at least noon, opening a noon will depend on the roads, which are currently closed. There is no getting out of our driveway at least not now, we will see what tomorrow brings.

Well, it is late and after a day in the ice and a night watching an amazing football game I am ready for bed! Before I go as always I say a prayer for all of my friends and family. You all mean the world to me! I also say a prayer for anyone traveling that they make it to their destinations safely. And for the Auburn nation I am Proud to be an Auburn Tiger! WAR EAGLE!!!

Epiphany

We had a King's Cake for breakfast and other than the fact it fell apart and did not look pretty it was yummy. Brandon got the lucky piece! I took the one to Danny's class and it was a big hit, which is always a nice thing to hear. They had a great day and the new student is who got lucky in class. Danny was a little disapponted, but now that the tradition has been started I let him know that their is always next year.

Basketball and homework pretty much have been the story since we got out of school. I do not know what makes homework time so difficult but it is always nice to know that I am not the only one. I dread the day they both have homework. Thursdays are Brandon's late night at work so I will be glad when he gets home. It is nice to have some reinforcement and the way that the night is going it is possible we will still be working. I spend a lot of time taking deep breaths while we do homework.

I do have to say that I am sad that the Epiphany is here, I love Christmas and all that it brings. We will start taking everything down tomorrow and work on it throughout the weekend, it is a lot so it takes a while. I love it though and am excited about the additional items we purcased to put up and out next year.

John Michael has just fallen asleep on my shoulder and the sweetest sounds of laughter keep making me smile. I love knowing that he is having sweet dreams. Now to keep him asleep when I take him to bed.

Before I head to bed I will be praying that everyday can be a little more like Christmas. There is a joy and a peace in the air, and I will miss it. I will also add that if it is going to be winter precipitation on Sunday night, I hope for snow not ice!