Wednesdays

Some weeks I just need Wednesday.
I love the School Mass and when I am there with Jesus and all of the children I just feel so close to Jesus.

School Mass

Getting back to school was great, but being back to school with the first school mass of 2013 was really great.  It was nice to hear the Christmas songs from the Children.  I love this time of the year.

Exchange Club

Today was the school Mass.  It is the last one of the Advent season for school, and it is also the Mass where the kids are asked to bring an unwrapped gift for the Irondale Exchange Club.  The boys each took a gift and I hope that whoever gets it on Christmas morning enjoys them. 
I am still not there so after school the boys and I came home.  I did take Mrs. Debbie, and Hannah, Kaitlyn, and Teresa their Christmas gifts.  Mrs. Debbie called me and she loved her angels. I am so glad that she did, I saw them and thought of her.   Anyway, at least I have those delivered tomorrow we have to get all of the rest of them to the school and it is supposed to be raining. 

Last Day

So today was Mass day at school, and it is the last day before Thanksgiving break.  I have to admit I am pretty Thankful for the week being a short one.  I am desperately in need of a break.  I think that we all are.  Brandon started his vacation already so we are definitely ready for some family time.
Brandon came with me to Mass today.  John Michael's class did a couple of Thanksgiving songs after Mass and since he was home I wanted him to come, and I know that the boys did too. 

All Saints Day

We all have a favorite Saint, or Saints.  I know that I have several I ask to pray for me almost everyday.  I think it is great to have as many Saints in Heaven on our side as we can get. 
Today is All Saints Day and it is one of my favorite school Masses of the year.  After Mass each grade gets up and gives a presentation on the Saint that they have chosen to be their class Saint.  It is awesome and just another one of those things that reminds me that my boys are exactly where I want them and more importantly where God wants them. 
I have to admit though it is hard to believe that it is November, this year has gone by way to quickly and it is not showing any signs of slowing down.  I am just holding on and enjoying the ride that is life!

Danny's Report Card

This morning we had to be at the school at 7:30.  It was my turn for a teahcer's conference with Miss Donaldson so that we could get Danny's report card.  We made it to the school with a few minutes to spare.  It was a good thing too.  Today is also Mass day, and picture day and as we were getting out of the van I saw that John Michael did not have on a belt, so to the office we went to borrow one.  Thank you Mrs. Battles for always being prepared for those of us who just are glad to make it out of the house with pants on.
Danny did amazing on his report card.  So proud of him. He had all A's and B's and the 2 B's were high.  In fact in public school he would have had straight A's.  Super proud of him.  He seemed to be pretty proud of himself too. 
I headed to John Michael's class after I was done in Danny's to help out with hair and ties for picture day.  I wish that they had there pictures in regular clothes, it would make the yearbook more personalized in my opinion.  They all look alike when they are in uniform.  The first grade class did amazing though.  Such big girls and boys.
Mass as always was great and just what I needed in the middle of this insane week.
Today was the last day of the 1:00 dismissals for the week.  Again, I am looking forward to the paycheck, but I will be glad to have a regular time frame returning.  I have so much to do and there is just not enough time in the day as it is.  It will get done though!

Foggy Mountain

This morning the view coming off the mountain was beautiful.  I am not a fan of driving through the fog, but once we hit the bottom of the mountain it had slacked off a lot.  I even had Danny take a quick picture because I thought it was so pretty.  Such a view.

Today was Mass day which was much needed again for me this week I enjoy spending this time with Jesus and with the boys. There is really something that is motivational about spending time with Jesus surrounded by children.  It also reminds me that no matter what I have to continue to find a way to pay for tuition, it is so worth it!

Plus One

Today was the School Mass, and Brandon was my plus one!  The boys were so glad that he came.  With the 4th grade in the choir and today Danny was bringing in the gifts as well.  Such a special time.  Thank you Brandon for coming with me, it meant a lot to all of us.  I wish he could come every Wednesday, but I know that he cannot.  So when he does it is nice for all of us especially the boys.
At after school care I had a lot of questions about who I was with at Mass, I thought more of them had met Brandon but I guess the few times he has come by s many of them are already gone. 
John Michael had soccer practice today and they did really good.  I am so glad that he likes soccer so much, the running and the fresh air are great.  I do wish the ants were not as bad up there and I could really get some good walking time in.  Maybe once it cools off some it will be better. 

A Little Help

So I have been feeling slightly overwhelmed and I needed a way to back up and regroup.  I was glad that it was Wednesday because that means Mass, and what better place then church to go for a little help.
Spending the morning with Jesus and the boys definitely put me in a better place.  While I do not feel 100% sure of what is happening I do feel more in control and that alone is a great feeling.  Maybe because I handed it over and actually put God in control.  That is something that is not as easy to do as it sounds, but I am learning. 

A Little Bit of Practice

So today was Mass day which as I have said before is my favorite day of the week.  I need the balance in my life that I get from Mass.  I love spending the time with Jesus and with my boys.  It is a special day and my big man was singing in the choir again.  I am so proud of him. 
I am determined to get the massive list of things done that I have to.  It is all definitely a work in progress but I am getting there, one step at a time.
This afternoon both of the boys had practice.  John Michael had soccer practice and Danny baseball.  I had to work a little late since Mrs. Debbie was out and so John Michael's coach came and got him and took him to the soccer fields.  Brandon came and picked up Danny to head to the ballpark. 
To say that we stay busy is an understatement, but one day the boys will be grown and we will miss these days. 

Shut Your Pie Hole

So today was a day that I felt like was a spiral of crazy.  I am so thankful that it started with Mass with the boys.  I love school Masses and am so glad that they are back to my weekly schedule.  It just helps me to be centered.  There is always chaos in my life and while Mass does not eliminate that it allows me to refocus and regroup.  An hour in the middle of the week spent with Jesus and my boys is just what I need.

It was a nice surprise this morning to find that thr 4th grade will be the choir for this first quarter.  Well they are splitting it with the 5th grade but still, I love to see my baby boy up there. 

After Mass I started running around like a crazy woman.  I had a lot to do before 2:30 when I had to be at school to get set up for After School Care. 

I headed to the Scout Shop to get the awards that I needed for the Scouts who went to Summer Camp, I also got Danny and John Michael their books for this year.  The man at the scout shop was so helpful and we really great with showing me some way to save and make thinsgs for the pack go a lot further.  I love nice people who are willing to help others and go out of their way to do more than just a job.

Then I headed to the trophy shop to check on the trophies for the 2011 popcorn sales winners.  I ended up having to get one of the other scout leaders Meghan to  pick them up as they were not ready.  Thank you Meghan and thank you Quality Trophy in Trussville.  Everything worked out and the trophies looked SO good.
Then to the dollar store to get what I needed for our Popcorn Kickoff with scouts.  They had some cute popcorn bowls and things that were perfect for the party.  I was also able to get the pie pans that we need for the meeting.  I did end up having to go to Winn Dixie for the whipped cream to fill them. 

The boys had a great day at school today, which is always good news for momma.  They are learning so much and are loving it which means so much to me.  I love hearing about their days and what they liked best, what they did not like as much, and what was funny about the day. 

This was our last day in the gym this week since there is a craft show that will be taking place.  It is all good though, but it would be nice if we could wear shorts. 

John Michael had his first soccer practice tonight.  He did good and seemed to really have a great time.  His team is awesome and he is looking forward to his first game.  I do think that we need more practice time but the fields are jammed at SFX so once a week looks like all we can get, at least for now. 

Right after soccer was the first pack meeting of the year!  I love SCOUTS!  This year we are starting off with our popcorn kickoff.  This is a great fundraiser for the scouts so if you like popcorn let me know I have some to sell you.  To get the boys pumped we had the top sellers from last year throw a pie in Brandon's face.  He is the cubmaster and this was one of the prizes for selling over $500.  I was going to demonstrate how to do this, but I let John Michael.  Amy made us some super yummy cupcakes!  Thank you so much!  

We came home and mom had dinner ready and waiting.  We ate and seriously crashed.  It was non-stop but productive and fun. 

First Mass

This morning was definitely not as easy as yesterday.  The newness of school had already worn out and since today was the first school Mass it also meant that there were more clothes to put on and get all straightened out.  John Michael decided that he needed McDonald's and even paid for it because it is like I told him, we just do not have the money.  I guess he really wanted it.  As soon as I can I will have to give him that back, I do not like him paying for food, even though there was food here that he could have eaten and tomorrow he will eat. 

We made it to the school and I am seriously thankful.  Because we had gotten up a little late there was no caffiene for momma and I was not going to use John Michael's money to buy some so I was groggy to say the least.  I just prayed and sang!  Music always helps get the juices flowing.

After a quick pose for pictures since it was the first Mass day the boys headed into class and I headed to the office to fill out the new hire packet, which took almost an hour.  There was a lot.  Tomorrow we will go through it all, hopefully I got it done. 

I headed to Mass with the boys.  I love going to the school Masses and today was a Holy Day of Obligation.  It is so awesome to be around so many children who are growing in their faith daily and to be with Jesus.  It is one reason why Wednesday is my favorite weekday.

After Mass I headed to Lakeshore for the drug test that I needed to take for the Diocese.  I will say this was a very humbling experience.  Glad that it is done.  I had to giggle at the girl in there who would not leave without her results and was shocked that I was not waiting for mine.  I  told her that there was nothing to wait on I know that the results will be fine, unless Dayquil shows up.  The sad part about this is she had two children with her.  I hope that whatever she is on she can get some help.

Then it was time to high tail it back to the school to show them where I had been there and to get to work.  It was another great day at work.  I really love it.  Being with the kids is so much fun!  Today we played kickball and basketball and a whole mess of other things.  The boys had great days at school and wore themselves out at after school care.

Mom had dinner ready when we got home, that is so nice!  Tonight was meatloaf, corn, turnip greens, and corn bread.  After dinner the boys were in the shower and in their beds, they were tired.  I have to admit I am looking forward to bed myself.  I am going to edit for a little while and then head that way. 

4th Grade

So this morning I took the last picture of Danny as a third grader at home.  He was not thrilled about having his picture taken but he also knows that his momma is very sentimental, and she loves to have her pictures!

We went to the last school mass of the year.  It was great as always, but I cannot believe that school is over.  I was pretty teary especially thinking about so much that is going on right now.  I spent a lot of time Thanking God for all of the blessings that He has given me, and also asking for some guidance.

The rising of the grades was after Mass and Danny officially became a 4th grader.  All I can say is WOW! 

He got his report card and ISB test reults.  I am proud to say that we finished with all A's and B's, and that he scored above average in almost every category.  I am so so proud of my little man.  I just cannot believe that he is growing up so fast. 

So summer has started!  I am so excited.  We are going to be super busy, but it is going to be great!

We had our first All Star game tonight, which was exciting.  It was in Morris which is seriously out there, but it is fine with me, I am just glad that he is playing and that he is having a good time.  They did not win, but it was one bad inning that cost it for them, they played great.  Mom came with me which was fun.   She worries so much about everything that all I could do was laugh. 

Brandon went by the house and they have started to hang the sheetrock, in fact they were not too far from done!  YAY!!  The picture is from our bedroom.  They also worked on the brick but they finished off the corners in the back for siding and we are supposed to have four sides brick not three. 

Rainy Start to Wednesday

Well, now I am caught back up on my blog.  Better a day behind than 2 weeks though!

Today started slow.  I so did not want to do anything, it was rainy and cold and would have been a great morning to sleep in.  Of course we all know that is never an option for mommas.  We got up and got ready and after a quick breakfast headed to school.  We left a few minutes early because there seems  to be an influx of people who do not normally drive out when it rains.

Today was the school Mass which as always was so nice. I said a special prayer for a very special friend and I am hoping that the children at Mass added a little power to it.  She needs this to work out and my friend's happiness means so much to me. Hoping for good news soon. 


I worked around the house and on pictures since all photo shoot obviously did not happen.  I am going to get something done ASAP.  I need progress.  It is coming.

The boys had a great day at school and when we got home.  The plumber was here.  Shane thank you so much for helping out, I am sorry that you have to come back tomorrow.  Hopefully the new pipe will fix my issues and the house can be back to normal, well as close to normal as it ever is.  Laundry backing up makes my stress levels a little too high.  Saying a prayer that this semi-emergency does not get worse but better tomorrow.  In fact I am praying that it is completely resolved tomorrow.  Plus I am really hoping to put the days of wading through water (in the garage) behind me.

We went to visit the new house and we have a roof with felt.  I even managed to venture upstairs to help Brandon mark where we wanted the cable and phone boxes.  I cannot believe that they are moving so fast.  We even have a front porch.  The back porch is not done, but the concrete is cracked so I am thinking that it might have to be repoured.  We shall see I guess.  By the way the first picture is the view from my bedroom window!!!!!

Well, I am off to bed with a prayer request and a list of prayers to say!  I love you guys!

Sheathing and Flooring

So today was amazing.

It started with Mass with my boys.  This is something that I seriously needed in the middle of the week.  So many goodbyes happening this week and so many endings.  I am hopeful for the new beginnings that are to come but the finality of so many things is a lot to handle at one time.

I was able to get a decent amount done at the house.  I was also able to get a good bit edited!  I have so much to get done that it is crazy, but it will all happen.  I love the fact that my job is so awesome!  Watch http://www.monicaannephotography.com/ for more on all that I have been working on. 

One of my childhood friends has been admitted into the hospital and will be induced in the morning.  I cannot wait to see her sweet baby girl.  I know that she will be amazing as her mom is remarkable.  It seems wild that we are all married with children.  It does not seem like it was that long ago we were making art and lemonade to sell at the stand in our front yard. 

We went by the house this afternoon and we had sheathing (sp?) on the downstairs and they were putting the sub floor in upstairs so hopefully the walls upstairs will go up tomorrow.  It was great to walk through the house and know exactly what rooms were where.  The boys thought that it was awesome that they were building their floors as we were walking through.  I have to agree it was pretty neat.  I am getting more and more excited as each day passes and more nails are hammered, more lumber is cut, and more progress is made.

So I am determined to make the rest of the week productive.  I have a bit of an issue with Friday but it is more of a time issue.  I am hoping that I can get it all worked out.  We will see.  I am just saying a little prayer as I need the client to understand what is going on. 

Something about Wednesday

So today was the school Mass.  This is a great day for me as it allows me to reconnect with Jesus with my boys and all of the children at St. Francis. 
After Mass I had a photo shoot with the beautiful Ella Brooke.  She is 11 months old today!  She is so precious and we had a blast on Morris Avenue.  We even managed a few pictures of big brother Jacob!
After school Danny had Bible Bee with Mr. McCormick.  He loves Bible Bee days and I am so glad that they mean so much to him.
We headed to Aldridge Gardens as soon as he was done for another photo shoot.  This one is with the beautiful Andee, who was celebrating her first birthday!  The boys even posed for a quick picture, which is a rare occurrence!

After the photo shoot we hauled tail to Clay for John Michael's practice.  It was a great practice. 

Drizzle Can Really Mess With Plans

So today started with some drizzly weather, which meant that the photo shoot I had scheduled this morning was off. It was not how I planned on the day starting, but it worked, because I went to Mass with the boys instead, which is what I love to do on Wednesday mornings.
The boys had a great day at school and I was able to accomplish a little at the house, so I am not complaining.
Batting cages tonight for John Michael's team and I swear I am so over buying a new bat every year. A loan for baseball season is not something that I am interested in. Do any of you remember when we were growing up and the parks provided bats, helmets, gear...all we needed was a glove and to show up. Then as we got older and stuck with it we got bats. That is so not the case anymore and it is so difficult to be financially prepared for March. Maybe next year I will be able to plan better.
The eBay listings are going pretty well. Now I have a stack of stuff on the couch that I need to photograph and get listed. Maybe that is what we will do Spring Break. I am sure that the boys will love that. Add to it the photo shoots that I have every day and it is going to be a busy Spring Break. My goal for next year is a vacation, even if it is a small short one.
Well, today is Brandon's Friday! We have so much happening this week and weekend it is going to be awesome! I cannot wait!

Ash Wednesday

Today was a crazy Ash Wednesday. I enjoyed going to Mass with my boys. There is something so special about all of the school Masses, but Ash Wednesday is always so special. I wish that Brandon could have come with us, but I know that he has to work.

Around lunch time I got a call from the school that Danny was sick. I headed to get him, and went on and got John Michael too. He was excited to check out, but did not like that Danny was sick.

Danny never got sick again, but stayed in the chair all day and night. Tomorrow is John Michael's birthday and I teased Danny about going to a lot of trouble to get out of school for his brother's birthday. We watched the Ten Commandments. We got it on Blu Ray and Danny has really been wanting to see it but it is a rare day that we have that much time to sit down and watch a movie.

I cannot believe that it is John Michael's last day to be 5. The picture is his last 5 year old picture. It is definitely one of those bittersweet moments.

Brandon had a leader's meeting for scouts. I would have been but needed to stay home with my sick little man. It went great though, which I knew that it would. Now to get ready to end the scouting year with a bang and start next year.

Bible Bee vs. Den Meeting

Today started with Mass with the School which is always a great way to get through the week, for me it is my chance to regroup and refocus. I enjoy being there with the boys, their school, and Jesus. It is just a good time for me and I think that they enjoy me being there.
So today was the Bible Bee Study. At least I thought that it was so I cancled our Cub Scout den meeting. I picked up John Michael and then drove to the back of the parking lot. About fifteen minutes later I saw Mr. Wright and Danny walking across the parking lot. Evidentally it was the 6-8th graders week for the Bible Bee and they canceled so there was nothing. I was just glad I was not the only parent with the wrong week. Oh well, that is what I get for trying to get on a schedule.
Tonight the Kindergarten classes sent us dinner. It was delicious. It was Kabobs, rice, salad, and chocolate cake from Zoe's.

February Begins

February started out running late. We are all so exhausted that it is becoming the norm for us to be late. This is not something that I like to be known for. I have always been the one who was early and I would like to go back to that.
When we got to school, just three minutes late, we signed in and the boys' headed to class. Today was Mass Day so I stuck around and read for a little while and then headed into Church. I love this day, through the rain and everything it was great to spend time with my boys' and with Jesus.
After Mass I headed to the church office to pick up something for my mom. To St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and to The Diocese of Birmingham, thank you for helping my mom in this time of need. It means so much to all of us.
I came home to work on laundry, registering the boys for school, still putting up Christmas, and just trying to accomplish anything. I was not very successful, but it wasn't because I wasn't trying. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I doubt it though, like today I have too much to do. I need a serious system, if anyone can help with this I would be so appreciative.
We had cub scouts today after school. I decided that we would take the time and start to work on the scout closet. The boys helped a lot and then played Chess and Checkers. It was a good meeting overall. They seemed to have fun, which is what matters most to me.
So the boys still will not clean their rooms. I am so over trying to get them too. I have so much to worry about right now and I just do not know what to do. It will get better. Of course is someone could send me $5000 that would be great. Of course who wouldn't like a good deposit or who doesn't need it. Maybe one day finances will be on the bottom of my worry list. That day is not today though.
Katie Fleming made dinner for my family and it meant so much and tasted great. Thank you so much Katie for everything. You are a great cousin, and even better than that you are a great friend. You amaze me with all that you are able to accomplish and just what a genuinely good person you are. I am so thankful that are children are growing up together. Anyway, thank you. It was delicious and again meant a lot to us all.
Well I am off to bed. I have a feeling that I am going to break and I do not like it at all. Hoping some sleep will do me some good. Good night.