Friday, November 29, 2013

Thankful Thursday

It's been busy days around these parts. You think that when you wipe two weeks off your calendar of all major things to do, you will find time to do some of the things that have been sitting on your to do list for forever: clean that one packed closet, check credit reports, file papers, and ... yeah... nothing like that got done. Hudson had surgery and his recooperation was focused on popsicles, boardgames, and cuddle time.

I have penned a recap in my brain which I will blog about because I am very confident that we will be down the surgery road again soon with Mr. T. All the signs are there, but I am happy to wait for awhile before we do that again!

On this lovely Thursday, Thanksgiving 2013, I am so grateful for the things God has given me, the things he has taken away from me, and the path that brought me to this moment. this computer. this house. these people.

I had lunch with a high school friend this week and the conversation naturally went to the "can-you-believe-it-we-are-middle-aged" point. I will honestly admit that considering I had a whole life (singledom, career, property, etc) before I had This Life (marriage, motherhood, business ownership, etc) that sometimes I find myself doing a double take. I will be in the middle of what is a seemingly "normal activity" and somehow be shocked at my presence in it. I have two (okay, three) boys depending on me ...what feels like everything... and I am not always sure how I got here.



But, I am always glad that I did get here.

If I can instill anything in my children it will be to take it all in and be grateful. Life is too short to have regrets, sorrows, and stress.


Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Maternal instinct

Ironic that the child who DOES NOT EAT likes to make sure all of his beloved Cars are well fed with their own piles of Goldfish crackers. Love him.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Self portrait: November

A quick week of changes.

Me with my male peeps:



A week later, taking my momma to Wicked. I guess I am the Elphaba to her Glinda.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Happy Place

 I have a new happy place. A spot that I feel so blessed to have in my life. A great vacation location that I don't have to pay anything for! :)

My brother and sister in law bought a cabin in central Kentucky in the Cave Run Lake area. It is fantastic there. So gorgeous and peaceful. I am so excited to have a place like this to take my boys for the rest of their lives. Anywhere where we can all unplug and get back to nature is awesome!

Plus I get to go on walks with my baby brother, just like old times.



Thursday, November 7, 2013

This is what I do when I stress

We are home from the hospital after Hudson's surgery. And I can't talk about it right now. It was a doozy and if I think about it too much I will go and wake him up just to cuddle him to death. He is comfortably resting on the couch.

Instead I will do what I have always done when stressed, eat. (Nom nom nom. Amen for Halloween candy) And write. I will tell you a story about our Halloween adventures 2013.

Researching our costume.
So, Hudson had told me he wanted to be a Poptart for dress up and I was not sure exactly how I was going to accomplish that. Two pieces of cardboard over his shoulders all decorated would have been just fine and cute, but-- alas-- I am never one to do anything the easy way. I complicated the situation with my dreams of sewing a soft brown fabric into a tart and adding felt embellishments to make the best darn Poptart you had ever seen. Now, I have not used a sewing machine since 8th grade. Just to do the math for you fine folks that still think I am 29, 8th grade was in 1988-89. Um, 24 years ago. (Expletive!) So, when I borrowed a friend's machine, I stupidly lived in the delusion that I would remember how to run one. Since I can not seem to remember my own kids' birthdates, I don't know why I trust myself at all.


Materials.

Plugging the 20 pound monstrosity in and pushing the pedal was not complicated. Threading the damn thing so it would actually make a seam was. On the given Saturday I had scheduled for the task, Josh was greatly amused to find me "Suzy Homemaker" with the glorious 1970s Kenmore sewing machine on the kitchen table, two curious little men staring at (and questioning) my every move, and a 2013 iPad set up like a tripod with a YouTube.com video of "how to thread a sewing machine" playing. Goodness it was hilarious. Hudson was NOT in the mood for the 1000 fittings I made him do and I quickly figured out that somehow if I sewed REALLY REALLY fast, I did not care if seams were straight. Only that this whole project was over. I did opt to make teeth marks and look as if his "stawberrie" jelly was oozing out.

Now, everyone thought Tucker should be a Toaster or Milk to compliment his brother and if I had planned accordingly and started this project in ...say June or so... it would have been ok. However, I did not and so Tucker was a pirate. Simply because we had everything for the costume here and he was  freaking cute. Plus, if Tucker was milk or something and trick or treating on his own people would be so confused. I mean who makes their 2 year old a toaster for Halloween?

Halloween was on a Thursday and since the storm of the century was scheduled to arrive between 3-8p.m., the day prior to the candy onslaught our sweet little town cancelled trick or treating. For real? I was very grumpy with this. We were going to David's cabin on Friday-Sunday, so we would miss all the fun!

In the end, I knew that Hudson and Tucker would be just fine with their candy stash when I heard that his class was going to "trick or treat" in the gym during school on Thursday. Parents could come in and set up themed tables to entertain the kiddos. My friend Jill coaxed me into creating a table. I suggested we do something other than a boring old Halloween table, and that is where our circus themed adventure began. People had Mickey themed tables and so on... I decided not to tell Hudson or Tucker I would be at school. Jill got REALLY into the event or at least the face painting and so I joined along.

Now I hear what you are thinking, so let me confirm.

YES, we scared the CRAP out of EVERY single kid. And no, our own children did not recognize us. Happy Halloween! :)