Maybe He'll Grow

Braden is my "scrawny" kid. He is tall, but he is so skinny, you can literally count his ribs. He is a super picky eater too which drives me crazy. Tonight, I guess he decided to eat for the whole week. He came home and had some chips and an apple. Then for supper, he had 3 pork chops, strawberries, and 2 pieces of raisin toast. I know, strange combo, but Richard wasn't home so we were winging it ;) After he ate all that, he was still complaining about how hungry he was. I finally let him make 2 packets of grits and he ate the whole thing! Right before bed he said he was STILL hungry and begging me for food. I ended up letting him have a granola bar and then sent him to bed. Maybe he'll put some meat on his ribs tonight :)

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Just in case you got the impression that everything is always rosey over here, I thought I'd make sure you knew the truth! It's been an Alexander kind of day. I used to love to read this book to my kids because it shows that everyone has a bad day every once in a while. I guess today is mine! Mondays are never great, but getting up for work on Monday has been especially challenging. Today was even worse... that has been the tone of the day all the way 'till now. I am sitting here waiting for Bryce to finish a math sheet that he had for homework over the weekend (I really want to be in the bathtub). He did the sheet yesterday, but failed to ask me to check it for him... he failed it...miserably. I thought we were making great progress in his math, but I am so mad at him for this I can't even stand it. It is so ridiculous to fail a homework sheet when all you have to do is ask for help! He is now grounded from anything but his math book until Thursday, when he has a really big math test. God help us!!

Trying to Catch Up...Doubting If It Will Ever Happen!

My secret pal was a little behind, (something I can definitely relate to!), so I recieved this great surprise in the mail the other day. The ornaments were so perfect because I had not bought any ornaments for our Chinababy this year. Not for any particular reason, but just never got it done. I was so happy to get these from my secret pal and can't wait to hang them on our tree this year.

I also recieved this adorable little outfit! Isn't it the cutest?

And, some great books. The china book is on my coffee table, and I am really enjoying it.

So remember, a few weeks ago, when I said working had cured the procrastinator in me? Well, evidently, I'm not cured. I'm back to my old ways, and it only took a couple short weeks! My house is a wreck, I'm trying to hurry and finish the clothes before tomorrow, and if it wasn't for Richard making a W*lmart run yesterday, we would have nothing in the fridge. Oh well, how long until summer? I know, it's sad.

We are going to Chuck E. Ch**es this afternoon for my nephew's birthday. The boys are so excited. Rylan turns 2 today and he adores my big boys. His mom says he calls for them all the time. Well, the feeling is mutual because my boys have been anxious to see that cutie all day.

I am going to try to blog more this week than I have been. It seems when I have something to blog, I'm never by the computer, and then when I have the time, I can't think of anything to blog! It's driving my crazy. I need to check in with all of you also...have I mentioned that I'm behind on everything these days ;)?

Have a great week!

IT'S OVER!!!!!

I think it's so cute that Braden is holding onto Richard's hand. This boy LOVES his daddy, and wants to be with him at ALL times. The bunny ears...well, he's a 10 year old boy. What do you expect?

This picture cracks me up. It is so their personalities. Braden has that sheepish grin, and Bryce is busting out laughing. If I had to guess, they're laughing because one of them probably farted!! I know that's disgusting, but that, my friend, is life with three boys!!

As of today, for this family, hunting season is officially OVER!!! Can you tell I'm a little excited about it? I think this might top Christmas for me this year! I haven't posted much about it because I really didn't want to put it out there how much I've been by myself the past couple of months. I also didn't think you would really appreciate lots of pictures of dead deer, and even a beaver...I know, don't ask.

Richard has taken some configuration of the boys every weekend for a while. They LOVE it, and I think it's a great thing for them to do with their dad. Alot of the time, I end up with Cade because he really doesn't enjoy being still and quiet in a deer stand (he's my child). Being by myself is nice for a short time, but overall, I don't like it. I'm not scared, I just get lonely. A couple of weeks ago, between hunting and work, Richard was gone 6 out of 7 nights. That's just too much! One reason they've gone so often is because we actually sold the camp. They've been busy packing everything up. It will close in a couple weeks and we are both excited about it. The boys...not so much, but they don't pay the bills, do they. Maybe in a few years, we'll get another place that's closer to home, but for right now, this is the right thing to do.

So I sit here (me and Cade) awaiting our hunters return for good!! I think we're going to go see Mall Cop tonight because we have MLK day tomorrow and don't have school!! Yay!! The movie trailers look hysterical, so I hope it's good. Tomorrow, I'm going to meet with the guy that does our baseball uniforms. Yes, we go straight from hunting to baseball. I couldn't be more thrilled!!

Nothing to Tell

There really hasn't been much going on around here, just the hum-drum of school and home. I can't stand to post without a picture and something cute, so that's the main reason I haven't been posting. School has been fine, I've been able to keep myself busier by grading papers for some teachers and I've been reading Marley & M*. A teacher had it at school, so I grabbed it. It is a real easy read, so starting and stopping mid-sentence isn't a problem.

The most exciting thing going on around here is the ending of hunting season :) Ask me if I'm happy about that one!!!!! This will be the final weekend, and boy am I ready. Ready to move on to the next passion: baseball!!! We'll be starting practices in a few short weeks. The balls have already been flying over here, trying to warm up the old arms.

I have been reading my new LWB book I got for Christmas. I have loved reading all the stories in it, and have even seen a few bloggy babies that I recognized. Richard was most impressed. One story told of a little Chinababy who was learning the pledge of allegiance in school. She was reciting it so proudly to her parents, "I pledge allegiance to the flag...and to the republic for which it stands, one Asian, under God..." I think that is so adorable.

Hope you are all having a great week. Sorry I haven't been around much to check in on you and to post more here. Have a great weekend!!

It's a Bryce Weekend

This week has been very full. Trying to be organized about everything, succeeding some of the time, and not others. The most exciting part of this week is that Bryce was chosen to play with the Parish wide jr. high honor band. We are so proud of him, especially since he has only played the french horn for about 4 months. They practiced Thursday, Friday and this morning and then had the concert this afternoon. Talk about cramming it in! Of course, they were great. I know this picture is awful, but I was so far back and the lighting was really bad. Oh, well, at least he's smiling.

Bryce is the only boy here tonight, so I let him ask a couple of his friends to spend the night. They were all in honor band together. At the moment, I am thanking God that I designed this house like I did. Here is what is going on upstairs. If you don't know what it is, it is the game Rockb*nd. It is NOT quiet. I don't mind a bit because...

This is what is under the upstairs:

They can rock out all night and I can sleep like a baby on the other side of the house.

Work is getting better. I have found ways to keep myself busy during the day. I have been grading papers for Cade's teacher, and starting to work on the auction. The auction is my baby, and I did not want to give it all away. It looks like I am going to be able to "delegate" the parts of the auction that I don't like to do, and still do the parts that I love.

I'm working on laundry, and trying to finish a book I'm reading. It's called "The Memory Keeper's Daughter". It has kept my interest and I can't wait to finish it, but I wouldn't say it's great. I have seen you all talk about books you have been reading, but I am never organized enough to actually write them down. If you have read a book that you really enjoyed, please let me know what it is. It helps me pass the time at school too.

Cure For The Common Procrastinator...

Get a job!! Yes, it's true, in the past my unspoken motto was, "why do today what you can put off 'till tomorrow". Actually, it has worked just fine for me...'till now. Now that I am working during the day (and only until 3:30), I have had to completely adjust my entire way of thinking. Gone are the days of putting W*lmart off - just one more day, or worrying about what we'll eat for supper when the time comes, or deciding that the bathroom isn't "that dirty" and can wait at least another day. I have become the anti-procrastinator. I have found myself making my whole family come with me to W*lmart because, well, misery loves company, and if I have to go on the weekend, so does everyone else! I have planned meals and cooked parts of meals during the weekend for quick assembly during the week. I have also made sure that everything was clean before the week started. Surely, I must have been more like this when the boys were young and I was home with them all day, but honestly, I'm thinking those were the days that nothing ever got done...ever.

I think the saying "busy people get things done" might be true. I do feel like I have gotten more done. I don't know if that's actually true or if it's that the time I've done them in has been compressed. Either way, I'm much busier. Don't you think I should be losing a little weight with this "busyness"? I sure hope so!

Hope you're all having a great week!

School Again!!

This week, Richard had Bryce and Braden hunting, so Cade and I were on our own. One thing we did was attend my brother's swearing-in ceremony. Cade's whole goal for the morning was to get on tv. There were cameras around the hall, and he knew where every one of them was. After the ceremony, we were on stage and he saw someone being interviewed. Since we were leaving, I let him walk behind the man being interviewed but I told him he'd better not wave at the camera. I watched him walk off and as he passed the man, he looked right into the camera and winked at it!! Not a little "no one will notice" wink, but a full fledged "how you doin' " wink!! I thought I was going to die. He didn't wave, though;)

I can't believe we are going back to school tomorrow! I think this might be the first time I am totally dreading the boys going back after break...because I'm going with them!! I have actually been cooking alot of the day today trying to have things organized for the week. I'm pretty proud of myself, but we'll see how it works out. I think I'm also going to pick out my clothes for the week. Can you tell I want to be able to sleep as long as possible?

The only other thing going on here is hunting. Can I tell you how sick of hunting I am? I have definitely reached my limit!! The good news: we sold our property in Mississippi. The bad news: this whole month is filled with Richard and the boys getting in every possible minute they can. The light at the end of the tunnel: baseball starts the first week in February!! If you know me at all, you know baseball season is my favorite time of year. It's the craziest because we are always running from here to there, but I love it!!

Hope you are all enjoying the new year, and you all have a great day tomorrow with your kiddos back in school!