Sentimental Sunday

Last year at Thanksgiving. It snowed and was quite chilly. Slade was 4, Finley was 1. We ate lunch in Morton with Kyle's family.

Happy Turkey Day!

We are still at my parents house, so I don't have any pics for Flashback Friday. It will have to wait and be "Sentimental Sunday" I guess. We have had a nice break this week and are enjoying being with our family. Finley went and fed the goats with my dad this morning and Kyle and Slade are gone to check the traps as we speak. On a good day, there might be a bobcat in the trap!! When I come back to the ranch, it's easy to go right back to my roots - raccoon hunting, horse feeding, arrowhead hunting, barbwire fence climbing, etc. Ok, so not a ton of "coon" hunting for me, but I do enjoy being out in the middle of nowhere. My mom would never go to town if she didn't have to work. She could have been perfectly happy living in the wagon days, minus the smallpox and other diseases that had no cure then! My parents live on our ranch about two hours south of Midland. Live Oak Creek Ranch. The closest towns are Ozona, Iraan, and Sheffield. Probably you've never heard of any of those except in my posts. If you trace our land way far back, it was given as a Spanish land grant to Mexican war widows whose husbands helped the Texans during the Texas Revolution, back in Sam Houston days. We still have original land deeds in the bank vault in Ozona. My great, great, great grandparents came here by wagon. They lived here a whole year without seeing another woman, only Indian women. As my favorite saying goes, it ain't for sissys! My great-great grandmother Wilse brought her china in the wagon packed in saw dust barrels. My mom has that china sitting in her cabinet and I love it. The wedding china I picked reminded me of this old heirloom china, which is why I chose it. The house my parents live in is the oldest in Crockett County. And yes, Crockett County was named after Davey Crockett. Pretty neat, huh! Lot's of history here. I could go on and on. I'll take some pics of the place and post them.

Highlights of the week are as follows:
1. The nature walk with Cita, Slade, Finley, and myself. We walked through the pecan trees down to the stock ponds on Wednesday. We gathered lots of treasures including a tiny cactus for Nana(she loves cactus), two horseshoes, an old rusted trap chain, two old bullets, and a shell. Finley fell in the lake as she was throwing rocks and screamed bloody murder. It was so funny-it scared her to death. I've never heard her scream like that. I still can't get all the mud out of that shirt.
2. I organized all my photos for all three photo albums-in order. All I have to do now is to open the album up and scrap the page. Awesome.
3. Kyle got my Nana's Christmas lights up with the help of two of his guys. Major undertaking. Let's just say Nana wins the lighting award each year in town. She lives on a corner lot and it is all decorated!
4. Slade found a new love for pumpkin bread.
5. I got to sleep late most days and it was wonderful!
6. I wrapped 57 presents yesterday all by myself for Nana and mom. My arms are even sore to prove it.
7. I got to visit with an old friend from high school and her new 9mo. old baby girl. I haven't seen her in years.
8. My kiddos had quality time with their grandparents. Sweet!

A Finley Funny. Last night she was in the computer room playing with a little plastic cup that rolled under one of my mom's cabinets. Without asking anyone, she goes into my mom's bathroom and gets a hairbrush out of the drawer. She comes back into the computer room, lays down on the floor and uses the brush to fish out the little cup that was beyond her reach. She gets the cup and says, "I got it!" Pretty resourceful for a two year old, don't you think?!!?

Prayers Please

I needed to quickly blog and ask for your prayers today for my sweet little friend, Sarah Mitchell. She is the daughter of my good friend, and a former third grade student of mine. She is in the hospital and will be having surgery tomorrow to correct an obstruction running from her kidney to her bladder. She has been in lots of pain and they have finally figured out what was causing it. Please keep her in your prayers tomorrow and for her to have a quick recovery and also for the surgery to be a success. I feel bad that they will be in the hospital over the holiday this week. For those of us who have dealt with it, it's not a fun way to celebrate Thanksgiving or any other holiday for that matter. She is just a doll, so keep her in your thoughts and prayers. She was the first little kid that came up to the hospital and held Slade the day after he was born. I have a special place in my heart for her.

Sweet Saturday

I have decided to blog since I cannot bare to watch the rest of the Tech/OU game. I'm hoping for a miracle. Anywho, this first photo is my "help" in the kitchen. We made chocolate oatmeal drop cookies. The help was good but the cookies not so much. They were yummy still hot, but they crystallized when they cooled. Maybe I didn't boil them long enough. I'll have to ask my mother about this debacle.

Slade and Kyle at the Kindergarten field trip. Each child was able to choose a pumpkin. Whatever Slade is holding looks like a zucchini gone wild. He ended up picking a pretty swell looking pumpkin.

Yes, officially snaggled. Both new ones are trying to make an appearance-we brush those really well. After all, they are there for life!

The end of the Panther's fall soccer schedule. It was a blast, but I can't say I'm sad to see it go. We need a Saturday break. It was eight Saturday's in a row. I do love to watch my boy, though. BTW, Tech is bleeding at this point and it's not scarlet-it's that yucky OU color.

This is one very tired, non-napped girl. This is how I found her as I was cooking dinner. I did manage to get the pajama bottoms on her, but that was it. Falling asleep this early or shall I say this "late" is damaging to our bedtime schedule. Makes for a long, cranky night.

Evidently the sun was in Slade's and his friend's eyes. If you don't think teacher's earn every penny and should make three times as much, spend the day with these four. Mrs. Hendrix is a warrior. Very cute boys, though, don't ya think! Fast forward to 2019 when they are able to drive-very, very scary. I cannot think about it.

At last, I'm done! I finished it up just a little while ago. I think it turned out just as cute as a bug. I lost one of the red lights for a short time, but we found it in the diaper basket-I wonder who did that? We all have a stocking to hang that was made by yours truly and just in time for me to put up Christmas decorations. I'm thinking maybe no on that third child-I don't really want to make another stocking. Maybe it's kinda like child birth-you forget or no one would ever have a second child!!! Not really, it wasn't that bad and I was determined to finish. Too bad I'm not so diligent about losing weight or keeping my house clean??? Please keep Tech in your thoughts. It is a tad bit depressing here in the third quarter. I hate losing to out-of-staters!!!

Flashback Friday

Fourth of July 2007-check out the little red sandals.

A Little Sad Today

Today has been ten years since Kyle's mom passed away. I just can't believe that it has been that long, but in another way, it seems like decades ago. That day is etched into my brain-it was so awful and sad. The week that followed was such a blurr. We were just kids then, so young. Too much for anyone to have to experience when they were 21 years old. Most college kids were worrying about the football season, parties, and what time to go out. Kyle was burying his mother and wondering what happened to his family. I am so glad I got to know his mom-I just wish she was able to see Slade and Finley. We could be arguing over what holidays we would share with my family and Kyle's family and who got the grand kids. I wish she was here to annoy me and tell me how to do things-all those things good mother-in-laws do. But mostly I just wish Kyle still had a mom. He was cheated and so were our kids. For those of you that don't know, my husband lost both of his parents four months apart. He has overcome alot of sadness and had to make a life for himself without the two most influential people in a child's life. It has left him a bit callused but I think that's how he copes. I just know that he turned out to be a really great daddy and his mom would be proud. She would be excited for Slade this year, too, because she was a Kindergarten teacher. She would think Finley was so cute with her little sprigs of blonde hair sticking up in piggie tails. I remember her coming to my apartment and thinking that it was so funny that we decorated so much for Halloween. It must have been an omen that I would marry her son-the little spook born on Halloween night!!! She was just an all-in-all nice lady. We miss her everyday.

Make sure you tell all the people important to you that you love them.

Top Ten

Highlights since this past Friday.

1. Slade lost his 4th tooth-All he wants for Christmas are his two front teeth-literally!
2. I sold 4 pieces of jewelry-yay for me.
3. I got 1/2 of my Christmas shopping done this past weekend with my mom. We had a Shop-Till-You-Drop two days.
4. Finley is officially terribly two. I can prove it with the $6.50 receipt to Jump-n-Jungle that we only stayed for 10 minutes at bc we had to leave since she threw a fall-in-the-floor fit. I cried I was so upset.
5. Slade's teacher is having a baby in July-hope hers doesn't have the attitude of my July baby!
6. Finley will be going to T/Th school in January-hence entry #4
7. I am going to Kyle's stomach dr in December bc my stomach is still bothering me post gallbladder removal. I'm so sick of it hurting. It's hurting right now. Have I mentioned that I'm sick of my stomach hurting?
8. My daughter is obsessed with Minnie and Mickey Mouse.
9. I cannot make up my mind about the windows and I've fallen behind on my stocking progress. Give me some words of wisdom folks.
10. I broke down and bought a new clothes dryer-not so much fun to spend your money on, but it's nice to dry more than one load every two hours.

Flashback Friday

I copied these off of my snapfish account-not sure why they are small. Oh well. These are Finley's hospital photos. I believe she a day old. July 2006. 6lb 8oz of pure sweetness with a touch of jaundice! Look how dark her hair was-hard to believe by the looks of her now! I look alright for just having a csection, horrible spinal, and a gallbladder attack two weeks before!

Just a Bath

Let me set the scene. I am trying to get ready to go to Finley's gymnastics class. I have an hour and fifteen minutes. All I have to do is take a bath, including a quick leg shave and wash my hair. Simple right? Wrong. Very wrong!

I start my bath water in the kids bathroom because it's the cleanest at the moment. I run and get my shampoo, conditioner, razor, and face soap from my bathroom all the while keeping the door closed to the running water so there won't be a drowning this morning. I go to the garage, get the supersaucer to put Campbell in during my bath. After all, you cannot let a nine month old crawl through the house while bathing. Bath water is full. I run to get CG (Campbell Grace) and realize she has pooped. I run to get a diaper and a new box of wipes out of the garage because they are empty. Lay CG on the bed to change her and poop is all up her back to her shoulder blades and it goes through the pjs onto the bed. Make mental note to self to wash those sheets since my mom is coming and will sleep in the now poop sheets bed. I then peel off the chunky poop ridden pjs, wipe her clean, and take the pjs to the sink to scoop all the poop off- I then decide I'll scoop later when I feel like barfing and when I have more time. I then take the poop diaper and put it outdoors in the outside garbage can. CG goes into the saucer right beside the tub and I jump in for a quick bath. Finley by then comes to join the bath like she always does. She stands beside the tub and dips a cup of water into the bath and pours it on my head, legs, back, etc. CG is starting to cry and I realize it's time for her morning bottle. Didn't think of that till I'm already submersed-she'll have to wait. She continues to wail and fuss the ENTIRE time I'm bathing. I lather up my legs-before I can shave my calves, Finley has rinsed off my shaving cream. Please don't I ask her. Lather up again. Shave really quickly. I cut my left knee-ouch. It's bleeding like all good razor cuts do. I have chill bumps bc Finley has left the door open so I shave over them and it gives me razor burn. Damn, I hate these razors Kyle bought. They cut up my legs, but now I will have to continue to use them bc they came from Sam's and we have 200 of them. CG still crying. Finley's pj shirt is now sopping wet up to her shoulder since she was dipping in the water. I pry those wet clothes and diaper off of her and put her in the tub with me. She's all soaped up and good to go. I'm ready to get out and realized I need to wash the conditioner out of my hair. From the looks of the water, I think I'll stand and use the shower seeing that there is leg hair and blood from my crappy razor cut. I turn on the shower and it blasts cold out on Finley and I. She screams. CG is screaming more bc we have pulled the shower curtain and she can't see us. Water gets warm and we are finished. I jump out and look for the baby oil to help with my razor burned legs. No oil-I must have taken it to the other bathroom. Dry off me, Finley and grab CG. I run into the kitchen holding CG and warm her bottle. She has stopped screaming. She is just staring at the towel I've wrapped around my head like I'm going to pull out my flute and charm a cobra out of a pot. Finley is running around saying she's cold. Lay CG down and make her hold her own bottle. Dress Finley. Dry my hair. Put on make-up. Dress CG-now realizing I probably should have bathed her as well since there was poop up her back, but no time now. I get dressed. Pack CG's diaper bag. Fix Finley a drink. Work on my hair-I'm sweating at this point. I realize I'm out of deodorant so I use Kyle's. I smell very manly-thank you, Old Spice. I'll mask that manly smell with a little perfume. Now I smell like manly flowers. Get dressed, grab my watch, load the girls. Grab my purse, phone, run back and unplug my curling iron. Finley has no shoes. Back in the house, grab shoes and her diaper bag. I'm in the car with ten minutes to spare. I stop at Sonic for a well deserved diet Dr. Pepper. No, I had nothing to spike it with. Ladies don't drink in the morning.

Like they say, Motherhood-it ain't for sissy's. And I love every minute of it-well, maybe not the poop up the back.

Pink Bandaids

I don't know what it is about this blog that compels me to pour my heart out. Maybe it's the urge to speak with an adult after a long day with babies and no adult interaction. Or maybe it's that I really don't know that people read this blog-only my few proud little friends, so I feel comfortable griping, chatting, telling them my proudest moments. Who knows? Sometimes I can talk for an hour, and sometimes I just sit and think, hmmmm, what shall I say. Sometimes I am a bit embarrassed about the crazy things I say. But I have to tell you that it's really therapeutic. I mean, much better for you than smoking or what have you. It's like a high-tech journal with pics. Cool huh.

That being said, I had a moment last night when I climbed in bed. I always go and check on my two kiddos and make sure they are covered up and all snug in their beds. (Slade being more snug than Finley bc he has better windows!) I went into Slade's room and he was snoring softly and flinched when I covered him. Finley was in her pink candy long sleeve pajamas, all sprawled out in her crib-the crib I cannot bare to pack away. They were sleeping soundly and as I laid down in bed, I thought, WOW, I feel so content with them here under my roof. They are small and innocent-still young enough to think Kyle is Superman. Still little enough to think mom can fix everything. I love that feeling of knowing that they are safely asleep in the house with me, protected from the cold and big bad, failing economy, war-torn world. And for a short time I can protect them from it. For a short time I can tickle their little hearts with a chocolate chip cookie or mini slinky. A fun day to them is to get to go to the park and feed the ducks our left over hamburger buns. I can make Finley squeal with delight if I put a pink bandaid over a "pretend" ouchie. I can win Slade's heart by letting him pick out a $1.50 egg shaped container of silly putty. I actually teared up thinking about them last night-yes, me tearing up-shocking! I decided then and there that nothing else really matters. I've known it for years, but maybe it really sank in last night. I mean, I know how precious life is-I see it every time Kyle looks at them and longs for his parents to see the kids. I know it when I read a blog of a woman with breast cancer and her brand new baby girl. I truly appreciate the little things in life. But as I laid there last night, with my sweet (sometime ornery) son and daughter sleeping away in their beds, I thought to myself -life is good. The new ipod can wait. The bare walls in my room will someday get painted. The car will eventually get cleaned out. The stock market will someday gain back points. Gas prices will rise once again, and then fall. But my kids won't always be this little and this easy to win over. Tomorrow, I will put down that laundry basket and read Finley that book she brings to my chair. Tomorrow, I will stop cutting up salad and lay down on the kitchen tile and put together the United States puzzle with Slade. I am going take a minute to sip tea in a plastic pink cup with Finley as she serves me from her little kitchen. I'm going to suck it up and go to the Corn Maze so I can see the delight on my son's face and the mud on his shoes.

I mean, really, who ever knew a box of pink bandaids would bring me to my knees. And while I'm down on those knees, I'm going to say a little prayer and thank God once again for these two beautiful kids. Target can keep that new ipod.

A Stocking, Windows, and Corn!

Girls, I'm getting close to finishing the stocking. I worked two hours tonight during Jon & Kate Plus 8 and CSI Miami, plus a little of the nightly news. (yes, Finley went to bed at 7:45 which made my stocking session possible) What I have left to do are to make two more little light bulbs, beading on two holly leaves and three berries. I also have the red scarf to attach and do some time consuming details to it, as well. Then I will string the little light bulbs into the snowman hands. That will leave the back to sew onto it and I also have to sew the back onto mine. I know you don't know what Finley's looks like, but I can assure you it is really cute. I cannot wait to post it. I might have it done by the end of next week-maybe.

I think we are going to bite the bullet and put in new windows in Finley's room and our master bedroom. Not exactly what I want to spend my savings on, but necessary. I mean, our pillows have condensation on them on really cold nights, not to mention the DOGS. I can only pray that the new windows will be thicker than the tissue paper ones we have now-making it seem as though the neighbor's dog is right outside my window. Finley's room is so chilly and her little feet are ice cold some mornings-that is so pitiful. I think her room is the farthest away from the heat unit, too. I would spend a million dollars for her little tiny toes to stay warm. But I do miss the days that I could spend my extra money on a new purse or a cool decoration for the house. But that's how it goes when your a homeowner, and an adult-Haha!!! I have one more bid in the morning and I think we'll make a decision. Such fun.

My son is begging me to go on the Corn Maze field trip. Lord help me to convince Kyle to go. I have a vision of my other trips to the maze when I taught at Cooper. One in particular. It was cold, wet and I was 7 mo. pregnant. So do you see now why it is very important for Daddy to go on the trip. I think it's Daddy's turn to step up!!! I'll be working on that between now and Thursday. Wish me luck. BTW-For those of you not familiar with "the Maze", the photo is this year's design. Can you imaging 100 kindergarteners running through it!!!!

Happy Sunday

I feel very accomplished today after a night of scrapbooking-we'll some scrapbooking and lots of visiting. I got together with my friend, Tandy, and we tore up some pages. I had a really hard time getting started since it's been sooo long since I've looked at my pages and my pics were very unorganized. I just had to print and start somewhere. I really am going to have to downsize on my albums. I currently do three albums-mine, Slade, and Finley. Yes, it's way alot to keep up with and frankly, I just can't do it anymore. Can you imagine if I ever had another child-that would be four! I just cannot do it and keep up with all the photos, etc. I have decided to slow way down on Slade's and try to just include the most important things, and slow way down on how many photos go in his album. I had to get a grip and realize that I didn't have to scrap every photo I have ever taken. I had to realize that I could put Halloween on a two page spread instead of eight pages. Simplify-that's my new motto. Finley will get the same amount of attention Slade has received all these five years, but I will be careful when picking photos. And my album will be free range-whatever I feel needs to be in there, but careful on the photo choices, as well. I feel better about it. I'm sure you'll sleep better knowing all this about my scrapbooking! Man, I can gab about nothing.

Ok, time for a funny Finley and Slade story. I've told some of you about Finley and her counting. But for those of you that haven't heard the story, you'll get a kick out of this. The past few weeks I've been hearing her say words that I don't know-like not English words, sort of gibberish sounding. But I do hear Cita in her rambling which is what they call my mom. So I just couldn't quite place what she was saying. So I'm driving in the car and she is watching her Barney movie that has been showing in the car for like four months now. I started hearing the movie say these words that she's been saying. I stop and rewind the video. Low and behold, the kid in the movie is counting to ten in Swahili-you know, the African language. My daughter can count to ten in Swahili. I mean seriously, like moja, neely, tatow, etc. The "word" cita is number five (not sure of the spelling). She knows that they are numbers because I caught her lining up her blocks and counting them in Swahili. Just goes to show you that they are little sponges and learning a foreign language is best taught when they are small. The experts are right!!!!!

Slade's story. So we are doing homework tonight. He has to read from a list of words and I check them off if when he pronounces them right. I go one step further to ask him what the word means and to use it in a sentence. The word was "it". I said, "use it in a sentence." So Slade says, "I'll be there in a minute." Get it, "min-it" (minute), just like it sounds. I said not quite son, but it was cute!!!! Kids say the darndest things!!!

Flashback Friday

All these are from Fall 2005 and Slade was 2 1/2. Finley is almost the age Slade was in the pics-hard to believe. How sweet is his little face when he is asleep-it's one of my favorites of him!

Thumbs Down

Give me an O - O

Give me a H - H


Give me a C - C


Give me a R - R


Give me an A - A


Give me a P - P



Oh, Crap
Obama won

Not the results I was hoping for. The news is talking about a return to Camelot-Gag me!!!

Oh Goodness!!!

I just realized as I was checking my favorite blog-Steeces Pieces (the one that has the quads), that she has this tracker that shows who reads her blog!!!! OMG-I hope she doesn't think I stalk her. Who am I kidding-I'm sure she thinks that! I didn't realize it showed everytime I look at it. It is a great blog if you haven't read it and very funny. To my credit, sometimes I try to go back and read the old blog entries and I get sidetracked with kids or what have you and then maybe go back later. Then maybe go back at 11pm at night and read some more. So evidently, it looks like I open it all the time. Geezzz. So if any of you have a tracker, #1 I'm not a stalker, I just go back often when I get disturbed and #2 please show me how to put one on my page!!!!

On another non-stalker note, what about our Red Raiders??? Cool, huh. So neat to be that far up in the ratings. Lots of fun with all the excitement here in Raiderland. I love it!!!! So, is the time change getting to anyone else? Finley is a grip gut and Kyle hates it to get dark so early. This morning Slade kept asking like 10 times if we were late bc it is so light in the morning. Kinda weird to get used to the darkness, but very wintery feeling. I wish it would stay cool-not 81 degrees!!! I am furiously trying to get the stocking done. I just realized that I have a little under four weeks till I decorate for Christmas! I should be sewing instead of typing! I have to get moving. That is not much time. Can you believe it is so close to the holidays. It never went this fast when I taught school! I think it is speeding by bc I don't want my kids to grow up. I just want them to stay here under my momma chicken wings where I can protect them from the world. Is it possible to make time freeze? Ok, better run. Gotta run and watch Jon and Kate Plus 8. It always makes me feel better after I watch it. Two kids and a niece are a breeze compared to that woman's brood! Tootaloo!!!

A Few More of Halloween

Could someone teach me how to type between photos?????

Go TEXAS TECH

We will hit'em, we will wreck'em. Hit'em! Wreck'em Texas Tech!!! Gotta love those Red Raiders-wooohoooo Go Tech!!!!!