There's a Tiger Cub in the house

Last night was Blake's first official den meeting! He is a Tiger Cub Scout!  He has wanted to be a cub scout since the day the elder scouts did their "recruiting" out on the playground the first week of school. He begged to go to the pack meeting and I agreed to see what it was all about...after an hour of little boys jumping up and down, screaming with excitement, I wrote the check. Yes, that is the most hurtful part of this. I thought I was going in to just check it all out and pay a $15.00 sign-up fee (if I decided to let him join) and ended up writing a $65.00 check instead. OUCH!!!

There is NO way I could have left the gym that night without letting him join. The leaders had the boys soooo pumped-up with aniticipation of badge-earing events...fishing, camping, building, racing, hiking, and field trips that their arms were literally shaking as they lifted them screaming " Me, Me, Me !!!!"

For the next two weeks I had buyer's remorse. I wish I could have taken it back, because I started thinking about the additional costs that were to come AND the time that we needed to put into this. Blake offered to pay for his own shirt (which was ALL the money he had in his wallet), so I knew that he was serious about sticking to it! I have a soft spot in my heart for things that interest him...if he loves cub scouts then so should I!

Daddy took him to his first den meeting last night and they both came home happy :) Blake got his scout booklet and learned the cub scout promise:

" I Blake Sullivan promise to do my best

To do my duty to God and my country

To help other people, and

To obey the Law of the Pack."

Cub Scouts here we come !!!

Halloween 2010

October... time to decorate with spooky gourds, carve pumpkins, visit local farms, hayrides, pick apples, and get lost in corn mazes...what's NOT to love about Autumn?  The beautiful leaves, the approaching holidays, getting to dress up in costumes...oops, I mean getting to dress your "kids" up in their favorite costumes!!! 

Growing up, my parents would let me have Halloween parties, we'd invite everyone in the class, haunt up our house, bob for apples, and make bowls of mystery mush to let us kids feel around and try to guess if they were eyeballs or brains between our fingers.  Mom and Dad would dress up to scare us or make us laugh.  My parents dressed up for as long as I can recall...looking back, I guess just because they were the oldest parents of ANY of my friends didn't stop them from making sure we had a good time!

When we moved from the lake four years ago, I had never been "trick-or-treating" in a neighborhood before...just to the mall or at school.  I absolutely LOVE to take the kids around our subdivision.  The neighbors know them and make up personalized goody bags for them filled with candy and toys.  We start out pretty early since the kids are little and that lets them collect plenty of candy and still get back in time to sit on our front porch to give out candy to all the other little trick-or-treaters!  My kids bring home their candy, dump it all out on the table to admire, pick 10 pieces, then put all the rest back into the candy bowl to give away.  They love to give it out to the other kids and that works out perfect for us too! 

This year, they were so excited to give it out that I had to tell them to calm down!  Kids would come up toward the house and both, Blake and Taylor would run to meet them and then start shoveling all the candy they could with both hands into their bags.  Then as their "customers" leave they are saying "thanks, come again"...I had to tell them thank you for being such generous givers, BUT let's make sure to have some left for the next trick-or-treaters!  LOL!

Blake & Mom's                                 vs                            Taylor & Dad's

waiting for customers!

Visiting the Farm

Last weekend, after church, we took the kids to a farm in O'Fallon.  It is an actual "working" farm.  No fancy displays, petting zoos, or markets, just a real farm.  In the fall, the owners create a corn maze, give tractor rides, and just let people come see their animals.  They sell fresh farm eggs all year, and give tours to boy/girl scouts.

The kids absolutely LOVE to see all the animals that live around the farm.  Believe it or not, the HUGE amount of chickens is what stole most of the kid's spotlight!  Taylor constantly tried to
"pet" one, always getting within a few tiny inches and then it would scurry away...frustrating!  Blake ran after then to catch one. (I guarantee he wouldn't have known what to do with it if he caught it!) And worst of all....Billy kept trying to catch one "just so the kids could touch it", yeah right, he was like a little kid that's been let loose on the farm!  The only problem is that I couldn't send him back to the car for a "time-out", even though I threatened to!  He DID actually catch a chicken, BUT all the other "hundred" chickens started to flock him to get to the chicken he was holding on to...I guess they thought it was a "weak" one...yikes! 

We totally got lost (for real) in the corn maze and ended up cutting through to get out...cheaters, I know!  We got to pet lots of other animals there including, dogs, cats with their kittens, sheep, goats, and a horse.  The kids loved to play on the home-made jungle gym.  It was alot of fun! 

I have to say, for a moment, I kinda wished we lived back out in the country.  I do miss having our own land to do what we want with, but I am soooo used to the conveniences of living near the city.  Thank you farm, for being there when we want to visit!



Of course, she has to pet the unhappiest animal there...



coming through!





Come here, shicken!!!!

I'm gonna get you, chicken!

Let me catch you so I can prove to the kids I can do it!!!

Petting the sheep

entering the maze...

kinda lost in the maze

corn stalk sword fight

the exchange of sacred corn to bribe the chickens!

My sweeties!!!

Can we keep him, Mommy????      no

Taylor visits Rainbow Land

So, Wednesday was the day that we had to take Taylor to the Children's Hospital. I've never been there and was nervous. She has been dealing with G.I. problems for a long time and her pediatrician said that there was a chance the specialist would admit her and administer Go-Lite colon cleanse via a feeding tube down her nose to do testing!!! I didn't want that, but I do want to help her get her tummy troubles fixed...so, here we are.

As we pulled up to the hospital, we were greeted by animal statues and rainbow colors. The excitement in Taylor's eyes, just made me sad. Do they really think that some cool scenery and bright colors can help a child be okay with having to go the hospital...YES!! And the same was true with Taylor, as we entered the hospital she exclaims, "Yay! This place is just butyful!".

We were worried that she might have a blockage or malfunction of her lower bowel, but after seeing the specialist, he decided that he would do blood work before committing to an invasive round of testing on her poor little body. THANKS GOD. She could be allergic to glutens or just have a slow colon causing constipation. Hopefully something that can be fixed without surgery. We were very happy with the doctor, he was informative and thorough. She did have to have blood drawn and it did hurt. The nurse had to search for a vein in her little arm. She cried....alot. But even as "traumatized" as she was afterward, she still stopped crying just long enough to see the giant train overhead, as it steamed it's way around the room and down the hall. I guess all the neat-o stuff does help. Although she did start crying again as we walked to the car and most of the way home...she was okay for the moment under the train.

Actually, Billy and I wanted to cry too...just to think...we are bringing our daughter here for some tests, but there are children here with far worse problems than what we are dealing with. Far worse. So, even if just for the moment, the pretty colors make a child feel better,  it still just breaks a parent's heart, knowing that every patient here is someones child. It makes us THANK GOD for the many blessings we have in our lives and pray for the children and families that have to visit this beautifully colored place.

First Grade FALL Party

Today was Blake's first grade fall party!  I wasn't sure if I were going to be able to volunteer / attend this years parties...Taylor is at the age where I can't just "carry her along"..she wants to be a part of everything, including big bro's party!!  I don't have a sitter for her, so I just sent in some goodies and a game and figured I'd try to make it next time.  Blake kept asking me to "please just come", so I asked my Aunt to watch Taylor.  It made for a hectic, busy day, running all over town, but was sooo worth it!!  It was a blast!! 

The kids played some really fun games.  They got to bowl with a pumpkin and knock down "squash pins" , do an apple-toss, and play "pass the apple".  Their teacher, Mrs. Vice,  really went "all out", she had the kids make their own place mats, decorate and fill goody bags, and kept the children organized, excited, and well-behaved all at the same time!! AMAZING!!! 

I started thinking...a time is probably going to come that he doesn't ask me to school events or is such a "big kid" that he doesn't need me, so I better take every chance I can to be involved.  I really enjoy the "one-on-one" times that I get to spend with Blake, and even though they may not happen as often as I'd like...I love them so!!!

Pulling Teeth vs. Shoe Shopping for Blake

I pick "pulling teeth" !!!

Shoe shopping for Blake is an absolute misery! He has been complaining that his feet hurt. He has been wearing this old pair of Nike's for almost two years now, they look terrible and are too small, but he refuses to wear the newer ones, because they all hurt....he literally cries and throws his shoes across the room out of frustration before school, because he can't get a shoe to "feel good"!  Needless to say, I couldn't take another tantrum, so out we went to the mall to find him some comfy shoes.

I have to admit, my kids wear second-hand clothing and shoes...I love yard sales and consignment shops, so I dress them really well, in an affordable way.  I am proud of that, because I find great deals, and with me being a "stay at home" Mom, every penny counts! I started thinking... this school year, I was amazed at how cheaply I got by...thanks to some great sales, I purchased all of his school supplies (and it was a ton of stuff) for less than $20.00.  He was happy to use an older backpack and lunchbox. He didn't need any clothes, just some new socks. Can you tell that I am totally trying to justify spending $$$ on shoes?!?  Anyways, I decided that we would just go to a shoe store, have his feet measured, and buy him some NEW shoes!

Billy called and offered to go with us, I tried to warn him that it would not be fun, but he said, "It can't be that bad...buy him some shoes and get outta the mall", YEAH RIGHT!!! See, the problem is....Blake doesn't care if he gets new shoes, he begs to NOT have to go shoe shopping.  Thank goodness for some super-patient sales clerks:

The clerk would say, "How does this one feel?"
Blake answers, " It doesn't hurt all that bad"

Clerk: "What do you think of this one?"
Blake: "It kinda feels okay."

Clerk: "Do you like this style?"
Blake: "Na...not really"

Clerk: "How does this shoe feel?"
Blake: "It feels kinda good, except at the toe."

Clerk: "Does this shoe hurt anywhere?"
Blake: "Not too much, just the toe, heel, top of the foot, and the bottom."
Clerk: "Oh, so you mean, it hurts your WHOLE foot??"

Seriously, I know this is sounding like he is a smart-mouth punk kid, but he is trying really hard to describe what the shoe feels like on his foot. Throughout four different stores, fourteen pairs of shoes, and several threats from Billy. (at one point, Billy threatened to buy him neon pink high-tops, lol!) We finally found some shoes that looked like LEGOs. He wasn't going to try them on, but the young sales girl talked him into it, he gave in and actually ran around the store, cracked a little smile and kicked his heels together in mid-air....I think we found the pair! As a matter of fact, I KNOW we found the pair, because we bought them. and he is stuck with them, because there is NO WAY I will go back into a store with him for a long, long time!!!

The sign

Today, Billy and I celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary, which brings me to a silly story from the beginning of it all.

The first time I saw the “sign”…I thought Billy was a stalker…

I met Billy in February 2001 at a sports bar named, “Eddie’s”. It was taco night and I was having a good-bye drink with my friend, Hannah, who was moving back to New Orleans. This guy kept looking at me from across the room… it was Billy. As my friend and I left the bar, Billy approached me and apologized for staring, claiming that he couldn’t help it! Lol!  Anyways, we chatted and he seemed really nice so we agreed to call one another sometime.

Within the next couple weeks, Billy and I had gone on a date, and had a couple casual telephone chats, he seemed to be a really nice guy. My pleasant thoughts of him were about to change...

While at my sister’s house, I noticed this rather large FOR SALE sign in the windshield of my car. On it read, “ 216-6016 Call Anytime!!” I wondered why there was a FOR SALE sign in my car, who put it there, and “Wow, does that phone number sound familiar?”…I get this weird feeling as I dig out my cell phone to check my call list (Billy wasn’t even entered into my phone list yet) AND sure enough….it was Billy’s phone number…I immediately call him and start basically accusing him of being a stalker, I have dealt with guys like this before and wanted nothing to do with someone who would follow me to my sister’s house and put a sign in my car!!!! At the other end of the line, there was silence for a moment (now knowing Billy, he was quietly collecting his thoughts before speaking), he said, “Look, I really like you, but I am NOT a stalker and I did not put a sign in your car with my phone number on it!!” At first I thought  he had to be a stalker AND a liar…he doesn’t seem like that kinda guy, but… I start thinking back to who I might have told, and other than my sis, no one had really heard of this new guy in my life…I’m speechless…until…I hear my brother chuckle from inside the house…he has this BIG grin on his face, which means that he is GUILTY !!! My brother is a joker and a prankster and always being funny and goofy! As it turns out, Billy had just sold a car to his cousin, Vicky, my brother happened to be friends with her , took the sign out of her car window and just for kicks, placed it in my car later that day. THAT is how Billy’s “For Sale” sign ended up in “my” car !!! My brother, his cousin, nor anyone else even knew that Billy and I had met…strange…

It might not have been a sign from a stalker, but it was a “sign” that we were meant to be together!!!