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TWO BY TWO Jackson Gabrielle Connor Brady Cooper |
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Stories June 21, 2009 Happy Father's Day, Brad! You are an exceptional Daddy and our kids adore you. You are a hero in every sense of the word and we are very thankful for all your hard work to provide us with not only our needs but our wants as well. Okay, so it's now safe to say Jackson did indeed have a stomach virus. I can say that only because I spent all of last night and today doubled over with stomach pains and cramping meanwhile running to the bathroom every few minutes. As soon as I finished updating my website last night I went to bed. I had no more laid down when I felt the rolling and aching in my tummy. I knew right then I was in for a tough night. All I could think about was how badly Jackson was hurting yesterday as we drug him all over the safari. Poor thing! Brad and I were supposed to work the nursery at church this morning. He took the babies and Connor to church while I stayed home with Jackson and Gabrielle. She had been running to the potty all morning, too. When Brad left I fixed Gabrielle a bowl of cereal and threw Jackson a cereal bar. I turned the tv on their favorite channel and went right back to bed. I sort of remember Gabrielle coming in with a bag of Dorito's and a coke and I nodded okay and said, "Whatever." When I woke up and walked into the kitchen to check on them there were snacks everywhere. The Dorito and goldfish bag were on the counter empty, there was a can of Diet Mtn Dew empty and toys all over the place. Hey... as long as they were quiet and in no danger I don't care if they had eaten a gallon of ice cream! Poor Brad, his Father's Day really stunk! He had to take care of the kids all day while I moaned, groaned and complained. I feel really bad that his one day of the year was all about taking care of me. We did give him his gift and he was thrilled... a homemade card and a weedeater.
June 20, 2009 What have we been up to the last 3 days? On Thursday I met GG and handed over Connor and Cooper. And yes, I admit I did a little hallelujah dance! It was wonderful to have just the 3 kids. The boys could not get in GG's car fast enough. They were both waving bye before I had the car seat buckled. They needed a little alone time as well. After we dropped off the boys we headed to Memaw's house. I laid Brady down for a nap and went to the grocery store for Memaw. The kids played inside most of the day because it was just way too hot to be outside. We came home around 4pm and I took the kids straight to the neighborhood pool. We swam and played for over an hour. The water felt so good. Brady scared me to death. He showed no fear of the pool. Before I could even wipe my eyes he would jump in assuming I was prepared to catch him. At one point I looked over at Gabrielle and then heard a splash. He jumped in before I was ready. He was in the water quicker than I could blink. It was a very very scary moment. Not that he was in any danger of drowning but just knowing that it can happen that fast was terrifying. Friday morning we headed to the Y around 10:30am. I put Brady in the playcenter while Jackson, Gabrielle and I went to the pool. We played for 2 hours then got Brady out of "jail" and brought him out to the pool. He sat in my lap for the first 15 minutes clung to me like glue while I sat in the shallow end of the pool letting the water barely touch him. After he got comfortable he decided that he needed to check the place out. I chased him for 30 minutes all over that place meanwhile keeping an eye on the other two kids. Oh my word I thought I would never survive. Not quite the pool experience we had last week. Brady is like a wildcat who has sprung from his cage. When his feet hit the floor he just runs as if to escape. He knows no boundaries and feels no threat to anything. If there is silence then I KNOW he has climbed into or escaped out of something. Keeping watch on him when he's not in his normal environment is nearly impossible. Once we got back from the pool we just chilled around the house and waited for Brad to get home. We played outside the rest of the afternoon and evening. Today we met GG and Larry with the boys at a gas station in Union City, GA. It's south of Atlanta by about 30 miles. Union City used to be a sought after area but now it's run down and evidently quite dangerous. Brad and I arrived at our meeting place before GG and Larry. Brad pumped gas while Sissy and I went to the potty. When we came back I took Brady out of the car and Brad went to potty. There was music playing over the loudspeakers. As I held Brady I was kind of swaying and dancing with him while singing along to the music. I looked over at the front of the store to see a man staring at me. I kind of smiled at him thinking I must look like a fool and he politely smiled back. Once Brad returned GG pulled up and our attention was diverted. A few moments later Brad noticed the worker from inside running out the doors with the phone in his hands and in quite a panic. The police zoomed in parking lot and zoomed out. Brad asked the worker what was going on and he said, "That man that was standing outside the store just robbed me by gunpoint! It's the 2nd time in two weeks this has happened." I couldn't believe it. Here I was dancing with Brady, tickling Gabrielle, watching Jackson sleep in the car and waiting on my husband all the while this guy is stalking the place waiting to make his move. My heart still skips a beat thinking of what "could have been." What if he had fired his gun? What if bullets were flying and hit or killed one of us? What if he took a hostage? Oh God it makes me sob to think of it. I've thanked God over and over for sparing us what could have been a tragic and awful day. After the "incident" we all headed to Pine Mountain, GA. Our destination was the Pine Mountain Animal Safari. Check it out at www.animalsafari.com It's a hands on experience with cape buffalo, water buffalo, deer, elk, emu, pigs, hogs, giraffes, zebras and all kinds of other exotic animals. We rented a van on site that has no windows, just bars, and you drive through the park with bags of food. The animals literally come right up to the van and put their heads in the windows to get food. It's the most amazing thing. The kids really loved it at least for the first 20 minutes then the heat and dehydration got to us all. The first part of the trip we were driving real slow looking at all the animals feeding each and every one but by the end of the trip we were throwing food at mock speed saying "Get us out of this van!" Cooper and Brady were whining and Connor was holding his throat as if he hadn't had a drink in months. Gabrielle's face was red as a beet and she had this sort of dazed look on her face. I though we were going to lose her for a minute. Jackson has been dealing with some sort of stomach something or another and was doubled over in pain saying, "I need to go home and rest." Meanwhile the temperature had to of reached 100 degrees (no joke) and I could no longer tell the difference between flooding tears and sweat. Well, it wasn't that bad... at least not at that moment! GG and Brad were wearing their game faces but I knew they were miserable, too. Larry was just kind of along for the ride. There is also a walk thru where you can see the tigers, lions and bears (OH MY) but we opted to get the heck out of dodge and head for food and cold air. We had no longer left the parking lot and they were all asleep. Honestly, it was fun just way way too hot to enjoy the whole experience. We stopped on the way home at Cracker Barrel. Every single thing I offered Brady he threw in the floor. Fork, spoon, fry, toy, drink... you name it he hated it. He wouldn't eat or drink a single thing. All he wanted to do was beat the table cry. It was a lovely dinner. I had to take Jackson to the potty for 2 dry runs before he finally went potty. The poor thing was screaming in the bathroom trying to get some relief. I guess he has some sort of a virus. (Just what we need) I should really just start pureeing my food and sucking it through a straw. After I "ate" I took the kids to look at the toys. Before I could blink they were standing at the candy and toy bins grabbing whatever they could get their hands on. Connor had his pockets full of suckers and candy while Brady was picking up and throwing everything! It was madness. I search for Brad and found out he saw someone we knew. His neighbors growing up just so happened to be in their having dinner, too. I tried my best to small talk but I had been in 100 degree heat with dirty animals, the smell of roasting poop (the animals, not my kids) and 5 tired kids Small talk and playing catch up was not on my agenda. I told Brad we HAD to go NOW and he said, "I haven't finished eating." I later told him I was going to stick that country fried steak down his throat if he didn't get in the car. LOL Needless to say he didn't finish eating. See, if I would carry a Magic Bullet and some straws around we could actually finish a meal! Anyway, we did make it home. When we pulled in the driveway I said "thank you, Jesus we made it." We didn't even take the kids inside. We stripped everyones clothes off and put their swim suits on. They swam in their little plastic pool and played on the slip n slide. I bathed the babies and Brad helped me put them down then he took the older ones to the neighborhood pool. I cleaned up outside and watered my plants. Once he got home we bathed the older kids and I left for Home Depot and Publix. By the time I got home it was 9pm. I still had to shower and eat. Brad and I ended the night with a movie, "Taking Chance." YOU HAVE TO SEE IT! Kevin Bacon escorts a fallen soldier home to be laid at rest. It's based on actual events and is a real tear jerker. So now it's midnight and I'm typing away on my website. I think it's time to call it a day so we can start again tomorrow!
June 17, 2009 Brad is feeling 100% better. Thanks for all the concern, emails and calls! We got some sad news on Monday. Sam Champion, a man Brad and I respected and adored, died at the age of 75. Brad and Sam worked together in 1999. Sam was part time at Mowell Funeral Home and Brad was temporary for a year before leaving for dental school. (Did ya'll know Brad worked at a funeral home?... That's another story!) Sam was retired and worked to have something to do. He and Brad hit it off without missing a beat. Brad and Sam have kept in touch with weekly phone calls ever since. Sam and his wife Peggy were at Jackson's first birthday party to celebrate with us. Everytime we came to Fayetteville to visit Papa we always made a trip to see Sam and Peggy. Brad went to the visitation last night with my Dad. I wanted to go so badly but just couldn't make it work out with the kids. Brad has caught himself wanting to call Sam only to be slapped in the face with the reality he's no longer here. We'll miss him very very much. Monday night Brad had a work meeting and Tuesday night the funeral. The kids and I are really missing him. I'm so used to him being home I guess I'm a little spoiled. Yesterday I took the kids to the Y. No pool this time, I needed to work out and we headed home. The kids all have blisters on their toes from the pool and needed a rest. I need to find them some pool shoes. We just spent the day playing outside and in the basement. Yesterday we had a playdate with the neighborhood kids. Amy and I chatted and kept our eyes on the kids. Amy's daughter, Paige, is 9 years old and followed the babies everywhere. They love her to death. I slow cooked a huge Boston Butt pork roast in the crock pot for 14 hours until it just fell apart. I made my own BBQ sauce and invited Kim and Don to come eat dinner with Amy and I. I grabbed some Chick Fil A cole slaw and toasted hamburger buns. We had a great BBQ dinner. The kids had played together for 4 hours and were nice and tired when bedtime rolled around. After all the kids were in bed I totally collapsed. Today I spent the morning doing laundry and a little picking up around the house... same ole' same ole'. The house cleaner was coming and I had to clean so they could clean! I was really wanting to get out of the house so I decided to take the kids to lunch. I couldn't stand the thought of chasing them around a play area at McD's or Chick Fil A so we settled on Mexican. I was going back and forth saying to myself, "Do you really want to do this?" It was a really smooth trip and the kids did great. They ate their weight in cheese dip and cheese quesadillas. We did make a big mess but that's to be expected. There was another meal under the table. The key to doing something like that by myself is to make it as time effecient as possible. There can be no lolly gagging. I have to fill every moment with something to entertain and keep their minds busy. Not to mention moving at lightning speed! I do everything fast anyway but when I'm out with the kids alone... I fly! When we left the server gave each of the kids a balloon which they loved. As we were crossing the parking lot there were cars stopped on each side with another 3 cars behind each of them letting us cross the road. We looked like a circus act. Balloons flying, kids skipping and Mommy singing, "If you're happy and you know it say Horray!" I was very proud of them. I poured it on thick with praises and they were grinning from ear to ear. When we got home I laid the babies down and Don came over with Raigan and Chandler. I had a dermatology appointment and he was watching the kids. When I got home the girls stayed for another hour and played while Don went home. All of us have such great tans this year. All we do is play outside. I keep them covered in sunscreen but they still have this beautiful brown skin. Poor Cooper was playing in the baby pool and got stung by a sweat bee twice on his chest. I felt so sorry for the little guy! Marci came over tonight to babysit. We took Brad's parents and Uncle Aaron to dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. It was supposed to have been their Christmas present. 6 months later we are counting it as Christmas and Father's Day. Pathetic, I know! It's one of our favorite places to eat. In Indiana Brad and I loved loved loved it and went twice a year. We were really excited to take them somewhere nice. We were so disappointed! The steak was bland. It just didn't taste like what we were used to. Our favorite dessert is the carrot cake. I've thought of it all day, so had Brad. We asked about it before we ordered our drinks because it wasn't on the menu only to find out they no longer sold it. Ughhhh, so sad. We did have a great time with the family and that's what really matters. Connor must have told me at least 50 times today that he loves me! As soon as he woke up the first words out of his mouth were, "Luv you, Mom." If you don't say it back he'll raise his voice an octave and say, "Mom, I say I luv you!" It melts my heart. Then he'll come sit in my lap and say, "Mom... I you buddy." There are no words to express what that does to my heart. My little Lovie!
June 15, 2009 Brad made it through the night without a trip to the ER. After a rough night I think he's doing better today. He made it to work so that's a good sign. The kids and I went to the Y this morning with high hopes. I decided that I would workout and then try taking the kids to the outdoor pool. This water seems much cleaner and I don't cringe at the thought of standing in it. After my workout I got the kids changed and we were off. It went really really well. Brady wanted me to hold him the entire time so that was kind of good. At least I knew where he was! Cooper just toddled around the water checking people out. The trio stayed close together playing in the water. We stayed for over an hour. I think we could have stayed longer but the babies were starting to get really sleepy. I was so proud of the kids and how they acted. They listened really well and helped me keep an eye on each other. I was really proud of myself, too. I was nervous about the whole thing but I knew if it went downhill we could always leave.
June 14, 2009 Our visitors have come and gone. They arrived Friday night around midnight exhausted and ready for rest. Saturday morning we had breakfast and let the kids play outside most of the morning. They left for Disney World Saturday afternoon at 2pm. It was great to see them and I'm glad they could break up their trip with a visit. We had 4 air matresses set up around the house. Everyone had somewhere to sleep. Brad's parents stayed around until last night. We ate leftovers for dinner and after the kids went to bed we watched Taken on PPV. They had never seen it and we wanted to see it again. We had a lot of fun spending time with them. Today was church and we hit McD's drive thru on the way home. I am about 99% sure Brad has another kidney stone. His stomach felt uncomfortable when he went to bed but I chalked it up the the pan of dessert and 4 burgers he ate at lunch! Today during church he was so uncomfortable with stomach pains and back pain. As soon as we pulled in the drive Brad went straight for the Percocet, hot shower and bed. I hope he gets some relief. I've got Papa on call in case I have to get Brad to the ER. Unless he's able to pass the stone I have a strong feeling we'll end up there before the night is over.
June 11, 2009 Yesterday was my day off. Marci watched the kids while I had some much needed Mommy time. Kim and I went to lunch at LongHorn. I took her home and ran some errands then went to the library and browsed around for a while. It was nice to sit and relax reading a book. I was going to lay by the pool but a thunder storm prevented me from doing so. Today we started off with a trip to the Y then ran through the drive thru at Chick Fil A for lunch. I laid all the kids down for naps and then laid down myself. I had a headach and was so tired. I had just dozed off when another blasted thunderstorm roared through and woke up everyone. They only slept for an hour at the most. Ughhhh, I was so irritable after that. I had to really put things into perspective and quit acting like a child myself. It was really humid today. I didn't think the kids would be able to stand it outside so I tried to keep them occupied inside. They were doing nothing more than destroying my house. I said enough and we went outside and set up the pool. The heat doesn't really bother me that bad if I'm wearing all cotton and sitting in the garage. Papa gave me a fan to keep in the garage that will blow your socks off. I've got it hitting me right in the face and I sit in a comfie wicker chair. The kids stay cool in the water and riding their bikes and scooters. We really have a perfect driveway for the kids. We stayed outside until everyone was ready to eat. I fed them a really pathetic supper. Waffles, rasins, oranges, chicken nuggets, tuna salad, crackers and whatever else they would eat. It was one of those nights where I offer them everything I had in the house to keep from cooking. They went to bed full and I've cooked every night this week so I'm not going to make myself feel guilty. We usually have one "free" night a week when the kids can eat whatever they want. Tomorrow is a full day. Brad's family from Kentucky is coming to visit on their way to Florida for vacation. They won't be here until late tomorrow night and they'll head on their way to FL Saturday afternoon. It will just be a quick trip to break up their drive and give us a chance to see each other. We'll have a full house for sure. Let's see... Brad, Me, and our 5 kids... Memaw and Aunt Sis... Chad, Nikki and their 2 kids... Shawn, Tina and their 3 kids. That's 18 people! I've got my menu planned out and sleeping arrangments settled. Tomorrow when Brad gets home from work I'll hit the grocery store to buy all my supplies. I think breakfast will be an assortment of bakery products... muffins, crossiants, etc. Lunch will be a cookout with hamburgers/hotdogs/cole slaw/baked beans/chips... the usual summer entertaining meal. Oreo Ice Cream Dessert is my plan for dessert. It's a layer of crushed oreos and melted butter to make the crust. Then you spread vanilla ice cream over that and let it freeze firm. Then you melt a german chocolate bar and milk to make a fudge sauce and spread that over the ice cream. Once that freezes you put a thick layer of cool whip on top. It's easy to make just a lot of steps. I hope that 2 will be enough for everyone. Maybe I'll make some cookies for the kids. I love having company and the kids are beyond excited. Tomorrow will be a long day while they anxiously wait for them to arrive. I'll have to answer the question, "When will they be here?" at least 1,000 times. One little cute thing... Gabrielle and I were cleaning up my room last night picking up some toys and what not. I gave a sigh as I tripped over someones shoe and she said, "Mommy, it's hard being a girl, isn't it?"
June 9, 2009 GG and I are exhausted. Remember back when Jackson had his birthday and GG was going to get a jump n play for the party? Well, 4 months later we finally were able to come through with the jump n play. GG called last night and said she had it worked out. The kids were soooo excited. We woke up first thing this morning and got the housework taken care of. We were outside by 11:30am waiting. When GG showed up the kids were beside themselves. Don came over and helped us put the bounce house in place with the stakes and ropes. We had a total of 11 kids at the house. They had a blast. We played outside for 5.5 hours straight. I put the pool and sprinkler out, too. They would jump in the pool then jump in the bounce house. We went through a loaf of bread, tons of peanut butter and jelly, a bag of crackers and popcorn, one gallon of kool aid, cheese, ice pops and more juice boxes than I could even begin to count. Every one of those children were about to drop dead when 5pm finally got here. It was perfect. GG took everyone to the basement while I worked on dinner. When dinner was ready the kids came running up the stairs with "that look" in their eyes. The look that says, "We're starving... watch out." I made spaghetti and meatballs and there was pasta flying everywhere. It looked like a noodle factory had exploded by the time it was all said and done. GG tackled the kitchen mess while I cleaned the kids. We made everyone strip down at the table and head straight to the tub. When I drained the water there were noodles stuck to the bottom of the tub! Gabrielle kept screaming, "I want fresh water!!!" I refused to do the whole cycle again so I just kept washing. I wonder if the kid who gets washed the last is ever really clean??? LOL I had everyone in the bed by 8pm. They were out like a light. Brad had to work late and didn't get home until 10:30pm. It's been a long day but a really fun long day. All of us "Mom's" just sat next to the kiddie pool with our feet soaking in the cold water. We watched our kiddos have the time of their life. To them, there was no better day on the face of the earth than what they experienced today. I loved seeing them smile and have fun. Tomorrow is my day off! Marci will come give me my weekly break. Yesssss!
June 7, 2009 What an awesome weekend! We spent a large part of Saturday at the pool. Papa stayed around long enough to watch the babies while we took the older kids to the pool. They had a blast. Brad and I decided we would take care of cardio by swimming laps. Brad boasted that he would do 20 laps... I said yeah right. He and I did 4 and thought we would die. Tha'ts really hard work but I'm sure it burns calories really fast. I should do that more often. Maybe I could work up to 5 whole laps. LOL As if Friday wasn't good enough we had a great treat on Saturday night, too. Marci came over to babysit and we went to dinner with some friends. Brad has been telling me about the great guy, Thad, who he plays basketball with. Finally Saturday I met him and his wife, Karen. They were awesome people and we had a lot in common. We had dinner at CHOPS in Buckhead. DELISH is the best word. I was totally spoiled with our dinner selections for the weekend. And to really top of the weekend Brad is off tomorrow. It's an OR day and he didn't have anything scheduled so we get to have him home. Very exciting! Today was church at BrownsBridge and then home for lunch and naps. I cleaned up the house while the kids slept and Brad worked out and cut grass. Once everyone was up we headed to Grandpa and Memaw's for some play time. Uncle Ernie and my nephew, Eddy, were there, too. Okay Okay... Eddy is actually a dog but I'm taking what I can get at this point. (Luv ya, Aaron). We ordered pizza and the kids played until they were about to drop. Our routine when we go over there is let them play till they drop, give them a bath and put on pj's then drive home and put them straight to bed. Nobody resists because they are so worn out. It's a great plan. I still don't take it for granted how awesome it is to be close to family. Living in Indiana was very good for us. It gave us a chance to lean on each other and realize the importance of friends and church home. Now that we are back "home" I count every blessing. One little funny thing. Today at Grandpa's Jackson and I were in the horse field throwing rocks in the pond. On our way out the gate I opened it and Jackson said, "Mooooom, you have to let me open the gate so you can teach me how to be a gentleman." So cute! Also, before we ate dinner Jackson asked if he could pray. Grandpa said yes and Jackson gave the sweetest prayer. He thanked God for everything and then added, "And Dear God, thank you for the people that died on the cross." Ohhhhhh, my heart melted. He takes in more than I give him credit for when it comes to his knowledge of Jesus and the effects of sin. He pushed Connor today and Grandpa sat him down for a talk. Grandpa told him that when he does wrong it's Mommy and Daddy's job to correct him. Grandpa asked him who corrects Mommy and Daddy when they sin or do wrong? Jackson without skipping a beat said, "God." Grandpa told him that Jesus gave us the responsiblity as parents to correct him and he has to obey. Jackson was quite satisfied with that answer. Like it made perfect sense to him. I love that boy! I think God has something special in mind for his life. Gabrielle has a favorite song. It's Broken Halelujah by Mandisa. Lisa introduced me to it a few months ago. It is incredible. Gabrielle asks to listen to it every time that we get in the car. She says, "I want to hear the Hal-you-ya song." Everyone has to be very quiet while she sings her little heart out. She always asks, "What's dat g-oils name again, she sings pretty." Connor always adds his two cents worth saying, "I like da How-wa-woo-ya song, Mommy." "Dear Jesus, you have given me such a huge responsiblity to raise these kids according to your will. Remind me daily the importance of that burden. Help me to be the expample that you call me to be. Forgive me when I fail you and them. Give me patience each day, each hour and each minute. Help me to enjoy them to the fullest because I know it could all be gone in a flash. Amen."
June 5, 2009 Happy 10th Anniversary to my sweet and thoughtful husband. I know you work hard to provide and care for our family. You strive to give us all of our wants and not just our needs. You've always made a great balance between work and family. You are my partner and my friend. The smartest decision I ever made was to fall in love with you and walk down that aisle 10 years ago. You've given me a beautiful family and a lot to look forward to in life. I love you, Honey. "Oh What a Night!" Brad told me yesterday that I needed to be ready to leave the house at 4:45pm today. He said he had a surprise worked up and I would love it. Brad walked in the door holding a dozen roses, a Starbucks gift card, a Carmike Cinema gift book and the most beautiful love note ever. And that was just the beginning of our evening! Papa was here to babysit and the kids were in great hands. We were out the door without any worries about the kids or a clock running on a babysitter. On the road Brad said we were going to my favorite steakhouse, HAL'S and then to the Fox Theater to see Jersey Boys, the story of Franki Valli and the Four Seasons. I was so excited I couldn't stop giggling. I love musicals and oldies music. Our dinner was incredible and the service was perfect. Our server knew we were going to the Fox and he said, "Enjoy your dinner, relax and let me keep track of time." He had us out the door right on time and without feeling rushed or crunched. The entire evening was so special. Brad really did it up big this year. Like he said, "Ten years is huge and I wanted it to be something special." To quote Frankie Valli... "Oh What a Night!"
June 3, 2009 I started the week out with a bang. Susan and I decided that we needed to get the kids together and of course we needed some Mom time, too. I asked GG if she would watch the babies at her house on Monday while I took the older kids to Aunt Susan's to swim in her neighborhood pool. So Monday morning the kids and I were up and at 'em trying to get out the door by 10am. I decided that we would just spend the night with GG Monday night so we wouldn't have to be rushed to beat ATL traffic on the way home. I threw an overnight bag together for all 6 of us and we were off. We made the 75 mile trip to GG's house, dropped off the babies and headed 20 miles back the same way we came to Aunt Susan's house. We were about 35 minutes behind schedule due to the lovely ATL traffic that I tried so hard to miss. The kids were beside themselves after being in the car for so long. We went straight to the pool needing a small UHAUL to get all the pool toys there. Susan and I were kind of expecting a laid back kind of day but low and behold the entire neighborhood had the same idea we did. There were like 100 people swimming. 90 of them were kids. She and I were constantly counting heads... "There's one, two, three NO that's someone elses kid, okay there's three, four and oh no, where's five, where's five... there he is... wheww... now where's one?" It was a constant constant cycle. After a couple hours I had a terrible headache and we were all exhausted. We left the pool and headed to Susan's house for a little break. The kids destroyed her house and then we left. LOL Despite the chaos we'll still do it again. Susan said she took the boys back to the pool today and there was nobody there. Go figure! On the way back to Mom's I picked up Chick Fil A. The kids wanted to eat outside so we fought the flies (all 2,000 of them) and ate our chicken. The babies were beyond tired. GG had put Cooper in time out before we got there which means it must have been really really bad if she used the time out button. At 6:30pm the kids wanted to go outside and ride scooters. We took them out and melted. It was so hot at 6:30pm it felt like the sun was angry and demanding vengance. We took everyone inside after only 15 minutes and agreed it was time to put the babies to bed. The older kids talked GG and Larry into taking them to the park. It must be some special gene that God gives Grandparents and not Moms because she gladly took them. It sounded like torture... pure torture to open the front door much less go to the hot mosquito filled park. I voluntered to stay home, take a shower, do my nails and "watch" the sleeping babies. It was rough but I did it. LOL The babies slept all night which was a blessing. I always get so worked up about them sleeping when we are anywhere but home. I don't know why... it's the Mommy in me I guess. GG and I on the other hand are the ones I should have been worried about. I slept with Gabrielle and Connor while GG and Larry slept with Jackson. It was like a WWF match. Gabrielle and Jackson must have had the same ninja butt kicking dream because GG and I felt like we had been beaten the next morning. We gave ATL traffic time to die down and headed to Canton around 11am. Of course we still hit traffic and didn't get home until 12:30pm. I hate traffic. The kids were whining, poking and swatting each other... just pestering the daylights out of each other really. The babies were screaming and I thought "THIS is a true calgon moment!" As soon as I got everyone home I threw a PB&J sandwich down their throats and put them down for naps. Gabrielle refused to sleep which meant she was a pistol and fit to be tied by 4pm. Connor took forever to fall asleep which meant he slept way too late and didn't want to go to bed till midnight. Jackson was worn out and being a smart mouth. He smarted off one time and I said, "Do not talk to me that way, Jackson." to which he responded "Don't talk to me that way, Mom." Do I need to tell ya'll how that ended?????? Mmmmmm, Mmmmm, Mmmmm.... I was beside myself upset with that boy. He had to go to bed early. I mean still daylight early. Make that still sunny early! They had all pushed my buttons in a way that has never been done. And let's not forget the little precious babies. Oh Brady and Cooper are NOT innocent in this matter. They have decided they don't like each other very much these days. They are both different in so many ways yet they have the exact same temperment. Those two are fighting non stop. I mean biting, hitting, slapping, screaming to the bitter end and blood is shed type fighting. It's like watching a violent movie. What makes it even worse is they won't listen to me. When I pull them apart they just head right back for each other. It's like I need a water hose to spray them off each other. I don't know what to do with them really. I wonder if it's an attention type thing? You know that's what Mom's do... when the kids are evil we blame ourselves... it's our fault... the guilt... Oh the guilt! So today I decided I was going to be the interactive Mom and not just the referee. I was in their faces playing every second. It was exhausting. There's no way I can keep that up. Tomorrow, I'm back to being the referee and if they don't like it I'm taking them out of the game! Today was a good day. I was by myself, as in ALONE, for 4 hours. Marci came over and gave me a much needed break. Kim and I went to lunch and then I ran errands. I did stop by the library and pick up a book. Marci will start coming once a week through the summer so I can get out for a while. I think next week I will sit by the neighborhood pool and do nothing. Is it next week yet?
June 2, 2009 I very well may not make it through this day with my sanity in tact! Enough said...
May 30, 2009 So after a big day at Stone Mtn Gabrielle and Connor went back to GG's house. They had supper, played in the hot tub and had a bath. Once it came time for bed Sissy decided she wanted to come home. At 9:30pm GG and I made the 30 mile drive and met to retrieve my little ones. She was so excited to come home. She said she had so much fun but just wanted to be home. How sweet! It really makes me feel good that she wants to be with Mommy and Daddy. Brad and I seperated beds and slept with each one of them. That was a great treat and they loved it. Yesterday after Brad got off work I went to cash in my Mother's Day gift certificate and had a private pedicure. It was at a great little spa and you are the only one in the room. I didn't speak the whole time. I just sat and read a trash US magazine. I told the lady, "I hope you don't think I'm rude... I'm just enjoying the quiet." It was wonderful! As soon as I got home Brady stepped on my toe and ruined my nail polish! Isn't that just how it goes? Brad laughed and said our motto, "That's what you get when you have 5 kids." Well, at least 9 out of 10 are pretty. We all loaded up the car and went to home depot. I got a couple Boston ferns for my front porch. I'll have to take a few pics of the house. It looks really pretty with my flowers and plants. I love my house and feel so blessed. We decided to hit our NEW CHICK FIL A for dinner. Oh we were all so excited. It felt like home as soon as we entered the door. Ya'll know I'm serious, too. We ate outside on the patio and then the kids played on the prestine playground. They had so much fun. Later that evening we went next door and hung out around the fire pit chatting. It was a great day.
May 28, 2009 GG has come through again! Yesterday we met her to give over Gabrielle and Connor. Gabrielle decided at the last minute she was not going to spend the night. She told me, "I only used to like to stay at GG's when I was a baby but now I just don't want to. Take my toothbrush out of the bag." I told her I would take her stuff out when we got to GG's. Once GG started telling her about all the fun stuff they would do she quickly changed her mind. Yesterday, they went to the mall to ride the carousel and do some shopping. Then they went to Toys R Us and got scotters. After that they came home to play in the hot tub and ride scooters outside (and inside... only at GG's). Today they went to Stone Mtn and rode the train. They have had a great time... who wouldn't? Jackson had a friend, Eric, and his Mom over to play today. They got here at 11am and stayed the entire day playing in the pool, sprinkler and riding bikes and scooters. Those boys were worn slap out by the end of the day. Brady and Cooper played just as hard as those two did. They don't realize that they are not 5 years old, too. Eric's Mom, Joni, and Memaw were here, too. We enjoyed spending the day talking and having lunch. We'll have to try and do it every week. I've loaded pictures from Jackson's graduation and the Braves game. I was really behind on pics.
May 26, 2009 The first part of the weekend did start off pretty bad but the rest of it came together quite nicely. Saturday we all went over to Grandpa and Memaw's house for a cookout. Uncle Ernie and his friend, Jimmy, met us over there. We cooked out hamburgers and hotdogs (along with most of America). The kids did their usual... play, run, fish, ride 4 wheeler and swing. We also picked up a fridge this weekend off Craig's List for $80. We put it in the garage to keep some cold drinks and snacks. Sunday after church Jack and Kate came to visit. Memaw, Uncle Ernie and The HULK (Roger) came for dinner, also. The kids love Roger. They honestly think he's the Hulk. Jackson asked him 1,000 times if he would please turn green! I love to cook for hungry single guys. (okay, that sounded funny but you know what I meant, LOL) They always eat so much and appreciate every bite. I made 4 lbs of meatloaf, homemade mac n cheese, fresh greenbeans, and cut 16 ears of corn off the cob for creamed corn. There were also sliced tomatoes, vidalia onions and rolls. Add a little sweet tea and apple pie a' la mode and we had a wonderful dinner. Everyone was miserable after we ate. I think that's a good sign they enjoyed it! I make my Mama's meatloaf and I have to admit it's really good. Kind of sweet and really moist. Monday was a very productive day. Our neighbor, Pete, helped Brad install some shelving in the garage. That took most of the day. Everything is nice and organized. At 4pm Marci came to sit for 3 of the kids. It was Jackson and Gabrielle's "special time" so we went to see Night at The Museum 2 and then went to LongHorn for dinner. The movie wasn't as good as the first one. I was also really bummed because they said a couple curse words... that didn't happen in the first. The kids didn't really like it either. But it was nice to get out and just have the two kids. Next time it's Connor's turn for alone special time. Today should be a pretty routine day. My curtain panels will be installed for the keeping room. I'm excited about that. Then we will head to the Y to try and work off some of this weekend food. I promised the kids they could play on the playground when I was done. I just hope the rain holds off.
May 22, 2009 It just keeps getting better. Yesterday was Jackson's Pre-K Graduation. It was pretty much a disaster. I couldn't wait for it to be over. It was over an hour long which is way too long for the kids. By the time we had sat down to eat I was in tears. It was just too much as far as the work involved with the kids. We finally made it home and got everyone down for naps. GG and Memaw went home and left strict instructions for me to take a nap and recompose. I woke up still feeling sad and weepy. When Brad got home I went to a movie. My stomach had a really odd feeling. I woke up at 1am with stomach cramps and you can guess what happend after that. 7 hours of the stomach virus. Horrible! I called Papa at 6am and asked him to please come help me. He was here by 7:30am. I've laid in the bed all day moaning, groaning and running to the bathroom. Brad got home after lunch and Papa went back home. I'm on the way to recovery but still feel very nauseated. I'm scared to death of who might be next. Maybe God will spare us... pleeeeease?
May 20, 2009 As if a day of "flying poop" wasn't bad enough I had to deal with vomit yesterday. Cooper was eating a granola bar and got choked. He threw up a little bit trying to get it out and when he did I looked over my shoulder to see Gabrielle grabbing the "throw up bowl" in the cabinet and Jackson running to the bathroom dry heaving. Talk about a chain reaction! I just figured they had a sensitive stomach that early and it was no big deal. We took Jackson to school and then headed to meet GG. She was taking the babies for a overnight visit to her house. About half way there I hear Gabrielle start crying and then here it came. She threw up all over the place. She and the car were covered. I pulled over on the side of the road, stripped her down to her undies and cleaned her with wipes. I moved her over to Jackson's empty carseat and kept on trucking. She gets carsick and I figured that's what it was. We met GG and dropped off the babies. (Yes, I did a little dance!) GG stayed in the car with the kids while I ran into Target to grab Sissy some clothes. Five minutes from home here it came again. Obviously, it wasn't just car sickness. I had to strip her down again and book it home. I threw her in the tub and got her settled on the couch with a pillow, blanket and Dora. She fell asleep and I headed out to clean the car. You talk about nasty. It was everywhere. Both seatbelt straps, 2 car seat covers, 2 blankets, 2 sets of clothes, floorboards and doors. Ughhhhh! I got a roll of paper towels and a bucket of Fabuloso and went to town. An hour and a half later I had it clean. I called a girlfriend and asked her to bring Jackson home so Gabrielle could sleep. She slept two and a half hours and seemed better when she got up. She played outside all afternoon. By sundown she was sitting on the couch with "that look" again. I went to the grocery store leaving her on the couch with a bowl and a sprite. Brad called to ask me something and I hear him scream, "Put your head in the bowl!!!" She threw up all over my brand new area rug!!! I wanted to cry but would it make a difference? There is a small area that you can tell is darker than the rest but oh well. Today she seems fine. Wonder who is next? I'll place my bet on Jackson. Now, let's talk about something wonderful... baby vacation! Oh my word, it's been incredible. I am so thankful that GG gave us this wonderful break. I will be glad to see them this afternoon but WOW... I feel rejuvinated. After I took Jackson to school I took Gabrielle and Connor to the park for a walk. I pushed them in the stroller and we did a couple of miles then they played on the playground for a while. We've spent the rest of the day playing outside. It's beautiful here... 74, sunny and 0 humidity! Thank you Jesus for such a wonderful day and thank you GG for a much needed baby break! Can we do it agian next week? LOL
May 18, 2009 Much much better day today! The kids all slept well last night and so did I. The morning started out great, everyone ate well and we were on time for school. So far so good! After dropping Jackson off at school we headed to the Y. I worked out for a little over an hour and then decided to take advantage of my two hour allowance for child care. I sat down at a table, read the paper and had a cup of coffee. It was wonderful. When I picked up the children the workers told me how well mannered they are and how I must do a great job. If they had only been at McD's yesterday! We came home from the Y and had lunch outside. Grilled cheese sandwiches and cheez-its. Yummo! The kids played for a while then we came inside to change diapers before leaving to pick up Jackson. I ripped off Brady's diaper only to realize he had about 10 little "marbles" that I failed to see. They flew all over the place.... literally. It was so gross. I made Gabrielle and Connor help me hunt for them. After I got him changed and put them all in the car I kept smelling poop. Gabrielle said something stunk, too. I kept checking my hands and all over my body thinking "Great, it's probably stuck in my hair." When we picked up Jackson his sensitive little nose knew there was poop in the car. I pulled over to investigate and found that Brady managed to step on a "marble" we didn't know about. When we got home I was in the pantry and smelled it again. There was another one in the floor! How in the world???? I think I have them all taken care of. Gross but very funny in retrospect.
May 17, 2009 Our weekend was so much fun. Friday morning I decided to be Mom of the Year and take the kids to the Y to go swimming in the recycled bath water pool. (Ya'll know I hate that pool but the kids love it.) So I got all the swim suits, towels, diaper bag and change of clothes together. Before we got there I decided that the kids would love some pool toys. There is a CVS across the street from the Y so we pulled in. I got everyone out of the car and we trucked in. Three pool noodles, 3 pairs of goggles and 5 dive sticks later we walked out. I was holding the pool toys (those noodles are a pain to carry), diaper bag, swim bag, pushing the stroller and corralling the other 3 kids when I decided it was crazy to buckle everyone back in the car just to drive a rocks throw across the street. So we crossed a busy intersection. Looking back, that was stupid... live and learn. Passerbys looked at me like I was balancing a pole full of plates on my nose. We made it to the Y and put the babies in the Playcenter. I made everyone go potty and we were finally at the pool. Gabrielle and Connor had no more put their big toes in the water when the lifeguard asked me how old they were. She said that all children under the age of 4, potty trained or not, MUST wear a swim diaper or panty! Are you kidding me? They have been potty trained for over a year. You can't be serious! Yes, Mam... I'm serious. It's a county policy so I couldn't blame the Y. I had to drag everyone out of the pool and buy plastic swim panties for both of them.They were $12 a piece. I thought they would protest with embarassment at having to wear them but suprisingly they didn't have a problem. A free day of fun at the Y turned into a $44 experience with the diapers and toys. They were just so anxious to swim it didn't matter if they had to wear a monkey suit. I let them swim for an hour and a half. They had a ball. When we got home Papa was waiting at the door. I dropped off the babies and Jackson and headed to Brad's work to pick up donuts for the kids. After that we rushed into Publix for a much needed quick grocery trip. I was rushing big time. We were famished so I got us a sub and we ate it in the store. There was a trail of lettuce on every aisle we walked! When we got home I took the world's fastest shower, got ready and left for a doctor's appointment. As soon as that was over, I met Brad at one of the partner's home for a small office party. It was a whirlwind day. When we finally got home I was exhausted. I decided I didn't need my sleeping pill because I would surely fall asleep without a problem. At 3am I was still wide awake. I had been fighting a headache since 10pm. At 7am Cooper was ready to wake up. Brad gladly took care of morning duties and let me sleep until 10:30am. I felt better once I got up and got going. Last night Brad and I took Gabrielle and Connor to a Braves game. GG came and watched the others. Jackson got to go last time so it was G and C's turn this time. They were so excited. We almost got hit by a fly ball! It was right in front of me. I flinched just like a girl! No way was I going to try to catch that ball. Brad had taken the kids to the bathroom and couldn't believe he missed his opportunity. The kids ate french fries, cotton candy and popcorn. The sweet usher gave them fan packs which included a free Braves hat and tomahawk. We didn't get home until midnight. The Braves lost to the Dbacks 12-0. It's a disgrace that team of men making millions lose 12-0. Today was church and a trip to McDonald's. It was a disaster from the beginning. We decided it was by far the very worst dining experience we've ever had with the kids. So bad that in the heat of major frustration Brad said, "I'm never taking them out of the house again." I started laughing on the way home... we both did... because 4 out of 5 were crying and screaming. At McD's Brady and Cooper got stuck in the play gym. I was able to squeeze myself far enough up the shoot to grab Brady who thought the whole thing was hilarious. I started to have a vision of the fire department taking the thing apart to get me out. How embarassing would that be? Cooper was all the way at the top and there was no way I could get to him. Jackson was unable to get him down by himself. I asked a 11 year old girl to please climb up and bring him down. Brady was throwing food all over the place. Cooper was dipping up to his knuckles in ketchup. Gabrielle was crying because she wanted chocolate milk instead of tea. Connor was upset because he ordered a cheeseburger but I should have read his mind and ordered nuggets instead. Jackson seemed to be the only happy one. Gabrielle knocked my purse over covering the pale yellow leather in ketchup and throwing every belonging I had onto the nasty floor. What a mess. We were so embarassed. At the end, Cooper topped it off with the mother of all hissy fits. People were staring with that look of "Control your children!" Connor then decided that it looked like fun and he started to do the huck a buck and kick around in frustration. Brad took them to the car and we followed after I swallowed my chicken sandwich whole. On the way home Gabrielle screamed because she was never going to be able to go to McDonald's again. Now everyone, including Brad, is taking a much needed nap. Thank goodness everyday isn't as hard as today.
May 14, 2009 I just realized how far behind I am on updating my webiste. We've spent every waking moment outside. The weather is really beautiful with no humidity and warm sun. Last night I met Susan for dinner at Ted's Montana Grill. We had a good time and really enjoyed being out and about away from the family. I got home just in time to watch the last 15 minutes of American Idol. I figured Danny would go home. I wish he hadn't, I really liked him. Gabrielle loves to watch. She calls it Miracle Idol... isn't that cute? She's a real singer. She will sing with riffs and everything. She has her little dance moves and sways that are just precious. She stands up on the fireplace and gives us concerts all the time making up the silliest songs that she thinks are very serious. For example, one of her songs was called "Always do what your Mommy and Daddy say and don't pee-pee in your pants." The other day we were getting out of the car and I asked Jackson to help his brother unbuckle. Connor said, "Tanks Jashon!" Jackson then replied, "Just doing my job, Kids!" A week from today he "graduates" from pre-k. That's all I can say about it for now lest the tears start to fall. My stomach is turning flips just thinking about it.
May 11, 2009 Did everyone have a Happy Mother's Day? I know I did. Brad and the kids gave me a gift certificate to the spa for a pedicure. I can't wait to use it. I made lunch for our Mom's... lasagna, garlic bread and tossed salad. GG brought me a beautiful potted plant for the front porch. We also had our neighbor, Jennifer, over for lunch. She brought me an azalea. We gave GG and Memaw digital picture frames. It took me forever to get those pictures loaded. I have a bit of sad news. Brad's cousin, Jill, and her family lost their home Friday to a tornado. Jill, Doug, Jessica and Tyler live in Richmond, KY. Thankfully they were not home at the time. The house is a total loss and will have to be leveled to rebuild. To top things Jill has just recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. She is scheduled for a double mastectomy on Friday. I spoke to Jill and her outlook was very positive. The community has come together to help their family in ways they couldn't have imagined. She said, "I will not let Satan have control. We will get through this. God is good and it's a miracle that we were not at home and he spared us." Please pray for their family.
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