Over a year...

I have lost friends and rekindled old friendships, and made a few new ones which I love! I feel a little overwhelmed sometimes trying to keep up, but hey what can you do.

I chose to go back to school, psychology...I always like to fix people why not get paid for I guess. They say I am a good listener, always asked for my opinion on things...why not make bank while I am at it.

The family is doing ok. Teenager is driving me batty....he just doesn't use his brain sometimes and it is making me crazy. He has been hinting to me that he wants to go into the military. The marines to be exact. I don't have a problem with this at all...I just want him to make sure that is what he wants to do.

Today is 11-11-11... let's see I have experience all of these so far... 1-1-01, 2-2-02. 3-3-03, and so on up until now oh and 9-9-99. and next year 12-12-12... pretty cool! My whole family with exception of my youngest... that is a neat little quirp...funny what amuses people huh?!?!

Well well well....I need to be slapped.

Again more empty promises to keep this blog updated...yeah EPIC FAIL in that department...Hello April!
I started my exercise routine back up last night. We have been having dinner at the table, all five of us. No TV, No phones...just us. I like it, it is nice. Last night was pizza, bread sticks, and salad. I had only one small piece of pizza, one small piece of a breadstick, and a big salad. Afterwords I walked 1.57 miles. I ran a little bit too... felt really good afterwards.
This morning I weighed in 225. I have lost 2lbs since the weekend. Yay! I woke up and did some cardio(dance with my mp3 player) for 20 mins, and then did some strength training on my ball too. I am going to walk after dinner tonight too.
The boys are doing well. I am a Tball mom. He really likes it so I am happy.

Husband and I are doing very well. I love that man for everything. He built me a garden box. Love that man I really do !

2011...January gone...Hello February

Totally missed another whole month...well 2 if you count December. Christmas went well. New year came in without any hitches. Planning a wedding for the step brother. He is finally going to make an honset woman of her... uh two kids and a house later...lol. Nothing wrong with working backwards I guess... Hell Andrew and I did it too... And we are still here... 20th will be 7yrs married. This year he and I will have been together for 15 years...Funny how time seems to go by faster with each passing year. I love him though... always have. Even through the toughest things we did to each other, I never stopped loving him. I used to think he settled for me... but with a little time and reassurance I realized we didn't settle on anything... We both fought tooth and nail to be where we are today...and I wouldn't trade that for anything.

Cold front came through this morning... dropped 30degrees in an hour. Forcast has snow prediction for Friday morning. I really can't wait... going to have the camera ready too....The kids are going to be excited about it too.

The year is ZOOMING by!

I completely missed October. The month flew by...I do remember Halloween though, the kids had fun dressing up. I had fun getting lots of pictures!  Football is over for the eldest boy...they won their final game so, that made the season ending a little easier I guess. I enjoyed it lots more than I thought I would. I had such joy and pride seeing him dressed in that uniform. Funny how the littlest things bring such happiness.
November here, bring on the Turkey and Dressing. I am looking forward to spending time with loved ones and friends. I wish in some magical realm...ALL of my peoples could be in one place at one time. Then I could freeze those moments for ever. I have these dreams building a commune/township of nothing but family and friends of mine. We can all live in the same areas yet, each have our own privacy too. Weekly meetings to catch up on all sorts of issues and things (like a big front porch sitting). I wonder if we would all get sick of each other.. HAHa.
Family is good, Friends are well, and Life is GREAT! What else could I ask for?

When September comes....

Things are busy busy busy...Football, flat tires, Holiday season soon approaching. Craziness but I enjoy it. I recieved a text message poking fun at the president yet again...I chuckled because it was funny....rude, but funny. I feel confused about things when it comes to him. I voted for him...only to get a democrat in office...look where that has seemed to have gotten this country. Scared the new health plan is going to hurt my week to week paycheck family. We have a roof and enough food to feed from week to week. Our bills are paid, but if anything comes up we are in almost every sense screwed. Flat tire put a cramp in my day for about an hour....yet another flat the following week hurt the pocket book drastically...things shouldn't be so tough.

Holiday season soon approaching....good fun, family, and friends. Gifts may not be on the list... but that is ok... family love and togetherness should and will suffice us all.

I will continue to count each and one of my blessings individually and be thankful for all that I DO have...

Fall Football Exercise Freedom Car Rider Line....

Well schools in session, routines are being established both for me and the boys...

Jake is playing football and participating in band this year. He is doing both to see what he likes to do...he may be another Nick Hoad(* played the quads at half-time in his football uniform) and do both! Had his first scrimage in front of a crowd yesterday. He did really well. I felt even more pride well up inside of me...

I decided to spoil my boys this year since we live in town now...they get taken to school everyday. It's nice. I take JD first, makes him feel important :).  After I drop Jake off, I head to the walking trail behind the town hall to get a mile in everyday. It is a nice refreshing walk every morning. My just for me time. Then I come home and compile a list of things to do; clean, crochet, sew, run errands; etc.. 

Then when time to pick JD up I get the jump start on the car rider line...which holy cow is a long line, but I imagine it is the same at every school...no biggy though.

knocking on wood and praying to the Lord above as I type this...NO HURRICANES this year... I am feeling the fall weather soon approaching. I love the smell of the air after that first cool front comes through. The kids love it to... it means they can enjoy the outdoors again without the threat of heatstroke and being carried away by mosquitos....

BRING ON THE FALL BABY!

Hurry up and slow down...

This year has proven to be a great adventure...new house...new outlook on life...lost a few important beings...regained and recovered a few others will come in time I guess.

Had a visit from the father....was a good visit. Looking forward to the upcoming academic beginning for the minions...they are oh so yearning for knowledge from a different life teacher. Parents' teachings are taught, but must be pounded harder than anyone else's efforts...

Whoop there it is!

RED

A visit from New York

Have a had a great visit from my dad. He drove down from New York on Friday, got here Saturday morning. I made it a surprise for Heather. I went and picked her up on Friday. I didn't tell her it was for a special reason. She was so amazed and happy!

This is the "hanging" tree still in Old Town Coldspring

We have went to the Livingston Dam, the Coushatta Res, and various other places.

 I made the whole family a gumbo from scratch on Saturday night...first time ever! And they all loved it so I must have done something right somewhere.

So this is what's up...

Summer is here for the kiddos...yeah for the parents, not really I enjoy sleeping in and them being here all day. Lil' man is at his mother's for the week, feels strange, but gives me plenty of time to have some mom and son time with the Turdboy ( term of endearment)!

I miss some friends though...wish time and place travel was instantainious. We could all be next neighbors in my fantasy world that I live in inside my head...Always said if I won the lottery, I would build my own sub-division, and EVERYONE I knew would come to live in it...Build my own little town...call it Redopolis! I do enjoy living out here though...it has grown on me quite a bit.

Got some sad news today about a relative....Andrew's Meemaw....She says she is ready....that brings some calming peace to our hearts----she has led a very extraordinary life! I miss my mom, but I was told in one of her last coherent conversations that she had, she said that she was tired (of fighting) and was ready to go home. Do you think people know? In situtations like that... that they know when it is their time and they can prepare accordingly? I have such mixed emotions about that... I think it would be cool to prepare myself and my family for my time, but then again I don't think I want to have that burden of dishing out the painful news... I do know one thing.... I have NO regrets in any of the choices I have made in my life. If I were to go back and change anything...my life would not be as blessed as it is now....

I changed the diet up on the family....Amanda, you inspired me to do this....I only buy from the outer ring of the grocery store now...with the exception of canned goods...no processed foods, only whole wheat, no sugar, only sweetners and fruits for the snacks. Andrew can tell the difference, he has already had to cinch up a notch on his belt...I can tell a small difference in myself but women are harder to lose weight than men, go figure right ladies. The kids are loving it because they can all the fruit and veggies they want. Drink all the sugar free Kool-aid they want. Sugar free popsicles! Who knows maybe this will work out for us! Get this Heather is in a size 10 jeans... she looks great! And she knows she it...she keeps flaunting it...little hussy..LOL

Humor in Someone's Stupidity

I was on my way home this evening, driving and jamming to some Evanessence when I see a state trooper. He has someone pulled over. I slow my vehicle down consciously for safety and sub-consciously to rubberneck. I see a man, mid- forties, standing with his hand on his hip and the other on the tail gate of his little truck. He has this utter look of disgust as he shakes his head from side to side. I am curious by now. I then see the state trooper also with one hand on his hip and bobbing his head side to side with anger and delight as he slowly pours this mans beer out of the cans. I repeat CANS. From my very feeble deductive reasoning I have gathered that this man was drinking one of his six cans of beer whilst driving. The trooper doing his job to keep other drivers safe decided to insure that after this man was issued a ticket for drinking and driving, he was not going to be able to pop a top on another beer until his next store stop. The cans were still in the plastic rings.....the look on the troopers face was priceless. I would imagine with the holiday weekend approaching, this drinking driver was not just slapped a piece of paper, but rather he was arrested. The trooper was just proving a point.
I know that I often poke meaness at "black and whites" or "bears", but these guys and gals are just doing their jobs. I was happy to see that for once tax dollars were being used correctly.

GO TEXAS STATE TROOPERS!