Funny story...

My friend, Jill, picks my children up from school each day and yesterday she had a funny story to share when I got there. Kensey and Joy had decided they were going to use their homework pass and not do their Math homework. Jill asked them if they knew where their homework passes were. Joy said, "It's in my binder, in my folder, where I keep all of those things." Kensey said, "If I were my mother, that's where mine would be too!" LOL!! (However - she is NOT her mother - and therefore she still has to find it!)

Back to normal

Well, it's back to the normal world, until Summer. This week was so wonderful. It was so nice to be home with my family, laugh with my babies, hold hands with my husband, and go when we wanted to go and stay when we wanted to stay. Ah....

But, today I turn back into full-time working mom. I am very convicted about not grumbling or complaining. No one will want to be back at school. I felt, in my quiet time, like God was encouraging me to be the happy highlight today. You know...make the world a brighter place for my kids, my students, my husband, my friends, etc... Obviously, we would all like to just live in Spring Break - but that's not reality. So, I'm praying this morning that God will empower me to be the light in a dark world!

Camping

We had such a wonderful time camping last night. We went to our duck lease land that we rent with Patrick and Emily Berg. It's only about 40 minutes away, near Valley View, TX. Patrick & Emily, and the Holland family came with us. The kids had so much fun exploring together! After we got the tents and kitchen set up...
we sat around and shot some skeet. It was so much fun. Koleman thought it was a little loud, but the guns were still cool!

Khris was so excited to teach the kids how to build an A-frame fire. Koleman was breaking sticks over his legs. All the kids were making the fire together and having so much fun!
It was so fun to cook out, sit around and roast s'mores, sing, laugh, and enjoy the outdoors. The weather could not have been more beautiful! And, aside from Kensey running into a tree in the dark, everything went well...except Khris couldn't sleep. Apparently, SOMEBODY (me..tee hee) snores like a bear. Oh, and when you put 5 people in a 3 man tent, it's a little squished! But it sure was sweet this morning to wake up and all snuggle together on top of Daddy - precious memories!!

I'm in love!

I was just sitting here wanting to blog about something, but not really sure what to share about. I could tell you about what Koleman said this weekend. He was spending the night with a friend and they went to a family member's house for dinner. The man of the house said, "Well, hello, what's your name?" and Koleman replied, "I'm Koleman Dean Kennedy - I'm the preacher's son!" tee hee Our friend's response, "Yeah, cuz there's only one preacher in Prosper!" tee hee.

Or I could share about how precious Karis was yesterday when she came home from spending the night with her friend. She snuggled up with Daddy on the couch and I came over and started smooching her face and she let out a big contented sigh that made Khris and I both giggle. We love that our babies are so happy and content!

Or I could talk about how worried I was about Kensey yesterday. She had an allergic reaction (I think to cats) and her eye swelled shut, her nose and ears were all congested, she had hives, she was breathing heavy - you know the routine. I watched her and remembered back to my childhood. I don't want this for her! I don't want her to be out of shape because she's afraid to exert energy for fear of an athsma attack. I don't want her to be the weird kid that can't go to certain people's homes because they have cats. I don't want her to have to deal with all the itching, sneezing, coughing, swelling, etc. I don't want to worry as I drive to the emergency care place to get a steroid - and then watch her gain weight from said steroids - OH - I worry too much!!

But, as I looked at my computer screen, trying to decide what to write about, I looked into those beautiful steely blue eyes my husband has and I let out my own contented happy sigh. That man is so incredibly wonderful!! Did you know he has NEVER gotten on my case about the house being clean? He is always the first one to tell me to rest or take a nap INSTEAD of cleaning! Did you know he makes coffee every night so that when I wake up in the morning, I have fresh coffee waiting for me? (and it's all old by the time he gets some - if he gets any at all before he has to leave) Did you know he is constantly complementing me? Did you know he says in front of our children, "I sure do love your momma" so much that my kids now roll their eyes - "yeah, we know..." Did you know he clears the dinner table while I load the dishwasher every night? Did you know he buys me shoes and clothes alot. I don't even have to bat my eyes!! He just likes to spoil me! I have to be careful to mention anything I might want - because he'll go get it for me!! He is the first one to suggest getting something to eat at a resteraunt if I'm tired! He makes me breakfast when we're running late for school. He calls me and texts me just to say "I love you" or "I missed you today". He is absolutely amazing and I love him more than I can express in words!!! I am so incredibly blessed!!

Sleep over...

I made it through my first 10-yr-old sleepover! Now, you have to understand, I was the kid who couldn't make it through sleepovers when I was young...my bra always got frozen!! (Which was fine because I didn't need one anyway until college - tee hee!!) But I was very pleased - the girls were sweet to one another, nothing got broken, they didn't keep me up past midnight, it was as wonderful as I could have hoped for! My cousin's fiance was so helpful - I couldn't have done it without her - THANK YOU CAITLYN!!!

Interviews with my babies...

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you.

2. What makes mom happy?
Me kissing you

3. What makes mom sad?
Me getting spankins (Karis - which happens most of the time, Kensey - so she's sad everyday) tee hee

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
You kissing me

5. What was your mom like as a child?
A baby and she was never obeying her parents

6. How old is your mom?
uh...102

7. How tall is your mom?
102 feet

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Pick her boogers (hysterical laughter)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around
Go on dates and kiss Daddy

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Kissing me on the cheek (I'm seeing a pattern)

11. What is your mom really good at?
Singing to me when it's time to go to bed.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Makin' like chandeliers and windows, like that kind of stuff

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Um...teach kids in school

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Ravioli

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Vacuuming the floors (I AM appreciated)

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Superman

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Kiss each other

18. How are you and your mom the same?
We both have eyes

19. How are you and your mom different?
We both are not a girl

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Cuz you always kiss me

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Go on dates with Daddy to fancy places.
1. What is something mom always says to you?
Go Upstairs

2. What makes mom happy?
People playin' with her hair

3. What makes mom sad?
When Daddy goes away on a trip

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
I'm not sure

5. What was your mom like as a child?
She never told me!

6. How old is your mom?
uh...34

7. How tall is your mom?
I don't know...um, 5.6

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
watch Smallville

9. What does your mom do when you're not around
Kiss Daddy

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Bein' President

11. What is your mom really good at?
Math

12. What is your mom not very good at?
History

13. What does your mom do for her job?
She teaches

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Uh...What is your favorite food? I know I know - Fettucini Alfredo!

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
That she's a great Mom

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Mickey Mouse - not Minnie, Mickey

17. What do you and your mom do together?
SHOP!!

18. How are you and your mom the same?
We both have the same hairdo!

19. How are you and your mom different?
I'm funny and she....(hysterical laughter) "Just Kidding!"

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
cuz she kisses me

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Kohl's
1. What is something mom always says to you?
She says I love you.

2. What makes mom happy?
Going shopping

3. What makes mom sad?
Lying

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
When she used to say "Piece of monkey smack!" and she goes, "Rassum frassum rassum..."

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Everybody thought she was a geek

6. How old is your mom?
34

7. How tall is your mom?
I know she's 5 foot somethin'

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Shop with me

9. What does your mom do when you're not around
I'm not sure

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Singing

11. What is your mom really good at?
Singing

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Saying No to clothes

13. What does your mom do for her job?
she's a Math teacher

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Fettucini Alfredo

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
When she helps me with things and she helps me with Math and schoolwork and I get the right answer because she helps me

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Probably Daisy Duck because you get mad but you're really nice most of the time.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Shop

18. How are you and your mom the same?
I look exactly like her when she was a kid and I have the same personality mostly.

19. How are you and your mom different?
She's grown up

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
I know because she's really nice to me and she says I love you all the time.

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
On dates with Daddy to fancy places.

My baby just needed some TLC!

As you can see, my precious Karis Danae is feeling MUCH better - and just in time for her field trip tomorrow! And, Mommy is feeling MUCH better after being a caregiver and homemaker for a day! This is absolutely when I feel my most "worth"! Sorry for ranting the other day...I'm just glad so many of you let me know I was not alone!! Thanks my friends!!!

This is NOT meaningless!

This is my precious Karis Danae - who is normally FULL of joy and life. But this baby hasn't eaten (except a couple noodles) since MONDAY and she is miserable! But, today, mommy is home - right where I SHOULD be!!! Mommy can wash sheets, stroke hair, make chicken noodle soup, etc...THIS is NOT meaningless!!!

What's the point?

What is the point of my current insanity? I have to wake up at 5:15 am to spend a little time alone with the Lord before my family wakes up and my insane day begins. I rush my children through getting ready for school because I am more worried about being on time than whether or not they ate a healthy breakfast. Really?! When it's typed out in a sentence, it is so extremely obvious that I have those priorities backwards. Now, as a professional organizer, I'm sure I would have quipped (very self-righteously) about how you just need to plan your morning better so you can feed them a healthy breakfast AND arrive at school on time. (By the way, I am so sorry if I caused any undo stress to any of you who had me help you get organized!) ...sigh... Then, I head to my job as a Middle School Math teacher - I don't know if ya'll remember middle school, but learning Math is not high on their list of priorities. I used to gripe and complain about the pointlessness of being a stay-at-home mom, and being under appreciated, and repeating instructions a hundred times, yada, yada...um...I'm STILL doing that!! Except now it's with a room full of hormonal 12 year olds who hate my guts because I want them to find the surface area of a polyhedron and show all their work WITHOUT a calculator! So after the best hours of my day are spent, my feet are sore, my throat is dry, and my nerves are shot, I head back home to my most important position as wife and mother - except I have nothing left to give...sigh...(again)
So - I go pick up my children at my friend's house - and I'm greeted with, "Aw mom, do we have to go?! Can't we stay a little bit longer?!" (Ya'll know you see these children EVERY day right?!) And I'm sure my friend is thinking, "YES!! You have to go!! Please don't stay - you people are CRAZY!!" We FINALLY get in the car and head home with these questions, "What are we having for dinner? Can I have a sleepover this weekend? When are you going to plan my birthday party? When will it be summer? Can I play on the computer when we get home? Do I have karate tonight? When will I have karate? Is that after this day? Are my jeans clean? Don't forget we need to finish my project..." So, in the 1 mile we drive to get home I go from on the brink of crazy to full-blown lost her ever-lovin'! Sooo...let's go prepare a delicious healthy meal from scratch!! :) (Oh, and clean up the dishes so the kitchen is spotless when we wake up tomorrow.) And, don't forget, your students wanted their test grades back tomorrow - so you better stay up and grade them. Oh, and an organized mom would do at least one load of laundry a day. Wait, those kids didn't do their list?! Why do I have a list? (I'm sure their response would be a snotty, "That's what we've been trying to tell you - why DO you have a list?") ...sigh...well, everything isn't done, but we better go to sleep so we can do this all again tomorrow - YEAH!!...3 am..."Mommy, I threw up..." And instead of compassion, I think, "What? You can't be sick? Who's going to take care of you? Mommy and Daddy have to work!" WHY??? Why can't I stay home and rub the forehead of my sick baby?...What is the POINT?! Meaningless, meaningless, it's all meaningless!!!!! (Wow, I feel better - don't you?! tee hee)

Serving others

It was so good for us to serve as a family this weekend! Our church combined with some wonderful people from around the community to help clean up downtown Prosper. I am so sore today from raking leaves, sweeping, and gathering trash!! But it was very fun to serve as a family!!







I was really amazed at how hard my kids worked! They did great until...Daddy and the men knocked down the tree these baby squirrels were living in. After that, the day became all about saving the squirrels. Our worship pastor's wife researched on the internet and found that momma squirrels never abandon their young, so after their tree was cleared out, our worship pastor, Wayne, helped them build a new nest in the hole, so that momma could find them. So cute!!