Wow...that's loud!

A little while ago a big hail storm came through where we live. We lost a boatload of tree limbs and leaves, plants and even parts of my garden...wiped out. A few days later I noticed some water damage upstairs in my daughter's room. Long story short...we had to have a new roof. Being that I'm not quite knowledgeable in the roofing field and have a fear of careening off steep high places, I called a roofing company.

Today was the day for them to be here...and if I had any doubt, all I had to do was wait two seconds for the loud pounding to start up again. I mean crazy loud...super duper uper loud. It was at this time I realized two things....

One...hail storms can wipe out a roof in less than two minutes

and two...you will lose your hearing if you don't leave your house while they put the new roof on.

(Or at least your mind...because the constant banging for hours and hours and hours and hours will drive you C-R-A-Z-Y)

A family affair...

A few weeks ago, my husband's office had their annual 5k race. We usually run in the race every year, but since the little ones can't run that far my husband and I have to take turns. One parent runs with the older kids while the other parent gets to watch with the little ones. This year it was my year to run...ugh!

It's not that I mind running. Nope, that's not it at all. It's just that I am so much slower than the children. I lag behind them something fierce. Then that weird, strange motherly instinct takes over and I about kill myself trying to run at their pace so I can keep them in my "line of sight". Nope, this was not going to turn out well. I'm pretty sure that throwing up and dying at the end of my husband's office race does not bode well for career advancement for him.

This year though my mother saved me. She arrived at our house a few days before we were to run. So thankfully on the day of the race she watched the two little ones and my husband was able to run with the older ones...thank the Lord above for that one. Then I could just run at my snail's pace without any worry and just enjoy running.

The morning was great...a little overcast and slightly humid. My husband and the older kids did great. Our oldest girl came in second in her age division and our oldest son came in fourth. My husband did great as well. He ran an incredibly fast pace which, of course, blew my pace out of the water. That's okay though, just as long as I didn't have to run that pace with the kids.

At the end of the 5k race, my husband's office sponsored a "little kids" race (basically it was a race across the parking lot). Man, oh man, was that cute to see. The two little ones ran in their age division. They loved it!

Next year, we are signing up Grandmom to walk in the race so that it's a complete family event. I'm positive she'll be up for that one...plus it's seven chances to win some of the door prizes. Fun, fun, fun!

...before the race

...love, love, love this little one!

...such a wonderful picture

...notice who's in front...yep, that one's mine

...she was flying as well in her race (must have gotten her "running genes" from daddy)

...second place in her age division

...crazy about this one too!

Buh..iz...zeeee (That's busy for all you who don't speak southern)

Our life at home right now is one big, huge blur of action. It's been so bad lately that I haven't been able to post anything about anything but everything has been happening...are you following me?? Basically, I'm just flying through my days and weeks holding onto for dear life. Here's a peak into just one of my days...


At the beginning of the day I run this one up to the public middle school so that she can take a couple of classes from them. This year for the first time ever we decided to utilize the public system for a couple of classes. They are the ones that I do NOT feel qualified to teach...case in point...chemistry, physics, biology - anything that requires me to cut up an animal with beaded eyes and smells of formaldehyde. YUK! I am pretty sure that you are required to be alert and not passed out on the floor to teach those subjects.

After I race home, I have just a couple of hours to homeschool the other three "chitlins" before I race to a different school to drop our older boy off to take a couple of classes...at, of course, a completely different school - the high school. It would be way too easy of a life for me if it was all at the SAME school at the SAME time. I didn't even mention that our little one takes preschool classes a couple of mornings a week at what else, you guessed it...a completely different school (in a different direction than the rest of them). Let me hear you say - ugh!!!

At the same time my son is dropped off, my daughter is done with her classes. I race to her school, pick her up and go home to homeschool more with the little ones. Then I race back to pick up my son from his school and then our afternoon extravaganza begins.

Depending on the day and which child you are talking about, there are soccer practices, swim practices, piano practices, lego mindstorm team practices and just this week church festivities are being thrown onto the calendar. Whew...I need a nap just writing all of it down.

If that wasn't busy enough, add the fact that my mother has just moved in with us and we are frantically trying to find her a place of her own or just where to put all of her furniture. (This would be easier if we had the time to go and view several places - ha!)

However, on the flip side, having her here living with us does have some wonderful perks. She is by far, a fantastic cook and has helped with some meals. She has also been helping me pick up kids (when her car finally arrived) and has occupied several little ones when I needed to do some of the basics in life...say, cook and do some laundry. I love the extra help!

So that's it in a nutshell for us. I think now I need to go and take some child to some place in some direction...cause it's been five minutes since I've been in my car (that's a record for me).

Happy 13th Birthday, my beautiful girl....

She was late coming into this world and I knew that she could NOT be rushed. She is individual to the core. She is independent, head strong and I believe basically came out running...to not be "beat" by her older brother. She is highly competitive, hates to lose...no one works harder that this one. She is sweet and caring and beautiful to me in every way. Her passion for animals is so very strong that I have no doubt that she will make a magnificent veterinarian one day. But for me, I don't think I want to rush through life and miss my wonderful time with her. So for now, I'll just enjoy our newest "teenager" in the house. Oh boy, two teenagers under one roof...heaven help me now.

Happy Birthday, my sweet 13 year old. I love straight up to the moon and back...

Coming home to this moment...

...was worth fighting for

This Saturday...

This Saturday I will be picking up my mother for the last time from the airport.  She is coming home to stay this time.  Coming home to us...

Without going into all of the details, it is a very sad time for her but there is light at the end of this dark tunnel.  She has four adorable, loud, crazy messy grandchildren that are literally counting down the days...no, the hours that she will land and finally be home with them forever.  They have missed her for a very long time.  While they don't understand everything that is going on, they only know what is most important.  Grandmom is coming and she never has to leave again.  To them, they have hit the jackpot. 

And my mom feels the same way...

Look closely...

Do you see it in the pictures??  I know they are really blurry and somewhat foggy (but I was standing in my house taking these out the window).  It's our newest pet...an owl.  Okay, technically a pet would mean you could love on it and feed it and play games with it...so I guess maybe I should call it our "outside visitor".  It's an owl.

This crazy thing has been showing up in our backyard now every night.  It's huge and gets very close to the house.  Actually there are two of them.  It's really cool to see them.  They have a huge wingspan and float from fence to ground to deck to tree and back around again.  Always looking for dinner, I'm sure...to which, I tell them just wait until the two yappy dogs next door come out.  Is that wrong???  (I really don't care too much for those dogs...one of them bit me - arghhh!!...and their owner lets them bark all the time). 

Anyway, really cool to have them at our house...even if I can't get them to take the dogs next door away.



...see it on the fence?

...on the ground

...near the deck...see the railing in the picture