Wednesday, March 23, 2011

How fast the time goes......

My word, I can't believe it has already been over a month! I don't know how people blog every other day.

We had spring break last week. We had a great time and I LOVED it. LOVED it! Such a tease for the summer to come, and I am ready. We worked in the yard at our other house that is for sale, got our carpets cleaned, I got a massage and facial and pedicure that my mom gave me for Christmas, had a date with my husband, and went to Ruidoso for a few nights. Thanks to the Pierce Family for letting us use their cabin. I will certainly be posting pictures from this trip ASAP. And by ASAP I mean next week. I am going to my cousin's wedding in Atlanta with my parents and sister tomorrow and I won't have time what with my needing to pack, etc.

We are loving spring! Enjoying walks every day after school, writing all over the driveway with chalk, etc.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Sydney's 6th Birthday

I am really getting out of order now, but I am on a roll!

Syd turned 6 on January 20. I can't believe my 9 lb baby girl is 6. She is very charming, is so sweet to her brother, and does her best at school. What more could a mama ask for?

On her actual birth day we went to Chili's for dinner. She requested a place where she could have cheese dip for an appetizer and a cheeseburger for her meal. This seemed to fit the bill. She insists, as usual, on getting all dressed up. All 7 of us are enjoying a booth made for 4 with Bill on the end. Out of nowhere, Syd becomes drowsy. She begins to fall asleep. Gigi and I are worried. What in the world? Is she getting sick? About 30 mins later Brokeback mentions that Syd had a runny nose so he felt free to give her a magnum does of Benadryl after school. Mystery solved. Before the mystery was solved, however, Gigi gets in a dither about possible illness. Flinging her hand sanitizer around like a lunatic. Insists we all use some. Accidentally drops a dollop IN THE BIRTHDAY GIRL'S EYE. Syd was quite upset about the burning sensation. There is a picture of this on Morgan's FB but I don't have it for your enjoyment right now.

After that we went back to Gigi and Poppy's for gift opening time, since they bought her more gifts than her parents did. We also enjoyed cupcakes made by Morgan. Who then insisted on taking all but a few of the uneaten ones with her to school the next day to score some brownie points.

Per usual, please enjoy the photos.


Asleep at the table at Chili's.


Amongst her many gifts.





Showing off her brand new and beautiful Tiffany's necklace from her Nana! It is beautiful and is something she can wear forever.




Her beloved Tangled Tower. It is the small one. She opened it and Hayden said, "That is Hayden's Tangled Tower, Sydney." She disagreed. I guess his gift of the Tangled horse with a brush and hair clips for its long mane weren't enough for him.


Couldn't be more pleased with the big six on her cupcake.


Make a wish!


Hayden and his cupcake. Meh.

Syd's Sweet and Sassy Valentine's Day Gift

Like many other folks, my mother and I have really jumped onto the Groupon, Living Social, etc. bandwagon. I myself have recently purchased deals for Bath and Bodyworks ($30 worth of stuff for $5 with my $10 first time Groupon-er coupon, thank you very much), Cup of Yo, and Lu's Fitness. Around Christmas, my mother bought a Groupon for a package deal to Sweet and Sassy
, a salon and spa for little girls. It was her Valentine's surprise. Considering Syd is the girliest girl I know, she absolutely loved it! She got a mani, pedi, facial, haircut and style, make up application and ride in the hummer. My mother swears she paid less than $40 for all of it. This was quite a deal. This was smart on Sweet and Sassy's part though, as now Syd really wants to have her birthday party for 8 girls there next year including a limo ride which would cost me over $300. But I digress. The whole thing was great fun, but went right on over the top at the end when she sprayed glitter all over her hair and put BRIGHT pink glitter eye shadow, blush hearts, and lipstick on her too prior to the three of us hopping into the Hummer limo. This was a big weekend for Syd as I also took she and Hayden and a friend to Chick Fil A and to see Gnomeo and Juliet on Saturday. I hope she remembers this when I refuse to leave the house next weekend. Anywho, scroll down for pictures to commemorate the experience.



Sister enjoying her facial. She kept those cucumbers on for about 20 seconds.



Syd enjoying her pedicure.


Pink and silver zebra toes.

Manicure. Obviously.


Pink and black zebra fingers.

The final product. Our lady really was the sweetest. Mother of 3 who works part time to send her 3 kids to private Christian school.



With our limo driver. Pay no attention to my hair. Let's pretend a breeze came through.



Gigi and her favorite most spoiled grand daughter.

H-Dub's Classroom Christmas Party

H-Dub enjoys school about 60-65% of the time. He is with his same fabulous teacher and two teachers aides this year, but at a different school. I thought it wouldn't be too much of an adjustment. I was wrong. He went from a small all Pre-K school to a LARGE Pre-K through 5 school. The classroom is much smaller, and they no longer have the large loft in there which is disappointing. Also, they had an amazing fenced in park at the old school. This is not the case at the new school. Hayden is in a class with 10 other boys.

I attended his Christmas party. I will attend his Valentines party today. He really enjoys my being there and he also likes to give his teachers gifts. He helps them unwrap and jumps up and down clapping and saying "open it open it!"

I must admit that these photos are sub par. I will try and do better now that I know they will all be displayed for all the world to see, again. I will be sure and get some pictures with his teacher's at today's party.


Assisting Ms. Martha with her gift.

Enjoying the food.

Beside the angel tree.

Participating in the Christmas craft.


Smiling for the camera?

Christmas Eve 2010

Okay, so, I am having trouble deciding how far back to go with my posts. The thought of trying to cover all that I missed is overwhelming so I have decided to just start from around Christmas.

We had Christmas Eve at my house, as usual. We went to church and then had a dining room table full of appetizers this year. It went over well and there was still TONS left so I think this is going to be our new tradition. Aunt Missy joined us this year, and so did the Harmons. As usual the kids got an overwhelming amount of gifts.

Coming up are a few pictures of the fabulous event. All of these were taken by my mother, and you can clearly see who she favors.


Morgan in her favorite Christmas gift from me, a child's headband with a tiny hat on it.

Hayden and Granny.

Syd and favorite cousin Ashton in their new snuggies from Bill and Pam. By far their favorite gifts.

Granny and two of her children, Pam and Melissa.

Granny, Aunt Missy, and Syd's random American Girl doll that she gave to Granny to hold for a few hours. Not sure what that was about.


Cousin Nicole, Sister Morgan, and yours truly.


Syd and Granny enjoying some appetizers together.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Back Again

I don't know whether there is anyone left reading this or if you will be happy or disgusted, but I am back once more. I tried to do a blog about H-Dub's trials and tribulations with autism and what we are doing to help him, but I never really got into it. He has come really far with his speech, and has made great gains in other areas as well. He is in the PPCD or special ed preschool right now and will be in PPCD 5 next year. He has an August birthday and while I would have held him back regardless of his issues, I am thrilled there is a program for him next year. We hope he will be ready for inclusion Kindergarten (regular classroom with some modifications) in 2012-2013.

Sydney is a Kindergartner this year and loves it. She is doing well. She continues to do dance at the same studio my sister and I went to, and participates in gymnastics after school. She is currently attending the elementary my sister and I went to, but I plan on transferring her to our home school for 1st grade. She loves where she is, but our home school will be a better fit for Hayden when he goes to K. He is at one school this year but will at another next year. We find out which one in April. This will be a transition for us because he has had the same teacher and two aides for the least 2 years. They are the best in the district in my opinion and will be greatly missed.

I decided to blog again to keep up with all of the kids' goings on. Sydney is learning to read and enjoys looking at the old blogs I did on the computer. She often asks why there aren't any new ones. So I am going to try and keep up.

I am no longer the testing coordinator at the high school. I am now just a regular old counselor for students whose last name starts with Q-T. My stress level has gone down 80% and we are all much happier. I still get off at 5 which is late to me but we are off at 1 on Fridays. I think my ultimate goal would be to do elementary counseling but I don't know that it will happen. I will push for it after another year or two where I am.

Brokeback had another back surgery in November. He went to the Mayo Clinic to help his mother after her liver transplant in the Fall, (it went amazingly well, what a blessing!) and sat for several days waiting to see the doctor and be accepted as a patient. It is a year wait to get into Mayo for back surgery so this was a blessing, as well. I am so happy to report that his pain has gone from an 8 daily to a 3 daily. He goes back at the end of February and we could use prayers for that. He is having shooting pain and numbness down his legs daily.

I clearly cannot go back and blog about everything that we have missed in the last 18 months, but I will try and catch up on some of the more exciting things. Pretty much the things that are important to Syd.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

I know that I haven't blogged in TOO long. I can't decide if this will get better or worse when I go back to work! I took a job at a fabulous high school. I am going to be the testing administrator. I will do TAKS, AP, PSAT, and ESL testing. And that is about the gist of it. I will be able to put my organization skills to work! Good thing I really like organizing.

I have been fairly productive lately. Both of the kids closets are cleaned out, as is my laundry room, I have cleaned out my bathroom cabinets, and I have reorganized the playroom. I still must do my horrific desk and my closet. The office closet is also very bad but Brokeback messed that one up so I don't know why it is my responsibility to clean it. So I don't think I will.

Not so many crafts, lately. We do playdoh, paint with watercolors, draw with markers and crayons, but it is all free-style, you see. We did this craft for the 4th, which I absolutely adored. I think I may have enjoyed it more than the kids did.

The potty training isn't going so well. Hayden can pull down his underpants to pee, hold it until he is ready, etc. He, however, doesn't ever go in the toilet. He is scared of the big one and won't sit down to pee. So we are taking a break and hope to reacquaint him with the big potty soon.

I go back to work on August 5th. I am trying to soak up as much fun with my kids as I can until then!