Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

The Previously Mentioned Trip To "Kana".

Driving to Texarkana we experienced several "fun" adventures....

We typically drive our car to Texarkana for fuel conservation purposes, but on this day we took the truck because my husband must have been in a meeting or unavailable in some sort of fashion when I was texting him from his work parking lot stating that I was there to trade vehicles. So, down the road we went in the gas guzzling machine.

I spoke with my husband right before entering Texarkana's city limits and the conversation went pretty much like this:

Me: "Honey, the truck isn't running quite up to normal standards and I smell a burning-type odor."

Husband: "Your fine, the truck is fine, just drive it, it will be fine." I know this doesn't sound like a very concerned or loving response, but anyone who knows my husband is aware that he has a "tad bit" of sarcasm in his daily life and meant for comedy only. This was not said in a mean way, he just likes me to think that I am a little crazy....sometimes he is able to convince me!

Me: Laughing, and tired of hearing the word, "fine", "Whatever you say, dear. I obviously am wrong and crazy." Did I mention I am a little sarcastic as well?

So, off I went with two children into the big city. On the way in we did encounter a typhoon like wind/rainfall. That is always exciting.
We pulled into PetSmart and I went in and did the whole cat food purchasing thing, came back to the truck and.....started it. But when the truck started, the entire body of the vehicle began to shimmy and shake....thought to myself that this seemed quite odd, strange and NOT FINE! Anyway, I put the truck in reverse and proceeded to back out of the parking spot. About two feet into the reverse, the truck DIED! Tried to restart, no such luck.
In my moment of despair, I thought, well I have to get this huge thing out of the middle of the parking lot. I know! I will have my eighty-five pound thirteen year old push this eight thousand pound truck back into the parking spot! Great idea, right....yeah right. The truck just rolled farther back during the attempt to push it forward. It didn't sound like the most clever decision I have ever made, but I actually did have reasoning. I wasn't about to get out and try to push the truck while David would be in control of the brakes and the steering wheel....especially since the truck was dead and there was not any power steering or braking. Also, parked right in front of us...a brand new BMW. Nope, I had to take my chances and let the boy try and push...haha. Just as David was giving all he had, which wasn't much, a truck of college aged boys came to my rescue and pushed us back in our spot...thank you, Lord!

Next came the call to the husband....

Me: "The truck is not fine!" then I told him what had happened.

Husband: "Hmm, come on, what do you mean it died/won't start?"

Me: ?????

Husband: "Ok, where are you? I'll be there in an hour, get the information for our warranty ready for me when I arrive." keep in mind that we live an hour away and that my hubby isn't just taking his time.

Me: "Okay, I am going to take the kids to get some lunch...see you soon."

The children and I walked over to Chick-A-Fil (a Smith term) and had some lunch and waited for Daddy. When he arrived he checked under the hood, determined that it was the fuel pump (we found out later that his diagnosis was correct....errr), and called the local Ford dealership to come and get it. Of course, the vehicle is so large a normal tow truck could not suffice, we had to have the flat bed come out and take it away. This did wonders for my husband's ego! Him and his big truck.
In conclusion, husband rescued us and took us home, truck was fixed, and all is FINE! Next story: How I caught my kitchen on fire last night. Does the fun ever end?

Texarkana Bound.

The cat is out of food. Of course, we have a cat that will not eat Wal-Mart food so we are forced to drive an hour to fetch the goofball food. The eldest child said to me on Monday that the cat had about 4-5 days of food left....which pleased me because we could just make a trip this weekend. That next day on Tuesday....the cat was poured his last bowl of food. The boy does not have a future in material planning/management....oh well. So we are off....messing up the daily school schedule and everything else that was initially planned for the day.....did you hear that? That was my OCD siren going off!

Carnival Fantasy: A Joke For a Cruise Ship....and My Review!

The hubby and I thought we would have a nice little "alone time" retreat to the Caribbean....on a cruise....it really didn't turn out the way we had expected. I'll fill you in!

The not so great stuff:

• It seemed as though all areas except the dining room were smoke filled, cough, hack, cough.
• Food was MCL/Old Country Buffet quality...sometimes worse.
• Evening shows were not as good as some that I have seen at high school functions.
• The comedian put one of our friends to sleep and never received a laugh from my hubby or myself.
• The continuous movement of the ship, the only time we could not feel movement is when the boat was docked at port.
• Husband rolled off of a stool from the movement, water sloshed out of our glasses at meals, my girlfriend and I almost took several falls with our heels on at elegant night.
• Never able to walk in a straight line on the ship....watching poor elderly people struggle to walk.
• The barf bags set out next to all of the elevators for our convenience....YUK!
• Some of the filled bags set out....BLUH.
• Finding out the captain did not use stabilizers for the purpose of conserving fuel...I think everyone would have chipped in if that was the case.
• Ping pong and mini-golf...only activities available on the ship...Oh, sorry....there was a pool and hot tub as well, but since the rocking of the ship was so intense....they were closed a lot of the time.
• Did I mention the food was lousy? Desserts were pre-made...COME ON!
• Constant motion sickness type feelings.....having to head to bed early almost every night to prevent a toilet hugging event....not that there was anything to do anyway!
• We actually paid for this vacation!

On the more positive side:

• We were able to have friends on the ship which made the experience laughable and not an entire flop....very much a blessing!
• The beds were comfortable as well were the pillows!
• Brand new televisions in the staterooms....is that really on my pro list?
• Didn't pay that much for this cruise.
• Our stateroom attendant was extremely nice and attentive.
• Our dinner staff was amazingly nice and helpful....Joseph would replace our disgusting entrees with the very tasty shrimp cocktail appetizer any time we asked (every night).
• Being able to have as many shrimp cocktails as we could engulf.
• The shrimp cocktail was good!
• Great pizza and caesar salads.
• I never had to "act" on the motion sickness...everything stayed down the entire cruise.
• Didn't get hurt the many times that I fell because of the constant swaying.
• Nobody fell off of the ship!
• Card playing on the Lido deck with our friends.
• Good times in Cozumel and Progreso Mexico.
• Only rained a couple times...rather than the expected rainy weather.
• So happy to see the cruise come to an end!

I don't know if I will ever be brave enough to set sail on another cruise ship, but if I do it will NOT be with Carnival Cruise Line, it WILL be an enormous ship, and it will most definitely NOT set sail from New Orleans!

Just a side note: I stepped foot off of the boat on Thursday, October 22nd and I still feel the movement of the ocean when I walk or move a certain way....it is most assuredly not pleasant.

Game On....and the Repellent Too.

We experienced a brief dry period last night so we were able to play our soccer game.....and we won (still undefeated)! Only downside: the mosquitoes were as active as the children! We took repellent and it was a good thing. The critters were in dive-bombing mode. When we arrived back home, I had a few pesty soccer field stragglers down my shirt! Ewwww....talk about feeling buggy.

Postponed.

Rain, rain go away...the four year old chants as he is all uniformed up for the game and I have just let him know that the game has been cancelled....sigh!

Our last soccer game was cancelled due to the excessive amounts of rain we have had and are still having. We have another game scheduled for tonight. Will we get to play? Probably not...still rainy.

Goings On.

Just a few things happening at the ol' Smith ranch:

• Cruise attire shopping this past weekend....after the funk had left the house for 24 hours.
• David woke up this morning with more funk...crud!
• Sooooo much laundry to do with the constant changing of the germ-ridden sheets.
• Formulating the initial packing list for the cruise.
• Started writing out the typical daily goings on for while we are away.
• Planning some meals for my mother-in-law so she doesn't have to mess with it.
• Lots of rain AGAIN around these parts.
• Shoe organizer for the laundry room broke (really bothering my OCD ....going to Wal-Mart later to see what I can replace it with).
• Braydon has another soccer game tomorrow....always amusing.
• Waiting on some books to get here that I ordered.

That's about it....hopefully everything will get done!

The Funk.

Everyone in the house yesterday (except husband) was sick with something different.

Me: Stomach virus of some sort.

David: Sore throat.

Braydon: Sniffles/red, itchy eyes.

We all feel much better today....thank goodness! I want to get all of the funk out of this house before cruisin' time!

David's Hospital.

Here is the building that David made for his club's booth at the fair. The booth won "Best in Show", so we were very proud of the teens for putting this together!

Our Special Visitor!

My grandpa came to visit from Indiana for the last ten days or so, and we had a great time! The kids were so happy to see him that they celebrated with an unlimited number of game playing requests (we are a game loving family). I hope he was able to get some much needed rest while he was here....he may need to go home to do that! He did sneak in some napping when Braydon took his. This was a must since Braydon needed to know Pa's whereabouts at all times and just had to be right at his side. Here is a picture of one of the many, and I mean many, game sessions......

Funny.

Setting: Kids sitting at the breakfast table with their Papa engaging in some typical morning banter.....then all of a sudden:

Braydon: "Pa, can you snap your fingers?" (showing Papa the action that a snap requires, but not actually doing it)

Papa: "Sure can, pal...how about you, can you snap your fingers?"

Braydon: (Staring carefully at his fingers in the snap position) "Nope, my noise hasn't come in yet!"

We all laughed....a lot!

A Serious Situation!

Setting: Just finished a game of UNO, heading to the bedroom for beddy-bye time.

Braydon: "Mommy, there is something that I have been meaning to ask you for a loooong time."
Me: (Thinking this is probably going to be one of those serious, take your time to answer questions.) "Okay...well go for it."
Braydon: "Well, I don't really know how to say this...soooooo I have this itch on my butt and it will not go away, no matter what I do."
Me: (Snickering, but trying to remain serious....because this is really an issue for him.) "Let Mommy take a look." (Proceed to check out the area in question.)
Braydon: "Well Mom, what is it?" "Is my butt going to have to be cut off?"
Me: (Trying soooo hard not to laugh out loud) "No honey, it is not going to fall off, you just have a mosquito bite on your bottom. Let's go put some medicine on it to make it stop itching."
Braydon: "Whew, that was a close one...thought I was going to have to have surgery!"

Husband heard the entire thing from the living room and was laughing hysterically upon my return! Kids...gotta love 'em.

Another Addition.

We decided to put good use to the aquarium that we had set up in Indiana.....a new Midas Cichlid...he is very nifty! We have not given him a name as of yet...we are still in the process of choosing.

He comes to the front of the tank when he sees you approaching and begs for food....very entertaining. He will also follow your hand anywhere you move it on the glass. He should grow anywhere from 10-15 inches long and live for a long time. The kids love feeding him and watching him maneuver around his tank.

First Day Photos!

Snapshots of the boys on the first day of school....we will see if they still look so eager towards the middle of the year!

Back To School.

Today was our first day of school. It went very smoothly with eager, willing to learn kiddos. Since the husband is still working second shift, our day was just a little interrupted, but nothing major. He is worth the sacrifice....most of the time, hehe.

It will take us a week or so to get our schedule ironed out the way we like it, and I am ok with that....really, I am. The first day is always just a little quirky, but we managed to do a really cool science experiment that was extremely informative about the formation and destruction of molecular bonds. David was really intrigued, which is always good. It looks like he is going to be a big science nerd like me!

We drove to Texarkana tonight for two meetings:

• David's Toastmaster Club meeting (Youth leadership/public speaking group)
• My homeschool meeting

It was a great time! There was a guest speaker at my meeting that discussed teaching children with various learning disabilities....very informative. It's always nice to hear different teaching methods for all types of kids.

They had an art program there also to keep the little ones occupied...so even Braydon had a pleasant experience.

David was named, "Vice President of Public Relations" in his club, so he is just ecstatic about that. He is all pumped up about trying this new adventure. I am glad that he is looking forward to doing something different.

Back From The Dead.

I have one major statement about my surgery! I will NEVER have to do it again. I don't know if I would ever recommend getting all four teeth cut out of your head at the same time, but I lived through it so I am sure it's a common practice.

I was told by the first surgeon I went to that I would have to have my left jaw broken and wired shut afterwards, but the doc that did it didn't seem to think that particular procedure was necessary. He did say it would probably feel about the same post-operatively....yay for me! Anyway, the teeth were sliced out, stitched up, and all I had to show for it was bulldog cheeks and a bruised face.

The post-op period was definitely not fun, but I am doing very well now and I appreciate everybody's calls and generosity......thanks!

D-Day....Or Dentist Day.

Today is the day I have been putting off for a few years now! I am taking the plunge...all four wisdom teeth are coming out of my head. I don't know why they are called wisdom teeth...they contain only trouble...causing just plain ridiculosity when they show themselves! Goofy things. Anyway, they are causing serious issues in my mouth, and if I don't want to become septic, I need to woman-up and just do it.

So, I am not allowed to eat before the surgery, and my stomach is growling as I type. It's a great appetite suppressant, huh? (Except for my appetite is not really suppressed, just not permitted...hurumph.) My surgery is at 2:00 p.m. and we have to take the long drive to Kana to make it happen. Maybe I will take a nap on the way there so the suspense of the drive will not keep creeping up on me....or I will just uncontrollably jabber until my husband's ear falls off. That will be a fun hour for him.

Couple things about the procedure that you all may find amusing! There is a slight chance that afterwards my stitches could come out prematurely causing drinking to be an entirely different experience for me and everyone around. You see, my tooth sits very close to my sinus cavity and if not perfect, I could leak liquid from my nose each time I take a drink! How wonderful! Won't I be the life of the party? The kids will just love me....maybe I will make it on the internet!

I am sure everything will go as needed...just thought I would get a few thoughts off of my chest. I will post about my experience soon...

Oops!

The other night Chris and I were playing a card game. (UNO....we are wild aren't we??) We had finished and were getting ready to head back to the bed when I decided just to shove the box of UNO cards underneath the table with my foot....that didn't work out so well for me. The cards came out of the box and they fanned out in all directions, including underneath the couch....CRUD! I know with my ridiculous OCD issues that I would never be able to leave them de-containerized until that next morning. So I started gathering and collecting. I was trying so hard to get all of them that had meandered under the couch. Not a pretty picture...derriere up in the air grasping for silly UNO cards. (This entire time Chris is just laughing at me....rightfully so..I am a little crazy.) Well, I couldn't reach all of the cards so I had to move the entire couch out, which is not the easiest of tasks since our couch is a sleeper sofa. Anyway, I moved the couch and retrieved all of the blasted cards and started to push the couch back towards the wall. It seemed as though I was experiencing some resistance...it wouldn't go all the way back in. I figured one of the couch legs was stuck on our carpet...so I pushed even harder....still no movement. I decided to investigate and the goofy chihuahua had climbed behind the couch and was getting smashed up against the wall....oops, sorry Fargo! I pulled the couch back out and the dog started walking the wrong way...towards the narrow, not pulled out from the wall end. When his pea-sized brain figured out that he couldn't fit through that way, he put it in reverse, got out, and went and hid in our bedroom! We are assuming no damage was done....to the couch, the wall, or poor Fargo.

A Very Kind Gesture!

Yesterday, my husband came home with these:
What a nice treat at the end of a workday. He also had a very endearing card stating how much he loved me. It's these wonderful sporadic displays of love that I adore about him. I am so thankful to have found my one and only! Thanks honey, I love you.

Almost That Time Of Year Again!

It's getting down to the last few weeks of summer and the boys are not too happy about that! Oh well...summers just don't last as long (it seems). They like school, but they would rather just do their little bit of "summer school" and then get on with their day. Anyway, I have ordered almost all of my curriculum and should be getting it soon.

Braydon is doing preschool/kindergarten this year. We are using Sonlight and Handwriting Without Tears for him. I haven't purchased a math curriculum for him yet...I am still looking into them..thinking maybe Saxon, Singapore, or Horizons. (More research for me!)

David is going to do Sonlight for Bible, Literature/Reading, and History. We are using Christian Liberty Press Grammar and Spelling along with Apologia Science. He will still be doing Spanish and Health (Abeka), and of course, Math (Saxon). He will also be learning his way around the kitchen more and will be building an entire engine with his Dad.

I am excited to see how this year goes...last year was a sucess...so we will see!

Fun Day At The Fairgrounds!

Today, the boys and I went to a 4-H gathering/event at the Texarkana Fairgrounds. We had a blast! There was an entire day planned out of wonderful entertainment for the kiddos and myself. Here is some of the "coolness" we participated in:

• Shooting BB guns
• Flower planting
• Dog Training
• Livestock Showing
• Hunting Simulations
• Photography
• Cooking In the Kitchen
• Horse Maintenance
• Unlimited soft serve ice cream cones (the boys double fisted these at times!)

There were several other activities to participate in, we just were not able to fit them all in. We did have some monsoon-like rain at times, but we did not let that stop the good times! We were served lunch and all of this fun was...FREE!! Can you believe it?? Oh, and I entered a drawing and won fifty dollars....wowweee! Could this day be any better??

We did meet some fellow homeschoolers there and are delighted that they are going to be a part of our schooling experience this upcoming year...such wonderful people! What a blessing from God! The boys met some great new friends and traded emails/phone numbers so they could stay in contact since we live farther away than just down the road.

It was another great day for the Smiths!

Mastering A Couple Of Consonant Blends!

Finally, the day has come! Braydon has figured out the ST and the SM sound...yeah! We constantly were working on this, but it was just not something that was clicking with him. We were in our bedroom the other night just working on saying some words correctly....and BAM...he did it. No more fmell, fmart, fop it!, or finky. (Smell, smart, stop it, and stinky,) Now, we are still working on the TH sound....maybe it will come with time just like the others. He can now partly say his last name. It was Braydon Fis....now we have graduated to Braydon Smif! I will take what I can get.

Other progress for Braydon:

He can write almost all of his letters (uppercase only)
Writes his name by memory (mastered this at 3...it is just looking nicer now!)
Knows almost all of the letter sounds
Can write a few words from memory: (all uppercase)
Mema
Pepa
Papa
Mommy
Daddy
David
Nanny
Fargo
Jax
Hammy

He has asked so many times to write these out he has just remembered how they are spelled. I am in the process of teaching him how to read two and three letter words...so I will keep you posted....not too shabby for a four year old!

The Melodious Moments On David's Birthday!

Here are David and the singers at Papa Pablanos...he was quite embarrassed, but that is why we did it!!

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday...#13!

Happy birthday to our newly turned teenager! I cannot believe that David is thirteen already. It seems the time just flies by so quickly....but it has been great times. David is such a blessing to our family. I cannot imagine a day without seeing his smile or hearing his contagious giggles.

He is going to buy a laptop with his saved money and the birthday cash he has coming in. He is very excited and he already has his comparison shopping list written out so he is able to find the best bang for his buck. I hope he finds what he wants!

Happy birthday, Squisheroo! I love you bunches!
Mom

First Swim Of The Season.

We had already been swimming for quite a while last year, but all of the high volume rain put a damper on our aquatic adventures thus far.

We finally were able to take the plunge on Saturday after fixing all of the chemicals and getting everything else into working order. It was a blast of fun. Has anyone ever realized how non-relaxing swimming with three boys is?? Well it is, but we had fun watching the goofballs indulge.

Check them out:

Happy Birthday To My Wonderful Husband.

All of the boys made their Daddy a separate, very creative birthday card and he loved them all. I made him one of his favorite foods...crepes! He devoured them quickly and without hesitation. We watched the Nascar race and just hung out as a family. He did, unfortunately, have to give Fargo a bath and clean out the garage....a man's work is never done, I suppose.

I hope you had a great day, sweetie! We are very blessed to have you in our lives and I thank God every day for you. Thanks for being such a wonderful man. Love you bunches!

A Funny Day In Preschool.

Today Braydon was doing some writing for preschool. He is doing really well with his letters and is very proud of himself. Well...it was his turn to teach me something...so I listened!

Braydon: "Mom, this 'H' has the diameter of 64 inches fwared". (Braydonism for squared...he hasn't mastered all of his consonant blends.)

Me: "Oh, well ok...thank you for letting me know!"

Braydon: (in a flabbergasted tone) "Jeez, Mom, you should already know that!"

I think maybe he has heard David and me talking during algebra time.....hilarious!

Stuck In A Really Yucky Storm.

We came out of Target a couple of weeks ago to see this storm cloud brewing nearby! What a terrifying but yet amazing scenery! It looked as though there was a mountain right behind us leading up to the sky....
This is the weekend we were extremely close to driving into a tornado. We drove through a little city that a tornado touched down just minutes after we had passed through....whew! We made it to our destination, but had to seek shelter from a nearby Sam's Club for safety. After hanging out in the book section (the only place to keep the youngest of the boys occupied) for thirty minutes or so we were cleared to leave and finish our errands for the day. Thank you, God, for watching over us.

The Crazy Smiths!

Jax the cat prefers to wear sandals....better on his feet.

Check out this crazy trio:

Just think....someday they all really will be behind the wheel of a car....terrifying!

End Of The School Year Is Near!!

After this week and three days next week, our school year will have come to a highly anticipated end! It has been a great year and went way beyond my expectations. Homeschooling is COOL!

David finished a lot of his curriculum way early, so we have just been doing some supplementation stuff...which he is ok with, but would rather just leave that spot in our schedule open...go figure.

He still has to do Math and Spanish during the summer to keep it fresh in his mind, but we do that every summer....except for the Spanish (that one is new this summer).

I went to the homeschool convention last week and figured out what we will be doing next year and David is very excited to try some new methods of learning! Braydon will be starting preschool officially and that will take some patience from both of us! Just another adventure for us. In conclusion, I am glad that we tried homeschooling this year. It has brought David back up to where he should be academically.

We Love You!

Hi Honey....I just wanted to say that I love you and I am so very proud of you! Thanks for taking such wonderful care of us! We know that you work very hard.
A couple of crazy kids in this picture!

*Update*

The cat's name has been changed to Jax....until further notice.

The New Family Member.

After numerous attempts of trying to get accustomed to the ferret, I just could not do it. Weird odors, countless messes, and daily vitamin administerings were just too much for this Mommy to handle. Melman, the ferret, took the necessary trip back to the pet store. Then we decided on a much less maintenance sort of animal that the boys have always wanted....I have just never been a big fan of them! Here he is, the newest Smith......Monte! (We haven't totally decided on the name...could possibly change??
He is a rescue kitty and has a bobbed tail. He was born this way and it makes him unique....which we like. We adopted him from Petsmart and he has been a great kitty so far. (We have only had him two days.)

The best part was the introduction of the cat to the dog. There were tufts of fur flying and sporadic bouts of hissing coming at us, but for the most part they are doing quite well together. It will take some time for Fargo the wonder pest to realize he has to share the throne....but he has no choice!

A Series Of Unfortunate Events.

Scenario # 1 In Wal-Mart yesterday doing a little grocery shopping when all of a sudden the downpour began. We caught a glimpse of the flash flood-like rain when the outside doors were opened by the incoming soaked guests. Let me just say...HOLY COW! There were all kinds of rain going on; huge droplet rain, sideways rain, upside down rain, and the little stinging type rain. David and I had come to a conclusion pretty quickly that we were going to get a little wet upon our departure to the truck.

Okay, so here is the mental picture: Me, pushing the cart, Braydon inside. David, running along next to the cart. The water is puddled about two inches deep in the parking lot. We are running as fast and as safely as we can. We get to the truck. Braydon gets in the truck...foot touches the wet running board and quickly proceeds to fall back out of the truck. (We are trying to do this entire process quickly...not really working for us.) David pops the back hatch and starts unloading the groceries. I take the cart to the cart return. David gets in the truck. I throw my purse into the truck and then climb in. By this time, there is a puddle of water in each of our seats. I appeared as though I had just climbed out of the shower....not one dry hair on my head. The boys equally as wet. What an experience.

When we arrived home I wanted so badly just to leave the groceries in the back for later, but I had refrigerated stuff...POO! Oh well, we couldn't get any more drenched! So we made it into the house and we all changed into nice dry clothes. Braydon then asks to do it again! What an adventure!

Scenario # 2 This morning I was sweeping the baseboards in my bedroom closet. No biggie, right, just doing some normal housework. Progress is taking place and almost done then...A REALLY LOUD KERTHUNK! I had sucked up one of my tank tops into the hose! Oops! I reached for the power button and turned it off just in time. It didn't reach the motor...whew. Then I finished and went on to my next task....just another day's work, huh.

Scenario # 3 Not really a situation but a status update. We still have the ferret...YUK! Why oh why did I have a weak mommy moment????

Long Time No Post, Eh?

Happenings, goings on, and so forth....

• School is going well and the boys are looking forward to summer.
• Took family trip to Gatlinburg....fun!
• Had a yearly check at the "girl doctor"...not so much fun.
• Pool should be open soon!
• F3 tornadoes very close...scary!
• Pollen everywhere...a heavy yellow dusting on everything in sight.
• Have a ferret now...I am glad the boys like him....that is all I have to say about that.

Life is starting to settle down again...will post more often now.

Happy Birthday, Braydon!

Four years ago, at 2:12 a.m, you came into the world screaming your head off. Little did I know that this trend would follow you for quite a while. Good ol' tooter!

It was all worth it, though, I love you and hope you have a great day today! You are one of Mommy's most precious treasures from God.

Love,
Mommy/Momma/Mom

Just Found Out!

I just received word from the three year old:

Bologna tastes like dog breath! Well, there ya' have it, you cannot get much more vivid than that.

Geez Louise!

The eldest thinks he has discovered a way to cure hiccups in his own genious mind! He is positive if you stand like this while drinking bottled water, you will be free of those pesty little diaphragm spasms! I really want to tell him that it couldn't work, but everytime he does it, his hiccups vanish! So, who knows, maybe the boy has it figured out. Give it a try!

Disclaimer: This blogger is not responsible for any injuries incurred while trying this stunt! Pose and drink at your own risk! Happy Hiccups to all!

Welcome Home.

Upon our return home on Tuesday, we were greeted with a not so exciting surprise. There was a dead bird under our carport! YUK! I am terrified of birds, living and dead, so before I would evacuate the vehicle husband had to scoop it up and find a hiding spot for it. I hope I never find it!

Free Willy.

This story has been circulating around our house for the last few days causing sporadic hysterics and giggles, so I thought I would share. (Even though it is kind of embarrassing)

At our previous residence our house had a foyer that led into a hallway with a powder room to the side. The hallway was rather narrow and the powder room was down the hall, halfway from the foyer and halfway to the kitchen. Getting the picture? Anyway, the door to the powder room opened into the narrow hall but still leaving a space from the adjacent wall. Normally, we would keep this door shut to keep the hallway nice and open without any trafficking obstructions. NOT this day!

Picture this: Me, thirty-nine weeks pregnant, extremely overweight, appearing as though I was having triplets, and on a mission. (My mission was just to make it into the living room and sit. I had extreme difficulties walking and staying upright at this point in my pregnancy. I was one hot mess.) And here I come, waddling my way through the hall, trying to first pass through the kitchen so that I may have a mid-point snack, then on into the living room. Well...no such luck. I didn't quite make it to the kitchen. I was stopped by the nuisance of a door and a wall. Somebody didn't shut the bathroom door, but I thought that I could squeeze my massive self through without any serious issues. Ummm, WRONG! The door hit my super-sized belly and the wall hit my ginormous bootie! I was stuck. Wedged in between the wall and the door. What was I to do? I did what any girl in my situation would do...called for my husband.

That was the mistake of a lifetime. At this point in time, I am not even thinking about the comedic nature of the event. I have my mind set on getting de-wedged. SO, my loving hubby comes around the corner and almost hits the floor because, obviously, instantaneous laughter such as this can cause you to loose your footing. Hurumph!

Good news; though, nobody was hurt and the door didn't have to be taken off of the hinges to set me free. Thankfully.

All Grown Up....Well Most Of The Time.

David tries to act so grown up most of the time, but sometimes the little kid inside just can't handle being muzzled. It comes shooting out of him and we end up with a little bit of this:

The Nashville House....where a kid can be a kid!

Obama Is In The House.

He wasn't my pick, but I will definitely pray for him and his family. What a life-changing event for those kiddos! I pray that the transition will be smooth and that Obama is able to make the decisions that God leads him to make.

Braydon's New Invention.

This is what our youngest has come up with for his latest weapon of choice:

He has taken an old sword apart and used the opening to stick a hammer into! Now his weapon can be used in an upright position as a sword, and if you turn it horizontally, you can use the hammer as a handle and have a wild kind of gun!

What a creative little goober!

Ear Tube Excitement.

On Sunday, Braydon came to me stating that he thought his tube was coming out of his ear. He knew that the other ear's tube had presented itself in a big bunch of wax, and he had a glob of wax falling out of his head. Good assumption, little guy! So, I checked it out and was not prepared for what I was about to see. There was all kinds of gooky-guck in his ear and his tube placement looked very odd. (I will spare all of the exact details for those of you who have weak tummies.)

The next day we went to our family doc and he said, at first, that the tube was not in there. I had just seen it prior to the office visit, so I knew it was around there somewhere. After poking around a bit, he discovered it and then he casually leaned back on the desk, crossed his arms and says, "His tube has went back into his eardrum." HUH?!?! What??? I have never heard of such a thing. That had to be one of those possible complications that they tell you prior to surgery that you really don't think will happen. Well we were destined to go to "Kana" and see a specialist to get that bothersome tube checked out.

Yesterday, we visited the specialist. The doc looked in Braydon's ear with a special microscope type binocular thingie and put a little funnel in his ear. Next, he took an instrument, grabbed the tube, and then proceeded to use a vacuum to suck out the nasty. (Again, I will spare the details) Fifteen seconds and it was all over. Braydon was so brave!

So what happened?
The tube came loose from it's original site and his body went into "attack the foreign object in my ear mode". So, granulation tissue formed along with the unmentionable gook. That is why his ear looked like a train wreck!

For his courageous acts, we did take a trip to the mall and get a large m&m chocolate cookie. That made everything better.

And this is what our week has been like thus far.......

An Unfortunate Event.

Getting a little too wild with the electric scooter today!


All is ok....pride may be a little squished, though.

My Little Punk Rockers!

We had a little fun one day with the razor!

I was cutting hair and they said, "give us mohawks". I don't think they really thought I would do it...goofballs. Hammy really likes his, but David wants his shaved off. Decisions, decisions.

Good Times...

A funny little excerpt of goofiness with one of the boys:

Setting: We are at the mall. I am patiently waiting outside of GameStop for all children and grandparents. A frantic, most excited child runs out of the store, stopping in front of me!

Hammy: MOM! They have air guitars inside the store for FREE! (A moment of changing facial expressions, from total hysterics to disappointment.) Yeah, but they are all out. Do you wanna come see the sign, Mom? It's right over there, I'm not kidding!

Me: (With a big cheesy grin on my face, trying not to giggle too loudly) Well, buddy, remember what an air guitar is??

Hammy: Hmmm.

Good times, good times. Just to let you know, I did explain the circumstances to the kiddo. We shared a chuckle, and then he said, "Doh!".

You can always count on children to lighten the day!

Happy New Year.

I hope everyone is having a great new year so far. I will miss the chaos of the Christmas season, but I can always count on my family to provide me with plenty. (In a good way, of course.)