Pool time in TN

The four kiddos!  I love them.  They really have a good time together and Faith is always so good to Nick.  Love her.

Who do these boys think they are fooling?  Ha.

I think I mentioned it before but Jenny's parents live in the smokey mountains.  They have a neighbor boy who is 14 and is Curtis's best buddy when he visits his grandparents.  Thomas joined us at the pool one day and kept the boys entertained for hours.  Jenny and I wanted to pay him! 

                                                                                                Love this picture!

R & R in Tennessee

Nick stuck to Jenny's dad, Wayne, like glue.  Wayne immediately started calling Nick, "Pete."  Why - no body knows but Nick called Wayne "Pete" too. 

This is how I found my husband on the morning of our first full day.  Relaxing as the sun poured into the windows.  This vacation was really nice and well deserved for Mike.  He's been working an insane amount of hours and this vacation did him well.

The people that owned the cabin we rented sure knew what it was that kids like.  They had a swing hanging from a tree in the pasture and they also had a huge basket of balls in the cabin!  My boys were in heaven.

Nick relaxing on the deck but only for a moment.

Jenny & I

The four kids.  They found this turtle in the driveway so of course I had to get a picture.

Smokey Mountain vacation - TN

We took the boys to Tennessee two years ago and they could not stop talking about it so we returned.  We went with our friends, the Ausili's - who are like family to us.  Jenny's parents live in the Smokies and they helped track down this wonderful cabin for us.  We loved it.  It had plenty of room for our family of four and Copper!  Yes, we took Copper and although I hate to admit it, she was kind of a pain but she is only a 5 month old puppy.  It's a 10 hour drive and she did great on the trip there and back and she adjusted relatively well. 

This cabin had a wrap around deck which lead out to a gazebo.  It had a swing, a grill and a table.  Needless to say we spent a lot of with hanging with the Ausili's in the gazebo.  What you can't see is beyond the gazebo is a huge pasture where the kids could play.  It was heaven.

The deck.  I would sit on the deck and read while the kids played in the pasture.  The view was breathtaking.

The living room.  We had enough table space to sit the Ausili's and Jenny's parents which made us a party of 10.  It was so fun.

The kitchen.  I would make breakfast every morning for the boys and Mike and they would all 3 sit at the bar - waiting....

I'll post more pictures this week.  We had such a nice vacation.  It's hard to think about getting "back into reality" tomorrow.

A matter of perspective

I signed Jay up for wrestling camp this week.  Jay is my child who would never the leave house or participate in anything without some gentle encouragement.  It's not because he lacks confidence.  He is just a huge homebody who prefers the comforts of home over anything else.  I signed Jay up for wrestling because it's a contact sport and based on how Jay likes the contact with football I figured he'd like wrestling and the camp is only four night for 90 minutes.  I mean really, it's painless.  So tonight as I was driving Jay to camp he started his litany of complaints.  He didn't understand why he had to "do this dumb camp."  I replied that there was more to life than just four-wheeling and basking in the mud like a pig.  Jay's response......"if only life could be all about that."  Then during camp Jay mouthed to me, "This sucks."  I wasn't sure if I was more concerned over my 4th grader saying sucks or simply not liking the camp.  After camp Jay shocked me by saying he enjoyed the camp.  When I asked him what the problem was, he said......"Some of those moves were just wrong from my perspective."  That response is so Jay!  So here goes to another 3 nights of wrestling camp but the kicker is Nick will be participating tomorrow night!  Wrestling camp is about to get very interesting. 

James & Chalres vs. S&S

Growing up my sister and I played constantly with two boys, James & Charles.  Charles was Kim's age and James was two years younger than me.  Honestly we didn't pay attention to the fact they were boys and we were girls........we just played together.  When Mike and I moved out to the country I met my dear friend, Laura and her girls and my boys became friends.  The age differences are nearly identical to age difference we had with James and Charles.  This year the kids hit the mother load as Laura and her husband are putting in a pool in their back yard.  The kids got their first swim of the summer in!  Bring on the heat and bring on summer.

The + Sign

In Kindergarten kids receive marks such as "S" for satisfactory or "I" for improving.  A + sign means above average and a - sign means needs improvement.  My kids have always been satisfactory kind of kids when it comes to grades which frankly I'm pleased with that.  As long as my children work hard (and they do) I'm a happy momma.  If Jay can get a B or C in reading I'm thrilled.  And if Nick can get mostly all "S's" on his report I'm giving him a high five.  But something extraordinary happened this year.  As I was reviewing Nick's end of the school year report card I noticed a + sign.  I second guessed myself and thought I didn't really see a + sign but wa-la I did.  Nick got a + sign in the category of...............Dictates stories and experiences.  The first quarter Nick had gotten a "S" but clearly as the year went on Nick's teacher got to really know and I mean really know Nick and nobody tells a story with such detail and enthusiasm as Nick.  However, on the flip side, in the comment section Nick's teacher wrote, "Nick always has a lot to share with the class.  At times he's more focused on what he wants to say rather than listening to the speaker."  Imagine that about my Nick.  Ha!  Well regardless I'm still going to gloat a little bit over that + sign! 

So long.....Farewell

Today was the last day of 4th grade for Jay and kindergarten for Nick.  It's bittersweet.  Next fall will be the last year my boys will be in the elementary school together as Jay will prepare to go to middle school (drum roll, please)the following school year but I'm getting ahead of myself.  This year had it's challenges.  Nick got to know our principal rather well and that's all I have to write about that.  Nick enjoyed kindergarten and my heart is heavy tonight knowing I will never have the joy of sending another child to kindergarten.  Sad indeed.  Fourth grade proved to be very challenging for Jay.  Jay struggled in math this year but as always he tried hard and we are proud of him for that.  When I was going through back packs tonight I found poems Jay had to write this year and one made me smile. 

In case you can't read it.  It says Amy down the side and reads: My mom is a good friend.  Moms are awesome, like my mom.  You always know what she is thinking.  But I loved the picture the most.  Jay drew a picture of himself with a bubble above his head that reads Sad and then he drew me with a bubble above my head that reads Hug! 

All for the love of a boy

Nick & his Nick-ness

Here's the truth..........Nick is verbal and I mean really verbal.  Anything thought that comes into his head comes out of his mouth.  The boy could seriously be a politician one day or Norm on Cheers - it's a toss up.  He loves to negotiate everything!  I say 5 more minutes and Nick promptly shoots back with.........How about 7?  He spends so much time talking that he has a hard time staying focused on a task at hand - imagine that?  But his talking is music to my ears (most of the time).  He will have discussions with me in the car, ask my input of things and provide me with feedback. 

Recently, during a walk I was talking to Nick about his listening skills or lack thereof and he defended himself by stating he listens sometimes.  I shot him my "mom look" and he grinned and responded by admitting he really didn't listen at all.  Ya think, Nick.  I titled this blog Nick and all his Nick-ness because my mom affectionately referred to him this year when I said I hoped his teachers would appreciate him and my mom finished my sentence by saying "would appreciate him and all his Nick-ness." 

When it's all said and done I love Nick and all his Nick-ness!  He makes me laugh daily.  He still loves to give me hugs and as you can see from these pictures despite turning 6 he still loves his cuddle time with his animals and blankets.  The fish that is with him in the pictures he named Bassy!  Bassy the fish gets all of Nick's love these days.

Happy Mother's Day to me.

I had such a nice Mother's Day this year.  The boys didn't get muddy - Glory Be and they were thoughtful and kind.  Jay and I went to church together while Nick and Mike stayed home to work on my Mother's Day gift.  Jay picked out the gift earlier in the week but Mike and Jay kept Nick in the dark because there is no way he would have kept it a secret!  So, Jay picked out the gift but Nick did the work to get them finished (see picture below). 

Nick and I.  I feel like I look like a giant next to Nick! 

Ta-da - my hanging flowers baskets.  I had mentioned to Mike about a week ago that I wanted hanging flower baskets and he shot me down!  But he surprised me with them.  Thanks so my boys for making my Mother's Day so memorable.

I heart mom

Where do I begin with what my mom means to me?  I've been pondering my tribute to her all week.  I thought I'd start at the beginning (don't worry, I won't be writing a book).  My mom raised a very strong willed child - Me!  I challenged her at every corner and on top of it, I had learning disabilities.  When I reflect on my childhood I just remember it was good and my mom was always there which was something I took for granted.  Growing up she was my biggest advocate.  She taught me right from wrong and I learned what consequences were all about.  She would always say I had to learn things the hard way and I did - still do sometimes.  She prayed for me and I'm sure she spent many mornings on her knees praying for guidance - as I do now that I'm a mom.  When her and my dad divorced when I was a senior in high school she picked herself up, dusted herself off and with strength and determination she pushed forward.  I was always grateful to her for that.  My sister and I were hurting and so was my mom and feeling the void of my dad being gone was hard but mom kept our lives the same - as much as she could.  She was home constantly to be available for Kim and I.  I remember the first summer dad was gone or at least I think it was that first summer.  My mom loaded my sister and I in the car and in another car was my Uncle Mike with his family and we were off to Myrtle Beach.  Back then we had no cell phones so my mom and her brother would use walkie-talkie's and Mom followed Mike the entire way.  As an adult I have appreciated her listening ear when it comes to parenting.  I've said this before but I can't write a tribute to my mom without saying it again but she is never horrified by anything my children do - even when I'm horrified beyond belief.  She usually just laughs and reminds me of the time when I did the same thing as a kid - although the whole mud thing has her dumbfounded sometimes.  I remember the short 2 weeks I lived with mom while Mike was finishing our house.  That was 7 years ago and I just had Jay who was 3 at the time.  She looked at me one night and said, "You know, Amy, you are really good with him."  Ahhhh music to my ears.  If I'm any kind of mother, I owe it all to my mom.  Thanks mom for all the sacrifices you made for me, all the prayers, laughter and encouragement!  Love you lots...........

38 years and counting

I had such a nice birthday this year.  The weather was perfect.  I started the day off with a lovely walk with my mother and then we shared a cup of coffee.  The picture above is of the boys right before school.  They were wearing ties in honor of their principal, Mr. Shears, who will retire next week.  We love Mr. Shears and will be sad to see him leave.  Notice Copper trying to nip at Jay's shirt.  This is typical for her.  I think I have about 3 holes in one particular shirt of mine!  Gotta love puppies.

Mike and the boys took me out to Texas Roadhouse for dinner - my choice!  As I'm blogging this evening I'm so stuffed, it's ridiculous!  The picture below is a quick snap shot I got of Jay at dinner.  I thought it was so cute and I thought he looked so old & handsome.  What a killer smile that boy has! 

Mike got me a key lime pie - YUMMY!  Mike has been crazy, busy at work but still found the time to be thoughtful for my birthday and I so appreciate that.  He and the boys got me a gift certificate to Dick's so I can finally buy some decent T-shirts.  Since I've been working at home for almost a year the majority of my closet is still filled with work/office clothes.  I need some decent Tshirts to work from home in!  Thank you, Mike and boys......you guys are the best.

As a side note.  I started working crazy early this morning (3a.m........yes, crazy I know) and about 5 a.m. I received an email from my beautiful friend, Karen Neal.  In the email she presented me with a lovely prayer just for me on my birthday.  And then my mom gave me a PRAY plaque.  It's not really a plaque per say.  I'll take a picture of it in the next couple of days and post it on my blog.  I truly love it! 

Life is good

Tomorrow is my birthday!  My friend, Amy, presented me with my first gift.......a Happy Birthday wine glass.  She knows me so well.  Thank you, Amy!

And my boys just happened to be in a "I actually like my brother" mood this morning so I snapped a picture.....quickly!

City folks

This Saturday morning my family and I did something out of the ordinary.  As soon as we got up, we got showered and dressed, jumped in Mike's truck and headed to the city.  We went out for bagels (very city like).  I got my cup of coffee to go and carried it with me while we shopped for flowers.  As we drove through the city the traffic was thick and people were coming and going in and out of places with......yup, you guessed it, their cups of coffee.  I fit in nicely.  I said to Mike....."So this is what it's like to live in the city on Saturday morning!" 
I got all my flowers picked out - thank you to my boys for helping me - and planted!  It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning but I still prefer the quiet of my country mornings.   

Housebroke

It's official, Copper is housebroken.  She' been housebroken for about 4 weeks now.  We told Jay once she was housebroken she could start sleeping with him.  It started out really well - so well that Copper seemed to have a calming effect on Jay at night.  Most nights go smoothly but there was one night that Copper decided to get up and have a "party" at 2 a.m..  And those two are their own little alarm clocks.  They are both up by 6:30 sharp every morning.  It's so cute to see Jay cuddled up with his puppy. 

Really!!

What could I possibly title this blog as other than REALLY because that was my response when I opened this package today in the mail.  Apparently Sam's Club thought that since I would be turning 38 in a few weeks that it was time for adult under garments.  You know how I complain of aging after age 35?  Well finding this little "package" in the mail today didn't help.  Thank you Sam's Club.