The Harvest

Any mother in the trenches with a teenager will tell you that it's hard work, and quite honestly it's not all that enjoyable.  Often times when I tell people I'm raising two boys and one of then is a teenager, they usually pat me on the shoulder and reassure me that I will survive.  During my daily conversation with my mom today, it was out of the blue when she said she was often in despair when raising the teenage me.  That is exactly how I feel these days - despair.  Jay shares absolutely nothing with me.  I annoy him.  He thinks I know nothing.  Most days I don't know what to say to him and it's very challenging to connect with him at any level.  He complains behind our back to Nick about working (with his dad), but yet works hard for his dad.  All he seems to care about these days is fishing and four wheeling, and I have way too many rules for his liking.  This morning I was able to wrap my arms around him in a hug and it was reciprocated (a small miracle).  It's during a hug or a meaningful conversation (which happens once in a blue moon) that I am reminded to keep moving forward.  It was exactly as my mom said, I feel despair and I wonder how this boy is going to fall in this thing we call life.  A few hours later I was listening to the radio and I heard parenting being compared to a harvest.  You plant, tend, wait and then harvest.  Your harvest will one day come in a healthy, well adjusted adult. 
Galatians 6; 9.......So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest. 

Our weekend

 Kim, Lauren and I went to our cousin, Kelly's, bridal shower on Saturday.  It was so delightful!  Beautiful weather, good company and delicious cup cakes (hence picture above).  Kelly was my flower girl in my wedding, 19 years ago!!!  She's also 24 years ago, I was two weeks shy of being 24 when I walked down the aisle all those years ago. 

 Sweet Lauren.  Lauren is a dream to take.  She is agreeable and sweet.  My sister might say she's not always so agreeable and sweet and that may be true but with Aunt May May she's a pure dream!  To me this picture reflects who Lauren is........sweet, innocent and soft spoken. 

Me with my favorite Aunt Karen. 

                         Nick and student council made this buddy bench for school.  I went with Nick on Friday night to his (and mine) last Spring Fling.  I have to admit, I won't miss it....think school carnival....any parent will know what I'm talking about.

Cousins.  These two will soon be spending a week together in Myrtle Beach. 

The bride and groom, Andrew and Kelly!  Can't wait to attend their wedding in three short months.

Never a dull moment

After a long day the four of us reconvened at home after Mike and Jay worked a 12 hour day and I attended my cousin's bridal shower and Nick hung with nana all day.  Anyway, I sat down tonight to relax when the boys headed out to throw the football.  Within 5 minutes Nick was getting out the ladder because Jay had tried to throw poop at him and missed, and instead it hit the house.  I have been a mother of boys for too long.  I did nothing but nod my head and walk away, telling them to carry on.  Oh, and to top off the evening I backed into our new (new to us but used) mower.  That is all for tonight. 

What's going on these days

 What is going on these days for Mike is work, work and more work.  I'd say I can't believe it, but I can.  We've come a long way from last spring.  Fast forward a year later and what a difference a year can make.  With any small business you have busy times and slow times.  Things may slow down for Mike in the upcoming weeks or they may not, we're still learning as we go.  April has been nothing but crazy busy, like 12 - 18 hour days busy.  The other night, after Mike had worked all day, he came home to eat and after dinner he went back to the shop where he stayed until 1 a.m.  I told him it wouldn't be the first time he pulled an 18 hour day and it wouldn't be the last time, the difference this time is he is doing it for himself. 

 Mike's biggest obstacle has been and continues to be his space issue.  When he built his shop 13 years ago it was meant to be a weekend shop, a shop where he could build small things for our home.  He never intended the shop to be for business purposes.  However, we've been thankful to have the shop, but as Mike's business grows it's become very clear he needs more space.  What that will end up looking like we don't know.  As much as Mike loves organization and cleanliness, his shop is not that these days.  Most people would see it as neat and tidy, but trust me, knowing Mike like I know him, it's a disaster and I know it bugs him to no end.  As for the pictures of Mike, he's staining wood.  Matching and staining colors is one of his favorite things to do.  He made a mantle this week from  rustic looking wood and with the colors he poured into it, it looked amazing when he finished! 

I'll wrap by my blog with this cute picture of Nick, and make a point at the same time.  Years ago we bought nice leather furniture, but the boys are not allowed to sit on the furniture.  The picture is Nick all sprawled out in an old leather chair of my mom's.  The boys are allowed to sit in this chair as it is old and it was free.  I think this picture clearly demonstrates why they are not allowed on the good furniture!  Seriously!

Happy Easter

 What had such a nice Easter this year.  Everyone was healthy and happy and we got to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus!  It made my heart happy. 

 This was my pathetic attempt to take a selfie with Nick.  I promise you Nick is a cute kid, despite some of his goofy (not so attractive) poses/smiles. 

 My mom told Kim and I that we didn't need to get our kids easter baskets this year, as she had gotten them plenty and she did!  She literally had her trunk filled with goodies and candies this year.  Nick commented that Nana out did herself this year. 

 Mom and Nick with one of the many goodies that Nick got on Easter. 

 Are there even words for these three?  They are getting so grown up looking.  Easter just happened to fall on Curt's 15th birthday so we got to celebrate Easter and Curt!  The weather was beautiful.  We had an egg hunt and ate way too much, but it was a really nice day.  Did I mention that already? 

This picture was taken a few days before Easter but it was so darn cute, I included it. 

 Mom took Lauren and Nick to the Gamma Phi Circus last weekend.  I snapped this picture in her garage and I thought it was so cute of the three of them - mom's middle grands. 

 Last week mom treated the four of us to dinner.  It was so nice to go out to dinner, just the five of us.  No kids!

                                                             Jenny and I on Easter. 

Jay and I on Easter.  Yes, my 15 year old now is way taller than me.  Ugh. 

Dodgeball

 Over the past weekend the boys and I played some dodgeball.  It was a mother son tournament.  Betsy and Evan and Heather and Jeremy played with us too.  It was for charity.  All of the money went to St. Jude. 

 Betsy and I thought we should have a cocktail, along with some ibuprofen before we played.  We were laughing so hard because each game lasted five minutes.  After our first game, Betsy commented to me and her husband that that was an intense five minutes.  Her husband had to point out that our game only lasted 2 minutes.  Well in any case, it was an intense 2 minutes.  We got beat both games but of course we didn't care.  We just enjoyed having fun with our boys and playing a game for charity. 

                    Nick and his friend, E. - Friends but competitors on this day.  

We were hoping that with these two studs we might win a game, but no such luck.  Again, a good time was had by all. 

O.L.D.....aka annoyed

A few weeks ago, Sarah, Jenny and I went for pedicures.  While we were waiting for our toes to dry we started discussing my bladder and blood clot issues.  I really got on a roll, as only I can do, when suddenly I realized there was this sweet, innocent looking young (and I mean young, like 13 or 14 young) girl next to me.  I apologized to her, for our inappropriate behavior and our old jokes about  bladders, big legs (me) and gray hair.  After all, I didn't mean to scare the girl.  She smiled sweetly and told us we weren't old, and while I believe that saying is true, you're only as old as you feel, these days I'm feeling old!  I'm forgetting things, and having a terrible time processing things.  And anyone who knows me knows that processing is not my strong point on the best of days.  Somehow I'm getting by, but not without some minor annoyances.  I had no idea that after 40 losing weight would become next to impossible, that coloring my hair would not only be a necessary evil, but vital for my well being (I'm just saying), and that little things would become big things in terms of how they annoy me.  Living with all boys is a prime example.  Who ever said that the woman who lives with all boys is the queen of her castle is full of bologna.  The best thing that happens to me on a daily basis is I get clean bath water every night (most nights), and that's when the boys have informed me they didn't pee in the water.  Some women might argue that living with girls and being over 40 is worse.  I have no doubt.  I am not a one upper.  I don't discriminate.  I think we're all equally annoyed!  We have one TV in our house.  Yes, take a moment to gasp, I get it!  The boys and Mike love the show, "The Simpsons."  I don't.  In fact every time I hear the theme song, indicating yet another episode is about to start, I cringe.  It's like nails on a chalk board.  The boys are at tough ages right now and it doesn't mesh well with my age and hormones!  They are my ministry, my gift to Jesus, these days. Some mornings we'll be walking out the door for school and Jay will say, "You don't look happy this morning, mom."  That is after I followed him out the door, having to walk through a cloud of his smelly gas.  It will take special girls to marry them, special girls indeed.  Thank goodness for my girlfriends and my mother (who understands my processing issues better than anyone, and loves me anyway).  We joke and laugh together, and like Sarah said recently, we will all be shaving our mustaches soon - at least I know I'll be shaving it with my girls! 

Skating galore

 We ended our week with ice skating with my friend, Erin and her crew (including Jay's good friend, Reece).  I took the day off on the final day of break and I was so glad I did.  It enabled us to get out of the house and do something.  The last day of break was also Jay's first day off from working six straight days with his dad.  Jay learned a lot from working a "full time job."  He was horrified to learn that when he gets a "real" job, which means not working for his dad, a chunk of it will be taken out for taxes.  He was thrilled to get paid $400 cash from Mike.  He was less than thrilled when I told him that normally after making $400, he would have only seen about $325.  Welcome to taxes, Jay! 

 Love this picture.  I so enjoy spending time with Erin.  Every close friend I have I can remember distinctively how I met them.  When Jay and Reece were in first grade Erin called me early in the year to invite Jay to Reece's birthday party.  For some reason Jay couldn't go but my friendship with Erin started because of our boys, but has developed into so much more and now has nothing to do with our boys (it's just an added bonus that they are such good friends).  She is my friend who has been ridiculously thoughtful to me.  She is full of class, and I love spending time with her. 

Today was a whirlwind.  I can't believe it's Sunday night and tomorrow starts another work week and the boys go back to school, and will soon be wrapping up their 5th and 9th grade years.  Nick went roller skating with 4H today.  4H has proven to be a good fit for Nick.  Jay spent his entire elementary school years involved with cub scouts.  Nick didn't get that opportunity (because scouts dissolved at our school), so I'm thankful to have the 4H outlet for Nick.