Hello again Monday....

Up making pancakes this morning for a house full of sleeping people....Christopher woke up a while ago but went back to his room, and Joey and Laci are both out still. I am worn out from the weekend but I still have a ton to do. We are working on the yard a little to get it better suited for us and the kids to spend quiet time out back with them. I managed to find a swing set (well an A-frame with 4 swings) on craigslist for 100.00 and Brian went yesterday and dug it out of the ground for 2 hours and brought it here and now today we have to attempt to get it back together and in the ground. It isnt much but its some swings and the kids will like it! I was shocked to see the price of wood playsets....START at 400.00 and go pretty much up to 25,000.00. Some people have more money than they know what to do with I think....but I am happy my kids got some swings. I also got them a sandbox off craigslist for 20.00, and some sand from Home Depot so they will have a sandbox again finally too. :) (now if I can just keep clover out of it! LOL!!)
The weekend went by in a blur. Saturday we attempted to go to the lake with the kids and that lasted all of about 2 hours because we chose Galt's and it was *packed!* and the mexican couple having sex in the corner of the roped off swim area was more than irritating, so we chose to leave. We went home and did some cleaning up and let the kids play in the pool, and just relaxed after that, then yesterday most the day was either running errands or Brian digging that swingset up. Joey came over and spent the night which was so awesome! He says he wants to come again this weekend for the 4th of July fireworks show with me and Brian and the kids, but I will believe it when I see it, lol! It was nice having him here just once, even if its 9am and he is still asleep! Ha!
This week will be pretty chill. I have a playdate with Ansley and her mom on Wednesday, and Friday I have plans with Brooke, but for the most part I just want to relax and catch my breath as this month is flying by and I am a little overwhelmed with how much has gone on.
Oh, and the best part of this weekend? We got our new SUV! Yay! Our red hot 2001 Blazer! It has some stuff we have to get fixed on it, but she is a beauty! I am very pleased with it and hopefully this one will last a bit longer now! :)
Welp, I am going to go start my day of relaxing by laying pine straw in the front yard, and hauling 50 pound bags of sand down the hill and cleaning the back yard...LOL!
26 more days til VACATION!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!

Just thinking and remembering today....

Concrete Angel

She walks to school with the lunch she packed

Nobody knows what she's holding back

Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday

She hides the bruises with the linen and lace, oh

The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask

It's hard to see the pain behind the mask

Bearing the burden of a secret storm

Sometimes she wishes she was never born

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone

In a world that she can't rise above

But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place

Where she's loved concrete angel

Somebody cries in the middle of the night

The neighbors hear but they turn out the light

A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate

When morning comes it will be too late

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone

In a world that she can't rise above

But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place

Where she's loved concrete angel

A statue stands in a shaded place

An angel girl with an upturned face

A name is written on a polished rock

A broken heart that the world forgot

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone

In a world that she can't rise above

But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place

Where she's loved concrete angel

~Martina McBride

Thursday!

Today is the last day of the 30s in our countdown to Vacation! I am rediculously excited to get away from life for a few days! I am burnt! I spent another 4 hours at the lake yesterday with the kids, and even though I managed to keep them from burning (again) I am deffinately not wanting a whole lot of sun today...as a matter of fact I would really REALLY like to see a few days of rain. I need to re-charge my batteries! My nose is burning this morning. I picked some dry sunburned skin off the end of it and now its on fire! I have an ice cube wrapped in a paper towel next to me to apply to it every few minutes. The kids are having a quiet morning, thank God! They are eating some pringles and watching Sesame Street while I get some online stuff done. I found a park in Roswell that has some fountains apparently next to to the Chattahoochee, but I cant get a whole lot of info on it online. I am hoping to go check it out in the morning.
Still no car...still waiting on the total loss department to cut us a check...still irritated with the way things have gone during this accident business. But, I guess it could be worse! I still have my baby girl, and my husband and thats the only thing that really matters to me. <3 We are looking at the late 90's Expeditions, Durango's and Tahoe's as possible replacement cars...only time will tell what we end up with.
I had a great time at the lake yesterday with Jennifer and her son Jonathan. We went to Galt's Ferry for the first time in over a year and I love it there....I forgot how nice it was, but did not miss the crowds after 12 noon. Wow! Deffinately the place to go from 8am to 1pm but not after! Gah! Looking foward to going again soon...but not for now...my body needs to cool down from the sunburn! My friends have dubbed me Red Lobsta! LMAO!
Welp, I guess I better get to gettin' since I have laundry and stuff to do, and to get my spaghetti sauce on and enjoy yet another day with my 2 awesome kids. :)

Burnt!

5 hours at the lake with the kids and we are all Krispy Kritters! LOL! It was a good day at the lake yesterday though, and even though we all came home rather lobster-esque, we all had a great time. Me and the kids got there around 11:15, Tiffany and her kids aroung 1:00, and then we stayed til almost 4:00! I got us home, lotioned the kids with an aloe soothing cooling lotion, and then made dinner. The kids were in bed early, and me and Brian watched "The Wolfman" til 11:00pm, and then it was bedtime. Today is set up to be another hot one, and I am sitting here thinking of what we can do that wont involve burning anymore, but not sit in the house all day. I am thinking Sprinkler now, and then maybe a relaxing day inside after....

I am so glad this month is winding down now. This has been a crazy month and I am ready to get on with July. I am excited for our vacation, and I am happy Brian gets a week off work, I am also anxious to see who Christopher will have for a teacher next year and who will be in his class, and I am looking foward to the 4th of July and all the fun we will have as well as Brian and my birthdays and our anniversary and the many happy times ahead! Come on July!! :)

For now I guess I should start working on a plan for this weekend and start my packing list! :)
Happy Tuesday!!

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

Yay! Its officially the first day of summer...fall is coming! LOL!!! We had a wonderful amazing Father's day! I felt horrible because I didn't even get Brian a card or have the kids make him one, but he said he gets cards and letters and pictures from his kids and me every day of the week and that isnt whats important to him, he said he would have rather had the day we had yesterday than anything else on earth...and at the end of the day I told him I would have rather have been on that river with him and the kids than anywhere else on earth. The river was great! The kids did an amazing job and were so funny! I am so glad we waited til Laci was over 3 before going, we seen too many kids way too young on the river screaming in fear or misery or both. The river was a lot more difficult to get down than I remembered as a kid, lol, and by the end of the day me and Brian were exhausted and sore, but we laughed big heavy laughs out loud and the kids had a great time and I was shocked that in one of the deep areas Christopher hopped out to swim for a few minutes...Laci wasnt swimming, it was too cold for her liking, but she did great too, almost falling asleep multiple times...even people floating by were amazed she was half asleep holding on to her float handle. It was great! We did have a loss though...we came to the "tree of lost soles" that had flip flops nailed all to it that had been lost over the years by floaters and I went to get my double ziplocked bagged camera out of my carry on bag and pulled out a double bag of water with a camera floating in it. I was crushed! I tried not to let it ruin the day for me and smile on anyhow, but I am still very upset that I got no pictures on the river from our first time on it together as a family. I am still pretty upset this morning, but at least I have the memories of it and Brian said we will go again in a few weeks. The drive we thought would take 2.5 hours only ended up taking me an hour and 15 minutes and we only used a 1/4 tank of gas there and back, so really it is a very doable couple time a year event! :) We didnt waste time at the shops and stuff in Helen bc it was 98* and we just headed home after our picnic lunch under the big trees (trees that were shedding yellow and orange leaves....gotta love the GA Mountains...its always fall!) and then swam in the river for a few. On the way home we stopped at Dairy Queen for some ice cream, and then came home exhausted! Me and Brian were in bed by 9:30 and the kids by 8:00. It was a great day!
Saturday was fun too, we decided to do some errands in the morning, and then Francis called and asked if we were home bc they were in our area, so we headed back home and had a spur the moment BBQ and let all the kids play in the kiddie pool. They stayed til almost 6:20 and we had a wonderful time.
All in all this has been an incredible wonderful memory packed weekend that I couldnt have made any more perfect if I tried. I am so glad I have Brian and the kids and my perfect little family. I am always happy as long as I am with them. <3
Happy first day of Summer!!

Weekend is here!

Thank GOD its the weekend! Of course, thanks to my mom reminding me I lost a week being sick I found out YESTERDAY that this weekend is Father's day....NOT next weekend as I thought...why did I think it was the 12th? What is wrong with my head? LOL! Oh well. Luckily Brian knows money is tight and is ok with the quickie plans we made to take the kids to Helen, Ga for the day and go TUBING! I am so excited! The kids are going to have a blast and Brian can have a nice relaxing day and we can be together as a family doing what we do best, being a family. :) Its about a 2 hour drive, but will be well worth it. I am a little nervous about Clover being crated all day but sometimes thats the way it has to be for a dog, it sucks, but its only about 7 hours...he will be ok. The kids have been looking at pics online of the tubing there and are both ready to go! I  have to go today and get some boat shoes for myself (I would have needed them for Murphy anyhow) and the kids can both wear their sandles since they strap on their feet, and Brian has to get some kind of shoes too. I also need some squirt bottles and a pack to hold everything safely. I am going to bring the small camera in a ziplock bag and pray it doesnt end up in the water.
My Mom, Steve, and Joey are gone for the next 10 days....I was relieved when she texted me she got in ok last night. I am sure they will have a blast, but I am still going to miss them. Its wierd being so far away from them like this and for so long! I am happy for them though, they all deserve this trip and in the end I know it will be great and hopfully they will come home happy and relaxed. The following weekend (the 2st and 3nd) the kids are staying friday night, and all day Saturday with them so me and Brian can celebrate our 7 years together! We are going to go for ice cream in the same place we went 7 years ago, and I will have the peach yogurt and he will have the chocolate milk shake and we will sit on the bench like we did what seems like decades ago. Then we are thinking of going to the lake if it isnt too late, then the next morning we are going to go to the Farmer's Market here in Canton. Of course, while typing this I realize that Brian is supposed to work that Saturday so it looks like those plans are shot....bleh! Oh well, what a nice thought though....

Oh well, today si Saturday. Brian is out mowing the grass and then he will shower and we will all go to the mall to bring back some shorts of Brian's and get an ice cream with the kids. Then its Target and home. This afternoon I am grilling and the kids will play in the kiddie pool...and maybe I will too. Ha!
Happy Saturday everyone! Hope you have a great Father's day! (especially if you werent so sick you missed a whole week from registering in your head! LOL!!!)

My Kids....

My kids are incredible. My kids are the most sweetest, sensitive, loving, children I have ever been so blessed to meet. My kids are smart, funny, witty, intelligent, compassionate, and loving. My kids love hard without knowing not to. My kids are innocent, and joyful. My kids are the center of my entire universe. My kids mean more to me than my very life, which I would gladly without a second thought hand over today for either of them. My kids have hearts, big sweet, soft hearts that are hurt easily. I will do anything I can to protect those hearts, but as life goes, both will still endure plenty of heartache and pain....but if I can help keep even one ounce of it from them, I will. I have 2 of the most incredible kids ever. They make me laugh great big belly laughs almost daily, even on some of my darkest of days, my kids make me smile.Anyone who has my children in their life should consider themselves lucky.
Laci cried when I switched "Faith" from our car to Adrienne's car on Saturday morning...she said "where my new doggie going? I love her!!!" with tears welling up in her eyes....even after explaining that this dog that she had only met 30 minutes earlier was very very hurt and had to go to the "puppy doctor" she was still broken hearted. Everyone is Laci's best friend. She tells me "I wub you mama" when I need to hear it most without ever asking her to say it to me.
Christopher is my love baby. He loves everyone with every ounce his heart can love with. He loves animals, he loves people, he loves holidays, seasons, parties, stores, he loves life. He cries when he has hurt someone and cries harder when he has been hurt. He wants to "give me some love" all the time, which usually invloves him climbing up in my lap with his head on my shoulder just quietly having some hug time. He tells me he loves me 1000 times a day, and means it with all he is every single time.
My kids are funny, they make jokes above their age, and thei laugh is addicting. I could happily hear only that sound for the rest of my life. They are my adventurers, my 2 in tow that always are up for a good time and something new. I view them as my best friends in the world. I know that over the years our relationship will change on some levels, but I vow to do everything I can to keep their trust and faith in me and for us to continue to be best friends.
I just wanted to take a moment today to let anyone know how very very special my children are, and how much they mean to me, and how much of a loss it is to not have them in your life. My kids have never done anything to anyone in their whole lives worth writing them off, yet they have been by many people....and that is their loss, not my kids' loss.....life without my children is very colorless and very sad, and anyone who hasnt kept them in their hearts enough to be effected by them not being in their life is losing out on some truly amazing little spirits, I thank God every day for blessing me with them both.

Off for today...I am very sick to my stomach. Will update on my awesome night last night and "Faith" tomorrow.