A Season of Thanksgiving

I have spent some time over the last few days thinking about this particular holiday. I think that Thanksgiving has gotten a bad deal. It seems like we go straight from Halloween to Christmas and Thanksgiving just gets overlooked. The radio stations are already playing Christmas music and I just refuse to listen to it until after Thanksgiving. I also will NOT shop on Thanksgiving day. I don't think there should be any retailers that are open on Thanksgiving. It's not fair for the employees and I refuse to be a patron of any of those stores. As a nurse, I have no choice in the matter when I have to work holidays, but I think retailers need to rethink their policies. Okay, off of my soapbox. I just don't think that Thanksgiving gets the respect that it deserves.



I know that we are all so thankful for many of the same things. When I think of all of the things that I could talk about I of course think about my wonderful family. I think about my 3 great kids. Yes, they can be a real pain at times. Even that cute little girl of mine:) When I have watched The Wiggles 10 times in a day it can get old. And those boys of mine. When I have to pick up their stinky socks and underwear and clean their stinky toilets and ask them for the hundredth time to please do this and that (fill in the blank), it does get old. But the reality of it all is that God has blessed me with 3 kids. Not just 3 kids, THESE 3 kids and they are 3 of the greatest kids ever. Yes, I tire of picking up clothes and cleaning toilets, etc, but that just means that my kids have clothes to wear and a house that has a toilet (4 to be exact) and a mom that has the privilege of being home with my children and taking care of them. Granted, if I never had to scrub another toilet I wouldn't complain:)



When I think about how many people in this country alone that don't have enough to eat or clothes on their back, or the ability to take care of their kids in the way that I know they would like too, it's humbling to think that could be any one of us. You never know. But by the Grace of God.........



My kids are healthy. After watching our friends over the last year watch their son suffer with cancer, it makes you realize more just how incredibly thankful you should be for everyday that you are blessed with good health. Tomorrow will be a hard day for so many parents and children as well who have lost their family members. I know that I don't thank God enough for how he has blessed my family. I suspect that I am not alone.



I'm thankful for a husband who works hard to provide for our family. I'm thankful that my kids have a father that loves God and his family and sacrifices many things to take care of us. Another blessing that I know I often take for granted.



I'm thankful for my precious mother. She is not only my mother, but she has become my dearest friend over the last few years. Funny how that can happen. I'm also thankful for my in-laws. They are such good people and have always treated me like one of their own. They are wonderful grandparents to my children and my children are so blessed to have that. My kids are lucky to have 4 grandparents that love them and are Christian examples.



There are so many things that I could post. Friends, job, country, etc. The list goes on and on. But I will conclude with thanking God for salvation above all and thanking Him that I was born in America and given the chance to grow up in a wonderful family. I also thank HIM for allowing us the wonderful privilege of adopting our daughter. She has changed our lives in so many ways. She is so special and I am so blessed.



Happy Thanksgiving.


Getting closer to the dreaded Bear Cat.

"I Got You Babe"

Our Daughter the Clepto

Emma has 2 fingers. That is a well established fact. Everyone wants to know how she manages. Well, let me tell you something. I have found very few things that this girl can't do. She has adapted so well and constantly amazes me. I couldn't be prouder of her.



With that being said, our daughter has become a clepto. Just yesterday I found a paper clip (not the regular kind, the black ones that you put a whole stack of papers in) in her pocket after nap time. She had managed to take it from speech. This morning Bo couldn't find his keys or his cell phone. The keys have been a problem all week. He couldn't find them Tuesday morning and falsely accused the boys of having them. After being locked out of the house that evening while I was at the ballgame, the lost keys became more important. He finally found them in the console of his car. WOW! Who would have thought to look there. Well, this morning the keys were gone again. Somewhere in my tired little mind I remembered hearing Emma playing with something that sounded like keys last night while I was half asleep on the couch. Well, the keys were eventually located this morning in the cab of her ride on truck. Also found there was Bo's cell phone. The girl knows that you can't drive without keys and a cell phone. You think kids aren't paying attention to our every move:)



So what will my little clepto take today?


I love these little p.j.'s. Emma refuses to wear socks to bed and her feet are always cold. I finally found some footie pajamas at Old Navy and she was too funny trying to figure them out.

I found Emma playing in her little doll bed one day last week. She had tossed the rabbits that reside there out on their floppy little ears and moved in. While she was there she decided she might need her shoes on. She was so focused on trying to tie these shoes.

Alfred Hitchcock May Have Known Something

Okay, for the last 2 weeks I have been tormented by a mocking bird that is constantly attacking my office door. He has made an enormous mess, he has scratched the window, pooped all over the porch railing, the porch, the rocking chair, etc. He is CRAZY WILD. Not being satisfied with only the house, he has begun to attack my car and the drivers side mirror. Not being satisfied with only one car, he began attacking Bo's car. This bird is deranged and if it wasn't illegal to kill our beloved state bird, well, you know what might happen.......I believe he would attack me if given the chance. Well, then it would be self defense, right?


We have been busy as usual. Our weekend consisted of Brady attending a youth camp with one of the local churches. He had a blast. Ashton hung out with friends and Bo and I discussed how old we have gotten. I remember when the kids wanted to stay home with us and now they are constantly on the road. Thank goodness for sweet Emma. Her turn is coming.


On Sunday we attended a different church to hear Mr. Edgar Harrell speak. He is one of the survivors of the USS Indianapolis and he gave an amazing account of that event and the providence of God. It was very moving and I am thrilled that we got to hear him speak. He and his son have written a book, Out of the Depths, and I am enjoying reading it. If you are the least bit interested in history and the events surrounding WWII, this book is very interesting.


Our week so far has consisted of basketball and more basketball. Ashton played last night and scored 7 points in his J.V. game. Unfortunately he didn't get to play Varsity. He understands it, but I know he really wants to play. Hopefully he will get the chance tonight.


Little Miss Emma has become a social butterfly with all of the cheerleaders and ballplayers. The girls are so sweet with her and she just eats it up. She continues to struggle with her strong desire to touch the mascot, Bear Cat, and her intense fear that he may turn on her and eat her alive. Which way will this end?


So nothing too exciting around here. How's your week going?

Catching Up

We survived the weekend and Brady is on the mend. So far the other kids have not come down with the crud although Ashton is fighting a cough and Emma continues to have a rash on her face. I broke down and took her to the doctor yesterday and he said to just continue putting lotion on it and it should get better. This morning her eyes were almost closed due to her face being so puffy and red. She did get in bed later last night after being at the ballgames for several hours so I am attributing some of that to exhaustion. I gave her some Benadryl and I think that has helped some. I will be so glad when her sweet little face clears up.


Ashton had his first ballgame last night and ended up playing for the J.V. team and the Varsity team. He scored 4 points in the J.V. game and 2 in the Varsity game. He seemed to like it and I think he is happy with his decision to change schools. I am. I really like his teachers and the administration of the school.


Emma was entertaining everyone while Ashton played ball. She kept yelling "Bubba" to him but of course he was ignoring her. The funniest part was her with the mascot (a bear cat?). She so wanted to touch the mascot and every time he would come near her she would panic and turn away. It was so cute. She was very brave while he was several feet away from her but not so much when he came near. I attempted to get a picture of her reaching to touch him but it was so short lived that I couldn't get the picture taken quick enough.



So I had a very good weekend in the grocery shopping arena. Kroger and Harris Teeter were running triples and I racked up! I bought $337.11 worth of groceries and spent $153.13. Not a bad deal. I saved $178 in coupons, with my best percentage at Kroger being 76% one stop, 68% on another stop, and 63% on my last stop. My other great deals were at Publix. I LOVE PUBLIX. I bought 6 packages of Nestle cookies for $3. Great to have in the freezer. Some of my favorite free items included:

• Fleischmann's yeast packets
• Land of Lakes spreadable butter (5 containers)
• Star Kist tuna packs
• Kroger brand chips
• Suave deodorant
• Duracell batteries (2 packs)
• Rad Baron pizza singles
• Cover Girl lipstick
• Tic Tac chillers

My really cheap stuff included:

• 5 containers of Welchs juice (.44 cents each)
• Aunt Jamima pancakes
• Dominos brown sugar
• Betty Crocker frosting (.12 cents each)
• Minute Rice (.50 cents)
• Smithfield bacon ($1.14 lb.)

Okay, so enough boring stuff. I am just really proud of my good deals and my freezer and pantry are stocked for some time to come.

During the ballgame Emma managed to snag Pop's hat.

None of my pictures of Ashton are very good. I have not mastered that whole action shot thing.
He's number 5 in case you can't tell.

Dede gave Emma a Blues Clues costume and it is a major HIT. She looked so cute playing in it and Bo managed to get a couple of not so hot pictures. And major news: Emma touched our dog Gypsy (basset hound) on the nose and the ear on Friday. SHOCKER. This is the closet she has ever gotten to her. I was so proud of her and you could tell she was so proud of herself. Of course Gypsy moved just an inch closer to her and Emma jumped up like she was about to be eaten!

It Appears The H1N1 Is Here

Well, I think our turn for the H1N1 has come and I'm hoping to contain it to only one of the kids. Brady had a cough yesterday and woke up this morning complaining of a bad headache and body aches and he also has a fever. I had some Tamniflu left from last year's flu and I started him on it. I'm hoping that will curb the effects of the flu and I hope and PRAY that no one else gets it. Emma has been coughing and having a runny nose and Ashton also has dry cough. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.


Emma was adorable when she woke up this morning. I went in to get her up and she was bouncing around in the bed and laughing and she stood up and looked at me and said "I love you". Now you might not recognize those words when she says them but we have been working on that for a while. The sweet thing is that she said it unprompted. She has also been putting her hands on my shoulders and making me look right at her when she needs to "tell" me something. She just jabbers and jabbers and then she goes about her way. It's hilarious. One other funny Emma story from yesterday involves her potty habits. For some reason when she has to poop she calls it "nanoo". She immediately comes to me and points her bottom up to me and says nanoo when she needs her diaper changed. Yesterday she did that and I said "do you have a nanoo in your pants" and she just smiled and then took her little hand and waved it front of her nose and said "shoo". It was so cute!



I bought this adorably silly hat and glove set on clearance at Old Navy long before we had Emma and I brought it out for her Wednesday afternoon and she has loved wearing it. She thought the gloves were socks and I had to explain what they were. Bo thinks she looks like an Indian in them. I just think she looks too cute.

Asthon was inducted in to Junior Beta Tuesday night and I wasn't able to get a good picture of him. I am very proud of my boy.

Santa came early to our house this week. My friends Brenda and Ken (aka Honey) brought over this doll house that their granddaughter's had outgrown. Emma was hilarious when she saw it and made her surprise face. She has begun making this face a lot. Her mouth wide open and her eyes get huge. Thanks Honey and Brenda! I have also been warned that this house is big enough to accommodate 2 girls laying on the shelves and hiding for long periods of time. Hmmm.

Emma was scheduled to have some pictures done this morning at the Belle Meade Mansion but now that Brady is sick we had to cancel those plans. I'm so disappointed. I had already chosen all of her outfits and was really looking forward to it. Alas, it was not meant to be.

Well, our weekend plans are up in the air now. Brady's last band competition is tomorrow but it looks like he will not be able to participate. Ashton is already attempting to negotiate his plans but there will be no extra kids here this weekend.

Have a good weekend.

Princess Emma

Emma was a little uncertain about the whole dressing up for Halloween thing. She really did like her dress and actually wore it much longer than I thought she would. These pictures were taken before all of the actually trick or treating was done and it wasn't easy to get a smile. She was too busy watching the dogs to make sure they didn't eat her to manage a little smile for me.

I love the look she is giving Bo.

Mom, there is dog right behind you. Please be careful. (That is her new phrase "be careful" but it comes out sounding like she is saying awful.)

Another no smile picture.

So we made a few stops for Halloween. She was very impressed that people actually gave her candy and we did well with NO suckers. I actually hid a couple because I couldn't bear to hear her screaming.

Emma had a play date with Rory this morning and they were so cute. When Rory says Emma it sounds more like "Amma" and it is adorable. Emma would just look at Rory and one time she just put her hand on her back and patted her. It was very sweet and they had a good time together.

This week doesn't appear to be as busy as the last 2 have been. No doctor's appointments! Although Emma has developed some type of rash on her face that feels like alligator skin. She isn't scratching it but it looks really bad. She was supposed to have some pictures done on Friday and I am hoping that it will be gone before then.

Well, my exciting life offers nothing new to write about and maybe that's not a bad thing. I am just attempting to clean, do laundry, make schedules, eBay clothes, plan dinner, etc. No, nothing too exciting there.