"Mom, I Don't Feel Good"

Words that all mothers dread hearing, especially at 12:30 in the morning. Ashton was hovering over my bed and complaining that his stomach was hurting and then it was straight to the bathroom and let the good times roll. Poor kid, he threw up all night and felt miserable. Thankfully he has not thrown up since about 4 a.m. and I am hoping that it has subsided. He is also running a fever and the one thing that has him the most upset is that he Bo have tickets to a college game tonight and he is determined to go. We shall see. He has only had a few sips since last night and is sleeping off his Phenergan right now. I am just hoping that no one else has the pleasure of sharing in his misery.

Little Miss drifted off to sleep on the couch Sunday afternoon. Notice that she is wearing her sweat band. She also had on underwear and socks. Thank goodness because you just never know with her.

 Ashton and his teammates. They are having a great season.

 If you will notice, there is a little girl right in the middle of all these teenagers getting ready to cheer on the boys as they come in to the gym.

 Oh yea, she thinks she is all that.

 Emma and Cubby. They have become very good friends this year. Last year, not so much.

Notice also if you will a little girl sitting with the teenagers watching the dance team. She has no clue that she is only 4 years old. Her favorite person is "Aprie". April is Ashton's girlfriend and Emma worships her. She is the one on the right.

 Part of her basketball attire. She wears it EVERY GAME.



Just Catching Up

Emma spends a lot of time with her various backpacks on. She thinks that we are going to a ballgame and that she needs to pack all of her belongings. That includes her extra shorts, sweat towel (personalized thanks to Dede), various toys, a hairbrush (just like Ashton), and whatever other hodge podge of items that she chooses. I looked up one day last week and she was sleeping with her backpack on.

 Just looking out the door.

 Notice what section of the paper she chose. This child loves basketball and thinks that every paper that has anything about basketball in it is about Ashton. She is his biggest fan.

 Christmas morning. I don't know why I even attempt to take their pictures together.

 Emma got the next best thing to a real pony from Giggee and Pop for Christmas. She wasn't sure about it at first but once she figured it out she was thrilled.

Some of Emma's latest antics include, but are not limited to:

• requiring that all of her shirts be tucked in. This is driving me NUTS.
• wanting to wear button up shirts. She owns none but was determined that she wanted one while at Target last week. I won out. It was a boys outfit that she wanted, including vest and bow tie.
• wearing only summer pajamas....tucked in.
• Lo Mien from the local Chinese restaurant after gymnastics every Monday night. She starts talking about noodles the minute we get to the gym. The lady that works there loves her.
• anything Mickey Mouse. Constantly singing the Club House song and Hot Dog.
• Requiring that all clothing, including underwear, be removed before she poops in the potty. Drives me NUTS.
• Constantly saying "Oh MAN" and calling for me to "come here mama".
• Every morning, without fail, asking about "Ashton's basketball". Poor kid is going to be heartbroken when the season is over.
• Finding every lady bug that winds up in the house. Dead or alive and telling me "lady bug bite you".

A Few More Christmas Pictures

I can hardly believe that my boys are this big. Brady will be 18 in February and Ashton thinks he is 21. He loves being taller than his brother.

The boys had a good Christmas. I am glad that everyone is back in school and at work so that life can get back to normal....whatever that is. We are working on all the college applications and FAFSA paperwork for Brady who is on track to graduate in May...please Dear Lord.

 Emma will kiss you for a dollar. Is that something we should be worried about or take pride in? I mean really, what a little scam she has going on. She conned Uncle Jimmy into a dollar without any problem.

 Look at that happy face. She loves her money.

 She also loves her Uncle Johnny. Emma was very excited about the farm set and the donkeys that she received for Christmas from her Uncle. This girl has no idea that she is indeed a girl. She thinks she is a teenage boy most of the time. Constantly "playing" basketball and being in the band. I love to watch her pretending.

 This will be the next member of our family. Ashley and Ben (not pictured) got engaged a few months ago and are on track to marry in September. I think my brother is happy about his next daughter-in-law.

 Bob and Sarah were able to be here for Christmas and it's hard to believe that they have already been married a year. The laugh of the night was hearing about Sarah making cornbread. Apparently using ONLY 3 tablespoons of corn meal just doesn't cut it. Kuddos for trying!

 Emma sporting some stockings.

A follow up on my medical scare from a few weeks ago. I had surgery on December 16 and the tumor they fournd was a fibroid but large enough and entangled enough that my doctor chose to leave it alone. She said it would cause me more problems at this point to remove it and that we will leave it alone and deal with it if I begin having problems. That would mean a Hysterectomy and I am in no hurry for that. It was an answer to prayer and I am thankful for the good news. I enjoyed the pain medications for a few days and then it was back to work!

School Christmas Party

Emma had her party at school and this is her best friend in the world Gracie Belle. She talks about her all the time and describes her hair as "round round hair" because it is so curly. They were so sweet together.

 Emma decided to be a Policeman or a member of the Village People, I'm not sure which.

 The children made the sweetest shirts with reindeer antlers. My girl's was the most unique and that makes me proud.

 And for entertainment, the kids got a container of Flarp, noise putty. Needless to say, my girl and her brothers loved it. What is it about bodily function noises that just makes you giggle?

Guess What Emma Got For Christmas?

Catching Up

Well of course we have been crazy busy and finding time to blog has been hard.

The kids are good. Ashton is busy with basketball and scored 13 points in his JV game last night. He is still not getting to play much Varsity but hopefully in time.

Brady has his final Christmas concert tonight for his Senior year. I can't believe it. He retook his ACT this weekend and is shooting for even higher scores. YES PLEASE.

Emma. Well, she is busy changing clothes multiple times each day and pretending that she is Mickey Mouse by pulling her shorts up to her chest and wearing gloves while singing the Hot Dog song.....repeatedly. Oh this girl of mine.

 I may not be able to find the perfect pair of boots, but Zappos boxes makes great playhouses.

I have also been busy with a medical issue. After thinking that all of my problems were related to a faulty gallbladder (and I am still not convinced), I had an ultrasound about a month ago. To my surprise my gallbladder apparently is fine, but they found a pelvic mass that was a complete shock. Over the last 2 weeks I have had a CAT scan and an MRI and they believe that baseball sized mass is benign and is only a fibroid tumor. I am having surgery on Friday to remove it and hopefully be good as new. As a nurse you forget sometimes just what a pain it can be to have numerous medical tests, etc. I guess it's good for me to be on the other side of the stretcher.

So, that about wraps it up. I am hoping for a speedy recovery and the ability to get my Christmas shopping and wrapping all "wrapped:" up.

This may be the year that no Christmas cards are sent. I can't seem to get all 3 of the kids together at the same time and my schedule is getting tight. I hate it!

Out of the Mouths of His Children

Get a box of tissues and watch this little girl give her testimony. What are you doing to help orphans? http://elliourgiftfromgod.blogspot.com/ and click on Xiaoyun speaks.