So bad at this!

I started this blog as a memory keeper for all of the daily things my family goes through and mostly to keep intact thos especially funny moments that I don't ever want to lose sight of. The problem is I'm so darn busy and some of the funny stuff makes me want to go back and document everything that happened before this. There are not enough hours in the day to make this happen so I do the best I can. It's been year since I've posted anything and there is much to catch up on so here goes.

• We have moved! It's been a wonderful year in our new home and I couldn't be happier. We love the area, the people, and the schools. The kids have finally all adjusted and have impressed me with their new choice in friends, involvement at school, and dedication to making this work. Don't get me wrong, the first few months were absolutely horrible for Abbie! Drake is constantly lonely since he has nowhere he can walk to. Norbert is bored most of the time but what teen isn't?
• Norbert has gotten his license and it's still a shock to my system most days. I want to give him the freedome to be a teenager and drive all over the world in my car but I can't let go of this impending doom that something might happen that I can't control. He's a good driver but I have no faith with others on the road. Norb's also started looking at colleges which is very scary. His grades aren't strong enough yet to go to Vet school but he's addament he's going to make it happen. I really want him to go somewhere close so that he can live with us and continue saving money. I also want him to start working so that he has some kind of experience but Dennis wants him to wait until his truck is done so we don't have to drive him - we'll see!

• Abbie has adjusted very well really. She's got a ton of wonderful friends, joined cheerleading, and is always involved in something. Sometimes she amazes me with what she can keep up with and other times I'm amazed at the size of her attitude. She's definitely not growing up to take slack from anyone! Abbie also has her temps and is doing her behind the wheel now....it's getting scary in our house lol. She's in this new thing where she really likes taking pics of herself and herself with others (see below). When she wants to she really loves her brothers! She and Bailey broke up a few months ago and she's been spending time with a new boy. They aren't dating just yet but I think it's bound to happen sooner or later. She's been very happy and I like seeing that.



Abbie 1st Day of Cheer




Abbie Cheer Team - Varsity

 

• Drake is his normal goofy self. He is getting into the whole teen attitude thing but he really knows how to work it when he wants to pass for younger. He's such a ham all the time and has, of course, made a ton of friends. He doesn't really get to spend much time with his friends because of the distance and having to drive everywhere but he's loved that's for sure! He currently has a girlfriend named Abby (very weird) and he's finally moved to the hand holding stage. Even though he's a handful some days he's still my snuggler on the couch. I have done a good job of "letting go" since football started but it's still hard most days. He has turned out to be an amazing player and once he got over the intial shock of tackling his friends he gained a ton of confidence. His team won Superbowl Champs 3 years in a row - what a great accomplishment!

Drake after winning Superbowl

• Dennis and I continue doing what we do best - work & home life! We are so involved in what the kids are doing that it's like a 2nd job most days. I don't know what I'll do with my life when both Abbie & Norb are driving full time. That's pretty much it for us just rolling along the highs & lows and hoping for the best.

Pics from Abbie



Abbie & Drake at Walmart

 


Abbie & Norbert 1st day of school '13

 



Abbie loving herself AGAIN

  


Abbie & Norbert before school

 

How times change

How do you go from this.......

To this......?

I sometimes don't understand how my little pumpkin, no bigger than my husbands hands at birth can have such a large attitude sometimes. Not to mention he's much taller than me now?! I find that we struggle a lot with agreement on rules and restrictions which I know is normal for a teenager but I wasn't prepared. It all happened so fast, this growing up stuff.

When you have a child, especially your first, you think the moments are going to last forever. The giggles, hugs, laughter, and even the tears are what is burned in your memory and feel as if they just happened yesterday. You don't realize how time flies and how quickly you will get to see the product of all of your hard work and worry. As I write these statements tears come to my eyes at the lost moments, created memories, and the ones yet to come.

I couldn't be more proud of the man that my son is becoming. He is even tempered, loves everyone, smart as a whip....this list could go on & on. I know that he is a reflection of the type of parents we are and the life we've lived by example for our children - I'm bursting with pride! My husband has been such a wonderful role model on how to live your life as an honorable man, I couldn't ask for more.

I know that as time continues to go on we will experience many more adventures of a different kind. Our relationship will now go from a "mom I need you" to a "mom, I respect your opinion but I have to make decisions w/o you too". I'm so not ready ;(

Onward and upward Norbert. You are doing great so far and I only have the highest hopes and dreams for your future. I can't wait to see the full man you will be and how proud I know you'll make me.

Oh the most wonderful day ever

Today is my best friends birthday! He is my 1 & only, the love of my life, the best thing that's ever happened to me. Just knowing him makes me a better person and without him I wouldn't be who I am today. We don't get to do our usualy family celebration due to bow shooting tonight but Lorie and I will be taking him for Mexican this weekend to celebrate with drinks for sure.

Not much changes around here. Norbert is pretty mellow and remped up to move. Abbie still can't spell to save her life and is very emotional over the move. Drake is developing quite the pre-teen attitude and still my snuggle bear. We have seriously started packing now and looking forward to moving even a small bit this week if the inspection goes well. I have to admit I'm getting pretty nervous...well wait....I've been nervous for about a month thinking we aren't going to make this deadline. I know in reality everything will work out fine but it's in my nature to stress over things I can't control. And I'm really to the point where I just want to be done with it and move on from here. For the first time ever I'm so ready for a new year.

In other news, there is nothing! I'm at a loss of what to write about. Nothing funny has happened lately other than our usual antics. I love my life, my family, and my friends. I love to laugh at all of the rare moments that are truely worth the gut ache afterwards.

Oh wait, 1 more thing. In my constant strive to become the thin me that I know is hiding under all of this fat I have embarked on the Paleo Diet way of live. Day 1 was mostly successful but then I got home and totally bombed trying to figure out what to make for dinner so of course I ended up eating everything I shouldn't. I'm going to try my very best to stick as closely as possible and not stray to far until I can go shopping this weekend. Wish me luck!

I'm back......

Wow I can't believe it's been a month since I've blogged...I just have the hardest time with juggling everything going on right now. A long list of events are currently happening in my life and it doesn't seem to ever slow down. First of all the move is finally right around the corner so figuring out all of the final details is driving me mad. Then I have one child that is trying to buck the system at every turn and really hating that we're moving. Onward, I have been having some pretty major health issues and doc finally told me if I don't make a lifestyle change I will die. I think out of all of it that is the hardest to swallow...but more to follow shortly.

So let's address the move first. Looks as if we'll be starting to move things in slowly in about a week. Their new house is getting the hardwood floors in 11/28 and then carpeting 12/5 so right after that we start working our butts off to make it happen before New Years! I'm sickly nervous about the whole thing but have faith that it will happen without a hitch. Sad to say that we'll be moving over Christmas but what can you do? Our POD is being delivered 11/28 and that will start clearing out the house.

My problem child...but o'how I love her. Abbie is such an angel in disguise. Sweetest girl you will ever meet but in the end she is also the most opinionated, stubborn girl ever. She's not afraid to speak her mind and is currently fighting the "every other weekend to see her friends" compromise that was mentioned a year ago. I know that her social life is most important to her right now but also don't think she understand that there are determining factors to all that driving. The funniest thing is that everything she is doing to me I did to my mom at some point. It really does come true when you're parents say "Just you wait until you have a child of your own, then you'll understand!" Ha, I get it now

So here's my laughter for the day....Drake has been coming up with some dandy things lately. His comments just kill me such as:

1. No but thank you very much
2. I would much rather not
3. I'm thinking no

The best thing he's said recently is "I wonder what it's like to be married. What is it like for you mom?" To this my response was automatic (and a bit deep for my 11 year old).

Being married is like having your bestfriend by your side for the rest of your life. It's like constantly having a coach with you to help you solve problems and cheer you on. It's also like having a parent forever because you always have someone else to think about when you're making decisions....it's the greatest thing in the world.

With that I close for the day thinking much about how children can really make you re-evaluate how you look at your life!

The things kids say.....

I think it's hilarious when kids start using words that they don't know exactly what they mean. All of my kids have had mis-pronunciations and mis-spoken words but it's just so funny. Abbie for example used to tell us all the time she was saving everything for her 'clitiorun'. What? It took us about 2 months to figure out she was talking about her 'collection' that she kept in a box of random stuff. Norbert used to refer to his pillow as a 'punya'...love it! Drake is now saying 'seriously' to everything no matter what the reference. If Norbert does something he doesn't like he'll look at him and say, "SERIOUSLY?". Another one of his favorite words is "literally" as in, "You know Jake from school? Well you don't know him literally but you know that kid with....". Just makes me chuckle.

Lots going on this week as always. Getting Abbie ready for Homecoming this weekend! Norbert had a blast at his and was glad he decided to go. He looked so handsome :) I can't figure out if Abbie is supposed to buy something for her boyfriend since he's buying her a corsage and some of the kids are exchanging garters but I think that's a bit overboard for her age. Maybe just like a key chain or something with their names on it? idk I guess I will have to talk to her about it.

So I talked to our landlord lastnight to let him know that we're moving in December. The conversation went so much better than I expected and I left feeling a sense of relief that it is finally done. I can't stand the feeling of keeping a secret or lying about something. He seemed very appreciative that we were giving him so much notice and thanked us for fixing everything we could before moving. I just don't know what to do about some of the bigger stuff, things that I consider normal wear & tear from living there 3 years. Oh well, we'll figure it all out! I'm just so glad it's happening.

Work is still crazy busy and I'm in the process of training by replacement for the other team. I have to be honest it's going to be a huge adjustment only working 8 hours a day once she's on board with everything. I'm so used to get here crazy early, which I like for the great parking spot but it's also so quiet in here. I really need to get prepared for coming in an hour later and leaving at a normal time. Well onto work I go!

Giddy Up

You ever get that feeling when you're driving into work that you're cattle in a large round up just being herded along to the daily grind? Lately I've been thinking of the non-individuality of it all and it's quite depressing really. I mean really, we rush to get to work along with thousands of other people, rush into those big glass doors, rush to get through the day successfully, and then rush home with those same thousands. It's pretty funny to see the masses leaving the building at end of day and the struggle for a spot in traffic to just wait. There has to be something better than this right? I'm not doing this 90% of my life for nothing! Might be mid-life crisis or just a nervous breakdown but I keep having the questions of where is my life going, I'm running out of time, I should have done this or that, end of the world questions. Deep!!!

So, Abbie says to me the other day that she has a bucket list and it's never too late to start it because then you have more time to complete it or add to it. On the one hand she has a great outlook on it, on the other I think she might be rushing it a bit. She feels so old and I can't help but laugh when she worries about these things already. I don't understand some of the things the kids stress over at their ages like Drake worrying about being fat at 11 years old, Norbert worried that he's too skinny, Abbie worried that life isn't long enough.....jeesh guys take a breather and enjoy your childhood.

Well onto another wonderful day at that office...CHEERS!

It's a new day!

Wow it's been awhile since that first post and only due to the business of my life that continues to grow with responsibilities. For some reason I had this gandeur plan that as the kids started to get older I would have more time to do the things that I have always wanted to accomplish. Let me tell you that is so FALSE!!! lol

I feel like most parents do during a certain stage in parenthood where I should have a TAXI sign on the top of my car. My life has become endless amounts of calendars to keep track of all the running around I do. It's quite frightening that when I go into a store I'm actually attracted to calendars; I want all kinds, sizes, and shapes. One day my walls will be pasted with those little puppy/kitten eyes staring at me, flowers constantly in bloom, bank logos....the possibilities are endless in design. OMG I'm scaring myself!

Big events have happened in the last couple of weeks:

1. Our beloved Minnie has gone onto a better place to rest at the feet of God and watch over us while we struggle through our daily burdens. She will be terribly missed forever and her absence is felt heavily. Although these last few months have been a struggle with her constant barking, going outside, and wanting to eat...I now understand it was due to her illnesses and not because she was being a pain. She was always on your lap scratching and licking to get extra love and there wasn't a morning that I woke up to find her snuggled on the couch covered with a blanket. We love you Minnie and hope that your pain has finally gone.

2. This one is HUGE! Drake has now turned 11 years old. I can't get over it, can't wrap my head around the fact that he is growing up so fast. I love all of my children with my whole heart but this is my baby. How do you handle the climb into adulthood of your last child when I've barely come to terms with him not being a toddler? Last nights birthday dinner wasn't as hard for me as I thought but it brings tears to my eyes this morning while tucking him in extra tight to make sure he's warm before I leave for work. Everyone keeps telling me to "let him go" but how do you do that? I don't think you're supposed to let go of your children ever. I mean, yes, you should let them make mistakes to learn from experience, let them make those hard decisions while you painfully sit by and watch because they think you're wrong...but really I just want to keep them closer to me as they grow into these wonderful teens & adults in their venture into the big bad scary world.

So Abbie had her boyfriend over for this birthday dinner lastnight. Bailey was quiet and it was odd having someone else there who normally isn't. I'm not sure how I feel about this whole boyfriend thing. Couldn't she just go on being alone and have millions of cats? I mean cats are great companions and not demanding at all and she could be very happy that way! lol just kidding (kind of). After everything was said and done we started joking around like we do at every meal and it felt like normal again. I think she's done a great job of clouding his opinion of us and I'm sure the whole "scary parent" thing isn't too far off but hopefully he will find that we aren't all that bad.

Well it's time to tackle another day! Onward and upward we go