Spring Break Beginning...

Just ran across the snow pics from the beginning of our spring break last week. They are so cute I just had to share! The boys were very excited, obviously, and this was definitely the biggest snow of the season...even though it was the first day of spring!

Just look at Garrett...he's had BIG plans for that snowball!

Braden's no better...scheming against his mother. Only the fact that I had my camera in hand saved me from this massive snowball!

Like father, like son...those boys didn't stand a chance! Look at the size of this one! "No mercy for the wicked..."

Eric's facial expression reminds me of the Scottish warriors on Braveheart...just before turning their rumps to the enemy and mooning them! I guess it was a battle of sorts, there in the snowy spring afternoon. Everyone had a marvelous time, but I can only imagine what the neighbors must have thought as our boys sank up to their knees in snow and the parental units encouraged the heaving of snow weapons. It really was all fun and games until Braden snuck up behind me and shoved snow down my pants...

Garrett LUVS Him Some T-Ball...

Garrett Jake has taken to t-ball in some kind of fantastic way that Braden never did...as they say, "To each his own!" Here's our cutie at his very first practice.

Yep, he's a southpaw...lefty...gets so frustrated that he can't do it just like the other boys!

Garrett is Daddy's boy through and through. Having Eric there to help out makes it so nice for everyone...and it's just so sweet to be there and see father and son together. It makes for a proud Mamma!

The years are flying by and our boys are growing up so quickly! I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband to share these times with. I wouldn't miss this for anything! I wonder if all mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers feel the same way? Do they all treasure life's little wonders as much as I do, or am I just sappy? These are not times to be missed, folks...good times, good times...

Hi, Nanny!...

Nanny has told me several times that she checks my blog page each evening before going to bed...I'm sure what with my hiatus over spring break it's been dull and disappointing. Sorry!

I stayed up late every night of the break reading novels. I read Dear John by Nicholas Sparks and Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Both were WONDERFUL! Redeeming Love is a Biblically based novel, roughly based on the text of Hosea and Song of Solomon...good stuff! I highly recommend both!

So, Nanny, this one's for you. Happy reading, good night, and I love you!

Oh, and Braden picked up a free John Deere hat from the Spider Webb booth at the lawn and garden show over the weekend. As soon as he saw it, he said "It's just like Papaw's!" What a sweet boy...he does remember!

Finally...A Sport Braden Likes...

After all the drama last spring with Braden and t-ball (tears, snot, the works...), we are so pleased that he has really taken to soccer! Granted, I know nothing about soccer, but Eric used to play and has grand plans for Braden and his lightning-fast feet...too bad Eric's knee surgery Wednesday will hamper the lessons planned. Guess I'll have to step in and take direction from "coach" and pass them on to Braden in the form of at-home practice. This is beginning to sound a little too much like exercise to me, but I'm sure I'll manage somehow.

Braden's very first game was tonight (after only a single practice) and he scored twice! He was very timid at first, most likely because he was clearly the biggest kid on the field and acted like he was going to break the others if he got near them. But, after that first goal, there was no stopping him! Way to go, Braden Riley!

More Gifts for the Babies...

Two ladies at work are due to have babies very soon...just a day apart! Their shower was last Tuesday, and I had to miss it in order to get to Braden's P/T conference across town. Because I am a born procrastinator, I put off these projects until Monday night...getting home late AND forgetting that I had wisely washed the items first, but had unwisely forgotten to get them in the dryer before leaving for work. SO...I didn't even get to start until around ninish because my dryer is SLOW!

I finished aroun 1:30 am...two broken needles, an issue with the bobbin, countless thread breakage, and I honestly sewed in the final stitches just as the bobbin ran out of thread...whew, close call. I was NOT about to start the bobbin winding process at 1:30 in the morning!

They turned out pretty cute, albeit a simple design...but there's nothing simple about pinning and stitching in the wee hours of the morning!

Snow? Seriously?...

Sorry, folks, but this just does not say "spring break" to me...

We moved the boys' picnic table out off of the patio so they could enjoy the fresh air and sunshine two days ago...and now look at it...

It IS beautiful, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow and Tuesday's forecast of sun.

This is actually a copy of the weather map from weather.com at about 8:30 this morning...you can't even see the river valley due to the massive blue blob smeared across the entire area!

Braden's Teacher Conference...

I suppose I could go on and on, waxing poetic (or sarcastic) about teacher conference time, but I'll keep it short and to the point...promise.

Eric and I met with Mrs. Adams yesterday after school and all is well, except for behavior. That Braden, he's a willful one, he is. Not mean, just wants to do what Braden wants to do when Braden wants to do it. Mrs. Adams assured us that if it has anything to do with art or coloring, he's all over it, but other than that, not so much...

Braden's STAR reading test score increased several points since the fall administration and he is now a full-fledged emergent reader. He knows all of his sight words, how to measure stuff, and how to do simple math...but he still can't tie his shoes. Go figure.

All in all, it was a great conference and we are so blessed to have had Mrs. Adams as a part of Braden's academic career. She is just the most patient and kind person, which is precisely what Braden Riley needs.

In the mean time, he is just ecstatic, looking forward to his day with Nanna on Friday! He simply cannot wait! Garrett's class has a field trip and I have staff development, so he and Nanna will be kickin' it! He's already started his list of "Things to Do When Nanna Gets Here..."

Weiner Roast...

While Eric was grocery shopping this afternoon, I decided it was high time we began to clean up the scraggly brush around the creek in the back yard. When he returned home, I had one boy in footie pj's and tennis shoes (Braden), one ankle deep in creek mud (Garrett), and I was straddling the creek, attempting to get rid of some big, tangly roots that keep blocking the water drainage. After piling all of the limbs up, I suggested we have a weiner roast, and so we did. Erica, Matt, Tyler, Jacob, Mom, and Larry all came over and we had a marvelous time! The fire was great, the s'mores were greater, and the company was the greatest! We all knew it was just about time to wrap things up when the boys all began laying over on me and complaining of the cold. What fun! I forsee many more roasts in the future!

Sick House...

You know, there are just times in life when one feels truly tested. This is one of those times.

"The ideal man bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of circumstances." -Aristotle

Braden fell asleep in the chair last night, so we moved him to his bed. On the way, he woke up and sort of whimpered and whined, but asked to just be put to bed. OK...an hour and a half later, while putting Garrett to bed, Eric noticed that Braden had vomited in his bed, but didn't tell anyone! We asked him why he didn't go to the toilet, connected right to his bedroom..."I'm not sure." Why didn't he come get one of us after the fact..."I'm not sure." That answer seems very familiar to him. Perhaps he's had to practice it a lot over the last months while living in the land of "yellow" at school!!!! But, we still have hearts. We gave him a shower, stripped his bed, and put him in with us...he said he felt better, and thank goodness it was true!

This was no ordinary vomit, though...it was just about the stinkiest, smelliest, grossest mess I'd ever encountered. Eric and I were both effected by it, which is unusual. I usually have an iron stomach, thereby explaining the odd things I bring up during dinner conversations quite frquently. It also explains why I am typically the sole vomit cleaner-upper and was the primary poopy diaper changer. Nothing but the sight of blood, until now, really bothers me. It took a bit to get our stomachs settled as well!

So, today I have to fumigate the boys' room, Braden's mattress in particular, and get all of that soiled laundry cleaned up! Garrett is eating and drinking just fine, and we are praying that the bowel issues he's had are out the window! We are supposed to take the boys for choir practice this morning, but who knows if we will actually make it...

"Let it run its course..."

After waitng for an hour-and-a-half at the pediatrician's office, I was told to let Garrett's bowel problem "run its course." He said that it normally takes between 3-7 days to clear on its own, but if it's not better by Monday, I have to take stool samples...ewwwww, gross!

We had lunch with Eric and his friend, Jim, at George's and had a really nice time. Garrett wouldn't eat anything, but my patty melt and french fries were amazing! Really, if you've not experienced George's fries, they are to die for! I needed a patty melt like a hole in the head, but I always get that when I go to George's.

Then, I took a wild hair and went to Braden's school at 1:30 and checked him out because the weather today was simply fabulous! When I asked Eric if he was mad at me for doing that, he just said "Don't make it a habit." Yeah, like I'm gonna' take off of work every Friday just to get Braden out of school...no, it won't be a habit, BD! Braden, Garrett, and I headed over to Marble Slab for "fancy" icecream before heading to the park. We played for a bit and then walked around the little pond/lake there. The boys posed with the metal sculpture of the dog and man while I took pics on my phone, but I have no idea how to get the pictures to the computer...I'm a technological idiot! That's why I have JenGetsFancy to fancy up my blog page...I certainly can't! :0)

Our final stop was at my grandma's farm in OK. The boys love to go over there and swing on the back gate! Grandma was in a good, cheerful mood...it was nice. I hadn't seen her that "normal" since the funeral in December. My dad came in from feeding the cows and introduced us to his farmhand, who is assisting with taking care of the livestock since Dad works so much. The boys took to this guy right away, which is a little odd. I have always thought of them both as very shy around strangers. Anyway, we had a great visit and got home just as Eric did...what luck!

Oh, and I would be remiss if I did not mention that Garrett FINALLY won a race on MarioCart for Wii this morning...he was so proud! Sweet guy!

Warm Weekend Fun...

A couple of weekends ago, it was warm (for winter) and the kids had a great time outside...finally! We were watching Tyler and Jacob so the whole crew got in on the fun!

Braden's sandbox cameo...he's such a ham!

Garrett on the treadmill (speed 2...no harm). "Mom, I need extercise, too!"

Blasto Poo...

Yep...that's right...I said it...I went there...blasto poo! Garrett Jake has been cursed with Montezuma's revenge! Yesterday before we could even leave for school, he soiled his drawers and had to be changed...it was liquid...ewwwww. At least I didn't have to clean it up for once! Hooray Eric! We took him to school thinking it was a random thing, but Eric called me at work around nine saying the school wanted him picked up. He had already soiled two more pairs of underwear! Eric saved the day, yet again, by picking Garrett up from preschool and staying home with him all day...superdad! Three more pairs of underwear went down during the day. Eric had to go have an MRI on his knee at 6, so I was here and nothing at all happened the rest of the night.

So, I thought maybe things were on the up and up down there, but low and behold, this morning right after Eric left for work (I had already made arrangements to stay home and rehabilitate Jake) Garrett had another blow out, soiling his drawers again! Luckily, while he did have more blasto poo throughout the day, there was no more soiling of the underwear...whew! We're going to give school another try tomorrow...pray for us, and pray hard, please!

Now, all of this is bad enough, but yesterday, Eric also got a call from Braden's school that he needed to be picked up. Ironically, Braden's issue was constipation! He said he was in the bathroom, screaming for me and his teacher. Ms. Adams bravely pressed on, rescuing Braden from his own personal elementary bathroom hell. You know, it's almost as if Braden has a sixth sense...he knew Garrett was at home and was not going to have any of the fun lost to himself. But, the joke was on them both...sick boys=no wii, no playing, no running, no squealing...only sitting calmly on the sofa all afternoon.

The issues with Garrett have reminded me of the days of baby diaper blow outs and boy am I thankful we're not going through THAT right now. I think we've both had quite enough poo issues over the past two days to last a lifetime.

Oh, and the water bill came in the mail again over the weekend. Eric's comment, "Guess I have to get out there and read the meter, huh?" My reply..."Someone has to..."