The last few days have been about "powering through". Seriously. You know the ones...where you just put your head into the wind and slowly push forward. You know that the storms can't go on forever, and they don't. And let's face it. It's nothin' that about a pound of fudge and a bottle of tequila wouldn't cure....but alas..I am solo-parenting at the moment. And everyone knows that about 1/2 way through that bottle SOMEONE would wake-up and require an ER trip, and there I'd be...the drunk mom in the ER, trying to explain to the nurse, how I'm really not a drinker....it's just been a bad day.....and my old man is over-seas.... Well, you get the picture. ;-) So....I comforted myself by buying a new pair of smashing boots. Yes, that did it. I do feel better. (And just so you know, if Race were home, he would have handed me the bottle, and hid the check card! LOL)

On the school front, Jack beleives himself to be another Archimedes, after learning his latest math skill in about 5 minutes. Math really does come very easy to him, and today I realized that I have been holding him back. I'm going to go ahead and start pushing forward until we hit a sticking point. Savannah, today had to learn outlining and notecards. She catches on so quickly to everything related to writing. It truly is her passion. Austin and I worked more Algebra problems than I care to recall! He was having some difficulty, and was skipping through some of the steps. So we sat with dualling white boards and raced each other on the problems. (Ahem, He only beat me on the fraction ones..) Anyway, we got through them, and now he understands it.

I went to vote at lunch time. Our little precinct is so funny. No waiting.....EVER. You walk up to the 1 table,and the lady greets you,( "Hi Melissa! How are y'all doing? How are the kids?") Then, really official-like, she says, "Please state your full name and address". Then, person #2 hands you a little ticket that says "voter". You then walk AROUND the table and person #3 TAKES your voter ticket, and yells "BOOTH#1!!" (There are only 2 booths). It is so funny. I always have this strong urge to just run through to the back door with my little "Voter" tag, and just see what they would do. But...I never do. I go to my little toch screen, and then say g'bye to everyone, and head out.....you've got to go through the BACK door.

I got to talk to Race today. It was wonderful and worrisome all at the same time. It ain't easy being the wife of Johnny Bad Ass!

BTW, I have decided not to go brunette yet. I figured after the whole H**ters Heist, that showing up at the airport as a brunette, might be pushing it a little! So, I am thinking maybe January.

Jess, you and that photoshop!! Too funny girl.I would be dangerous with that sort of knowledge!
And, did y'all hear that Dy has floors!!!! REAL floors!!! There'll be no livin' with her after this! LOL!!!

Oh- and a topic for another time: Bare Essentials make-up. My mom introduced me to it. Anyone else using this?

g'night!
melissa

HALLOWEEN!

First fo all: Happy Birthday Austin! Austin was our Halloween baby, so we were celebrating his birthday along with a little trick-or-treating!

We had our best Halloween experience ever.

We had gone up to mom and dads house. We let Austin open his gifts late that afternoon. He was thrilled with his Ipod nano, his running shoes from his dad, his authentic Red Sox jacket from mam-ma and pap-pa, a cool baseball board game from Aunt Em and Uncle Todd, and an Itunes gift card from Aunt Thomasina.He had a really Happy Birthday!

Savannah and Jack got dressed in their costumes and we grabbed Austin's birthday cake and headed over to Em's place. This was SO awesome!! We were greeted by a very tiny Robin (as in, Batman and__)at the door.Once inside, there was a small Jedi seated at the table, telling us all "hello". Em had a huge pot of delicious chili cooked up, complete with cornbread on the side. She had hot mulled cider, (with rum on the side, for spiking). I think that this was the first time that the whole family (minus Race) was at Em's all at the same time. They have such a warm and inviting home, and we enjoyed their hospitality so much. We ate, drank, and visited.

Then it was on to the Trick-or Treating. This was the best time we have ever had Trick-or Treating. The huge, old houses, the groups of costumed children, walking by the historical monuments all lit up, and the dark grave yards. It was like a Norman Rockwell Halloween. The kids all did beautifully, except for Jack, who was alomst walked away with a group of strangers.....twice, and almost ran out into oncoming traffic, just as we were about to head home.(A heart-felt thanks to The Dude for saving him all 3 times) The child works himself up into an excited, sugar-induced drunkenness, and doesn't seem to be able to help himself. (sigh)

It was a wonderful night for all, and the kids made a record hall of candy goodness.

I am still at mom and dads, but when I get home, I'll be sure to post pictures. We had such a wonderful time!!

G'night,
Melissa

Game day

It was gorgeous outside today. Much too pretty to be stuck inside all day. We called a half-day of school, and played the rest of the day!


Jack and I took a beautiful drive out to Thomasina's house, to pick up a few extra pieces that we needed for Savannah's pirate crewman costume. (Of course Thom had what we needed!) The drive was breathtaking, and Jack pretty much sang and talked the whole time. Unfortunately Thom was under-the weather- so I begged her to just stash the goods outside on her car, and we'd swing by and get them without bothering her......anymore. There are very few people you can ask to do stuff like that. Thank goodness for sisters!

The rest of the day was spent playing games. I am serious. There were outside games of "My Land" (I dunno anything about this one), there was laser tag in the woods,and baseball. There were also inside games of Risk, Monopoly, and Ping-pong. It was a great day. Maybe not so much in the way of traditional education, but there is something very right about a family who can just enjoy one anothers company. And we really had a great time hanging out with one another today. It was a nice break.

We put together Savannah's costume. This is her last year to go Trick or Treating, and oh, how she mourns having to give it up. She is my child who revels in the imaginations of childhood, and while her logical mind tells her otherwise, she would love to BELIEVE forever. Which is all wonderful,when balanced, but lets face it no one wants a 22 year old trick-or treater showing up at their door! LOL! Anyway, she intends to go out with a bang and collect mountains of candy this year. She is going as a Pirate ships mate, and she did her costume all by herself, and it really IS adorable. Maybe next year we can throw a Halloween party for their friends, after all Halloween IS Austin's birthday!! Jack is going as a ninja. Easy.

We can hardly wait to see mam-maw, pap-paw, the aunts, uncle, and cousins tomorrow. Em is having us all out to her house, and then on to Trick or Treat. Who knows, maybe we'll start a new tradition!

I heard from Race, and all is well. We are missing him so much, and I am glad that we will have something out of the ordinary to do this week, with the family.

Oh- by the way. I am toying with the idea of going totally brunette! I have to get my hair done next week, what do you think? Be honest, I can take it. Well, I can take it BEFORE I get it done, but for future reference I die a thousand deaths if anyone says anything negative AFTER I've had it done. So, speak now!

G'night!
Melissa

Late pictures from this summer!

All set for hiking and camping with dad!














And not to be outdone, the feminine side of the group!




















Tree frog, meets Jackson. A match made in heaven!




















Jackson and his mega-horseshoe crab at mam-maw and pap-paw's beach house.

AWwwwwwwwwwwww! Here he is, all 9 years of him! Can you see that little leopard tucked under his arm?
The writer's corner
Savannah on her way to the Children's Theatre dress rehearsal, this summer. She had such a wonderful time, and she can't wait to do more acting this summer. They did the Jungle Book, as a musical, and it was SO impressive!
Her make-up!

Welllllllllllll..............I looked at all the blogger hoopla about the blogger beta. And since they were going to make us switch anyway, I went ahead and did it. The formatting, editting and stuff is a lot easier, and it is much more user friendly. But now I am getting a lot of traffic from google searches. All I can say is THANK GOD I didn't spell out H**ters!!!!!!ACK!!!!! Someone actually found my lil' ole blog by typing in the search words, "Jim@@y Cracked Corn" and someone else put in "Ph@asant bait". BWAHAHAHA! Anyway, the whole commenting thing has been a pain for the last few days. It's been really touch and go. How is everyone else dealing with the switch?

We had a great time at church today. The kids had a youth event at a nearby orchard this afternoon. They went for a hay ride, then they hit the corn maze, and there was some sort of apple sling-shot. They had a blast. When I picked them back up, they each had a bag of apples, a pumpkin, and were chowing down on pizza. Jack and I ran around running errands and made a stop by the pet store for him to browse. he loves to do this, as this particular store has an amazing selection of reptiles and amphibians. He could browse to his hearts content. He said, "Mom, isn't it so cool when you can go to the pet store and look at stuff that you've ACTUALLY CAUGHT?"

I am feeling pretty tired, beat up, and worn down the last few days. So, I am heading for home. The kids and I heading to Mom and Dads for a bit, just as soon as I can line up care for the pets here. Our Wonderful Pet Sitter girl is out of town, so this always creates havoc. That poor girl just doesn't realize how important she is to our happiness!

Anyway, that's about it. I may post some random photos later, (just so you are not left with that one sl^t picture in your mind!!) LOL! Actually these are some old photos that I had wanted to put up, but just hadn't gotten around to it. It'll also give me a chance to try out the new blogger-beta picture upload!

G'night!
Melissa

You just never know....

This morning I get a phone call.
It was Race's mom.

Me: "Hello?"

Race's mom: "Well, hey there! I didn't know if I would catch you at home or not. Thought that you might have to work today at your new job!"

Me Internally: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Me: (stammering, stuttering)
"Ohhhh...yeah....about that....I thought that your internet was down!!"

Race's mom: "Oh, it is. But I called my friend in FL. and had her read it to me."

GULP.

Sooooooo.........hello to all Race's mom's friends in Florida! And thank heavens I have such a wonderful mother-in-law, who saw the humor in my little joke! She suggested that I send him a pin-up! (GASP!!!) I'm SHOCKED!!!

Wow! You guys are too nice about the picture! I thought that it was hysterical! My dumb hair dryer laying in the floor, my construction paper name tag, and that dorky pose all crooked!! But, hey thanks for the compliments! And don't forget, my YOUNGEST is now 9, so I actually DO have a little more time to devote to myself than I ever did when they were little. I started working out with race, in order to spend more time with him, and lo and behold, I LOVED it! The program that I use is from "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women". I can't say enough good things about this book. It totally educated me on how to make the most of my precious time working out and eating! Anybody can do it. AND as an added bonus, working out has totally regulated my hormonal swings. Seriously, every woman should lift weights.

Austin had a friend over to spend the night last night. They camped out in the woods down by the creek. I thought that it was kind of funny though. These 2 scouts built a fire, roasted various food items, ate junk from MRE's and then settled into their sleeping bags, to..........WATCH A MOVIE??? Apparently the friend just purchased himself a video ipod with his summer job earnings. Techno-scouting?? Would Baden-Powell approve?

As an aside, yesterday at lunch, I went to fix the kids something to drink.(Read: Pretending to be a nice Mom in front of Austin's friend). I say, 'O.K., well we have iced tea, milk , or water. What would you like to drink, Sam?" Sam says, "Iced tea please". I reach for the tea, and Jack scrambles from the table, throws his body between me and the jug of tea in the fridge and screams, "DON'T GIVE HIM THE TEA! I POURED SALT IN IT!!!!"

*blink, blink.

"O.K., Sam, would you like milk, or water?"

Sigh. WHY does he do things like that?

My 24 hrs. as a H**ters girl.....

Don’t judge me.

First of all, this is one of those posts, where you try desperately to remember all of the people whom you have given your blog address to.

First. Some History:
For the past 8-10 years, Race and I have had a standing argument over H**ters Restaurant. He loves to bring it up when he has nothing better to do. He doesn’t even GO there ….he just likes to argue with me about it. And he LOVES to get me hopping mad, and then say something like, “Sometimes, you are just too easy”. (Did I mention the 10 years?) Now. I’m not out picketing in front of H**ter’s, mind you, but what really gets me is the whole- “It’s just a good place to eat….nothing more. They just have really great wings.” I REALLY hate that. Just say it. “Men go there to stare at b**bs and eat a $10 hamburger”.
Well, you can do that at home, eat a better burger, and save 10 bucks.
Anyway, you get the picture. YEARS of me falling into his trap, bickering away, and then to have him walk off laughing.

8-10 Llloooonnng years pass……………........

The day before Race leaves to go overseas this last time, he once again, draws me deep into the great depths of the “H**ters Dispute”, and the following words were exchanged:

Me: “So, you wouldn’t care if I worked there?”
Race: “No, way. The money would be good”
Me:”OH, REALLY??!”
Race: “Yeah. But, besides, hon……I don’t think that YOU could get a job there.” (snicker)


Ahem. Well, by golly, that sounded an awful lot like a challenge.

I know, I know…..I should have better things to do. I actually DO have better things to do. And while it was out of character for me…..I JUST.COULDN’T.LET.THIS.ONE.GO.

My brain began to feverishly develop a plan. If I could win…… just this once…..if I could, I would NEVER, and I mean NEVER have to win another argument with Race as long as I lived.

Yes, yes…it would work……it was almost too easy. I began to weave bits of a story. Dropping tiny hints on our limited phone calls, and going into slightly more detail in emails. I was baiting him like a poacher baits pheasants in somebody else’s woods.

Ohhhhh…I was crafty. I was sly. I lied through my teeth. Oh so careful was I
.”I didn’t think that I would actually get hired. I only applied because I thought that it would be funny. I was only going to work for 2 weekends.”, I lied.
I covered all the bases. It was all very convincing. I wanted to add in things like, "The kids are at the kitchen table eating more hot wings". But no. had to be careful. If I overdo it, he'll be on to me.

The words of Scarlett O’Hara kept haunting me, “Now aren’t you a cool lie, Mellie.”

A cool lie indeed.

But it would take more than lies to pull this off.

It was going to take some help from good ole’ @bay and some poor nameless H**ter gal in Texas who was selling her uniform. She’d had enough of feeling like a piece of meat every day and gone on to bigger and better things. And good for you, nameless H**ter gal. Thanks for the uniform and the ultra quick shipping. I honestly don’t know how you girls wear that tiny, wretched uniform every day. I can honestly say it is the most uncomfortable thing I have ever put on. Seriously.

The last thing that I sent was the picture, with a lie saying that it was taken before my first training day. I added stuff about how awful my day was, and how I didn't even get to keep the tip money, because I was still in training.

He read it. He saw it. He bought it. For 24 hrs, as far as he knew, I was a H**ters girl.

He called.
As it turns out, he, in fact DOES NOT want his wife working serving up hot wings to the hungry men at H**ters! (GASP!)

“Well,what should I do?”, I asked innocently.

“Well, for starters….don’t go back!”, he said emphatically.

*A pause*


“I got you.” I said.


Victory. It is mine. MINE!!! I have won. This is big for me. REALLY big.

I never win. But this time, I got him. I actually got him.

Race laughed. Yep, I got him.

The picture that secured my victory can be viewed Here I know that the suspense is killing you! LOL!

Yes, I do believe that I have taken the homeschooling blogs to a new low. And, yes mom, I do have better things to occupy my time.

The uniform is now available for a small fee, and appropriate documentation.

It is finished. I am triumphant. Don't judge me.

Love you, Race!!!!!

Homeschoolin' at H**ters!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIESUE!!!!

Don't fall and break a hip! ;-)

So, there was once this bad thing I did...

I had ballet class today. As I stood there with my hair pulled back in a high, tight pony-tail, staring into the mirror, concentrating on my turn out and whatnot, it took me back to my childhood.

I've told you before that I took dance for a long time. When I was about 10 years old, my class was a bit of a mixed bag. There were several other petite girls, a girl with a glass eye, and there was Big Val. Besides Big Val and the girl with the glass eye, the rest of us girls were at about the same ability level. We were also about the same height/weight, and had the most dancing experience, so we were always in front. This was all fine and good, and as it should have been. BUT.

There was Big Val. She was a big burly gal. At the time she seemed to be about 6 ft tall, but that could be an exaggeration from my then young mind. Ohhhhh she was big, alright. And clumsy. Her brown, thick, curly hair was always cut short, and she ALWAYS had a snarl on her lips. She had large round glasses that would always slide to the end of her nose.

One could always expect to be hit with one of her flailing arms if you came anywhere near her during practice.

Our sweet dance teacher would show us a new step, and we would all begin to practice it. Then one at a time, we would try our best to imitate what she had done.Big Val's steps always looked the same. NO MATTER WHAT. And it didn't look good. NOT.AT.ALL.

Now, I know what you're thinkin. You're thinking that I am being mean to this poor , big, awkward ballerina. Well, you can just stick that sympathy in your pocket, and save it for someone else, because Big Val doesn't deserve it. You see, Big Val beleived that she was ......A STAR. If you accidently came near her during dance, while we were practicing, you would undoubtedly get a blow to the face from one of those bohemoth arms flying about. ANd then she would snap around, come so close to you that you could smell her hot, poridgy breath, and bellow down to you in her man-like voice, "WHY DON'T YOU LOOK WHERE YOU'RE GOIN??!! I'M TRYING TO DANCE!!! You're SO DUMB!" It became clear the next year, that in order to preserve the posterity of the class, and indeed the school, it would be the job of those of us in the front row, to keep Big Val from dancing her way up front during performances. The music would start, and here she would come, from the back row, flailing and thrashing about in all her glory. We would have to sort of squeeze together,in mid dance, to keep her from getting by.

Our sweet teacher tried to help her, but Big Val was the same size as our sweet teacher, and would snap back at her in the same way she did us. She WOULD NOT be corrected.Ohhhhh....she was a mean one. We all feared her.

One day my best friend J. had to catch a ride home with Big Val and her mother. I'll never forget seeing poor little J, sitting in the back seat all quiet, kinda slumped over, staring back at me from the back window. She rode out of the parking lot with Big Val and her mom just yelling at one another.

For several years in a row, nothing changed. Big Val held us in a sort of gripping fear, every dance class. And she never got any better. EVER. And she hated us.

One night, after a particularly grand string of performances, and several curtain calls (Again, this is as I remember it), we all headed back to the dressing rooms backstage. J. and I were the very first to reach the dressing room. The room would be strewn with 100's of costumes and all manner of dance shoes and tights. There were bags, upon bags of personal items which every girl must bring in case something is lost, torn, or stolen. And it smelled of sweat. It was in this massive pile of smelly dancing perephinalia, that we were to change out of our costumes, and into our going home clothes.

J. and I were electrified with excitement from our performances. We were giggling and talking as we hurridly changed before the mass of other girls arrived to do the same.

Then, it was as if a light shined down from somwhere above. I don't know where. Maybe it was a broken light from the dressing room,...or perhaps it was something more. But there it was.......... a beam of light shining right down on Big Val's panties.

We saw them simultaneously, and we acted with lightening quickness, as if this spontaneous moment had been planned out in a back room for days. So smooth and so cool were we. In a nano second, Big Val's giant panties were dangling on the end of a clothes hanger, being held by my partner in crime. We began to hear the other girls coming. We must act quickly! Big Val could come in at any moment, and she would crush us. She would hold us down and suffocate us.It would take several strong men to get her off of us. Our hearts were pounding. Where could we put them?? WHERE??

Now I'm not saying it was Providence or anything, I'm just telling you how it went. Again, the answer was revealed. Above our heads a ceiling tile was loose, leaving just a small, dark space exposed.Oh, but our short legs be damned!! We began tossing the panties up furiously, over and over. Each time retreiving them again from the floor with the coat hanger. And all of a sudden, the door burst open and in walks Big Val.Just before the screams left our lips, as if by some miracle.....(eh?)....the panties were gone, and there we stood innocently with a coat hanger in our hands. The enormous skivvies were in the ceiling.

As we left the dressing room, Big Val's mother was yelling, (They always yelled at one another), "VALERIE JEAN! WHO IN THE WORLD WOULD GO AND STEAL SOMEBODY'S UNDERPANTS?!" She just kept yelling it over and over in a quick,nasaly voice, not unlike Joy on "My Name is Earl".

I'll never forget driving out of the parking lot that night, and seeing Big Val walking to her car in a big, bright orange tu-tu, with her tennis shoes on. I sat quietly, watching Big Val yell at her mother. That night, in my 10 yr old mind, all seemed right with the world.

And may I not to this day, enter into that most terrifying of thoughts. May I not think for even the faintest of seconds the horrors that would lay in store for me if Big Val ever finds out who hid her panties. I would imagine that the evidence still lies there, cold and dark in the ceiling of S.S. High School.

To My Nasty Annonymous Commenter:

I'm sorry that my funny driving post upset you. And doesn't it just scare the hell out of you that we are also legal, permit-carrying, gun-toters?! (insert evil laugh, here) Go sell your nastiness elsewhere. (And for Pete's sake, lighten up a little. Nobody likes a Negative Nancy)

Pumpkin time

We baked Halloween cookies on Saturday. I have used the same homemade cardboard cut-outs for years. They require a little more time , but it seems to be a matter of tradition, now. The kids like the shapes, and think that we HAVE TO use those for Halloween!
Austin was too big to be bothered with the rolling, the cutting and the baking, but he was right there to do some decorating! Note the expressions on their faces. Why must boys act like that when a camera comes out??? Seriously. Why do they do that?
Here is Savannah, with some of her finished cookies. Ummmm.......she did mostly cats, for some reason.
Me and Jack, carving his pumpkin................because he just couldn't wait another day. Please notice that Jack is wearing his coat..........it's COLD.....and dark. I am only wearing my running clothes, because I hadn't had time to change due to all the baking, decorating, and carving. It was COLD out there( which accounts for the deer in the headlights look, I guess)!! 

Race 'n Car Drivin'

I love the way that Race drives.

He spent many an hour, back in his Trooper days, teaching Defensive Driving courses to fellow officers. And of course, with all the job changes in this same field, the driving experience and training has reached epic, movie-making quality.
So- I love the way he drives.
Riding with him, has taught me to be a different sort of driver as well. I’d say that we are a house of aggressive drivers. Not aggressive in the mean, violent sort of way……but more in the-- “That’s o.k., stay where you are…….I got it……I’ll do the thinkin’ AND the drivin’……..just stay in your lane please, and try not to swerve.”---type of driving.
And since Race will be the one teaching our soon-to-be 15 yr old….I’d say we’ve got another “thinkin’” driver on the way. Race can hardly wait to put him through the cones in reverse without dropping below 35mph.!!
We believe whole-heartedly that ALL of the space on the road is meant to be used. This includes the shoulders. You have no idea how much this angers some folks. We also are firm believers that traffic signals are merely for those who do not understand the rules of the road. More of a suggestion, really. We use traffic signals selectively.

Recently, while on our way home from vacation, Race was in the drivers seat. I don’t know what was actually going on at the time, but I DO know that there was a lot of traffic, and merging was taking place. Race begins singing “Jimmy crack-corn an’ I don’t care, Jimmee crack- corn an’ I don’t care………” as the gentleman from behind blows his horn and gives some sort of hand gesture as a greeting. Race only stops his tune long enough to say, “Oh, look how friendly they are here! Everybody wave at the nice man, kids!” And they did. Happily. Race picked up his lovely rendition of “Jimmee crack-corn”, which eventually led into the lesser known versions, of “Jimmee crapped-corn”, and then later, “Jimmee sells crack, an’ I don’t care”.

I love that man.

Melissa

Phantom of the Opera

A conversation today:

Me to Austin: "You are insane." (Yes, I really do speak to my children this way....sad...but true.)

Austin: (grinning) "Insane.......but magnificent! I am.....GENIUS!!"

Savannah(while entering and strolling through the room): "Clearly, Mrs. W_______, genius has turned to madness." From "The Phantom of the Opera", her all-time favorite book and movie.



I have heard from Race, and all is well. Sometimes it is so amazingly GREAT to just hear his voice on the line.

Well, I have a mountain of laundry to fold before bedtime, so I am outta here! Thanks for checking in!

G'night,
Melissa

What we did...

Today was a pretty good day. No real complaints, except that I didn't get to talk to Race again today.......and still no emails. :-( Other than that , everything was pretty standard. We got through everyone's lessons without any major wrinkles, which is always nice. Today was a big review day for Austin, so we slogged through a lot of Algebra and Physical Science.
Today was a big day for Savannah because my budding author finished the rough draft of her first book! Gareth The Warrior, by Savannah. All 136 pages are done and ready for her to edit and add illustrations!! She sent the first, unedited copy with Race on cd so that he can read it. When she gave it to him she hadn't finished the last few pages, so it will be a cliff hanger for him.

I got my lifting and abs workout in today while the kids ate their lunch. (Yes, I am still working out, and still loving it!) Then I put in the stuff for some honey wheat bread in the mixer. I make this bread a lot. I just put it in the bread maker on the dough setting, and then I take it out, knead it, put it in the bread pan to rise, and then bake it later. The boys eat SO MUCH, and this is one thing that I have found that they can snack on and it fills them up.

This afternoon we headed out for classes. Martial Arts, Total Defense, and Jiu Jitsu. The boys did really well, and Savannah and I knocked out a few errands when we weren't watching them.

All in all a productive, non-eventful day. I'll take it! I sure do wish that I would hear from Race, though. Man, I miss him.

G'night!
Melissa

Acorn maggots

First of all a big "hey there!" to Bridget's mom! And also to Aunt D who left a sugary sweet comment to my sister (under the motorcycle pic).....on MY BLOG....AND gushed over how pretty she is....on MY BLOG. I'll let it pass this time. ;-)

And a correction from my last post. Jack informed me that it is NOT a lobster in the picture...but a CRAB. How silly of me.

Well, Dy passed along this link:
Acorn Larvae And after viewing all of her cute pictures over at Classic adventures, I figured that Jack would like to try this. So. After lunch, I looked up the web site and began excitedly reading the material aloud to him. After the first two sentences he stopped me and said, "Oh,wait a minute. Are you talkin' about Acorn Maggots?"

Apparently the kids had already discovered this little secret long ago. As I came to understand, the older two first made this discovery, and then passed the info on to their little brother. Sigh. I thought that I had 'em this time....I REALLY thought that I had 'em.

The lesson turned into a lesson FOR ME, as Jack gathered the acorns and immediately began showing me several.....um....."acorn maggots". And trying to be a good learner....I took photos.

Moving on......
Jack and I were having lunch together the other day and he began asking me alot of questions about how his dad and I met, and about when we got married. We chatted for awhile and the rest of the conversation went like this:

Jack: "It'll be neat to see who Austin marries."

Me: "Yeah...and Savannah......and YOU! Won't it be neat to see who YOU are going to marry?"

Jack: (In sort of a Joey Tribiani voice" OHhhhh.....IIII've been lookin'".

Me: "Oh REALLY??? WHat sort of girl are you lookin' for?"

Jack puts his sandwich down for emphasis, and looks me cold in the eye, "Not sayin'".

Me: "O.k., I understand"

I figured that I would follow suit and post pictures of our acorn-larvae-gathering experiment. I couldn't believe the sheer number of acorns with worms in them! Who knew?
It's in there! I swear it is! 

My vacation pictures

These are a few of the pictures that I took on vacation this year.


WHO ARE THESE BIG KIDS????
This is Jack posing for me at the aquarium. He makes a cute little lobster!












Jack and Q investigating the treasures that they have pulled in from the sea. This was pretty much what they did for the entire week. They make a great team.










Mom and Race going out in the kayak. Race said, "You just watch, I've taken everyone else out, and we've done fine, but THIS will be the one time that I tip over, and dump your mom into the ocean!" Of course, they didn't, and I have a feeling that even if they had, mom would have taken it like a trooper. She has always been quite at home in the water.






We had the most amazing time while Race was home. We miss him so much.

I'll post a few more pics a little later. Gotta get dinner going! 

You Saw it Here First!

 

Her mother would like for you to know that she raised her better.

(Kidding, she didn't really say that!) 

Lovely Fall Day

Today was absolutely gorgeous!! The weather was just so perfect! We had an awesome church service, and got to chat with everyone afterwards. That's one of the things that I love about this church. Immediately afterward, there is a good 1/2 hr of casual fellowship. Our kids all take off and play with their friends, and Race and I get to catch up with our friends. The service is always uplifting, and so is the time afterward.

We shot over and raided the nearest chinese food buffet. Where else can you stuff the entire family, (dessert included) for $30??? If our bodies could take the excessive amounts of sodium and MSG we'd eat there several times a week! While eating, we ran into some dear friends that attend another church in town. We hven't seen them in years, so it was great to see them, and hear how they have been doing.

After we got home, Race's mom called and we all got to chat with her and fill her in on all of our "going's on". Granmama is always so great about being happy for us in all we do!!! And likewise, we got to hear about all of their latest travels. No grass growing under those feet!

I pulled out all the notebooks and texts to plan the next school week, and sat with Race while he watched football.

As the sun was going down, we all ended up outdoors. Race and the boys had a heated football game going on. Both boys have been enjoying trying out their quarterbacking skills. Turns out that if you work at it, you can use that same good arm that you use in baseball, to place that football right where you want it. Jack is also a big fan of the running-back position. The speed, spinning, and dodging is just natural for him. I was busy planting fall bulbs, dangerously close to the game, but I only got trampled once. Savannah was perched on her favorite vantage point for these games: The Roof. We have a cape cod style home, so the dormers,have always beckoned to the children to climb out of them. So, there she sat,cross-legged on the roof, holding Herriott (her cat) and cheering on Jackson.

After the boys finally wore down, we all came in for big salads and bruschetta.

There is still more football to watch tonight, and I have to finish organizing the kids' studies for the week. Baths and bedtime are coming up fast, and judging from the running and shrieks going on outside, they will be much needed. (I beleive that the kids are pretending that our dog, Scout is werewolf, and are running through the woods from him....somehow, the dog get's it, and plays along).

As if the gift of today was not enough.....there is one of the most beautiful full moon's out that you'll ever be blessed enough to see. I think that Race and I will take a glass of wine out on the deck and take it all in. We would hear the soft chirping of the crickets, and an unbeleivable quiet stillness............if it weren't for the aforementioned shrieking children. (You can't have EVERYTHING.)

It has been such a great day, and it makes me so thankful for my family and the life that I am so privledged to live.

G'night,
Melissa

Learning Financial Responsibility

Wow this week flew by!!! We have been busy with school work. The older two are up to their ears in projects and papers, and Jack is busy with the standard elementary stuff. We got through dance classes, boy scouts and martial arts all week. Race and Austin will be headed out tomorrow morning to sell popcorn with the boyscout troop at Wal-Mart. Hopefully they will do well. Last week the troop sold over $800 at Sams Club. Austin is hoping to sell enough individually to pay for his boy scout summer camp next year.

EM posted vacation pictures on her blog. They are so good. I love the way that she captures the boys. I really do have pictures, but we have dualling laptops when Race is home, and it will just have to wait.

We have been having a little trouble with Jack lately, when it comes to money. You see, in more ways than one, Jack has had a very different upbringing than Austin and Savannah. This is just one area. When Savannah and Austin were little, money was not an issue. WE HAD NONE. When you're broke it's easy to learn the value of a dollar, and to know what it's like to want something very badly and not be able to get it. And likewise to know the immense joy of waiting, working, and earning that cherished item.
Material things have come much easier to Jack. He has not learned to be responsible,(in the 9 yr old sense)for the things that he has. He can be be given something that he wants very badly, and then completely disreguard it's care and upkeep. Again, this is purely in a child-like way, but an attitude of self-entitlement will certainly make an adult miserable.
SO. In an effort to teach more "financial responsibility", we started a new system today. EM reminded me about this system while we were discussing this on vacation. I don't know who came up with the idea. We gave him 3 jars. They are labled: Church, Saving, and Spending. We divide all the money that he receives..(You may recall that this is the child who has BEGGED to play the lottery since he was 5, and checks EVERY gumball, change, and soda machine for change that people forget..I'd he finds about $1 a week...not kidding). 10% goes to Church, Then 1/2 in spending, 1/2 in saving. We will have one "shopping day" per month, where the spending money can be taken out and spent on 1 item. We are out in town almost every day of the week, so this should take care of all of the "Can I get....?" questions that have become so common.
So, what do you think? He was excited about it, and I think that it will really help with the situation. What do you do to teach financial responsibility? It is my sincere desire that my children learn the joy of waiting and working for the things that they want, so that they can take pride in those things and can even ENJOY taking care of them. God wants us to enjoy His blessings.

Still learning here.
G'night,
Melissa

Ballet

As a part of my attempt at a more-active lifestyle,I started taking a ballet class at the same dance school that Savannah attends. (It's o.k.,you can laugh).

Are you done? (Seriously. It's not THAT funny.)

Now, first. Let me explain the setting: This dance school is for professional-hopefuls. Girls and guys with big aspirations and goals of heading to N.Y, etc.
The artistic director is the real deal, and spent his carreer dancing for the American Ballet and for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. He still freelances all over the U.S.
The building is an old, 4 story in the downtown area of our city. The rooms are enormous, the floors are wooden, the walls are white, and the light streams in through the enormous windows that look out onto the river.
I danced for years growing up.(And as an aside, my freind Janelle and I used to laugh hysterically at the "older" ladies who took dance.) I loved it, and it is one thing that I regret giving up. SO. When the artistic director began encouraging me to take this class....I was excited. I REALLY wanted to. Race was encouraging: "SWEET. Leotard and tights, right? Go for it babe." (rolling eyes)
The time worked out so that Savannah would be taking a class simultaneously, and the boys would both be at martial arts. So after figuring out a little fancy driving/taxi duty, I jumped on it!
My first class was interesting. Not really sure what to wear to ballet anymore( I know you're wondering), I opted for a pair of dancers capri tights, short black nike shorts, a black cami top, and of course...my ballet shoes (squeal!). I thought that I looked pretty good. I tried to ignore Savannah's laughter as we walked from the car into the building.
In class there were a few other ladies who were a bit older than me, and weren't in shape AT ALL, and had never taken dance before. Most of the class was spent at the bar, and let's just say that when it came time to place our legs onto the bar, I was immediately reminded of an episode of "I Love Lucy". So, I left feeling pretty good about myself. I didn't do too shabby. And I will admit that I had more than one giggle thinking about the other ladies.

SO. It was going good. I was on my way back to my former ballerina days!

Next class: I walk in and there are only college aged girls........IN SHAPE college girls. I'm thinking, "Ummmmm...where are those older gals....from last week??" How humbling. The instructor considerably picked up the pace and difficulty of the class to match her students ability. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! The things that I used to be able to do perfectly and effortlessly and without even thinking, now require an UNIMAGINABLE amount of concentration to execute poorly!

Instructor: "A ballerina should look as if she is being beld up by an invisible string that extends from the top of her head, so that at any moment she might leave the ground effortlessly."
Um........ (snort) Not. there. yet.
My calves are still sore. I know a little more French, and I'm working on my "turn-out". My knee hurts. Can't wait till next week!

G'night,
Melissa

The beach

We had one of the most memorable vacations EVER at the beach this year. You can check my sister's awesome summary and pictures
HERE . I took pictures too, and I'll post some later, but hers are just perfect. We had an incredible time. Between Race, the kids and I we ran, biked,swam and kayaked. I'd say we did those things about....20% (10%?) of the time. The entire rest of the week was spent laying on the beach,lying around in the INCREDIBLE beach house, and...eating. It was all so much fun, and so relaxing. We especially enjoyed getting to spend time with Em's little guys. They are growing so quickly into such fine little men, and the older two are right at that "super-fun-to-play-with-age". Race actually mentioned how much he was missing W the day after we arrived back home.

It was all just so good. Dad and Thom cooking for us all; geting to sit around and shoot the breeze with Em and T while all the cousins played together; Mam-maw taking the kids for long walks on the beach to hunt for shells; getting to hold Everett,(One of the rare moments that he was not eating!); And of course just getting to spend time with Race, Austin, Savannah, and Jack. My family is one of my greatest blessings.

We are settling back into school and schedules,etc. Just dealing with the ho-hums of every day life. I am increasingly aware of what a blessing Race is to me, and I'm trying not to waste a single moment.

G'night,
Melissa

Bloggin' from the hotel...on VACATION!

We made a very last minute decision to leave for our beach trip a day early and hit the zoo on our way. We had a wonderful time, and got some great photos. I am sometimes surprised all over again how much fun my 2 older kids are to be around. Savannah was in particularly hillarious form yesterday. They are a riot, and did such a great job with Jack. They didn't squash his joy and amazement and just made things more fun for him. That's good stuff.
Today, we are headed to the beach for a week. This is always such an awesome thing for us. We look forward to it each year. The whole family will be there this year, including our newest lil' nephew E! We can all hardly wait to get there. Austin has already mentioned that he just can't wait for Pap-paw to make his "traditional" Seafood bisque. Dad makes it in the biggest pot you have ever seen, (Picture the military-style cauldron). He uses real cream and fresh seafood....and....well..it is amazing. It's like a huge kick-off for a week of sun, sand, ocean, incredible food, and adult beverages! WOO_HOO!!!
This year Jack is taking the Zoology 2 course from Apologia, so visiting the ocean will be double the fun!
Well, everyone is waiting on me, so I'd better go. Thanks so much for thinking of us, and for stopping by here to check up on us. I know that I owe several of you an email and/or a phone call!

Bye,
Melissa

Hi Again!!!!!

O.K., I know that it is insane that I haven't blogged in so long. And you guys are so sweet to check in on me. Thank-you for the thoughts and prayers.....and comments.

We are doing fine. Race is home. And we are enjoying life as a complete family again. The job has tried to claim a much bigger piece of our marriage and family than either of us was counting on. So, the last few months have been spent...........not letting it. It's the sort of thing that you don't see coming till it hits you head on. And then suddenly you are very aware that you are at a crossroad....you have a choice: you can pretend that everything is fine and look the other way and enjoy living in mediocrity....OR you can fight like hell for what you love and hold most dear. I chose to fight. It is a gut-wrenching, turn-you-inside-out kind of thing. And God is faithful, and He shows His great mercy to me, and..........life is good! Race and I are closer than we have ever been, and I just feel so blessed. Thank-you again for all of the prayers. They mean so much to us both.

Over the past few months we have become a much more active family. All of us are working out. Race and I are running and lifting weights, Savannah is taking modern dance and pilates, I am taking an adult ballet class (which I LOVE!!!), and the boys are carrying on with mixed martial arts and jiu jitsu. Race has also been swimming 4 times a week, (taking the kids with him twice a week), AND he has joined the jiu jitsu class that Austin takes. Not sure how it happened,but we are becoming the "work-out family". We love it. Everyone feels so much better.

Race has taken the kids cycling and canoeing. It has been just great. We are all enjoying being together as a family again. ANd I don't think that Race and I have ever been closer.

As most of you know, we have a new addition in our family. Our new little nephew Everett has finally made his debut. He is the cutest thing EVER, and we already love him to pieces.

Well, I am back, and while I won't be blogging daily till Race leaves again, I WILL be blogging more.

Thanks so much for thinking of us. You guys are so great!

It's good to be back!
Melissa

Each evening, I sit down to blog, and I just can't. It's like any creative juices that I ever possessed, have been drained from my body.

But, here goes....

Today, I got my hair done. Cut and color. I LOVE it. Can you believe that? I actually LOVE it! That NEVER happens. My color looks so pretty, it's like it isn't even my hair. It has shades of light blonde, honey, and a very dark blonde all in it. Someone, please drag me away from the mirror. I've just been staring into it, flipping my hair around saying, "Look at that! Can you believe that's my hair?" I was so excited that I called my best friend Janelle, and as soon as she answered the phone she said," Well, your hair must look great, because you're not crying." She knows me so well.

While I spent hours at the salon, having a good 25+ feet of aluminum foil sheets stacked onto my head, my sister was kind enough to take the kids to a movie, and then back to her place for Savannah's art lesson. When I picked them up Thom was busily getting ready for her date tonight. I was a good sister and critiqued the outfits that she tried on for me. I commented with the usual, "that looks good", "yeah, I like that", "Ummm, NO(rolling eyes)", and "YES! THAT! WEAR THAT! That looks good!" She reciprocated by gushing over my new do.

When the kids and I got home, we only had about 30 minutes before we needed to head back out the door to Austin's baseball game. After the game we came straight home. 9:30.

We are missing Race like crazy. I mean it, it is making me crazy. I want to see him so badly.

Have a great night!
Melissa

Pictures! .....over at AnnieSue's

Anniesue posted pictures on her blog as well as a cool run down on her vacation. Thank-you to AnnieSues Brother for snapping the pictures.

I ate breakfast with AnnieSue today!

Yep, that's right. AnnieSue was in town visiting our old college stomping grounds, and we managed to meet up. It is so wonderful to meet up with friends like AnnieSue. We haven't seen one another in about 14 years, and it was just like a day hadn't even gone by. (And, BTW, she hasn't aged A DAY!!SERIOUSLY. NOT a DAY!) She was with her brother, a nephew, and her own daughter. Austin, Savannah and Jack, REALLY liked the kids. The report that I got was that they had a GREAT time, and that AnnieSue's nephew was "SO funny" and her daughter was "just like Savannah..". (From Jack, of course.)

They must have had a good time, because they were all stuck in our town's little greasy spoon diner, at a table by themselves and were complete strangers. But between baseball, shared books, drawing, and of course that old stand-by: building card-houses out of Sweet n' Low........they were laughing and having fun in no time. When the laughter died down, Jack turned to entertaining with creamer-shots.
Seeing AnnieSue and her brother was truly a highlight for me. We laughed and had such a great time, that it left me wishing that they lived much, much closer. And I am sorry that I missed meeting the Big Man, because he was always funny,and it would have been great to see him again.

After we said our good-byes, I was off to get new tires and an oil change, (AND as it turns out,..an alignment). Thom had been at breakfast with us, and was nice enough to come and pick us up. I hate waiting for my car to be ready, but, WOW, the suburban drives like a new car. Thanks thom, for picking us up!

Austin had a rough baseball game tonight, and it was one of those times, that I REALLY wished that his dad had been here. I just simply wasn't enough tonight.

I did get to talk to Race today, and things seem to be going well with him. I cannot tell you how much I miss him, and just want him to be home. Be safe, Race...and hit every target. We love you, and we miss you.

Hey! My whole work-out/nutrition thing is going really well.Today starts week 2 on this program, and I've gotta tell you, I think that I have hit on something here! I am loving it! I am using the program from the Womens Body Sculpting Bible. I love it.

Have a wonderful Independence Day!
Melissa

Goings on

Well, I DID clean my house yesterday! Yay ME! I got caught up on a lot of the things that we haven't been able to do around here since we've been doing nothing but sitting on the baseball field.

You know that your son is a true observer of nature when he calls excitedly from the backyard to tell you that he has discovered a turtle that is laying eggs!! SO, youngest son promptly found a sturdy plastic crate to sit on and sat very still and watched. After the turtle moved away.....(and then was brought inside to watch an episode of Andy Griffith before I intervened..) he marked the spot with the crate, and is anxiously awaiting baby turtles!

Church was great today. Mostly it was great because the ladies at my church are so awesome to me. I consider myself lucky that most of the women in my church who have children the same age as mine, are all 10+ years older than me. This is great for me, because I get to benefit from the wisdom of these ladies who have already "been there and done that". And they are just so wonderful, not at all pretentious or condescending. They pray for Race, and for myself and the kids. What a blessing!

I must take a moment to send out a huge "Thank-you" to Dy. The other night, after a particularly terrifying phone call from Race, I called her. She talked me down, (as I knew that she would!)and gave some perspective that I really couldn't seem to get hold of on my own. Thank-you, Thank-you, Dy, you are a wonderful friend! I don't suppose that hearing live-rapid-fire in the background of your husbands phone calls is something that you ever get used to, or feel comfortable about.

This week, I tried sushi for the first time. Nothing too brazen, just california, and philadelphia rolls.....but Austin and I are both hooked! We are working our way up, slowly, trying different types each week. I can see why people get hooked on the stuff. You truly cannot immitate the taste with any other food item.

O.K., so wish me luck as I start my new work-out/ nutrition plan tomorrow.

I got some great news that I MAY get to meet up with AnnieSue next week! That is so exciting! AnnieSue and I were roommates in college, and she reminded me that the last time that we saw one another, Austin wasn't walking yet!!

We miss Race terribly. His last trip home was definitely action-packed. He did a 30 mile bike ride +camping with the Boy Scouts, took all three kids canoeing/kayaking down the river, went back kayaking a second time with Austin and his best friend, he took the boys camping and hiking, he bought Savannah a new mountain bike, and took her for several long treks while she learned how to manage the gears, he was the assist. coach for Austin's baseball team, was Savannah's biggest fan at her ballet performance, made countless trips to the batting cages and took us all to the water-park for a fun-filled day right before he left. Yes, he is greatly missed.

G'night!
Melissa

Well.......where did that long post go?????

Incredibly frustrating to awaken and find that the long post that you wrote the night before has VANISHED!!! AAaarrrrgghhh! I tried "recover post", but it was a no go.

Oh, MAN! and just when I was catching up. Now I am going to think that I have already told y'all about stuff and you'll have no idea what I am talking about!

I'll try again later on today. We have (gulp) NO BASEBALL for the next 2 days!!!! I may try to actually clean the house. (shudder)

Austin's Legion team lost their game last night, but he made an incredible unassisted double play at third. It is so exciting to see your kids work really hard at something that they love....and acheive successes along the way.

Savannah and Jack are back at home. They have been bubbling over with stories from Mam-ma and Pap-pa's house. There were friends and cousins. There was swimming and skating and fishing..........and the high light: Camping With Aunt Thomasina. I am told that no sooner had they set up camp, than Jack turned over a log....(he is CONSTANTLY looking) and found a copperhead snake. Now, my budding herpetologist identified this immediately and Aunt Thomasina sprung into action. She quickly secured all the children, then shot the snake and cut off it's head. Yes. You read that correctly. The copperhead body was left to be examined and studied by all in attendance. (Guarantee: Every one of those kids can now properly identify a copperhead snake!) Now THAT , my friends, is a camping experience for a child. THAT is a memory.
My little nephew Q was on this camping trip as well. His very first.It is really some sort of right of passage, or a passing of the torch. What a brave little guy he is.The kids all had a blast! Huge thanks, Aunt Thomasina!

I am staring a new weight training program on Monday. I am going to do the whole nutrition thing as well. The science of it all is captivating me and the results are what keep me going. (Nothing noticable to anyone else, but I notice!!) Anyway, I really like it. And lets face it,no matter how thin you are, muscle atrophy isn't pretty. We'll see how it goes next week.

have a great weekend!
Melissa

Starting Over.........

Well, there is no way to recap, so I guess that I am just starting over.

I have of course been busy with all the kids activities, but more than that Race and I have been learning to juggle the enormous demands that his job makes on each of us. So, I suppose I have been throwing all of my collective efforts into "US".

Race is back at work. We miss him dearly.

Austin has finished up 2 ball teams, with one of them managing to win their league.He is now playing on an American Legion Team, which will run through July. Jack has finished up his season as well. I am also finished with my Team Mom duties.
Savannah is starting up art lessons again, and is going to do childrens Theatre in July.

Me? I'll admit to feeling like I am on a bit of slippery slope at the moment.
One of the things that Race helped me out with while he was home, was to get me started on a weight training program. I am LOVING lifting weights! No more boredom, and you see results so quickly!

Savannah and Jack are at mom and dads, so today, I took Austin to see Nacho Libre. Proving once again, that I have the sense of humor of you average teen, I found this movie HILARIOUS! He and I had a great time, and we are still laughing at some of the stupid-funny things in that movie. he had a Legion game tonight, and although they lost, he played a great game. We didn't get home till 10:00 pm, and dinner was Subway.

Well, there you have it. A start. Not earth shattering, mind you, but a start nonetheless.

G'night,
Melissa

No time to write!!!

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!


Ooooo.. sorry, I forgot to flip these around! We have been SO busy with family activities. It has been fun. You can add to what is represented here, a 30 mile mountain bike ride, learning to kayak and playing a LOT of ping pong! It's all good though, and I am thoroughly enjoying my family. I haven't had the time to decompress enough to write about anything yet, but it's on my mind...and it's coming. In the mean time, take a look at some of our pictures.

Mostly we've been doing THIS:

 
 
 
  

Shall I bore you with pictures??

There has been a lot of THIS going on!




 

Switching gears........and sharing

I am not finding the time to post, or check my emails, or return any phone calls lately. And today the reason occured to me. I am on "Race Time", and I have to share everything. I share the computer. I share the TV, and I share the phone. It takes a little getting used to, when one is used to running ones own household, and making plans for ones self. It requires switching gears. So,on "Race Time", our day looks like this:

The morning is spent re-acclimating the boys to chores and a generally less slovely lifestyle. (Ahem, sorta dropped the ball on that one while he was gone!Thank heavens for Savannah.) Then it is on to breakfast and private Bible reading, prayer, etc. After that it's the treadmill for me while the kids play outside and finish up their jobs. Then race and I hit the weights. I will expound more on this later, but having your husband as your personal trainer is either the Best thing for a marriage.......or the WORST...I think it depends on the day. After that I shower and get ready for the rest of the day, and Race takes the kids biking.
Then its school for everyone, while Race does the jobs and errands that he needs to do.
After school, there is about an hour of free time before we all hit the road, for what is usually a late night. Between dance, martial arts, and 3 baseball schedules....well, you get the picture! We come home at night happily exhausted, and flop into bed.
The only reason I am at the computer today is that Race is out with an armour from Smith & Wesson who asked him to try out some of their soon-to be-on the market stuff. He'll never turn down an opportunity to have some fun shooting someone elses ammo. SO I am cheating and have all the kids working on various workbook assignments and I am grabbing a few minutes here!
So, there you have it! Austin's Varsity team games are due to end in jast about 2 weeks, so maybe I can reclaim some time for myself after that! However there is a garden outside that is screaming my name as well...

Have a great day, and thanks for checking in!
Melissa

Race is home!

Well, you may have already guessed that, what with my prolonged absence from cyber-space. Sorry.......we have all been involved in various forms of "Race-Worship". It has been so wonderful to have my whole family together again. We have been enjoying one another SO much. What had seemed like work and monotony, now seems like a fun vacation.

I have lots to tell, and plenty of pictures to share. Race is taking the boys camping tonight, so maybe I'll have some time to catch up a bit.

Briefly, there are a few new things that have entered our family since Race's return. Texas Hold Em' is now the card game of choice here. If we were a gambling family, Jack would would be a very rich young man. (ahem) Also, now it is not unusual to see any of the three of my children walking around singing. That, in and of itself is not unusual, but when you ,listen closely you will realize that you cannot understand ONE WORD of what they are singing. That's right, Race has introduced the kids to Mid-Eastern POP music! They love it.
If Race were to take you for a ride in his jacked up, CJ-7 Jeep, one of the first things that you would notice after you climbed up and got settled into your seat is the unusual sticker on his dash. There in all her Mid-Eastern glory, is the face of a beautiful woman with piercing eyes, in traditional dress. Sounds wierd, but you could sort of liken it to the naked lady on the mud flaps here in the U.S. Race said this picture is everwhere on the cars over there. He put it on his jeep to keep the rednecks confused around here.
Baseball is the main pass time for us right now, and Race is helping coach Austin's team. We are all having a blast and staying insanely busy. But it is wonderful, and I am enjoying every single second of it. I am feeling very blessed.
Thanks so much for all the comments, and for checking back in. I haven't been online AT ALL, so I am totally lost and behind. I will catch up on emails, phone calls and blogs soon!
Dy, I got your message, and I'll give you a call this week! Thanks for checking in!
Have a great day!
Melissa

Play Ball!

What a day! It was a long one, but we were one tired happy family when we finally pulled back into the house at 10:00 pm.

After Jack's martial arts class, we pulled up to the ball field to watch Austin.
Austin's varsity team won 22-4. The coach had told him that he would probably pitching this game, but as it turned out, they were doing so well, that he didn't have to put him in. SO he played at 3rd base. And man, did he play! It was awesome to watch. The game had started at 4:30 and we left at 7:15. We had to head straight over to the Dixie Youth practice (Austin's also) which started at 7:45. He was having a blast, and we were having a blast watching him. The hitting pratice that Pap-paw had been taking him to last month really payed off!

Savannah was happy because the next book in the "Warriors" series was released yesterday, and we went straight out and bought it. I thought that she was going absolutely EXPLODE with excitement in the store! She could not wait to get her hands on that book! So she was sitting at the ballfield wrapped in my coat, completely absorbed in her book.

Jack was running all over the place catching all the foul balls and throwing them back in for the "big kids", so that they would be sure to notice what an "incredible arm" he has for a "little kid".

We were tired and worn out as we drug ourselves and all our stuff back home. Our dinner so far had been some sort of mix of Nutri-grain bars and Gatorade.(As a matter of fact between the 2 games we ended up feeding a LOT of stray boys Nutrigrain bars and Gatorade!) We had pulled in at 9:50 and got the last 2 Little Caesars pizzas...they locked the door behind us. But it was a good day. The kids had a wonderful time today pursuing their own interests, and I got to be the lucky mom to sit back and watch, and cheer them on.

Laney, Thank-you, thank-you!! I do NOT posess the ability to do even the simplest of flower arrangements. I will post the pic soon, I've got to find a decent "before" that shows how much the room has changed.

Have a great day!
Melissa

Well, I have heard from Race, and all is well on his end. He is stating really busy and he is really tired every time I talk to him. But I am pretty sure that he wouldn't have it any other way.

As for us, we are staying busy too. As you know, baseball season and dance rehearsals are in full swing, and we get to martial arts on the days that we don't have other conflicts. The back of my suburban looks like a sporting goods store exploded in it. But with mucho baseball games ahead of me, I am prepared! I have our collapsible chairs, our huge sports umbrella, and a soft sided cooler. We're set! And you know, what a way to spend an afternoon. You can hang out in jeans, tee-shirt, flip-flops and a baseball cap, eat plenty of food that's bad for you, and watch your kid having a blast! (This is all assuming that you DO NOT sit near he other parents...ugh)

This weekend, Austin worked on staining the deck. I helped him in hourly spurts in between running savannah and Jack to their different activities Saturday. WOW! What an ENOURMOUS job that is! It still isn't finished. But what we DID get done looks really great, and so that is at least keeping us motivated to keep going.

I am going to find a "before" pic of my dining room, and I'll post the "after" pic with it. It's the only room that I have pretty much completed. If I could figure out what sort of flower arrangement should go on the table I'd be set. But I stink at that.

have a great day!
Race, we miss you! Be careful!
Melissa

I haven't heard from Race in a while, so I am anxious to get an email or a phone call or something. It's always such a relief to get any bit of communication, ya know?

Anniesue, I love ya! Thank-you, thank-you for the nice words!!! I am definitely still as vain as I was in college, I just don't have as much time to indulge! (And folks, I am talking SERIOUS vanity, here.....within days of moving into my room in college, I had the desk on my side of the room covered in pink contac paper, and turned into a vanity with a lighted mirror!) And don't be fooled by Anniesue, I noticed that in her pictures, she has not one wrinkle.......NOT ONE!

On the subject of friends and college roommates :My friend since first grade had her 3rd child today. Welcome little William Henry!(Not so little, though at 9lb 14 oz!) And congrats Janelle and Bill. So glad that everything went so smoothly.

Poor Em is STILL sick! Sending prayers out for her and her family. They have been fighting various illnesses for quite awile now, and The Dude is holding down the fort AND working his regular job when Em is sick. (Oh- and I am told that The Dude also had a flat tire today on his way in to work!) Hope things are better soon, guys.

Baseball is going well for the boys so far. Austin is excited to be pitching this year on varsity. And all of Pap-paw's hitting practice has done WONDERS for his batting. Jack loves hitting the ball, carrying a bat bag, wearing a batting helmet, and SLIDING. And guess what color their baseball pants are for the Dixie Youth team? Yep, WHITE.

Savannah is going to her first rehearsal for dance on Saturday, and she is SOooo excited about that. She just can't wait to be on stage again!

So, that' what's going on here.
We miss you Race! Come home soon!

G'night
Melissa

We have been Sooo busy, that I haven't had time to blog!

School lessons have been going well, and we are definitely getting a lot done each day. But I am certainly feeling stretched mighty thin. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to Race being home again.

Baseball season is now officially in full swing. In case you have forgotten.....that's 3 baseball schedules. And rehearsals for the next dance performance start up on April 1(That's 3 days of dance a week). The upside to it all, is that the kids are doing great. Staying physically active has been a real plus for them in so many ways. And while it IS a lot for ME to run them around to, it seems to fit each of the kids perfectly, and they really are thriving.

Hoping to keep myself busy while Race was gone, I decided back in January to take on a remodeling project of the main living area of our home. (Oh...yes! What a FABULOUS idea.......because I have NOTHING to do!) Anyway, I am about half way through. I did get my dining room curtains made and hung this week. And they look Soooo good! That is the one room that is almost finished, so maybe I can do some before and after pics soon. I am pleased with how everything is turning out, but I am still in the middle, and would really like to get things to a more finished state before Race comes home. Here is my kind of wierdo goal:

I want Race to know immediately when he comes home, that all his time away and sacrifice really IS improving our quality of life, (that would be important to me, if I were the one staying away), AND I would like for his time at home to be a time of relaxation, with the main focus on just being together as a family.

So, that's my thinking, and that's why I started the remodel.....we'll see how far I get. Right now I have about 50 boxes of Pergo flooring sitting in my living room waiting for the installer to put it down.

OH. ALso, with Race coming home in the near future, and spring and what not, my thought s have also returned to my aging self. I will be thirty *BLEEP* this year, and my skin is looking every bit of that age. My genetically cursed rear end remains a problem. My sister Thom may just have the answer though. She is going to market new jeans with extra padding in the butt where a certain segment of the female population (however small we may be) needs it. She has christened these hot new pants, "Jeans For The Ass-Less". Man, I gotta get me some of them jeans.

G'night,
Melissa

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACE!!!!!

Well, we were all hit with some form of the flu. But we are all on the mend, and feeling much better, so maybe I can get back to bloggin' now!

Today is Race's birthday, and we miss him terribly. We sent him a package, and as luck would have it, it arrived right on time! We can't really send much, because he has to travel light. So, the kids and I sent him "A Year in Pictures". We took a sampling of the pictures from this year, and spaced them out on laminate, so that the entire thing could be folded up like one of those laminated travel maps. This way he can hang it on his wall, but take it with him as well. In the box, there was also a few toy lizards from jack, a picture fron Savannah, a signed baseball from Austin, and some of Race's favorite candy.

The kids are going to be thrilled that it arrived right on time for him. So, Happy Birthday Race! Be careful and come home soon.

Have a great weekend!
Melissa

This is a picture......of the pictures. It says,"Happy Birthday Dad, Come Home Soon". And we all signed it.

NO SURRENDER...FIX BAYONET'S

O.K., I'll admit it. The news of the extension to Race's trip definitely brought out the worst in me. I have cried and figuratively thrown a full blown tantrum because I miss my husband. My kids miss their father. We had all the details worked out. And then THIS. It was a huge blow. Like someone knocked the air out of you. And I DID NOT handle it well at all.

It is through the miracle of God's amazing grace that he doesn't turn His back on me at times like this. That he doesn't just leave me there to wallow in all of my self pity. Oh, I do a very good job of justifying my feelings, by saying, "What about the kids? They will be devastated!" And they may be. But God is faithful. He knows what I need, and He knows what my children need. Thank-you so much for your prayers.

I was reminded in a very humbling and frightening way this week, just how dangerous Race's job really is. His tasks each day require his full attention. He can't have an "off day". I was humbled because I realized that I was so wrapped up in my own plans, my own selfish expectations, that I had forgotten the larger picture. There are LIVES on the line here, and not just his. When asked to help out a bit longer than expected to do a job that.........LIVES depend on, in the most fundamental way you can imagine......Could he say, "Sorry, man....gotta get home for baseball...hope ya find someone..." ? Would I WANT him to say that? I was reminded just how much bigger this all is than just me. And somehow, I will relay that to our children. And we will carry on.

In Race's line of work there is a definite communication break down for those that they leave back home. There has to be. I cannot tell you how difficult that is for me to handle. Actual conversations are few and far between, and so vague that you would think that we hardly knew one another. Now THAT'S hard! And I am sure that it will come as no surprise to you that none Race's co-workers have families who are together any more. And they'd give anything to "fix it". I hope that we can be a positive influence, in that way.

I am so thankful for my family. They have made such an enormous difference in the lives of each of my children. I just don't know where we would be without them to fill the gap. They are truly one of my greatest blessings. They spend time with my kids, even when it isn't easy. ANd they call to check on me, even when they aren't sure what to say.

Psalm 119:32 (NEB) "I will run the course set out in thy commandments,/ for they gladden my heart."
Thanks so much for all of your prayers. We're alittle battered, and there will be more to come as the kids find out about the extension, but we're not beaten. And they won't be either.

Have a great day!
Melissa

Family of Johnny Bad Ass waving white flag

The first email of the day today, was one from Race, telling me that his trip has been extended.(This all seems so familiar.)

The first phone call of the day was from the Automotive place. The suburban needs a new fuel pump. And no luck on getting the little car inspected today.

Prayers would be SOooo appreciated.

Feeling pretty overwhelmed and very inadequate for the tasks at hand.

Well, we are all still hanging in there, and our illnesses seem to have leveled off at least, and aren't keeping anyone down.

There. That was positive, right? See, I have a POSITIVE blog. Full of funny and uplifting things.

Several of my nightmares came true today. Nightmare #1: Car wouldn't start.

I don't understand it. It drove fine yesterday. I parked it in the driveway, in it's usual spot, where it can bask and be admired in all of it's shiny, black glory. How could it do this to me? No buzzer? No whistle? No flashing light of warning??? I ask you. What is this insanity know as the automobile? Where is technology? It can tell me when the door is left open, but can't explain when it is about to up and DIE???

I calmly usher the kids and all of their bags, cleats, snacks, drinks, belts,tights, etc. into the TEENY, TINY commuter car, affectionately known as "The Skate". All the while Jack is saying, "But Mom, it doesn't have the sticker. It doesn't have THE STICKER". HE is talking about an inspection sticker. No one drives "The Skate", and it's inspection had run out in Nov. But, hey, I'm a chance taker, and the kids have got commitments. We take off.

I drop Austin off at practice, and rush out for jumper cables (the ones that are SUPPOSED to be neatly stowed in the suburban in that special,"cable compartment" have vanished and the compartment was empty). I come home and fire up the Scalded Dog, (y'all remember that truck, right?) I READ THE DIRECTIONS ON THE JUMPER CABLES. Yeah, um, could that BE any more confusing? How the hell am I supposed to remember about the whole positive negative thing, if you keep reminding me that at any moment....with the SLIGHTEST mistake....I will be permanently disfigured by the spray of battery acid all over my body?****

Fast Forward-

I did hook up the cables properly. I was NOT permanently disfigured by the spray of battery acid......but the car wouldn't turn over at all. Some distant, repressed memory came back to me at this point, and I remembered that the rapid, clicking sound may be the starter.

Fast Forward again-

Still driving "The Skate",I pick Austin up from baseball, drop Savannah off at dance, pick up pizza, and pass our poor beautiful suburban on the road being towed by Bubbles Towing Service. And although Bubbles is an extremely obese and frightening looking black man, he is, in fact very nice and polite and you should not be afraid. *** BTW, why is it that all tow truck drivers are so large? Have you ever noticed that? The whole world of automotives is a mystery to me***

The boys and I had to attend Austin's baseball parents meeting tonight. You know, the one that I was dreading? Well, the whole first part was the same, and you had to pay special attention to the part where head hauncho tells all the parents to "Respect your Team Mom's. They have the hardest jobs. SO many Team Mom's came to me last year, CRYING after being cussed by one of you parents.......yada, yada, yada".

Guess who was voted Team Mom? TWICE. And that, my friends, was Nightmare #2.

But, hey......my face was not sprayed with battery acid...(weak smile).

There's more to tell, but I've gotta get to bed. Gotta go get "The Skate" inspected tomorrow.

G'night,
Melissa

Well......Ooookay....

But I am not feeling very inspired. So, don't say you weren't warned, Thom.

We have been fighting illness at our house all week. So far, we have managed to keep going, and everyone has been on HUGE doses of Vit. C. But as of tonight, I am a little concerned about Austin. We'll see what the morning brings.

All 3 kids were at Mam-maw and Pap-paws this weekend. That's right......ALL 3 KIDS. So, what does Melissa do when she has a weekend to herself? Well, I was sick. All was not lost, though. I actually made some progress on some of the home improvement tasks. I hung a new chandelier for the dining room, installed track lighting in the living room, changed 4 inside door knobs from the ugly "gold" color to nice brushed nickel-finished ones. I installed a "door-closer-thingy" on the screen door, so that everyone will quit leaving it open AND I purchased and hung some nice window boxes for the railings of the front porch(but they're still empty).

Saturday night, I made a late night run to the local grocery, and who did I run into? My sister, Thom! I was by the dairy case when I heard her call. I only had a handful of items to grab, but, of course had grabbed a buggy...just in case. She on the other hand had to buy a lg jug of water and a humongo bag of dog food.......so....she quickly stole my basket and we finished up our shopping. I totally didn't mind though, because she told me that she thought that my hair cut looked really good.........(I hadn't even brushed it.....once). Also, she didn't laugh as I searched my purse for my keys for 5 min. before realizing that they were in my hand.
Ooo-ooo- also, Mega-High-Fives to Thom, whom I am told was CARDED twice last week!! WOAH! Under 21?? Congratulations my friend.....savor those moments(sniff, sniff, wiping a tiny tear from my eye). I have not ascertained WHERE she was to have been carded.....TWICE. The secret life of the bachelorette....who can know it?

I will have to save my annual "Nightmare at Baseball Parent Meeting" for another night. Let's just say, that I don't *think* that there are any ex-con parents on Jack's team, (however, I was careful to note that 2 did not show up...so we'll see). I sat in the Middle School cafeteria(complete with a large, compelling poster of Hillary Duff telling me to "Drink Milk") with about 100 other "parents" (this is JUST 8-9 yr olds league).I couldn't describe this crowd of people if I tried. Do the words "Big Johnson" mean anything to you? Well, I saw at least 4 of those shirts while I was there.
After he read our "hand out" to us....word-for -word, We were told by the head hauncho to "Please go DIRECTLY to your assigned room, with your assigned coach. Please DO NOT loiter in the hallways and keep your children with you AT ALL TIMES. PLEASE (special emphasis here) DO NOT MESS with any of the teachers things in the classrooms, and DO NOT write on the boards." Man, I grabbed my designer bag and tucked that baby under my arm and RAN like hell to my assigned room, looking back over my shoulder as I went. Have I mentioned that I live in "mountain country"? Well, I also live in "baseball country". I live in the south, in "baseball, mountain country".

*(shouting here) I WILL BE THE HAPPIEST WOMAN ON EARTH WHEN RACE IS HOME TO ATTEND ONE OF THESE MEETINGS!!!*

Well, tomorrow night is the parents meeting for Austin's league. I am sure that there will be stories to tell. Perhaps, I'll be perkier tomorrow, and will be able to do it justice.

We ARE still enjoying the gorgeous weather!
Be safe Race, we are praying for you and we miss you so much. Come home soon. We love you!

G'night,
Melissa

A good day..

Today was good. Lessons were completed, and it was one of those days in schooling, where you knew that they really "got it". Austin and I had a great time with the article on Chimps,evolution and altruism that was posted over at The Dude's blog. After reading it, I had him go through and point out the leaps in logic that were taken in the article.It was also a good chance to talk about the seriousness of slanting a study to make the results favor your theory. THAT is not science...and in my opinion, it is dangerous. (This goes equally for creation scientists as well.) Let the FACTS support themselves....only then can science move forward.

The boys went to the creek and found all manner of life forms. A "mystery bug" was also reportedly seen. There were several games of UNO played in this house today....and STILL Jack is the champion. It is definitely going to his head.

Speaking of Jack, I forgot to tell you, that the other day when it was just the 2 of us. I had wanted to surprise him, by going to buy his baseball gear together.

Me: "Hey squirt, what do you say we go and get your cleats and baseball pants and stuff today?"
Jack: (excited) "OH, Mom, I had a feeling you were going to do that today, so I AM ready.......I'm wearing socks AND UNDERWEAR!"
Me: "Well...this IS a special day then, isn't it?"
Jack: (happily, oblivious) "YEP, it SURE is."

Today, I was on the phone with Thomasina and all was quiet here in the house. Everyone was off enjoying their own bit of free time. I was telling Thom that I needed a place to put the treadmill, where I could get a bit of privacy. (There's nothing worse than concentrating on your running, being all sweaty...and turning around to find that your youngest has been laying in the floor staring sleepily at you for God knows how long!) It seems no matter what time I get up, SOMEONE gets up right after me.
I got off the phone and all was still quiet. A little later everyone was in the kitchen and Savannah announces, "OH- HEY, guys....from now on, we need to give mom some privacy!" I look at her surprised, and she shrugs, "Well, I was playing in the hallway....I couldn't HELP but over hear!" LOL! My point, exactly.

We Miss You Race!
G'night,
Melissa

Yeah.....umm...just go ahead overHere to Culloden Farms. She has started a series on Classical Education that is totally inspiring. Great Stuff!

G'night,
melissa

Ack! Long, catch-up post!

Another week down. Another week closer to Race coming home. I'll admit, I am languishing a bit. Just tired mostly, and missing my husband.

On the bright side, we had a pretty good week this week. I managed to get everyone where they needed to be without slipping into a coma-like state(yay!). I was being careful to make the most of the time that I had with each of the kids....even if it WAS in the car! I tried not to slip off into that quiet utopia called "my own thoughts", and instead engaged the kids in conversation about their own thoughts. This doesn't exactly come naturally to me, because.......I like my privacy. Seeing that Race is gone, and we home school.......well, privacy just isn't anything that I see much of these days! So, I am quick to jealously grab that time in the car(where we live), and let the kids veg out on a video, or drain their brains with the Gameboy. Bad, bad, mom. So, on that front, I have turned a corner and made a new start, and I know it's worth the effort.
Parenthood is a funny thing. It isn't a list that you can just check things off of. A good parent isn't about being the Team Mom, or the Coach of the ball team, or driving around with a soccer ball on your mini van. It is about investing in a child's life. YOUR child's life. And you can do that from your living room.......or your suburban. You can do that from your own home, or from the other side of the world.

Mom and Dad came and picked up Austin for his baseball lessons this weekend. Austin had a great time, and they brought him back today super happy, and super tired.For the month of March, he will spend every weekend with them. They take him to his private lessons and to their church on Sunday's , before bringing him home. He is loving it! His varsity practice is going really well. There are only 3 things that could happen to make his life sheer heaven. 1. Race could be home enjoying all this baseball WITH him, and 2. That I would wake up and say, "That's it. You've graduated. I have taught you all you need to know. You are free to pursue a career in baseball to it's fullest." and 3. That varsity would practice on Wednesday's too, so that he would be playing a full 7 days a week.

Savannah went with the youth group today after church up to the ski resort to go snow tubing! She had a blast. There were more girls that boys going, and she and her friends managed to all pile into one car. She also returned home really happy and really tired.

Jackson and I had some time to ourselves today, so we went and picked out his baseball pants, socks and cleats. He quickly shed his clothing on the way home and was dressed out completely when he got out of the car. He is pretty sure that those cleats(his first pair) enable him to run at the speed of light. he practiced running back and forth about 100 times to show me.

We wrapped things up today by meeting Mom, Dad, Austin, Thom, and The Lawman at a local Italian dive. This was my first time meeting Lawman. He's pretty quiet, so I don't feel like I really got to know him. He did seem to get a kick out of Jacks antics, though and definitely seems genuine. I guess we'll have to see if he hangs around much with the fam in the future! BTW, a HUGE thanks to Thom this week for picking up my kids at their various places so that I could liberate my hair from it's ratty ends. It was bad. Really, really bad. SO, thanks Thom!

Thanks for checking in, here. And thanks for your prayers. They mean so much to Race and I.
G'night,
Melissa