Boys, House, Church...OUR LIFE

It's been FOREVER, I know. I am not a quitter and plan on posting again. Hopefully, on a much more regular basis. I feel like there is just so much to catch up on and I can't possibly cover it all. I will try. I drank coffee tonight at church and I'm wide awake. Here goes nothing...

The Boys-

The boys are still 100% boys. They CONSUME my life and I love it. They get cuter by the day, y'all. I can't spank Luke as much as I did Jake. I'm tired. And I'm older. And he's so cute. And I realize some of the things I spanked Jake for are just boy things. And more than likely they will just outgrow them. I know Jake will love to read this one of these days. I love ya, son!

I thought it would be cool to coach Jake's Little Dribbler's team along with the 500 other things I am doing right now. It's been challenging. I forgot how much they don't already know and how hard it was to teach them the basics. As much as I want Jake to LOVE basketball, he is really all things FOOTBALL right now. I love to see how passionate he is. He actually loves the game. He cries when his favorite teams lose, practices his touchdown dances moves daily, lines up my couch cushions to make tackles, and would sleep in his Texans uniform if I let him. Basketball paid for half of my college and literally brought me all over the US. So, of course, I think it's awesome to see my child love something as much as I did! He is still loving school. He is reading like a champ and I still almost pull all of my hair out over every AR book he brings home. But, we get through it and he makes me the proudest mama in the world!

 

 

 

 

And this child right here. MY HANDS ARE FULL. He is hilarious 99% of the time. He is a typical class clown. The faces he makes and the things he says keep me rolling all day. He is talking in complete sentences and it blows me away the things he picks up on and understands. Every time he falls down I ask him, "Luke are you okay?" So, now before I can even get it out of my mouth if he falls, he yells," I OKAAAAYYYY." A few weeks ago I had to run to the lumber yard to do something for the house and I was cutting it very close to getting back in time to get Jake from school. I pulled up to the store and said, Okay, Luke, we have to hurry in here so we can get Bubba at school." He looks at me and says, "We run?" He randomly comes up to me throughout the day and kisses me. He loves shoes. Particularly these 50 cent Spider man ones my mother in law picked up from the Dollar General one day to have a pair at her house. Just my luck. He wants to wear the things all over the place. Even with his footed pajamas. He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. All day I hear,"I want more Toodles." The decision to stay home with him may have been the best decision I have ever made. I love my "job" more and more each day!

 

The House-

 

Oh, the house. SIGH.  BIG, BIG SIGH. I feel like I have this mental list in my head all day every day of the things we have to get done before we move in and the list gets longer each day. Yes, we could call a contractor to come and finish it but we wouldn't be saving near the money. I am trying to be patient and let Cody finish. We have been soooo incredibly blessed with family and friends to help. We are close. Very close. My dad has built every cabinet, drawer, and vanity that's going in and I have NO IDEA what they will look like or what he's doing. And I love it. Í am that picky but he's that good. I did the same thing at my wedding, I didn't even pick my bouquet and it turned out amazing. I like the suspense. I like to try to be laid back and appreciate somebody elses ideas. I did print my pinterest folder and give it to him and told him halfway what color stain I wanted (it's two mixed together.) I really don't know what Cody and I will talk about, disagree about, or even do to occupy our time when this house is done!!  I can't wait!

 

 



My Church-

I would be completely crazy if it wasn't for church. But not just any church, my church. I love this little place and the little building we are at two, sometimes, three times a week. I am so thankful for grandma and paw paw that instilled such an awesome foundation in my mother that carried on to me. My mom comes up almost every Sunday to attend church with my family. I love when I tell Luke we are going to church and he says,"I see MAMMY (Grammy.) Cody has chosen to become Catholic(all on his own)  and will receive his first communion on Easter. So many nights I get out of the shower and my husband is in bed reading something to become closer to his faith. I have prayed for this since the day we got married. I was asked to be on the pastoral council here at church two weeks ago and we had our first meeting tonight. As I sat there in mass tonight praying, it is overwhelming to see how God has worked in my family in just a short time. We still have such a long way to go but we are loving every step!

More blogging for this tired mama another day! Excuse my errors. my eyes are heavy.

Picture DUMP

 

I really can't believe its been a month since I have blogged. I hate to picture dump on you but I already feel like a load is off of my shoulders. I take pictures intentionally to blog about then I end up forgetting. So, here they are! All at once!

 

The house is coming along so fast. I know it is about to start slowing down with having to run electrical, blow the insulation, hang sheet rock, and then PAINT. I am almost to the point that I would bring my sleeping bag out there and sleep. The windows are on the way this week. I know the contractors get so sick of seeing the old Tahoe drive up out there but I can't help it. It is starting to get so exciting. My dad came this week and measured for cabinets, vanities, built ins, etc. I was able to print all of my Pinterest ideas and hand them to him. If anyone can make them happen, it's him.

 

 

 

The back-I can't wait to drink coffee on this porch!

 

 

 Homecoming Pep Rally

 My Luke. Precious.

 

 

 Jake's first sleepover at the Henson's house for Tate's 6th birthday

 

 

I have some things I actually would like to blog about but my family is on the way and the house is a wreck. Luke and I went to the pep rally today to see Jake. I witnessed my won child being bullied and it may have been the hardest thing as a parent I have been through. The more I type, the more upset I get. We will save that for a post in itself.

 

We are headed to the Cotton Bowl tomorrow with my sister and Stephen. They just happen to be the biggest OU fans imaginable. I would love UT to win but could really care less. Please pray for me and this two hour car ride with these crazy fans!!! 

Luke-18 months..EEEKKK

 

 

I have no clue how 18 months has gone by so fast. Luke is the most precious thing ever. I love his personality and the fact that he loves to make people laugh already. He will repeat anything you say and his new thing is nursery rhymes. He will watch them on an iPad or iPhone all day long but has no interest in a cartoon. He would actually have to sit down for that! He has Cody totally wrapped around his finger and I love it.  Even though Jake is the typical big brother Luke loves him more than anybody else. I keep reminding Jake that Luke will be big one day and he may just be bigger than him. I love that they chase each other around the house and entertain one another. It is NEVER quiet in this house and when it is me and Cody hate it. So many times when we are about to pull our hair out, I look at Cody and ask him if we will really "miss this"one day? I try very hard to discipline these boys but its a hard job when they are this cute! I never imagined being so blessed in all of my life. Thank you, Lord! 

 

Slowing My Roll- Or Jake's

Cody and I watched, "What to Expect When You're Expecting" tonight and it was hilarious. We laughed the whole time. I cried too, what's new?! It's way past my bedtime and I know I should be in bed but I have all day tomorrow to just lay on the couch and watch soap operas. I can catch up then. HA!

I had a light bulb moment tonight while I was washing dishes and I thought I would share. (I don't have a dishwasher-I spend a lot of time at the sink)  This whole school thing with Jake has had me stressed since it started. Is he in the right place, are they challenging him, is he being exposed to things that scare me, does he behave, is he bored? So many questions run through my mind ALL day when he's gone. Then, I get to school to pick him up and I am so excited to hear all about his day but when I ask him what he did I get the usual," I don't know or we didn't do anything." DRIVES. ME. CRAZY! So then I am back to the drawing board on what did they really do today? I have been hesitant on setting up a teacher conference just to touch base and see how things were going and mainly to see if Jake could start AR now instead of at Christmas since he's reading. I haven't wanted to sound like the psycho parent and the fact we live in a tiny town it would spread fast, if it already hasn't. Tonight I was washing away,thinking, okay here we are almost a month into school and I could set a conference this week and maybe I won't sound too pushy. Then, my light bulb went off. Why do I need to set up a conference? To tell his teacher that he is a smart kid and needs to start reading more at school when the gift that I have been blessed with I can help him at home? Jake is not an Albert Einstein and I am not trying to raise Albert Jr. He's been in school since he was three so he's been doing these basic skills for two years while some have stepped foot in a classroom for the very first time a month ago. As a teacher, I know his teacher realizes he's already reading and that he will need to be challenged in class. She's amazing and has been doing this longer than I have been alive. The very reason I stayed home this year was because I feel like I have missed so many important things in the boys lives so why am I trying to continue to rush things? I am making him grow up way faster than he needs to. Why can't I just let him run and play and be a KID? I promise the thirty minutes we sit down and read every night is punishment enough for him (and me) Cody and I pray constantly that our kids are well rounded. I have no doubt in my mind my children will excel in school but most of all I want them to love their childhood and have precious memories from it. I want Jake to remember Kindergarten just like every child does, he has his whole life to be a grown up and being pushed constantly to do MORE. So, with all of that being said, Jake and I will continue to read and work hard for a small part of our evenings but the rest will be spent helping mom in the kitchen, playing with Luke, throwing a ball in the front yard, and digging in the dirt. I have been blessed with the ability to teach children how to learn and it's my job to continue to teach my own regardless of what he's doing elsewhere.

I will sleep so much better tonight. Off my soap box for now!

The House

I have been wanting to update on the house. This is probably boring, sorry!  These three pictures have taken a month. I know this doesn't look like much. It is going soooo slow, but I know it's progress. Cody swears it's about to start going super fast and I am trying to be positive. The forms are set so we are waiting on the plumber to come in then they will dig beams and pour the slab! Seeing the last picture down there is making this all very real. You can see the outline of the house and there is no turning back now.

 



 

What Else Do I Have To Do?

So, I am not sure who actually came home with the term "stay"at home mom but it had to come about in the 18th century before cars. I have officially been a stay at home mom for eight days now and I have been gone six of those eight. I really don't know how people build a house and work. Between the house and my precious angel, Jake, I am not sure it's possible. Jake has given me a run for my money lately, but I mean what else do I have to do these days?

The first day of Kindergarten went as planned. I cried, he didn't. He came out to the car and said he wanted to go back the next day and I had prayed all day he would say he wanted to be home schooled! The second day my competitive little boy fell in PE while running "super fast"and put  his hands out to catch him. He got in the car and showed me his hand and told me what happened. This brought me to tears once again, besides the fact that his hand was twice as big as normal and his fingers were purple, he didn't tell anybody at school he had hurt it. He said he was crying quietly in the corner. BREAK. MY. HEART. We made a trip to the doctor on what would have been the third day of school to get x-rays. I would have loved for him to have perfect attendance this year. Thank goodness it was just sprained and no breaks. The fourth day of school I dropped him off and he gets in the car that afternoon and there are no falls, stories, or tears. That night after dinner we take our usual golf cart ride down to Cody's parents and sit on the back porch to visit. Jake has been driving the golf cart for a few months now with me or Cody in there with him. Well, he asks to drive around the backyard where we are sitting and I agree. Not even ten minutes later we hear a huge crash and the familiar bawling. He backed right in to Big Daddy's shop going through the sheet metal. I think Cody and I were more upset with ourselves than we were Jake. It was one of those moments you have that parenting FAIL feeling.

                                                   

This weekend both of the boys got baptized and it was the most perfect day of my life besides my wedding day. It was just our family and close friends. I really do not know how it could have been better. Every person there (non-Catholics too) told me how awesome it was. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful priest here in such a small place! I knew things could not do anything but look up for my Jake after this.....

Yesterday I picked Jake up and I knew immediately when he wouldn't look at me that something had happened. I asked how his day was and I got that out the window stare once again. Then, my mom came out. Not good. I knew he had changed his color and he knew what was going to happen when he got home. I gave him the Donna Fox lecture about flipping burgers at Dairy Queen if he wasn't a good student. His behavior and my craziness did force me to get in a two mile run yesterday evening so I could release stress. I know he is not perfect and never will be. It really sucks for him since I have been a teacher and he gets the occasional talk about being "that kid" in class. I know this will not be the last of his color changing days but can't he space some of this out for his mama's sake?!!!

This is the latest picture of the house pad. That stack of lumber is for the guys tomorrow that will show up to start building the forms for the foundation! We are very excited.

 

 

This child is a mess. His little personality has "blossomed" to say the least. He is talking so much and running around the house all day. I LOVE being at home for the sake of getting to spend time with him and being refreshed instead of dog tired when Jake gets out of school. We miss Jake tremendously at "cool"during the day and our high light is sitting in the ridiculous car rider line to pick him up. Luke's vocabulary is crazy. He repeats anything you say and can tell me exactly what he wants. He LOVES his brother like crazy. He wakes up and goes to bed with a book in his hands. I go to bed thanking God each night for the opportunity to stay home with these kiddos and give them all the attention they need. I feel like the luckiest mom and wife ever!  

 

 

I have to share this story-



Luke was eating lunch today about 11:30 and my doorbell rings. I go to the door and Cody's grandpa is there in his pearl snap shirt and jeans. It is always such a sweet surprise when I see him. He tells me he's in trouble and needs my help. He went and dropped off Guy Guy to get her hair done and then went to fill his truck up with gas. Then, he locked his keys in his truck so he WALKED to our house. Pop is in his 80's and its 100 degrees outside. We live about a quater of a mile from the gas station. He comes in and tells me to call Cody's mom because she has a spare to get in their house where he can get his extra truck key. The whole time he is here he is worried about Guy Guy (Cody's grandma) at the beauty shop and her being done before he can get there. Little does Pop know he made my whole week and hopefull yours. All of the horrible things going on in this world he gave me hope today that there is still sweet, loving, precious people out there and I am surrounded by them every single day!

 

What Have We Been Up To?

I have sat down so many times to blog and I can't quite get them finished. I'm determined tonight!

We are all moved in to the rent house and are adjusting well. The first week was tough on us all. Jake and I have broke down and made a "drive by" a time or two at the old house. I feel like I'm in high school all over again. Oh well, every kid needs to learn sooner or later!

We have about another week before we close on the construction loan and get started. I am so excited, nervous, scared, anxious, etc. Every week it seems like either I am the one that is scared to death to do this or it's Cody. The good news is we are never both scared on the same week so we end up talking the other one out of being nervous. I can't wait.

Me and the kids just got home from Willis for 5 days. It was so relaxing. It was one of the best weeks of our summer for sure. I didn't cook, do laundry, or get dressed during the day. We hung out by the pool and shopped more than I should have. I miss having so much so close. There is every clothing store, grocery store, and all of my favorite restaurants within a 30 mile radius. Is it weird I get more excited about the grocery stores than the department stores? I love food. What's new?!! The one thing I wish I could change about this tiny town is a good market. I read and dream about having a farmers market so close to my house. The vegetable truck that comes to town every day is as close as I will ever get. Speaking of food and veggies, I have been reading this blog "100 days of real food." Google it. I want to do it so very bad. This down home cooking my mama taught me is doing nothing for this figure of mine. Something has to change!

Speaking of my mom....we need prayers...she is having weight loss surgery tomorrow and I am so nervous. We all know (my family) this is what has to happen for her to live as long as she possibly can. She has one of the best doctors in the world and that gives me comfort. I know she will bounce back in no time and we will have "not so big Dfox anymore" back sooner than later! Please pray for nurses, surgeons, hospital staff, me and my sisters and brother for comfort tomorrow.

The boys are getting so big and they are still wrestling and being "boys." They are loud and if I could bottle their energy and sell it I would be a millionaire!

I'm struggling on the running situation. It's so hot outside. I bought a month at the gym here in town to use their treadmill. Dairy Queen is a rock throw from the rent house and its temptation has taken over our house. Jake and I make late night runs 3-4 times a week. I feel like I run so I can have a dip cone and vanilla coke every day! Sometimes I think of it as a reward at night that my wild crazy boys are still alive after what they put me through during the day!!! Dairy queen is nowhere to be found on the 100 days blog, I already searched everywhere!

Hope you all are enjoying the last of summer!