Fall Wreath

Check out my beautiful new fall wreath! Lovingly made by Patrice Myers. I am so proud of it!

Saturday Morning

Saturday=Sleeping in even just a little! Lay in bed, drink coffee, read or maybe watch a little something on the television. In other words, wake up at our own pace day. Well, sleep in worked out, but the rest was not meant to be! I opened my eyes at around 9 AM, thought WHAT IS THAT SMELL, and bolted out of the bed. The kitchen and living room were filled with smoke! I shouted for Randy...who must have already bolted from the bed too, because he was behind me in a flash. We could barely see the anything, but I made my way to the back door, as he made his way to the kitchen. The microwave was on fire!

It didn't take us long to figure out that Mr. Matthew had decided to make his own breakfast. He took a hot pocket out of the freezer, and popped it in the microwave. I am not sure if he removed the wrapper, not do I have any idea how long it had been cooking. Apparently it must have been a long time, as he obviously got bored and went on back to his room. The microwave got so hot that the breaker flipped, which made the it stop running thank goodness. The fire melted the door. On the inside, the hotpocket looked like a piece of charcoal, and was still glowing. We got the smoke out of the house as fast as we could, but I can still smell it.

We were fortunate in many ways. Things could have definitely turned out another way Saturday Morning. None of our fire alarms went off. They are tested every month...and even tested normal that day. I am not sure why they didn't work, but we have new alarms now. We have a new heavy duty microwave, with a child lock. We have removed the knobs on the stove. Funny, we try so hard to encourage Matthew to do as many things as he is able independently and when he does...it scares the hell out of us.

Rewind

I have wanted to sit down and write a little for quite some time but I must admit...I do not like being inside the house much in the summer months. When I am not running the kids and their friends back and forth to summer band practice...I am usually out and about with my camera in hand hoping to capture something unusual or beautiful. If I am really lucky...something unusually beautiful.

Since I have written very little this summer...I feel like I should rewind and pick up where I left off. I've been sitting here thinking ...how am I going to write this entire summer in one post? Then I remembered...I don't have to write it all in one post.

It is a stormy day here in S.E. Texas. Actually...it blew in rather suddenly and just a bit violently around 1:30 this afternoon. I love stormy weather...except when I have to drive in it. Today I was out in the worst of it.

Walking around in my backyard...basking in the calm after the storm makes it all worthwhile.

Photo's: Pink Angel Trumpet. I planted it almost 4 years ago and until this summer...it refused to bloom. I originally had it in a pot out on the deck as advised by a local nursery. Last fall I was tired of messing with it. It looked awful...and had not once bloomed. I told my husband...lets put it in the ground...and if it comes back next summer great....if not then oh well! Last winter was one of the coldest winters we have had in years...and by spring the angel trumpet looked GONE! We cut it to the ground...and much to my surprise...it came back and bloomed! Another surprise...all that time I thought it was a white angel trumpet....it is pink and smells heavenly!

Doing A Little Spring Cleaning

I am just about done and will be back to blogging very soon!

It's The Little Things...

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain
Oh my goodness gracious, do I feel lazy! This comes over me about this time every year. The kids are out of school for Spring Break and our life finally slows down a bit. I do miss my girl Gianna...but for now the quiet is nice.

Saturday, Randy and the kids cleaned the yard...while I relaxed out on the deck. HEY! Someone has to be the supervisor! The sun felt wonderful! I just propped my little feet up, closed my eyes and soaked up the warmth of the sun and the fresh air. It was a glorious day! Mowing was not an easy task...it has rained so much this winter and the ground is still quite soft....but the yard looks so much better and I am happy to report...I am beginning to see some green grass peeking up through all the brown.

Well...that is not all I did. I also got my camera out and took a few pictures of my family working in the yard, the beautiful blooms that are bursting out on every tree limb and of course...the adorable black lab playing fetch. He has been waiting for someone to throw that ball for weeks! I was all going well for him...until he decided to attack the weed eater. The weed eater didn't get him...but he broke his toenail when he was dancing around it. "Tiny Tim" will milk that injury for every drop of pity he can get.... for days!


On Sunday...the rain showers returned and we stayed in bed all day long. We watched a few movies a few crime shows and snacked in between naps. Isn't it amazing how the littlest things mean so much. Some take off for great places like Fort Lauderdale, Disney for Spring Break...but we are just enjoying the fact that there is no rush and we can sleep late! AH SPRING!


If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~Anne Bradstreet

It's Flooding Down In Texas

Yesterday I sang the praises of a sunny day without a cloud in the sky..

See the difference a day can make?

But even though the folks who had to be out in this may disagree....
that difference doesn't mean the rain is any less a blessing than the sunshine...

I am thankful for the showers that bring May flowers.

And for days that allow us all to slow down and rest....
Even though my bed is full of children, pets and lots of popcorn.

Whatever your day looks like...I hope you are enjoying it for the blessing it is....

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.
~Author Unknown~

The tighter you hold on to them...

The harder they will fight to get away...

Happy Monday! I wish I could say that I had a relaxing weekend...but I am absolutely exhausted! My husband and I had hoped that we would be able to get some rest after Shelby's birthday party weekend...but Caleb asked around the middle of last week if it would be OK if he had a "few" friends over on Saturday. They planned to video a movie they had been working on for..well as I understood it...one of their classes. He assured me that this would take place outside in the yard and on the deck and that they would arrive at 1pm and leave around 4-5pm. .So I spent all of Friday afternoon cleaning the house real good so my husband and I could just watch movies, read or work on some projects.

Well first of all they all started showing up at 11am AND...the "few" friends turned into nine (HUNGRY) all between the ages of 16-17 years old. Still....no big deal we'll grill some hamburgers and fill an ice chest with soda's, bottled water and ice.


So I am in my room talking to my friend of the phone when Caleb comes in and says " Mom, could you please call "T's" mom...she is freaking out?!? I ask "why is she freaking out?" "Well, she is really protective and she wants to talk to you." I know who "T" is...but he has never been to our house before...and I have not met his mother so...no problem.


I can hear a quiver in her voice as she explains that one of the other boys had brought her son to our house. So I asked ...did he not have permission to be over here...and she said she knew all about it but wanted to explain why she hadn't brought him over herself. In other words you don't know me...I don't know you...so lets talk a little. At that point I was thinking how nice this was that his parent at least wanted to know where her child was and who he was with...perfectly understandable.


She asked if their would be drinking...and I assured her that there would no alcohol, no tobacco and no drugs. She didn't ask but I gave her directions to our home and invited her to come over and meet us...have a burger and visit if she wished. She told me that she is an "overprotective parent and "she trusts hime completly" said that her son is T is a good kid, well behaved and very respectful. Then proceeded to give me a list of instructions...I would need to "Have a talk with the boy who brought her son....and instruct them not to go riding around...so I told her that I would just have her son call her before he left our home...she thanked me for being understanding and we hung up. I thought that was it.


She called him every hour to check on him and each time he had to put me on the phone. My guess was to prove to her that he was really still at our home and not riding around drinking and partying. Does it sound like she trusts him?


The whole " we'll do all of this outside" flew out the window...and due to all the rain we had last week...my floor was full of mud...still I rolled with the flow. By 5 pm...they were finished shooting the movie and everyone was full...so they began to leave. Caleb asked a few could spend the night...which I admit I was beginning to get a little irritated with him...but I said yes as long as it is OK with their parents.


Around 7:30 we decided to run to Home Depot (with our 15 year old daughter) to get brackets for a few hanging plants...and pick up pizza for the kids. Stephen (almost 19) was here...All were playing video games. When we returned one hour later...T met us at the door...actually he was pacing and pale...I was surprised when he took sort of a scolding tone with me and said "My mom called and YOU WEREN'T HOME"...Stephen said..."mom the woman is hysterical".


Stephen had tried to talk to her...but she accused him of being " some frat boy who was going to take her kids out to party" Then T started begging me to call his mom...and I finally said NO...I had already talked to this woman like 5 times...invited her to our home to meet us. T called his mom and I could tell she was just chewing him up one side and down the other...so I agreed to speak with her...he was obviously relieved. She lit into me the minute I said hello and finally I just gave the phone over to my husband...and he told her "Lady I don't know who you are but you son is a great kids and he is very welcome here....but if you are that concerned about his well-being...then you need to come get him" Isn't it amazing how that solution had not once occure to her?


While we waited for his parents T explained that his mother herself had partied at his age...she was untrustworthy so therefore everyone had to prove to her that they are worthy of her trust. I feel so bad for the boy...who is indeed a good kid...but overwhelmed by stress. His mother said she was just concerned about his "safety and well-being" but instead he was incredibly embarrassed and felt humiliated.

I feel it is important as a parent to know your children...where they go and who they spend time with. As I have told my children many times..."you have my trust but if you betray that trust...it will be hard to earn it back." We also open our home to the childrens friends. We feel it is important to provide a safe environment where they can hang out and enjoy themselves. It seems there are so many parents out there who claim they care about the safety and wellbeing of their children but do not wish to open their own homes. They are quick to scold and point out every mistake without a thought of their emotional well-being. We must be there to guide them...not smother and crush their self esteem. How aweful it feels when someone doesn't trust you...especially when it is your parent. The tighter you hold on ..the harder they will fight to get away from you.


At what point does a parent go from being concerned about their child's safety and well-being to overprotective and smothering?

An Unexpected Guest

I picked the kids up from school and when we returned home... I noticed that we had a visitor waiting by the front door. It is obviously an albino and it blended in with the brick so there is no telling how many times I walked by it. It was about 4-4 1/2 ft. long. I am so glad the kids and I found him...My husband would have certainly soiled himself.

Eventually he fell off the brick and I was able to get a few shots of those RED eyes.

Spring Fever!

I am trying so hard to get the house cleaning done today...but I am not having much luck. There is just so much too do...the kids were out last week for spring break...and they had their friends over...in other words...we played all week! Today the sun is shining for the first time in 5 days! I just wanna fix me a glass of iced tea and go sit on the back porch...with my feet uo and watch the birds catch worms! *sigh*