Mike's Woodstock

Me and the kids are roughing it this long holiday weekend alone. Mike has gone off with my brother Tim and my niece's soon to be husband for a weekend filled with tents, music, laughter, port a potty's, noise, more music, sunshine, and dirt. It is their version of a bachelor party for Tyler and they have gone to Hookaville's music festival up at Buckeye Lake. The fun part is out of these three men there is one each from a different decade (one in his 20's, one in his 30's, and one in his 40's), but they all so well suited for this, they will have a blast.

(Just no one try to take Mike's air mattress, Lol!)

Welcome Diesel!!!

Tatum's best {{guy}} friend is Cole. Cole has been an only child his whole life. Now at the age of 16 he was so THRILLED to find out he was going to have the chance to be a big brother. Last Friday we welcomed into the world Jaxxon Diesel. Now Tatum and Cole have little brother's born on the SAME DAY! We went over the other night to see little Diesel and he is the most beautiful baby ever! Congrats you guys!!

{{Brothers :)}}}

Matthew got a Gift

On Friday My Son turned Nine. He had a busy wonderful weekend filled with good things. Cupcakes for school. Cards in the mail from friends and grandmas. Balloons and presents.

Good ol Lacey even built him a Luigi on her Farm on Farmville entirely out of haybales! LOL!

We had a party at his favorite place~the skating rink (which everyone loved except for one little one who had a fight with her skates)

and he was surrounded by friends and family...

But the best part that happened was a part that has been hurting us for awhile. Eating away at our family. You see the night before his birthday Matthew had soccer practice. He fell and someone stepped on his injured arm with cleats. By the time I noticed him sitting on the sidelines, blotchy faced and crying, he had been there a while. His coach convinced him to get back out to play, but as I sat and watched him try to play, I got angry. He held his arm at an angle. He played with his hands in his pockets.

He was weird.

My anger grew. This was enough. Five weeks and these people STILL had the dog, and WE everyday dealt with the consequences.

When we got home, I went down there. I demanded the lady look at a picture of Matthew's injuries. WHY? did she still have the dog? She said she wouldn't talk to me anymore and that I would have to talk to her husband. She dialed him up and put me on the phone with him right then and there. He is a cop and there I stood and told him EVERY thing I ever wanted to say.

.

.

Long story short...

Matthew's birthday was the next day...the man approached my husband. He said the dog was going that day to a new home.

I told Matthew when I dropped off the cupcakes at school. He smiled really big to himself. I think I saw a weight lift off him right there. We are going to move on now...

Wednesday's Here (turn on the music Cole :)

I was recently informed that my blog had gotten boring {{gasp}} and had not NEAR enough pictures of my mucho important kids in my life. Lol~ yes...Tatum's friends are blog readers and like an occasional post with them in it :) What a better chance to show you what goes on here lately after school on Wednesdays....
One thing I have to say about all of Tatum's friends is they are great with the kids. They love and play with the children, and are all so sweet.

Tatum and Hunter.

Too. Stinkin. Cute. Are. They!

Alot of Wii action going on.

The gang. (after 15 deleted shots :)

No More Just Stopping By's

I'm still here...I just look and act a little different than I did in my blogging hay day! I had to have a firm talk with myself about what I wanted to get out of my blog, and who I was doing it for. There use to be a time where ONLY one post a day was SO hard. Now I can't keep up with life...and I only seem to blog when I really have something to say. I couldn't believe when looked at my index and saw only 5 entries for May!
I have made FABULOUS friends and will still be around...just for the right reasons now.

The Best Mother's Day Ever

This past Mother's day was busy.

I woke up to nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Mike had to get to work and I got the kids packed up and went to church alone.

I tried to have a big girl approach about it and failed miserably. Not a gift. Not a flower. Not a breakfast in bed. My poor husband has paid for it horribly this week I'm afraid.

I had planned a fabulous dinner out that evening for my mom, which we did do, and that was simply...fabulous. We had a great time and the kids really enjoyed their first time trying the Melting Pot.

I have to admit, I was envious reading everyone's wonderful Mother's Day post about the wonderful things their families did for them. I could kick myself now, because I got served a piece of wonderful humble pie.

My eight year Matty has been sitting on a $10 gift card that he got for Christmas to the dollar tree. ( a store that sells everything for a dollar...I'm sure everyone has something like that around!) He excitedly told me that he wanted to take me there so he could buy me a gift since I didn't get one.

On the way there his story changed a bit, and he asked if it would be alright since it was a neighbor boys birthday if he bought 3 gifts for Mark...3 gifts for me...and 3 gift for him...LOL! I said "Of Course! It is your money honey!" (the last dollar to be used for tax)

When it was time to check out I surprised him with paying the tax and let him pick ONE more gift out for himself. Lol...he choose a bag of lemon heads candy... which he has been carrying around in a coffee cup ever since drinking/eating out of!

MY loot included {{ahem}}

**a brush

**those hair removal pads as seen on tv! Lassy Legs!

** and a pretty thing to hang from our tree
I really am the luckiest mom in the world!

Oh To Be Young

My lips are sealed.

I'm not saying nothing about where she has been spending her time.

Up late texting.

Smiling. Making daddy a wreck.

Happy Mother's Day

To each of my babies that I have had the joy of having in my life, and gift of getting to be Mama to, and a deep wonderful love that makes my life complete.

Tatum Winter...

Jacob Joseph...

Matthew Hunter....

Scarlett Summer...

which is all love that was overflowed and showered upon me throughout my life from my mom...Thanks mom!

which started further back of course....
(my dad as a baby and his mom)
(my mom as a baby and her mom :)

Sweet Dreams

After I get the kids off to school in the early morning, I usually crawl back into bed and I will go get Summer out of her bed and bring her to mine so we can sleep and snuggle and wake up together. (Also so I can keep tabs on the little bugger, cause she is a sneak when she gets up:)

This morning as we laid in bed, I had not yet fallen back to sleep and she laid there sound asleep snuggled up next to me, I heard her laugh out loud. I opened my eyes to see her still asleep but laying there with a huge smile on her face, caught in some dream. She actually guffawed at some point. I had to suppress my own giggles from waking her up as she took her hand and poked me and said "tag, your it!". (her favorite ongoing game)

What a delicious way to fall asleep:)

My Own Bubble

Today, my van didn't leave the driveway.

We slept in as a family and then woke up as one in a cuddly tumble watching cartoons. Even Jake.

Today, I stayed in my Pajama's until 4 o'clock. I didn't shower until then.

I slowly gardened and weeded the back garden while the kids played outside. I got my hands in the earth and was dirty. I was barefoot, and in my pajama's and dirty.

I drank wine coolers and played on the computer, and talked with friends and family. I smelled of charcoal as my husband cooked chicken wings on the grill.

We planted strawberries in the strawberry pot and let Summer do the planting.

I let the kittens out for hours as the roamed the back yard. Smelling and feeling and watching everything.

Today Summer delighted in having friends to play with and laughed and ran and got filthy and fell asleep by 8 0 clock.

Mike and I ate apple pie and watched our show and fell asleep. It rained through the night. I feel so very blessed...