Friends and Funnies

Yesterday, I got together with my sweet friend Laura.  We have been friends since our college days.  She lives in Fort Worth....which isn't too far but it's just far enough that we can't get together on a regular basis.  Between our kiddos, homeschooling and part time preschool we just don't get enough face time.  We do try to schedule a lunch/shopping date every once in a while.  We will meet at an area in the middle and spend several hours together.  I just love my Laura time!!

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Got a State Fair ticket in Hudson's backpack yesterday.  My heart skipped a few beats as I recalled our last time to the fair.  We went the Sunday before Jason died.  Had a great day.  Spent too much money.  Ate lots of food.  Didn't take a single picture.  Why?  Oh, why?

Bittersweet memory.

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Things I learned at preschool this week:

1.  At lunch today, a little girl asked me if I live at school.  You should have seen the confused look on her face when I explained that I did not and that I have a home I go to each night.  This confirms that all kids really do think their teachers live at school.

2.  Kids are being exposed to technology at an earlier age than ever before.  Not really a new revelation....but it continues to amaze me at how a 3 year old can pick up an Itouch and turn it on, browse around and play games with very little help.  Our class gets to play them for about 20 minutes once a week and they are all pretty independent on them!

3.  I do continue to be amazed at what parents send their kids for lunch.  Or should I say "snack time."  Many "lunches" today hardly even contain items that constitute it as a lunch.  How many fruit snacks, granola bars, cookies, juice boxes and chocolate milks can we cram into a bag?  And for the record....if your child is active and has a hard time sitting down.....I can promise you that nothing but carbs and sugar is not helping the situation.

4.  Right after a little boy was dropped off this morning he mentioned that he needed to go potty.  I said "come on, I'll take you" as I motioned him my way and started walking out our classroom door.  Our room is just a few feet from the bathroom and I was several steps ahead of him.  Today I learned that this little kiddo can multi task.  He can walk and proceed to pull his pants down and whip out his private parts all at the same time.  Ha!  No dull moments!

Computers and Other Stuff

I've had my laptop for several years now (it was not new when I got it) and even though I do pretty simple things on it....like facebook, Pinterest, blogging, etc....(I didn't even have my email on it) it was definitely starting to show it's age.  I didn't complain about it though.  I know computers are expensive and honestly there are other things I'd rather spend that money on.  Give me the choice of a new laptop or granite countertops or a vacation....and I will pick the vacation every single time.

Shawn is a boy that loves technology.  He is all about nice TV's and high resolution.  I guess he's your typical guy.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy those things too but it's not as important to me, I guess.   So a few weeks ago we were in bed and we needed to look something up for a trip we have coming up.  His laptop is his work computer and it stays in his bag and he doesn't use it for personal use.  Both of our desktop computers are in the study so I grabbed my laptop and hopped into bed.  And he about freaked out right there.

He was beyond frustrated with the speed (or lack of)...it froze up on us a few times, it had some pop-up things showing up.  It was a real mess.  He looked at me and said "I have no idea how you use this every day?"  I laughed and shrugged it off.  It took us 4 times longer to find our information that night than what it should have.

Last Sunday, we got a sitter for a few hours and we enjoyed lunch and walking around Town Square.  He took me into Best Buy and bought me an early anniversary present: a new laptop.  I'm confident that he was way more excited than I was (even though I'm so super thankful for it!)  He came home and got it all set up for me.  He even sent me my first email:

I am definitely loving it so far but I made the switch from a PC to a Mac and it's all so different.  And I hate change.  Hoping I figure it out soon!

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I started feeling a little under the weather this weekend.  I was miserable on Monday but thankfully I've managed to keep it at bay.  I still don't feel great but I think I'm heading in the right direction.

I decided that I needed some comfort food.  Who doesn't love homemade chicken noodle soup?  It's perfect for a sore throat!  I made enough to freeze some for later too.  Oh, I'm sooooo ready for cooler weather and making soup more often.

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Jason's grandma passed away this weekend.  She was 99 and had been declining for a while.  She had dementia really bad and her quality of life was non existent.

Jason, his grandma Ruby, his sister Jennifer, and his cousin Shea.

The boys were really sad when I told them she had died.  I know it opened up the emotions that surround Jason's death and they had lots of questions and lots of tears.

Cooper started asking me questions about heaven.

"Is it beautiful, mom?

"Are there streets of gold?"

"Is it really better than Earth?"

With tears streaming down his face he says "it sounds perfect.  I'm so glad dad gets to be there.  Wish I was there too."

Oh, precious boy....me too!!

Everything Fall

I decided to get my fall decorations out today and surround myself with "everything fall."  Do you think if I get all the pumpkins down from the attic that the weather will decide to cooperate and become cool and fall-like? Nah, I doubt it either.

I look forward to this time of year because I love me a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice latte.  I decided that I needed one this morning to get in the mood.  Legitimate excuse, right?

Before opening my bins........I put a pumpkin pie melt in my warmer.  Gotta set the stage!

I set out some pumpkin cupcake soaps in the bathrooms.

For some reason, blogger is acting up and I can't write under some of the pictures. I have no idea what I want to do with my fireplace mantel. This is as far as I got. Here are a few pics of spots in my living room and kitchen. I don't have a ton of places to put decorations....especially since sweet boy moved in. He brought his girlfriend (also known as his monster TV) so I lost my entertainment center in the living room. I used to fill those shelves up.

















I was cleaning out the drawers in my bakers rack (making room for some pencils and supplies so that I could clear the shelves off) and I was feeling sad. I has just stumbled upon my pumpkin platter that I bought several years ago. It had our family name on it (my former last name) and it hit me in the stomach that things are so different this fall. I reached into the drawer and saw this bracelt. And I immediately felt peace. Even in the crappiest of situations....God is enough.

I decided to take a little break from decorating and give my toes a fall facelift too. I traded out the turquoise polish...

....for the fall OPI shade instead (Over the Taupe)

School Stuff

Cooper was so excited yesterday when UPS knocked on our door and left a box on the porch.  Inside was Cooper's backpack and lunchbox that I ordered several weeks before school started.  About 2 days after I ordered it, I got an email stating that they were back ordered until around September 13.......which is obviously after the first day of school. (sigh)

He is super excited to take them to school tomorrow!

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Just wanted to update on one of the recipes I made this week. This pot roast  was not my favorite.  It was edible but definitely not something I would make again.  I've said it before though that I'm not a huge fan of the way most things turn out in a crock pot.  Some of you may love it but it was just okay for me.

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Today was our first day with our kids.  This is my 3rd year to teach with Kristi.  She rocks!

Preschool Moments and Realizations:

1.  You can tell real quick which kids have parents that are germophobes.  Flushing the toilet with your feet or laying sheets of toilet paper on the lid are pretty good clues.  So funny!

2.  It's interesting to see how modern technology influences our kids.  I witnessed a boy stand in front of the sink and wave his hand under the faucet (hoping that the motion would start the water)  He gave me a confused look as I explained that he had to lift up on the handle to turn the water on.

3.  I realized today that very few 3 year olds know how to do The Hokey Pokey.  Kristi and I basically "performed" it for them as they attempted to join in.  Super glad there were no other adults present to witness this event.

4.  I wish it was a worldwide rule that if your kid can't tie their own shoelaces then they should still be wearing Velcro shoes.  Please, for the love of man..........abide by this rule.  

5.  It's becoming harder and harder for me to bend and squat (another reason for your kids to wear Velcro shoes) and get myself up off the floor in a somewhat graceful manner.  Getting old really bites!

6.  Today was a great day and super successful but I know without a doubt that I will sleep like a baby tonight!!

Menus and Stuff

Sorry this is late.......I've had several people ask me to keep posting my weekly dinner menu.  Here is ours for this week.

Monday:

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
Garlic Roasted Broccoli
Sweet Potato Fries

Tuesday:

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast with carrots

Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday:

Pesto Orecchiette With Chicken Sausage

green salad

garlic knots

* my little monkey loves this so much that he requests is quite often!

Thursday:

Honey Mustard Baked Chicken

Ranch Style Beans
Fried Okra (don't judge)

Friday:
Family night- Pizza and a movie

On Sunday, we met Jason's sisters and stepmom for lunch.  The boys absolutely adore them and it was great to catch up.

The boys keep asking if we can move closer to them so that we can see them more.

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So, FIVE MONTHS after my car wreck.......and going to therapy and getting adjustments THREE TIMES PER WEEK........I am finally finished.  Oh friends, I honestly considered forwarding my mail because I felt as if I lived there.  What a pain in the neck (no pun intended) but also what a blessing to have resources like this to help heal us when we are hurt.  I am almost back to normal (are you ever really the same again?) and I'm grateful for that!!

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I started back to preschool last week for meetings and working in my room.  My littles start on Thursday and there is a big part of me that is ready for routine again.  We had Meet the Teacher (that's me!) this past Sunday night and it looks like once again that there are some precious kiddos in this group.

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Tomorrow and Friday I plan to get my fall decorations out.  Even though I am much more comfortable about it this year than I was last year......there is still a lot of sadness that the fall brings for me.

Obviously we are coming up on the 2nd anniversary.  I'm starting to feel the weight of that and have found myself sad and down at times.  I know this is normal.  Please continue to pray for us over the next few weeks.

Blog Break

It was nice to take a little break from the blog this past week.  We have all been busy transitioning to school and all that comes with that.  Here is what we have been up to:

We went to a Ranger game last Saturday night with some friends.

It was so crazy hot but we still had a great time!  We ate dinner and got to visit without interruptions (this sweet family has 4 small kiddos) so it was worth it.

This sweet guy loves a good bubble bath from time to time!  And lots of you have asked how he is doing.  Thank you for that!  He is doing good.  We haven't had any other big meltdowns since that one night so for that I am so thankful.  He did get sad last night and said "I just miss dad so much" but this is just our reality now.  We will forever have those feelings!!

Practicing his guitar.

We are still working through all the allergy stuff with Cooper.  He is doing MUCH better but he isn't perfect yet.  It's crazy to me that this all came to a head after spending that week at camp.  I guess his little body just got overexposed while there.  He has always had little spurts of coughs, sneezes, etc......but they would last such a short time and then not return for a while.  Unfortunately, ever since he came home from camp......his allergies have been much worse and constant.  Thankfully we are not waking up in the middle of the night anymore and we haven't done a single breathing treatment since his first NAET session.

Yesterday, Cooper had his 4th session.  So far, we have knocked out his allergy to mold, trees, and ragweed.  I talked to his doctor earlier this week and told him that I was still a little frustrated that he was still coughing. (cuz it sounds yucky) and he asked me to get a wet paper towel and swipe some areas in our house to bring in with us.  I got one and dusted around the kitchen and living room and bagged it up.  I got another and wiped around just his bedroom.  Along the baseboards, across the foot board of his bed, etc......and bagged it.  I then cut a little piece of Rudy's hair and bagged that up too.

At the doctor's office, Cooper responded well to the "living room" stuff.  It didn't bother him.  He did react negatively to HIS bedroom dust and Rudy's hair.  I thought it was odd that he showed an allergy to his bedroom but not the common areas on our house.  

But then I realized that Cooper's bedroom furniture is made of big logs (trees) and since he tested high allergy for trees.....this made sense.  So, we did some treatments in order to remove that allergy.  It's so crazy how all that works but the cool thing is that it DOES work.  At yesterday's appointment we eliminated grass, the stuff from his room, and Rudy's hair.  Praying this make a huge difference for him!

I've had lots of people ask me about these treatments.  It's kind of weird and kooky and not your typical way of treating things but I can tell you that it works.  We are getting to the root of the problem and not just masking it with medication.  Look into it if you suffer from allergies. (or other things too: my mom went for her TMJ, another friend took her son for his tics, etc.....)

I've had several people comment or ask questions about the essential oils we are using.  I have been super impressed with them so far!  In fact, the boys beg/remind me to put them on them.  It's such a blessing to have natural resources to heal our family.

After our appointment, the boys and I stopped into Pappa's to have dinner so that the traffic would thin out.  It took us an hour and a half to get there (never again will I schedule an appt in downtown Fort Worth at 4:00 on a Friday afternoon.  NEVER!) And took us about that long to get home.

While we were eating dinner, the TCU Horn Frog came and took pictures with the boys and handed out stickers and posters.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

My Little Coop

This little guy may be stubborn and hard headed and strong willed.......but he is probably also one of the most sensitive kids I know.  He can be sweet and thoughtful and cuddly and hilarious.  What would I do without my little monkey in the world?

This has been a hard week for him.  I think it is a combination of things- summer ending (so our relaxing schedule is out the door), nerves from starting a new year, being tired from getting up early and long days, starting a school year without Jason (I know that we have all secretly felt it.  It just still feels so wrong that he isn't here), etc.....  On Tuesday night, Shawn was tucking the boys in for bed and we were saying a family prayer and afterwards he reminded them that he wouldn't see them until Friday night because he had a business trip the next day.  I got Cooper situated in his own bed and out of nowhere the tears started.  Huge crocodile tears were streaming down his cheeks as he tried to get out questions like "what if Shawn's plane crashes and he dies?" or "Is Shawn going to die and never come back like dad?"

Oh, this just breaks my heart that this precious boy has to carry the weight of these questions on his shoulders.  The frustrating part is that I can comfort him and pray for the right words to speak to him but in the end......this is his reality.  His daddy did die and is never coming back so it's perfectly normal that he would worry about this.  I know I do.

What makes this situation tricky is that I can no longer look my boys in the face and tell them that nothing will happen. I can't promise them that Shawn or I will always be okay.  I can try to guide their hearts into a "no worry" zone but that's even hard for adults to do sometimes.  It's often difficult to fully explain peace and asking for God's will to a child.

The next morning on the way to school Cooper says "if you and Shawn die, what happens to us?"  I went through the plan (that I pray never takes place) and reminded him that he has so many family members that will love on him forever.

Making chocolate chip muffins after school.  Such a good helper!

On Wednesday after school, he had a huge crying meltdown until almost bedtime.  Constant tears, lots of difficult questions, many "I miss dad" comments.  It about did me in.  I held back the tears for a while and then I just couldn't anymore.  I was just as big of a mess that night too.

I jumped on Facebook and asked for specific prayers for this little guy.  And within a minute I had so many comments containing sweet words and prayers for my guy.  It was the only thing I could think to do (and I know that prayer is HUGE in situations like this) and before bedtime he finally calmed down.

The next day, he seemed back to his old self.  Which made this mama so happy to see.  I know that his sadness and questions and meltdown are all normal and expected........it's just that he rarely has them so when he does they are pretty ugly.

I feel so honored to have amazing friends in real life and even on here.....people that don't really know us but have followed our story and continue to pray for us. Thank you.