Snow Day!

Breakfast with Jenni @8:15. Or not. It turned out to be a snow day, and so Jenni and I canceled our breakfast, and I planned to stay home and bake cookies. I had to go to WalMart for a couple cookie things, though.

So, off to Wal-Mart the boys and I went, braving the "snow." It was like... 5 flakes at the time. Anyway, Jordan lamented that he missed his friend Robert, and Cayden was agreeing and wishing he could hang out with Laura. What a delightful surprise to see Jenni and the crew at Wal-Mart! Plans of baking were pushed aside, and we all joined up at her place. The boys got to hang with their much missed pals, while my friend and I found comfort in her kitchen making soup. Good soup. I'd never had it it, but Jenni was kind to send some home for my family's dinner, and we loved it!

Cheeseburger Soup. Much better than a real cheeseburger! Real comfort food.

Now, if I were a really good blogger, I would upload a picture of my kids and their friends. with their heads together in a real Rockwell moment and all that.

Alas, here's a stolen-off-the-internet picture of cheeseburger soup. Hope you don't mind the compromise.

So, tomorrow. There will be cookies. And maybe pictures of said cookies... or even kids who bake cookies! Tomorrow... or soon. Because tomorrow does not always mean tomorrow...

Where did the year go?

It seems like almost yesterday that Chris' parents were here for Thanksgiving '07. I guess since I've been working and busy, that the time has flown by. I'm not sure if that's a good thing. Hopefully there will be more time to stop and enjoy the simple things this year. Smell the coffee! I've cut back my hours at work and my responsibilities. This is good, because I can be home again, and actually COOK for my family. I think we've had enough burgers and tacos to last us a long while.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now the focus is on the Christmas season. I asked the boys what they wanted, and they really couldn't come up with anything. Cayden asked for a guitar. So, this will be a small Christmas in terms of gifts, but we're making some fun plans to celebrate the season. We'll start Jotham's Journey today, too. I'm looking forward to enjoying it with all 3 boys. We've started making a list of Christmas cookies to bake as well. I think we'll send some to the grandparents and friends this year.

So, that's that for today. My coffee is waiting, and so is my book.

I'm reading Outlander: Fiery Cross. And while I think Jamie Fraser is an amazing man, I can surely say that I'm married to my very own J.F and he still makes me swoon.

I'm not playing catchup

I keep looking at my blog. April 27th gets further and further away, and I keep thinking about how much I need to catch up on, but now it's just old news.

Life has been good. Summer was so busy and so much fun that I didn't have time to post!

I promise to return tomorrow, with pictures, and I'll start talking good things again....really!

Still Livin'

Just a quick update. The boys are doing great! They're all playing soccer right now, and signed up to start baseball in a few weeks. Adrian scored his first soccer goal this year yesterday. Great job, Adrian! His victory dance was so cute, and so...uncontrollable. Loved the excitement glimmering in his eyes. Just had to put it here so we'd remember it. Jordan has been getting honor roll at school (YEAH!) and Cayden is practically reading already. He has the most beautiful penmanship I've ever seen.

I'm so proud of my boys. I love them. I love that everyone else likes them, too. People are always looking for them wherever we are. "Where's Jordan?" "Is Cayden in Childwatch?" It's so good to know that they have friends and are so well liked.

Chris and I are doing well. Finally adjusting to my nearly full-time job. I've managed to keep up the house, dinner, and work quite well lately. It's been good, really. I LOVE my job, and Chris loves his, too. He's going back to school in August, so that'll throw another wrench into our lives but nothing we can't handle.

Peace out. I'm tired.

Promotion!

Me = (officially) Sports/Programs Coordinator for our local "Y". I'd been slowly assuming some of these duties for a couple of months now, but now it's really official. I'm so excited about strengthening our programs. So many details, but so much reward!

I'll never get rich working at the Y, but I love that I can still be a mom and put my family first. I love that my coworkers are united by our loyalty to Jesus Christ, and that we are starting a Christian Emphasis Committee to make sure that the "C" in YMCA continues to be our focus.

I love my job (CAREER!). I love the people. And the promotion is nice, too.
Today, Adrian helped me bag the soccer balls, and the boys got to be part of daycamp this week while I was was there working alongside them, learning the ins/outs of leading our daycamp program. It was a good feeling...

Life is good. God is awesome. Family is fabulous.

Thank you, Lord.

Presbyterianism... Is that even a word?

Since we've been in Cookeville, we've tried numerous churches. Some non-denominational, some seeker-sensitive, and AOG. Today, we went to a Presbyterian church. Now, we've been invited to this church months ago, and we never made it out that way. It just wasn't... on the list. But then this happened, and THAT happened, and the minister stumbled over our path, and then this other thing happened... and so today, we went.

And...


It was good. Not that "rockin' celebration" good, but it was refreshing in it's simplicity. The people were very friendly, and I knew quite a few from the Y. Good people. And Caleb (the minister? pastor?) is a terrific speaker (maybe cause he went to LSU? Concidence #1) and he's Adrian's soccer coach this year, too (coincidence #2). We enjoyed his sermon. The service was only about 1 hour and 10 minutes, but it was a good use of time, and not too short. The boys got a little restless, but I think they could adjust.

So... yeah. We liked it. We're going to "Sunday School" next week. I haven't been to Sunday school since I was a kid. Fun.

A Soccer Mom...and Proud of It!

A forum I frequent asked about being a soccer mom, and what it meant. Stereotypes abound, some positive and others not. It got me thinking, though..

Nothing like a little reflection on a Sunday afternoon.

A year ago, I cringed at the words "Soccer Mom." I homeschooled, and my kids did not play sports. Then they did, and I coached. Yet, I was *not* a soccer mom. I was a recluse.

Today, I most definitely am one.

In fact, I am *the* soccer mom. I co-coordinate our local YMCA soccer league. My kids are in a (fabulous) public school. I drive a small SUV. I work part-time at the Y as a wellness coach and sports coordinator, and we eat dinner together when we can. One of my boys played basketball, they are all in spring soccer, and 2 of them are playing baseball. We spend massive amounts of our time on the road between driving to school, going to church, and being at the YMCA. We live and dress comfortably (middle class). I never leave the house without my cell phone. My deep freezer which once held frozen HOMEMADE waffles, soups, breads, and wrapped meats and OAMC meals, is now filled to the brim with convenience foods.

What a change... But you know what? I'm happy. My kids are THRIVING. My husband is proud of us. We love each other. We're all living lives full of achievement and accomplishment.

I'm definitely a "soccer-mom" and proud of it.

Adrian Says...

"Mom, Cayden made me stick me my hand down my pants, and now it STINKS."

Pass the handsoap, please...