What A Week!!

It has been nonstop here for almost an entire week! It started last Wednesday with my birthday. I turned 37 on the 14th. 37....3.....7....thirty-seven...hmmmmm...how is it that I can possibly be that old? There must be a mistake somewhere...I can't possibly be that old. I remember when my mom was this age and she was OOOOLD! Well, I am going to have to talk to someone about getting that corrected. Anyway, when I returned from the land of denial, Wednesday night my parents and my sister Lori flew in from Colorado. My sister's birthday was the 12th so it was a nice birthday treat for both of us.

We spent the day Thursday just hanging out and enjoying each others company. Our favorite thing to do when we are all together is play cards. Lori taught us another new game called Loser that was a bunch of fun. Playing cards with my family is always fun and always competitive. Competitive is the nice word....JC prefers the term "cut-throat". Let's just say, one must watch their back at all times and there are no freebies. Thursday evening my sister Ayrian and her family got here from Oklahoma. She just had baby Evan in October so we all go to snuggle on him all weekend.

Friday we drove north and went to Blanchard Springs Cave. It is the coolest thing...if you have never been, GO! We have been 3 times now. We went one day this summer when we went for a drive to look around Arkansas, then when my parents came earlier this year we took them, and then my parents told my sister's about it so they wanted to go on their trip here. No one is ever disappointed. In anticipation of more of our friends and families wanting to visit, we purchased season passes for 2009. I'm sure we will be there enough to pay for the pass.

Saturday Joshua's dad, Brandon, and his wife Christi got here. I have a very unique relationship with my ex and his new wife. I was sorry that I missed introductions in Relief Society on Sunday because I was going to introduce Christi as my new wife. It is our little joke. She calls me her ex-wife and I call her my new-wife. We have become very good friends over the years, which wasn't easy at first, but once hatchets were buried, we have become best buds. Some people think it is crazy and don't understand it, but I think the relationship I have with Brandon and Christi has a lot to do with the great kid we all have in Joshua. I know being there for him as a united group of parents has made it much easier on Joshua to have divorced parents.

Joshua had a basketball game in Rosebud on Saturday afternoon so we all packed up and went to that. Saturday night we went with some more friends to Gaucho's Grill. We had never been but our friends love it so we all went. Yes...a party of 22 to Gaucho's. It was a good time once we finally got served. Our reservation was for 7:00 but we didn't eat until almost 8:30 so we were starving!! My dad has no patience for stuff like that, so dinner was a little tense but once everyone started eating and getting full bellies things got much better.

Sunday was the real reason all of these people had converged and created an air mattress city in my house. Joshua had asked my dad to ordain him to the Aaronic Priesthood. It was truly touching that all of these people had put their lives on hold and had come to spend Joshua's special day with him. Joshua should never doubt that there are lots of people who love him and are excited about the choices he is making. I had a house full of people who loved him enough to travel many miles to be with him for his special event. I am so proud of him and the young man he has grown into. I can't wait to see him pass the sacrament at church next week. I want to take pictures....you think that would be OK? Just kidding...kinda. LOL.

Sunday afternoon Brandon and Christi and Ayrian and her family headed back to Oklahoma. The rest of us enjoyed one more evening together playing cards with our neighbors who are a hoot and a new found source of great friendship. Monday afternoon I took everyone to the airport. I love it when my family visits and hate to see them go. Dropping them off is always tough. Joshua and I lived with my sister Lori for a couple of years after my divorce so her and I have a very close relationship. I miss her very much.

So all in all it was a great weekend. Lots of good times, lots of cards, and especially a great event for Joshua. Thanks to all of you who made it so special for him. I love you and miss you already!
Neely at Gaucho's being a good girlMy mom and dad My sister Ayrian and her husband MichaelBrandon and Christi...and the dazed guy on the left is our friend Jeff

New Video of Bodhi

I know this is all I have been talking about but I am so excited! I promise to post something else this weekend! :)

The Puppy's New Name Is.....

Bodhi...and here is why. First of all here is how you say it. B--Long O like goat---D---IE. Like Brodie without the R. We decided on that first of all because JC and I both liked it. Second...it implies nothing about his personality, since we don't know it yet. And third...I can shorten it to Bo or Bo-Bo if I want. We tried to shorten Titan and only came up with something that sounded a lot like another word for breast...:) Anyway...that is his name and I love it. I should have some more video tomorrow. His eyes aren't open yet...the breeder said maybe next week. Thanks for all of your suggestions!

Puppy Names

Here are some of my favorites...help me pick!
Baron
Roscoe
Samson
Titan
Bodhi
and just to be funny....Midget

Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam!

Yesterday was Neely's first day of Sunbeams. She was a little apprehensive and made it all but the last 10 minutes or so and they had to bring her to me. She has been sooooo different than Josh was. I remember when Josh was little he would head off into a new situation and never look back. It used to make me sad as a young mom that he never did the "clingy" thing. Now I have Neely and she is "clingy" enough for both of them. Reflecting on having one of each kind I would definately take the way Josh acted any day....even if it was a little hard on my ego :) Neely's way is very taxing on my patience level. When we finally get her convinced to stay somewhere (which is usually a lenthy process), it is usually followed by a 2 or 3 minute fit when I leave, and then she is fine and has a ball. Couldn't we just skip the first two steps and enjoy it from the beginning? SHEESH! Anyway...she was very excited yesterday, and wanted to wear her Christmas dress one more week. She is so sweet when it suits her. I find it very ironic that as parents we spend so much time when they are little wishing they would get to the next stage...eating solids, sitting up, crawling, walking, and everyone prays for the day their kids start nursery. Then somewhere along the way, the scale tips and we can't believe how big they are getting and wish they could stay little forever. I can't believe my little baby is getting so big....sniff, sniff, dab my tears...sniff, sniff. I am so thankful for my children. They are the light of my life. I am a very lucky woman.

Saturdays at the Gym

No, not me....Joshua. Silly readers :) Since Josh is not in 7th grade yet, all of his sports are recreation league which means all of his games are on Saturdays. Football earlier in the year and now basketball. We are about 1/3 of the way through the season, and I can safely say my extreme case of bleacher butt is in full flare-up! We entertain Neely by buying popcorn and ring pops and make a day out of it. Josh is definitely enjoying basketball, but his medicine has made him lose about 20 lbs over the last year and he is actually kind of small compared to a lot of the other kids his age. Hopefully we will hit a growth spurt here pretty soon and get caught up. Until then he can just use it to his advantage by being more quick and agile. His team has struggled and the boys have not won a game yet this season, but hopefully soon! They need it...it's no fun to lose all the time. Josh made 1 basket and 2 free throws for a total of 4 points. I'm very proud of all he does! Good job Josh! PS..You may have to click on the pics in order to see them better...they're a little small!
Josh with his coach...makin' a secret plan!

Our Newest Addition

I have always loved BIG dogs...but was never brave enough to get one. Then this fall I was at Joshua's football game and one of the other football mom's on Joshua's team was there and she had a BEAUTIFUL Great Dane with her. I started talking to her and she started telling me that she breeds them and all about what a great dog they are. This got me thinking about it. She breeds "European" Great Danes...which translates into $2000-$3000 a piece in my language...so I knew I wouldn't be able to afford one of hers, so I started looking. THEN...I saw on Jen's blog about their new Great Dane puppy...and that sealed the deal..I had to have one. I have done lots of research and looked at LOTS of breeders and decided on a woman in Dexter, MO. Her website impressed me right away because even though she is a breeder, she is extra good with her dogs as well as her puppies. She had a female bred that was due on New Year's Eve, so we put a deposit down on a puppy at the beginning of November. She called on Tuesday morning and told me the puppies had been born. We were the second deposit, so we had second choice of the litter. As I looked through the puppies...I knew right away which one I wanted...and luckily it wasn't the same one as the first pick people. Here he is...our new little boy....now we just have to think of a name...if you have suggiestions I'm all ears! He will be ready for us to pick up around the end of February.

Many Updates

OK...the holidays have passed and JC has had a ton of time off during the last two weeks and life almost feels normal again. But alas, my blog has been the one to suffer the most from the busy holiday season. In my defense, in the month before Christmas JC was home about 40 hours total and of those he slept 95% of them which meant that mom had to do all the shopping and preparing for Christmas by herself...and I must say that I did a good job...all except the blog....but my New Year's Resolution is to do a blog this year that I can print off into a book (it is so cool! I'll tell you more later) and have as a very special keepsake. So in the spirit of keeping everyone informed I am going to make several quick posts about the recent events of December. So keep reading!!

Christmas 2008

We had a great Christmas! After stressing about if JC would be off, they let him off for 1/2 day Christmas Eve and all the way through the weekend. It was FABULOUS! It was the best Christmas present I could have gotten. It was also wonderful for Neely and Josh to have him around. They miss him as much as I do. Our Christmas was split this year. Brandon had Joshua for Christmas Eve so Santa came early Christmas morning for Neely and then we went and got Josh and then came home and finished. The kids get to open one present on Christmas Eve each year...new pajamas. Here is Neely with hers on, and the "magic wand of power" as she calls it, that came with them. Neely had been telling everyone she could that Santa was bringing her a new kitchen and a doctor kit this year. And sure enough....what did he bring?? Santa is just that good around here!After we went and got Josh, we came home and opened the rest of our presents. For the last couple of years, Josh has "told us" what he wants for Christmas. I don't like it, and things are going to change because he never gets any suprises...but I think we came up with a few this year despite "the list". Neely got lots of accessories for her kitchen, a new dolly and stroller and lots of girly things. Josh has been asking for an electric guitar forever. I told him that he had to learn how to read music and play and acoustic guitar first...so the dream had died with about 2 piano lessons. Then, my mom calls one day and asks if we want to go in with her to get him one because she didn't know what else to get him and she knew he was dying to have one.....so....Josh got his guitar. He also wanted a ripstik. It is a skateboard on only 2 wheels. He has a lot of fun on it, but it has given him a couple of good falls. I think he is rethinking the statement that he is too old for pads. By the way....those are Josh's pajamas on him in the pictures...glow in the dark rocket jammies with feet! Mom's can be so cruel sometimes! HEHE!

Just an Experiment

I am experimenting with uploading video clips. I can't seem to get it to work throght blogspot so I am trying a youtube upload...here goes...just a little clip of Christmas 2008. You will need to pause the music player at the bottom of the entire blog to hear the sound!

Josh's 12th Birthday

On December 20th, Joshua turned 12 years old! Can I possibly be that old already? Brandon and Christi came over from Oklahoma and we all had a party with some of the neighbors. We went out for Chinese food and had cake and ice cream back at our house. As I sat watching Joshua, I couldn't help but fill with pride and joy at the young man my little boy has become. He is such a wonderful person and a joy to our family. He has such a rough and tough boy exterior, but I love the mushy, squishy spirit inside. He is so kind-hearted and loving. If I can get him to start picking up after himself he will become quite the catch as he gets older! They sustained Joshua as a Decon in sacrament on Sunday, December 28, 2008 and my dad will be here to ordain him in during January. Joshua asked that grandpa ordain him and grandpa was happy to do it. My little boy is growing up! Happy Birthday Buddy!

Josh with his dad, Brandon

His new WIRELESS guitar

His ONLY present for his Birthday AND Christmas from Dad and Christi...a new laptop!At the Chinese place with his girlfriend Michela

Our E X T E N D E D Christmas Break

Joshua was supposed to be out of school December 20th - January 4th. His school has a attendance policy that if the kids miss less than 3 days during the semester than they do not have to take the semester finals. Those were to take place on December 18th and 19th. When Joshua heard about this, he was determined not to have to take the tests and he only missed one full day and then a couple individual classes here and there for appointments and such. So his break was to start on the 18th. That was before the storm. We had some weather move in on the 15th. There was some freezing rain mixed with some sleet. For those of you who don't live in Arkansas, let me explain the conditions. You know how when it snows and then you have a warm day and the snow melts a lot, and then the sun goes down and everything refreezes at night...and yah, it's slick, but definately not the end of the world? That is what we had. It started on Monday morning. By noon they had cancelled the rest of the day of school and sent the kids home. Josh came home already watching the news to see if they would cancel school the next day. I thought that there was no way it would happen. It truely wasn't that bad! Nothing even close to justify cancelling school in Colorado. But sure enough, by about 4 o'clock the whole state was shut down including all the schools. I couldn't believe it! And to boot...all the stores were closed! The grocery stores...even the gas stations! The kids and I went with the neighbors to go out for pizza that night and the pizza parlor was closed! By this time all the major roads were clear...maybe a little wet still but not icy. That night Josh was praying for one more day off because it was his last day before break. I thought no way. And sure enough...about 7 o'clock that night word went out that school was cancelled once again! NO WAY! The kids and I went shopping all day. That sounds like weather worth cancelling school for. They did hold school Thursday and Friday for the kids who had to take finals, but Josh has been out of school since the 15th of December. I took some pictures of the kids playing in it on the morning of the 16th. This was the worst of the storm. I can only draw one conclusion from our first Arkansas snow storm....Arkansans are snow pansies!