Simply Stacy

Random dozen Meme

Here's my take one the Random Dozen Meme...play along if you like check it out at the Lid's blog.  She hosts a weekly Meme with a mr linky and everything:

Let the questions begin:

1. Tell me the absolute best way to watch a movie.

In the theater, it would have to be with my guys complete with popcorn, candy and a huge drink for us to share.

At home on my couch in my comfy pjs under a blanket in the dark.

2. Do you ever think about your own funeral? If so, do you have specific ideas about how you would like it to be?

I have thought about it and honestly I don't care what it looks like where it is nothing along that line.  What I do care about is whether people show up.  There is probably some disorder out there for people who have a fear no one will show at their funeral.  If it is, have it, so be there!

3. Are you more of a giver or a taker?

I am the baby of the family so I would have to say taker.  But I am working on that.  Doesn't that count for anything?

4. Vacations: planned activities and schedules, or play it by ear?

Play it by ear...ALWAYS.  Schedules make me crazy.  I love to just get in the car and go.

5. What is one often overlooked item in your home that needs to be cleaned regularly?

I am not going to touch on the list of things outside of the daily/weekly cleaning.  You know the OMG what is that and why is it under your bed list.  I am going to just stick with dusting.  I hate to dust.  I am going to blame it on a little known fact shared with me that majority of household dust is made up of dead skin cells.  EWWW gross.  I know should make you clean it more often but EWWW gross!!

6. Name a cause that means a lot to you.

Blood donation.  I work in a blood bank and I have seen first hand how it can save lives.  When is the last time you gave blood?

7. Do you eat a regular old peanut butter jelly sandwich, or do you customize it? And by the way, jelly or no jelly?

I rarely eat them but when I do it is the regular old PB&J.  Even though sometimes I mix them before spreading them.  Gives it a whole different taste.  Great now I want one.

8. If we were having a conversation in person, how would I know if you were nervous?

Fidgety hands.  Thats why I love winter.  Jackets and jeans make perfect places to contain my hands.  Also I will not make eye contact if I'm really nervous.

9. Do you have an elaborate bedtime routine, or just the basics of tooth brushing and jammies?

I am a fall into bed kinda person.  No routine at all, the basics and I'm out.

10. Have you ever regretted something you wrote on your blog?

Not yet.  But I have learned never say never.

11. Has anyone ever told you that you look like a famous person or celebrity? Did you agree?

 I can't think of anyone other than my mom.  And she's not famous but I do agree.

12. If you were going to dedicate a song to a loved one or friend, what would the song be and to whom would it be dedicated?

Bad boys...the theme from Cops for my boys.  I sing it to them often.  (I started to go with you are my sunshine but that just seemed a little sappy for Britt)

 

Catch up post #1

Wow, when I started looking back on the pictures that I uploaded from my camera, it was a bit overwhelming.  I realized that I haven't blogged much at all.  So I plan to hit the high spots in a few posts to catch you up.  

First, I will point out that I uploaded a couple of albums today as well.  Enjoy.

I will start with Charlie at his school Easter egg hunt.  He was so excited to get to play in the park and hunt eggs.   I got to run around the park and slide with him and his friends.  They had a blast.  Then we hid a LOT of eggs.  Well, I say hid...it was more like put them out on the ground for them to find.  They were only kindergarteners after all. 

Charlie was so proud of himself.  He found the most eggs in his class.  He was running all over picking them up like a machine.  He definately inherited more of my competitiveness than Britt.  He still has the sweet nature behind it though.  He was more than happy to share his eggs with his classmates that didn't get as many.  He is such a sweet boy.

 

Then came Easter morning. This was the first holiday after I moved out.  We were all trying to figure things out but the boys didn't have any problem figuring out what to do with the candy and toys that the Easter Bunny brought.

They were so excited that the Easter bunny had found them even at my house.  And that they got exactly what they liked, Charlie a transformers basket and Britt a camoflauge one.  That was the first time my house really felt like home.  They were so excited playing and eating chocolate bunnies. It made my heart full.

Then it was time to get the sugar high boys ready for church. They wore classic white and khaki linen.  They were so handsome as always.  But there is something about Easter morning that makes them even more cute.  Don't you think?

 

It is getting late and I am going to end it here for now.  There is more to come.  And I promise it won't be as long in between posts next time. 

 

The Little Things

I was getting ready to go to town yesterday afternoon.  The guys were outside picking up the somewhere close to a million little sticks that Gustav left behind.  Now, I will take this time to remind you that I work nights so afternoon translates into morning for me.  Thus getting ready means shower, hair, makeup, (well, makeup is optional), etc.  Back to getting ready...drying my hair in front of the mirror...with a hair dryer...which makes noise...enough noise that you may not see someone walk up behind you...get the picture?

Pat comes running up behind me, throws his hand into the air above my head and grabs me.  He turns me around and kisses me.  After getting over the initial response of wanting to slap him with the hair dryer.  I immediately think he has done something major to the yard.  Or maybe someone was injured after a game of lets see if this will burn.  What has gotten into him?

Then I look in his hand and he found some mistletoe on the ground while picking up and thought he would make the most of it.  Sometimes it is the smallest things that mean the most.

I love you, P!

Anticipation

Do you remember what it was like to REALLY anticipate something?  Kinda like the Christmas Season when you were a kid. You would think about it several times a day, wondering what it would be like.  Even though it was the same routine every year...Christmas Eve at this Grandparents, Christmas morning Santa came, then off to the other Grandparents, etc.   It was the same routine every year...as adults we just call those routines traditions.  There is something very comforting in doing the general thing from year to year but still knowing that it will be a little different every time. 

That is what it is like to anticipate Felder's Campmeeting.  I know that if you know me, which you probably do since you are reading my blog...you know that we spend 10 days every year at an old fashioned Methodist Campmeeting.  (And we are not Methodist)  It is the second most anticipated time in our house.  I would even say that it would out do Birthdays, at least it does in my book. 

The overview....church twice a day outside under a tabernacle that has been there since the late 1800's, complete with sawdust on the ground.  Staying in a tent (actually a cabin which is actually more like a shotgun house) with Pat's Grandparents who are at the spry ages of 89 and 92.  That may sound like more work than it actually is because they are still living on their own and very self sufficient.  I will have work to beat grandmother to the cleaning or she will do it all.  That alone is worth it all.  My boys will actually KNOW their great grandparents. Swimming everyday at the "swim-hole" which is right there on the campus and has two cool old fashioned metal slides that slide in from the bank and a huge swing. All of the bike riding you could ever want.  An endless supply of playmates.  Snacks from the little "stand" that sells candy, ice cream, popsicles, and of course pickles.  And my most favorite of all, sitting and talking with everyone, some of which you only see this one time all year. There is also a hayride (7 tractors pulling 13 trailers, HUGE) and a big shaving cream fight where we all get to be washed off  by the firetrucks and then go swimming in the creek

Of course there are drawbacks.  I have to cook almost every day because the grandparents aren't used to fake it night (cereal, sandwiches, etc)  The heat.  Man is it hot.  We haven't had a rain in almost a month now and the heat mixed with the dust is going to be tough.  But usually once we get out there, it will rain daily.  Just God's way of cooling it off before the night services!  You have never seen dirty little boys until you see them after a hard day of play at campmeeting.  With no TV's, or Wii's or anything of the sort, they actually play outside ALL day. 

Not sure what happened to the font but I CANNOT fix it...so just deal with it.  (That was mostly to myself.)

Memories

This weekend we spent the holiday at the river with Pat's parents and the Andrews.  It was so relaxing to just sit in the edge of the water on my raft watching the boys play.  Pat and I even got into the action a few times.  We had a short game of king of the log in which I ended up getting punched in the face. By accident of course.  He had my shoulder but his hand slipped off and hit me in the jaw.  I asked Leanne and Michael if they saw it and Leanne said yes but Michael said he didn't see a thing, even though he was watching the whole time.  Those guys stick together don't they? 

In our family we have always done the Dora thing...what was your favorite part?...after any event.  I don't know if it actually came from Dora but it reminds me of her. 

My favorite part of the day?  Well it would have to be watching Johnny, my father-in-law and the boys' Papaw, stand in the river talking to Britt.  Britt is usually an on the go kind of kid.  He talks, boy does he talk, but he does it on the run.  I watched him stand by his Papaw and look at the fish that were swimming around them and ask question after question.  Papaw never moved and Britt was relatively still himself.  I just thought to myself...these are the times that he will look back on as an adult and love.  I don't think that there were any life secrets being shared but things more like...do fish ever close their eyes?  But the content of the conversation is so not the point.  The point is that he had the total attention of a man who loves him dearly.  That is what memories are made of! 

Orange Beach or Bust!!!

This is where we will be later today... much later today since it is only 1240 AM right now.  I still have a lot of packing to do.  Which reminds me of a story...

Yesterday was a very busy day for me which means very little sleep.  Pat and I had an appointment in Jackson at 9:30 am so I tried to sleep a little when I got off at 6 but I only got about thirty minutes or so.  Then home to catch a nap before my 2 pm haircut and then off to get the oil changed in the car etc. 

Needless to say I was very tired and cranky when I got home.  I came home thinking that maybe Pat would have some things packed and ready to go.  He had done a few things but nothing was packed.  It irritated me so that I couldn't fight the urge to ask him what he had been doing all day. 

Honestly, I cannot tell you what his response to that was because there could not have been any correct response other than, "Packing my sweet darling wife," which I knew was not the case.  I was about to go off about how I was going to have to do all of the packing when in his calmest voice he said, "Do you remember the last time I packed?"

I had not thought about it.  But now that he mentioned it...yes I do.  That would be the trip that he packed everything but my clothes and I stayed at him the entire time because he did not know where anything was or if he even brought it.  I swore then that he would never pack alone again.

Now, I don't feel as bad about having to pack everything myself.  However, I do wonder how that situation actually happened.  Was it a result of my wanting to control everything?  Or does he actually lack the capabilities to pack things and remember a few days later where they are?  Or has he capitalized on my wanting to control things by purposefully not remembering for one trip so that he would never have to do it again?  We may never know.  I just know that I want to be able to find my stuff when we get there, so I will be packing.

I am so looking forward to some time with the non-packing hubby and the boys.  I just hope that the boys will watch a movie for a little while tomorrow on the way down so I can catch a nap.  I will take lots of pictures and hopefully even share a few with you.

Have a great rest of the week and weekend.

Later.

This weekend was packed with water, swimming and more water.  Spring has passed us by here in Mississippi and it is officially hot summer. Friday afternoon we went to our sweet neighbors', the Fullers, pool and swam all afternoon.  The boys were having a great time and I actually got a chapter or two of my book read.  We were going to go home and find something else to do but then our buddy Haiden and his mom, Leanne came over with burgers to grill.  You can't turn that down, it would be un-neighborly!  (Is that a word?) Anyway, having all the fun we could have...the boys ended up swimming a total of seven hours in the pool.  They didn't have to be told over and over to go to bed.  Even Britt just climbed in and said goodnight.  They were two red-eyed tired little boys!

Saturday, we hung around the house that morning and we bonded over cinnamon toast and pop tarts.  Ah, the breakfast of champions.  They watched a little Sponge Bob and I took a little (only thirty minute) nap.  Then we began the talks of what do you want to do today...I don't know what do you want to do today...Oh now don't start that again.  (In the best imitation of the buzzards on the Jungle Book).  Britt decided that he wanted to go to Walmart and by this rocket fishing rod that he has been wanting for about a year now.  He somehow over night decided that he wanted it more than the .22 rifle he has been saving for since Christmas.  I needed to go to Walmart sometime this weekend so we went.  He got his rod and on sale I might add.  And Charlie scored some very cool Cars movie cars that were just released....Charlie Checker (the pace car) and Stacy (the forklift for Leak Less).  How cool is that? 

Anyway, we came home and packed up for the river.  Leanne, Michael and Haiden joined us.  We had a very relaxing afternoon.  With Britt shooting that fishing rod so many times I thought he may wear it out the first trip out.  He did catch a fish on it though.  Having been there for three hours and being that they were water logged from the day before.. the boys were ready to go.  I was ready for another nap.  I didn't adjust to days well this weekend.  I only slept a few hours Friday night. 

Today, well a typical Sunday...church in the morning and a nap for me in the afternoon.  They boys played with Pat most that time.  He did catch a nap one of the boys told me later.  He also took them to the store for steaks for supper and some stuff to make homemade ice cream.  Yum!  The boys were hot so they took off their shirts and Pat set up the sprinkler for them to play in while he grilled outside.  A very fun summer weekend, indeed.  I will try to add pictures later.  (forgot them tonight) 

Oh, we watched a movie in there somewhere but that will have to be saved for another post. 

Later!

Surprise!!!!!

Tammy, I bet you are happy to see something beside that title that has been there for what almost a year now? 

I have taken a break from a lot of things for a while.  Simplified my life to get some things in order.  Now...well, no so much in order but not so much out of order either.  KWIM?  So what is going on now? 

I am working in Jackson at the VA Medical Center in the Lab.  I really missed working in the field that I trained in and have found it VERY challenging to go back.  I love everything about my job except that it is roughly 85 miles away.  Yep, with the prices of gas rising every day, well that just sucks!  But it is worth it.  The benefits are great and I can make more even paying the gas than I would make in McComb without the trip.  And NOOOOO weekends...in a hospital!!  How is that possible you say?  I don't know but I found it and you can't have it! 

As for the kiddos.  Well, I could go back over this year and recap but do you really want to see pictures etc from things in the past?  I didn't think so.  Well, I may have to give you a photo album or something to recap it.  But as for stories etc....I will limit myself to within the past month. 

Britt is seven and just finished the first grade.  He still is funny as all get out with his one liners and creative thinking.  He may look like his daddy but he thinks like a "Britt".  He is soooo glad to be out of school that he has not stopped smiling for two weeks now. 

Charlie is five and just finished four year old kindergarten.  I may have to post some pics of that.  Too cute.  He was a little sad to be leaving school this year.  Although he is looking forward to riding that big bus with Britt next year. (me excited...not so much!)  He is still the sweetest boy in the world..no really he is.  He eats enough candy to be just that! 

I will be posting from work most of the time because I am still on dial up at home.  So there probably will be no updates on the weekends...did I mention that I don't have to work weekends? 

Later!

A Woman's Prayer

A friend sent me this email this morning.  I had to share it! Have a great day!

A WOMAN'S PRAYER:

Dear Lord,

I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;

Love to forgive him; 

And Patience for his moods;

Because, Lord, if I pray for Strength; 

I'll beat him to death.  AMEN 

A night with the boys...

I have to say that I am completely and totally in love with my boys.  I have had to work late two nights this week, well, one night I worked and one night I cropped.  I have missed seeing them and spending time with them this week.  Tonight I got home late again but early enough to spend a little time with them.  When I got in Pat, Charlie and Britt were sitting at the table eating peaches.  They had cleaned their room and Pat was rewarding them with fruit.  What a great dad.  They heard me open the door and both of them said at the same time...Mom!  I love hearing that.  I sat down at the table and asked them what was going on.  Britt offerred me some of his peaches.  Then I asked him about his day off from school (outbreak of head lice).  He said that he had a great day.  Then he asked me if I wanted to hear a funny story.  I know that five-year-old's stories are only funny when you are five.  I love hearing his stories though.  He started in a long narrative about how if his trampoline was on top of the house and he jumped on it, it would go through the roof, break his drink etc.  Nothing funny other than the smile on his face as he was telling it.  Then Charlie, not to be outdone, tells a funny story about his Granny driving a tractor into the barn...totally not true and not funny; but the smile on their faces...funny.  Charlie is trying to fit as many peaches in his mouth as he can.  Britt is finished and starts considering how many peaches he could have put in his mouth...he settles it with the comment that he could swallow a whole soccer ball if he wanted.  Charlie thinks that is so funny that he smiles and loses half of the peaches in his mouth all down the front of his shirt. 

I asked them if they wanted a bath...mistake. I should have told them they were getting a bath.  Britt tells me he isn't dirty because he didn't step in any mud puddles today and that he will get a bath tomorrow.  Then Charlie tells me he wants a bath even if Britt doesn't.  Britt reconsiders when he realizes that they will get to play.  They get undressed and start running around their room naked and giggling...for no reason other than the fact that they are naked.  I wrangle them into the tub and bath them.  Playtime starts.  I walk out the door and return ten minutes later to find most of the water from the tub is on the wall and floor.  When I asked how it got there....they both look very innocent and blame the other one.  Now I could throw a fit and yell and punish them, but will that clean up the water?  No.  It actually was my own fault for leaving a 3 and 5 year old with a tub full of water.  What was I thinking?  So I don't punish them I look at them with thanks for making me clean the walls. 

They get their PJs on and start to get ready for bed.  I miss the days of rocking them before they go to sleep.  I miss the footed PJs and the smell of baby shampoo instead of "big boy" pants and fruit bath gel.  I miss the feeling of holding a baby instead of "holding" a wiggling, swirming, all knees and elbows boy.  I miss the cooing instead of the "funny" stories. 

Don't get me wrong...I love this phase too.  They just grow up too fast.  I suppose in few years I will miss bathing them at all.  I will miss the not-so-funny, funny stories.  I will miss the giggling at being naked.  I will miss the PJs.  I don't want them to get any older...they will anyway.  I will always have the memories just like tonight, on the nights where there was nothing special, where there was laughter, where there were big hugs and I love yous.  Nothing special...but it is all special to me!