Thankful 2017

Thankful for the older ages of my boys (they can cook, get themselves to and from school, do laundry) which results in me being able to focus on other things when I need to.
Thankful that we are approaching Christmas, where we celebrate the miraculous birth of the one who saves us from our own wicked selves.
Thankful for a job that I can do from home, on my own timetable.
Thankful for a quiet, safe neighborhood.
Thankful for Family Dollar and Dominos being so close that my boys can get there and back. Perfect for those times when I just need one thing from the store or I am gone for dinner and they can go eat.
Thankful that my niece is living her now and my boys get to experience life with family close by.
Thankful for Alexa...a device that plays music when you ask her to. She has an extensive playlist and it is wonderful for Joseph, who still struggles with his speech at times. By her not being able to understand him, it helps him to self-correct/hear his errors.
Thankful that this place is not my home.  I have absolute assurance of an eternal home.
Thankful for the winter, which means puzzles, earlier bedtimes, hot chocolate and snow ice cream.
Thankful for JR's work ethic and his amazing clients who never fail to pay their bills.
Thankful for the elementary principal who issues reading challenges. Joseph and I decided to shoot for the 10,000 pages and it means lots of together time with him.
Thankful for recent trip I took with my mom, sister and brother. (Having older kids means hopefully more trips in the future)
Thankful for good health and the ability to do what I do at Crossfit.
Thankful for a God that is in control, despite how much our world and culture seem to be spinning out of control.

So much to be thankful for....hope you stop and consider all you are blessed with, big and small.

A relatively quiet weekend going on. Ben has been doing some DC fundraising this weekend...bagging groceries. He put in 4 hours this morning and with 4 kids participating, they each walked away with $70 each. Amazing how supportive people are and how every dollar adds up.

Ben is now on the hunt for khaki shorts! (Picking my mouth up off the floor) He said he is ready to quit wearing his athletic shorts every day. I was tempted to ask him what her name was, but refrained :-). He also told me he wants sweat pants. Again...what??? Even when it is zero outside, he wears shorts every day!

We recently had teacher conferences. I again heard from teachers in all three grades about how my boys are chatter boxes! One of the middle school math teachers was telling me how on the last test he gave he allowed students to bring in a cheat sheet. One piece of paper, front and back with any notes, etc on it. There were 105 kids who took the test and only 22 of them brought in cheat sheets. That just floors me. I am assuming none of them wanted to put in the work to do up the cheat sheet.

I have given notification at Joseph's hip hop place. He does not want to continue. He loves it. I can't quite figure it out. However, thinking it over, this is the third, long term extra-curricular he has started and quit within 6 months. He has enjoyed all of them, but I think he struggles with something every week. He is great with like a 6 week football commitment and then the season is over, but he really struggles with long term, week after week stuff. He has totally gotten back into playing by himself, with legos, cars, etc. It is so fun to sit and listen to all of his conversations by himself.

After a 3 week Crossfit hiatus, I am back at it. Great to have a break but really good to get back. They have a Sunday 5pm class open to the public and Benjamin has expressed interest in joining me. Would be fun to see what he thinks about it.

I have never shopped at Neiman Marcus but am very impressed with their fraud department. I happened to recently pull up my credit card account online. I found a $595 Neiman Marcus charge but it was also credited back the same day. Curious, I made a phone call. An online purchase was made. NM told me that they have an extensive fraud department. So, somewhere between when the order was placed and before it was shipped, they determined that the card account holder did not place the order. Very impressed. I called the credit card company and they cancelled the card and I have already received new ones. Still have no idea how someone got a hold of my card number. Who knows. My information was recently hacked in the Equifax breech. Not sure if they are connected or not. Have security freezes and fraud alerts on my credit accounts.

We are still at 4 deer, at some point in the processing. JR came across a great jalapeno summer sausage recipe. It was a huge hit, even with the boys!

The skies will be quiet (no snow) for next couple of days. Would be nice to get a little bit though. The place we go to for thanksgiving every year, is ready to pull out the snow mobiles and pull kids behind it on sleds. Would be a lot of fun if there is plenty of snow!

That is the latest and greatest around our house!

We are not even half way through November and have already had a foot of snow and hit below zero degrees! Awfully early, but the good news, it is warming back up and should be fairly nice and clear the next 14 days.

Bree is loving the snow. She just amazes me. She will get out there and run in it for 2-3 miles. When I stop the car to try to get her in, she looks at me like I am nuts!

I continue my home assembly job. I thought we would be done early December and was planning on my huge to-do lists. I found out we will probably be going into January. Can't complain about the money, but I have been taking home so much, I don't have much time for other stuff that I enjoy. I have great plans of clearing out and taking lots of trips to Goodwill!

The police have been giving warning tickets to those in our building. We have a sidewalk that runs across our short driveways and for some reason, after 11 years, they have decided they don't want us parking across them. I get that it is a law, but the sidewalk runs in front of 4 townhouse buildings and it ends at our building. It is not even a continuous sidewalk! So now, not only do we have to shovel our sidewalks, but we have to shovel across the street so we can park there too. Just irritating. The parking was not well thought out!

I got away recently for a four day weekend in Vegas. Wow, what a place. Some parts of it just amazed me and other parts of it made me really sad. Saw 2 shows...Mat Franco and Elvis Impersonator. Both phenomenal. Also visited Hoover Dam. What a place!

Basketball is in full swing! Benjamin is 2-2 I believe and Jacob does intramural type basketball with other 5th graders. At Ben's last game, he made a beautiful 3 point basket. I know before he took the shot that it was going in. He was so focused, planted his feet and swish! One happy momma. It was neat to hear the others cheering because they knew it was his first basket of the season. I just wish I had my video running. I just told him he will have to make another one!

Thanksgiving plans are set. My niece, Kristine, and I are running in Huffing for Stuffing. A 5/10k race Thanksgiving morning. We opted for the 5k (3.1 miles). I really hope the weather holds and it is not real wet or cold.

Benjamin has not gotten a deer yet and looks like he will pass on the rest of the season. Jacob got a second deer.

It is hunting season!!!  (Pictures of the animals harvested...so if you don't like pictures of dead animals, then read no further)

Jacob got his first buck.  It was the second day out!  Meat for the freezer.

Every early morning hunt is followed up by breakfast.  This kids eyes were definitely bigger than his stomach!

JR got his first deer of the season.

Benjamin is hoping to get out there soon and see what he can find.

All things random~

Benjamin has started basketball practice. He requested and got, the early morning team that practices at 6:30 every weekday morning. I really like our basketball routine. Our mornings flow really well and I have a great excuse to run Bree, since I am up anyway. His games start this Thursday! So excited to watch him play. He has grown so much since last season and I think the awkwardness of early teen years is passing and he is really excelling as an athlete.

Jacob starts basketball this next week. Since it is 5th grade, they don't play official games. It is more like a few weeks of practices and drills. He is really excited!

The first quarter ends tomorrow. Hard to believe. I pay the boys for their grades. I want them to learn money management skills and without money, it is hard to learn that. We don't do allowances or pay for chores (which we have tried and it did not go well). We see school as their job and thus pay. It looks like this quarter I will get off pretty light. Not that the boys are doing bad, but not a lot of As, which bring in the most money. I think Jacob was a little shocked how much more intense middle school is than elementary school.

I was walking Bree the other day at a fenced in dog park and thought this was amazing.

What a great use of old used tennis balls.

The other day we headed out to a local hay maze.  I managed to complete the maze, with the 4 required stamps in 43 minutes!  When it all looks the same, how easy it is to get lost and repeat your steps over and over and over.  This was the only picture I got...of Benjamin and his friends on the 'train'.

For the first time since I left Texas...in 1996...I have family that will now be living close! My niece that graduated from college in May is moving out here this week. She found a job and is house sitting for the winter. I am so pumped to have her here!!!!!

The other night the boys and I were trying to find a hay maze. I was on an unfamiliar road and it was dark. I had a headlight out, which I knew. I had bought a headlight, just not yet put it in. I was in an intense conversation with the boys. Before I knew it, I saw lights behind me. I got pulled over going 20 miles over the speed limit. Oops! I was very honest with the officer and told him I did not have a reason to speed and that I knew I had a burned out head light but had the bulb just not replaced it yet. He walked away and quickly came back and said he was giving me a verbal warning and no ticket! I was so excited. I am not sure his reasons for not ticketing me going 20 mph over speed limit, but I took the opportunity to talk with the boys about how I was honest, did not make excuses and owned my mistake and apologized. Hopefully lesson was learned by them and me!

I finally got into my blog.  Every once in a while the blogging site makes me sign back in and I have troubles.  Troubles are over now!!!

Almost a month of activity in the house.  It was pretty much consumed with football.  The season ended this past week.  Benjamin finished undefeated and Jacob's team started out strong but I think had more losses than wins.  I am glad they learn about good sportmanship and losing at a young age.

A friend of ours came to some of the last games of the boys'.  He has a really, really nice lens and got some fun pictures!!

My number 32!!

I love this, especially since this kid won't often 'pose'

Great action shot

Love this.  He gave Ben a huge panoramic print taken from the side of the field.

My 36!

Amazing colors and view!

Look at those clouds and snow.

Love Benjamin's expression...second from left.

One of our favorites!

Benjamin has also spent time fundraising for his DC trip. He spent the last three Sunday afternoons selling concessions at soccer games.  The wagon was a huge hit...although it looks a little ragged because we had something like 25 mph winds most of the afternoon.

He also spent some time bagging groceries. He is getting pretty good at that. Maybe bagging once a month, he will end up with a grocery store job when he is a little older.

Benjamin started basketball today. Joseph is still doing hip hop and is trying to decide if he is too shy to sign up for their recital next spring. (He is so funny!) Joseph is also continuing with CrossFit kids. Jacob will take a CF break...he really needs an older class. He does not enjoy all the 7 year olds in the younger class. I am excited because this winter is moving their free Sunday class to 5pm (instead of 9am) and Benjamin is interested in going. I would love for him to learn some more discipline, especially since he is getting more into sports!

Not much else happening here. I continue to do my work from home stuff and JR is trying to get his winter work lined out.

I promise it won't be another 4 weeks before I check in again!

We have had amazing fall weather this week, particularly the evenings!  It makes me remember why I put up with the winters!

Both football teams remain undefeated!  And both boys remain injury free!

Jacob has taken up the trombone.  Not real sure where the interest in the trombone came from, but he decided he wanted to play that in the school band.  I think he really liked the 'slide'.

The boys and I have started an NFL football bracket.  We are picking teams each week and racking up points I few choose the winning team.  So far, I am in last place, but still lots of room for improvement.  There are on going discussions about the prize at the end of the season.

All the boys are doing pretty good in school.  Joseph is striving for the highest reading goal...10,000 pages!  Last year the kids who hit that got to get ice cream with the principal in a limo.  Not sure what this year's top prize will be, but I think I need to rally to be involved, since I will be reading most of those pages too!

We have found a van.  It is actually a year older than our other van but great shape.  My mechanic said it was a steal of a deal for a Honda Odyssey.  It was the first van I found.  So thankful that search is over.

Pretty quiet weekend coming up.  A Saturday morning football game and looking at taking the boys to a movie Sunday afternoon!

We have survived the first week of football games. Wins all the way around and the best part...no injuries!!!

See the white dots...yep, snow!  I guess starting out with very wet and cold weather means it can only get warmer.

I never got a good shot of Benjamin, but sure love this one!

Joseph is loving hip hop.  He is getting really good at some of his moves.  I love to see him come home and practice all of them!  He is also doing really well with his reading!  The principal has another reading contest going on this school year.  Last year, the kids that read 10,000 pages got to ride in a limo to get ice cream.  No one knows what this years prize will be, but Joseph is sure motivated.  How awesome would that be.

Benjamin has committed to the 8th grade Washington DC trip.  He saved some money over the summer and will be participating in all kinds of fundraisers.  Next weekend he will be bagging groceries!  I think he is actually excited about this.

It was a sad day this week.....

My van has finally died and according to the mechanic, not worth saving!  Not real sure how it happened, but the engine seized up!  We were hoping to make it one more winter with this.  Fortunately, we have a few extra vehicles given JRs job, so I have something to drive for now.  I am on the hunt though...just waiting for the perfect car to come along!

Here is looking to some 60 degree and sunny days ahead!!!!

We are in a real good grove right now. I am even dialed in with all of our food, that I am only grocery shopping once a week, minus a few fresh things. One of my goals this school year was to become more efficient in all areas. Check in the food department. No more throwing out food for this family (for three growing boys, it is amazing the food I throw out that does not get eaten) or making multiple stops to get things I forgot.

Our morning routine is good! The boys and I (JR's work schedule is all of the place) sit down for breakfast every morning! Something I have never been able to accomplish.

I am also learning how to be more efficient during workouts. I just read a post about how dangerous Crossfit is, and I would agree it can be dangerous. However, with the coaches I have, no way. They know the body and how it is suppose to work. Today we did 200 russian kettle bell swings (think hold the kettle bell between your legs and swing it up to above your eyes. So much easier when you learn to lift with your hips. A few weeks ago we did a workout where you maxed out (hit your high end) a strict press (overhead), a back squat, and a deadlift. My 1 rep max was 75# for strict press, 150# for back squat (should have been higher but was struggling with form, so stopped) and 215# for deadlift.

There is mountain snow in the forecast. I sure don't want cold, but will be so nice to have some relief from the wild fire smoke. I can't imagine those that live close to them.

Both boys start football games this week. Benjamin is so excited, looks like he will be on special teams (punt return) and Jacob is looking at receiver right now. Hopefully I will get some good pictures.

Speaking of football, I came across these pictures recently and don't think I ever put them on the blog. We were invited to a BBQ with some of JR's clients.

Did you recognize who that was??  Alex Smith, the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs.  The boys had a great time playing football with him.  What a neat family he has.  We will definitely be a new cheering family for the Chiefs.

A Sunday afternoon bike ride!

 Everyone seems to have functional bikes, except me.  I guess maybe I should say that when I do get a bike, another one breaks and then one of the boys ends up 'taking' mine.

Ready for the fall weather.  I think my favorite outfit is jeans, sweatshirt and sandals.  Let's hope for clearer skies too!

Had a very quiet Labor Day weekend.  I pretty much just hung at home and knocked out projects.  JR was hiking in the Beartooth Mountains with a friend and Bree (pictures to follow another day).  Jacob went to the cabin with his best friend Cam.

I got a text Sunday morning from Cam's mom that Jacob had been fine all day and then threw up Saturday evening.  (She did not realize it at the time of the text, but he also threw up in the middle of the night).  We awaited for them to wake up Sunday and sure enough, he felt just fine!  (This is the second trip to the cabin where he has thrown up...not sure what is going on.)  Then Sun evening I got a call from the cabin (I have never gotten a phone call!).  They were headed into the ER with Jacob.  It seems they were off smashing big branches and somehow Jacob's hand got caught in between two big branches!  Fortunately, no fractures or stitches required.   However, a huge lesson was learned.  He wanted to finish out his weekend at the cabin, so he pushed on.  I was glad when he was finally home.

One of my projects from the long weekend was to start sorting through all of my digital pictures.  I want to get them in the correct yearly photos.  I am all the way back to 2013.  It sure is much easier to weed through and eliminate pictures that are several years old.

This is the view from my window these days!  We provide some of the only shade for the cows in our huge field, so we have been seeing a lot of them lately.

It seems like it varies from day to day, as to how bad the smoke it.  Usually the mountains are pretty clear.  Lots of wildfire smoke!  Crazy how much of the northwest is in flames.  Many having to evacuate.  Some fires will probably not burn out until the snow flies.

The other day there was a knock on the door.  Then I hear a voice, is your mom home?  It was a police officer.  One of the boys was not home and my first thought was, what did X do?  Turns out the man that owns the cows in the field called to report that the barb wire fence, behind our wooden fence had been cut, and he had just repaired it two days ago.  Not real sure what that was all about, but none of us had cut the fence.

Jacob recently bought a skim board with his own money.  What is a skim board you ask?  Why a board allows you to skim across the surface of the water.

He executed that one pretty well...this one not so much.  It seems that if your angle is wrong or the positioning of your feet, you are toast.

And that is how it is done.  Although I think once you get it down, you just sink with the board and then start all over again.

I thought about trying it, but figured I would not look nearly as graceful as they did falling/sinking.

Joseph started Hip Hop dance today.  He was really nervous that he might be the only boy, but he went anyway.  Thankfully, there were 2 other boys in his class.  The only way you can watch is in the observation room, via video camera.  That is Joseph on the mat.

The other two boys got their football pads, etc.  So crazy cool seeing them all geared up. Can't believe they are both old enough for full on football.

Summer is gone!!!

The boys started school yesterday.  Took some coaxing to get smiles.  (I guess theirs was not as big as mine!)

We were all in desperate need of a routine and the boys needed to get back to their friends.

I feel like I have so many areas of my life to reign back in.  I have even intentionally decided to do less home assembly for the next couple of weeks, to get back in a good grove and take care of all those little things I have neglected all summer.  (One of which is blogging ~ hoping you all hear more from me soon :-) ).

We are down to the last 15 days of summer and they are going to be lazy days.   Looks like things will ramp up really quickly the end of August though.  I already have 3-4 sports parent meetings on the calendar.  Jacob will start tackle football with Lions Club and Benjamin will be playing 8th grade football.  Joseph will probably start hip hop!

Thankfully the weather has cooled off and we have not seen the 90s in a week or so and no more 90s on the horizon.  Actually, we have already dipped into the mid 40s!  We continue to have quite a bit of smoke from forest fires.  It is always interesting to wake up each morning and see what things look like.

For the first time in 10 years, we have mice!  Not sure how they are getting in but I have heard from several people that when bees (which they have been) are out in droves and mice are inside, it means a cold, long winter is in store.  Who knows, but not my preference for a long drug out winter.  I have always questioned Bree's sniffer, because she did not seem to have a great one, and she has only sniffed out any mice once.  We have not seen any droppings, holes in bags of food, etc.  They must be getting enough crumbs off the floor.  JR seems to think they are babies and multiple ones in the house.

JR is in Florida.  Left today to visit family and going to be gone 5 nights.  Quick trip for him.

Several weeks ago we went camping with about 6 families.  There were 14 kids between the ages of 7 and 14.  11 of them were boys!  It was awesome.  I was able to sit and chat and read books.  My boys would take off for a few hours and check back in when they were hungry.  We took Bree with us and she did really well.  I was most concerned about her waking up and barking, but it never happened.  She did escape the tent one night around 10pm, but got her corralled back fairly quickly.  A cool, random thing that happened.  We got to the campground early and wanted to save parking for all the campers and cars that would be coming out.  As I was perched under a tree, 2 white pick ups pull up with Texas plates.  I asked them where they were from and they said Abilene!  They had only lived there a few years, so was not familiar with my family name there.  What a small world.

I continue plugging along with Crossfit.  I have hit a funk but still drag myself to classes 3 times a week.  I am always amazed at what my body can do when you push it.  I am really ready for the routine of school and dialing in my meals.

JR continues to slowly grow his business.  I am hoping this winter will be a key one in making some gains with added work and employees.  He and I have contracted with his old employer to help shuttle cars to and from airport, so more hours and money.

The older 2 boys continue to help me with my home assembly stuff.  They are both making about $20 bucks a week, which adds up over time!  We have had lots of discussions about saving, planning, etc.  I sure hope they catch my vision for finances and can start off their adult lives on good solid footing!

Not much else happening around these parts.  This has been probably our laziest summer, but I am not complaining.  Maybe we will live it up next week and celebrate the end of summer.

Happy 8th birthday to this fun lovin, hip hoppin kid!  I can't imagine life without you!

Summer is getting away from me.  Seems like whenever we do something I always forget the camera or I take it but don't use it.

Last week Benjamin and I went to see a theatre production called Once Upon a Mattress.  It was a cute production.  I sure hope the drama club gets going again in the fall and can find a director.  He really enjoys it.

Last week the book ends (oldest and youngest) did a baseball camp.  They concluded the week with a cookout and a baseball game.  There were two games, the younger kids and the older kids.  I did not get in on the action with the younger kids, but when they ask ed for any dads to join the older kids, I told them I was not a dad but really wanted to play.  They were gracious and said sure.  I happily ran to right field and only touched the ball once (we only played 2 innings because it was getting dark).  But what I was most happiest about was batting.  Oh my word, I was nervous and the pitcher was a high school kid.  I don't know that I had ever gone up against a baseball, being thrown overhand and lots of people watching.  The first pitch I hit it and it dropped in behind 1st base!  Yay.  This momma still has it!  Of course the second time up I struck out.  Let the good balls go by.

This week all three boys did a football camp.  They all enjoyed it and Jacob said he even learned a few things about QB and how you step back to throw.

All the camps for the summer is over, minus VBS at our church.  Should be a really quiet August.

Time to start looking at school supplies.  Joseph has had the tough decision about whether he wants to do gymnastics, football or hip hop.  I told him he had to choose and he has chosen, at least at this point, hip hop.  The best thing about that...the studio is in our neighborhood (squeal) and he can ride his bike!  Just brings a smile to my face thinking about him dancing.

All the boys went to orthodontist today.  As expected, the doc said Benjamin is probably looking at jaw surgery in a few years.  All of his issues are skeletal.  We are gonna wait a year or so and then probably have a consult with an oral surgeon.  (The upside, this surgeon can do it in his office, which means no hospital, so much cheaper surgery.)  The ortho just thinks we really need to get a good plan in place and prepare for it.  His bottom jaw is already about 10 mm further out than where it should be.  I asked if insurance would ever cover it for a medical reason (versus dental) and he said who knows.  But that is where the oral surgeon can present his case.  Nothing we are loosing sleep over, but good to know that we can at least be preparing for it down the road.

Now Joseph, he has become the priority!  He wants braces so bad, not sure why.  But his normal bite is where the front teeth exactly hit/meet.  With this bite it means that your back teeth don't meet and it can be hard to chew food.  The ortho noticed excessive receeding gums in the front and was baffled.  After lots of looks, it appears that when Joseph eats, he pushes his bottom jaw forward so he can eat without his front teeth hitting each other.  Doing so has put pressure on the front teeth and caused the receeding gums.  Ugh.  So, we go back in a month to get new impressions for an upper retainer for Jacob and impressions for Joseph.  He is going to be fitted for a device he will wear on his face when he sleeps and it will attach to his mouth, in the hopes of bringing the bottom jaw back a bit.  (This should have been an option for Benjamin years ago, but the old ortho missed it).  Still not sure where the really strong bottom jaw comes from, because the ortho said it is genetic.

This weekend we are going camping.  We are going with 4-5 other families.  This will probably be our first and only camping trip this summer.  Hopefully my camera will make it into the car and then out of the car for some pictures.

Oh, for those that have been watching the news, we are nowhere near the forest fires.  It is probably 3-4 hours northeast of us.  Fortunately in a lesser populated part of the state.

In typical fashion, I am behind posting pictures! Oh well!

This week the book ends (oldest and youngest) are doing a morning baseball camp. Jacob opted not to do it, so has been fun hanging out with just him. Next week all three of them are doing a football camp and then, yikes, it will be August! A really laid back summer so far.

My niece and her husband were here for a week and then as they left, a friend arrived for several days. So the last 10 days we have had a lot of fun, hitting all the hot spots.

A waterfall we hiked up to (a short .7 miles)

The boys loved climbing.

Can you find all three of the boys below??

Then we took a drive across private land into a camp ground.  We were hoping to see the several hundred buffalo that are sometimes grazing near the road.  However, we had to settle for a dozen or so.  One of them was really close.

Guess who went along with us and loved it and found a great place to cool off.

Another hike to a waterfall (about 1.1 miles)

Then we drove up to a mountain lake.  It was a tricky 7 mile drive and took us close to an hour up and 45 minutes down.  But well worth the view.

There was a rope swing and everyone was a little nervous to be the first one in the water.  We should not have done it to the newbie, but so thankful Ryan (my niece's husband) tried it out first.   I wish I had gotten take off, but I got the landing.

Ryan survived, so it encouraged the others to give it a go.

It was a clear lake and it did not look deep enough to jump, but it was just deep enough.  If you look at the rock sticking out of the water, this was our fear, that someone would slip off the rope or not jump far enough and land on the rock.   (We would not let Joseph jump for this reason, he just swung)

When my friend arrived we did a round trip 6 mile hike, but I was not about to carry my camera up there. It was beautiful too and Joseph and Bree did awesome! A great time with those we love!