Every Which Way But Home

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2011-10-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

So I decided that it was about time that I get back to this. It is actually very therapeutic to just sit here and vent or share a story or talk about nothing at all. Although I had hoped to slow down life, that really hasn't happened. I have three sons....two of which are teenagers and well...they just need to be taken places and eat and well have their clothes washed....

We visited Hawaii on a family vacation this summer. It was so wonderful. We had 10 days of rest and relaxation and it really was a GREAT family trip. And now as the school year is in full swing and we are busy planning for homecoming, I like to just sit and think of those lazy nights sitting on the beach or at the pool with absolutely nothing to do and realize that if it wasn't for all the craziness that I live every day~that sitting there doing nothing might not of seemed so great! Well short blog tonight....just trying to get back in the game.

Long time...no blog...

2009-02-01T18:04:00.000-08:00

SO I have been a little out of touch in the bloggin world...since I barely got started really...not too many people have really even noticed my lack of contact. But for those of you who read it (Aubrey)...I am finally back. Mostly I haven't blogged because I want to include pictures each time and I have been accessing the internet with my laptop, and alas, we don't keep the picture files on it....blah, blah, blah.

SO here is what I have been up to. The snowstorm in December kind of paralyzed our family and we didn't really do much for the whole Christmas Break. We went to Poulsbo but even that was an ordeal (in the snow and all). January brought back to school and sickness galore!!! Everyone is my family has been sick this month. But I do believe that we are finally on the mend.

After a not so fun New Year's Eve...I did have the fun of going on a girls weekend to Birch Bay. It was a weekend of complete laziness. We did absolutely nothing and by nothing...I mean nothing...we didn't even brush our teeth, which to be honest is actually quite gross. We had fun..and talked..and talked...and ate...and talked. And in the picture, you might notice our "bradalire" (chandiler)..yup...the kind of fun that only girls can have!!! But I had a good time with the girls and then it was back to real life.

The second weekend brought teen problems that to be honest, I really don't' want to right about on the internet. But they are getting better and in light of events that have happened since then (I will share below) I am soooooooo thankful just to have my boys well and safe and if we fight some---so be it. I love them and at the end of the day, I know that they actually do love me too! And surprise, surprise (my mom will appreciate this...someday I know they will actually "get it").

Despite all the hecticness, the last half of this month has been filled with some joy...we went snowboarding this weekend. The kids had a BLAST. It had to be postponed because Keaton and Mason were actually really sick last weekend. After a doctors visit a $100 spent at the pharmacy (I have never gotten so many prescriptions at once before--they each had 4!!!!), they are actually on the mend and were ready to hit the slopes. I am actually a little sore today, but we had fun.

Evan is a natural and once he actually gains control of his board--he will be the next Shaun White!!! Mason is also getting it down, he was determined to figure it out...he even went off on his own for awhile, but finally had to call it quits because he wore himself out!!!!

Keaton probably had the best control...and he too will be a great snowboarder with a little practice. Mommy...um...she is either going to go back to skiing or become a Cocoa connoisseur !!! All in all it was a fun time.

And a fun time is what our family has needed. In this past month, we have been dealing with...for lack of better words.."tragedies"...that have happened in the families of two of Mason's very good friends. For the families privacy, I am not going to share details, but one family has a child in a drug induced coma(basically they haven't been able to try and wake him yet--since the fall and surgeries)because of a head injury and the other has a 12 year old that has just been diagnosed with cancer and will start chemotherapy on Tuesday. It is a lot for a kid to take in, but Mason is a trooper and he has been SUCH a good friend. I am SOOOO proud of his compassion and love of others. I am saddened that my son has to experience this in his life already. And please pray for the families as they go through their separate ordeals.

That really is my life in a nutshell....my stress meter is at high and doesn't really show any signs of coming down. I hope that in the next few weeks, I can try to figure out how to support others and take care of myself at the same time.

Cabin Fever: Christmas Cookies, Christmas Presents, Christmas Movies & Going Christmas CooKoo!!!

2008-12-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

So a nice family day at home is what I dream of..no plans, no places to go...the truth is actually the classic "grass is always greeneer concept"! Oh my gosh...I love no school days--FOR ME!!! The kids on the other hand...they can go to school!!! Day one was nice-(yesterday) to start with. I really enjoyed getting a bunch of cleaning done--YES, I said that I enjoyed it. Jimmy & I continued to catch up on all the TIVOed Christmas Movies; Keaton watched a few with us. The kids played outside most of the day.

Evan made his very own snowman--by himself, he was SO PROUD of himself!!

On Tuesday night we had started on Gingerbread Houses and so yesterday Mason & Evan finished them in the evening.

I gathered some of the Christmas Presents to wrap--they are still a few MIA...shopping early isn't always the best plan!!! We got the items together to make Christmas Cookies...sounds like a little Walton's family gathering.....it was great until about 7PM last night.

That is when the Christmas CooKoo set in--Evan in his attempt to be helpful, sucked up a SHARP pencil in my Dyson vacuum...for those of you who know me well--know that I am cursed when it comes to vacuums. They seem to break VERY quickly in our home, and it can't be from overuse:) So we thought that the curse had been broke when Jimmy let me get the coveted expensive Dyson--which I love and has not failed us yet. SO when I saw the sharp lead of the pencil sticking out the hose--I freaked!!! And again those who know me well, can pretty much imagine the scene. The night was all downhill from there!!! They was some frustration over the younger kids version of putting away clothes...there was some lost "stories" and "art"....and the saver that I am (I mean memory keeper)...freaked out!!!! Keaton at this point knew that the safest place for him to stay was in him room doing homework....homework that he figured out this morning...probably could have waited.

I am sad to share that I am not proud of "freaking" out but that is why it's called "Cabin Fever". Part of the problem probably steamed from the issue that Keaton woke me up at 5:30AM...I am sure he thought I would go back to sleep--but no luck there!!! So by 7PM, I was spent!! I am proud to report that last night, the kids were all tucked snug in the beds, with hugs & kisses and hopefully visions of LOVE through their heads. And this morning it is all quiet on the homefront. But for my families sanity..Jimmy and I are going to brave the roads today to go to the store and have a bit of a change of scenery!! And I am going to do my best to CHILL all day, after all this is Christmas Vacation NOT Christmas Freakout time!!!

It snowed!!!

2008-12-14T10:36:00.000-08:00

Well, they said it would come, but when is the weatherman ever right? The kids were so excited to wake up this morning and find snow. Evan crawled in bed with me at 8:53...yes I was still in bed then. And asked if he could go outside in 7 minutes. I wasn't sure what he meant, he then reminded me that I don't allow them to go play outside until 9AM so that we don't wake any of our neighbors who might be late sleepers. I don't know, it is weird I guess. I just figure if I am in bed at 8:53 AM that someone else might be and they probably don't want to hear my screaming children!!!

So back to the snow....I got up and got him ready and he quickly got Mason to join in on the fun. Keep in mind that we don't get snow here much and when we do, it often doesn't last long so they weren't going to waste any time. Then is started to snow again and I decided that we needed a family picture while it was still snowing...my poor children, having a photographer for a mother is pure torture for them. So we all got ready and headed out! The kids had such fun and it was so nice to know that today we really had not place to be--(I am sure that my Senior Portrait Appointment for today will be cancelled!)

And it has reminded me of the name of my blog...I named it Every Which Way But Home because our family is so busy. The kids each have their different sports and school activities. I often have photo appointments during our free time. Jimmy likes to golf. We really are homebodies at heart but we just can't find the time to be home. Believe me we have scaled back A LOT but even with that, we still are on the go much of the time. So today, it is nice to just be here together. Keaton and I are hanging out editing pictures. Jimmy and Evan are playing a game. Mason is actually still outside (probably with his tongue still stuck to the pole (see below), but we are going to hang out all day here!!! And I like it.

This is for you Aubs

2008-12-04T16:56:00.000-08:00

Okay so this is my second try at this...it should be reminding me of why I have never started a blog before. I pushed one wrong button and everything that I wrote went away!!! But I am doing this to honor my great friend Aubrey. She is an amazing blogger and I love to read all about what makes her smile and the special moments in her life.
She and her family are leaving our little town tomorrow...Pensicola bound. It is days,weeks and months like this that I can't stand the Navy. I do think that it is wonderful that we have men and women dedicated to serving our country but in this moment and on this day...I am selfish and wishing that they didn't have to go. I am not ready say goodbye. When I moved up here I thought that I had great friends that I was leaving, but what I didn't know is that God had great friends in store for me. I have never in my life had the closeness that I feel with these women that I have gotten to know here in my adult life. And while my head says that "this is only a peice of our history"--my heart can't see my days without her. Aubrey and I have such a closeness and we have been though so much heartache and joy together.....Aubs you are a forever friend. And this is not goodbye, but only goodbye for now. Well I can hardly see the screen at this point (tears) so I will close for now. I hope to read about your life in Florida...and you can check up on us now and then too. (like we won't talk...I know this is getting sappy). But I just wanted to close by saying that I am so thankful to Tonia for introducing us that day, I am so glad that Colby and Evan ended up on the same soccer team...and I am SO thankful that I will always have you as my friend. And I can't help but think of the words to a Michael W. Smith song...."and friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them..." We have an eternity together girl!!!!