Knee Deep

Wowsa! The fall time has stirred up the Jackson hive and we have been busy bees.

For starters; Here are Noah's latest sayings at soccer:

"I am Awesome! Seriously, I am the best player on this team!" This comes after scoring 13, yes 13, goals in one game. One of his coaches was quite pleased and finds Noah's comments funny. I am not sure how I am feeling about that.

"That tall girl was no match for me" Finally he gets some competition (this girl was g-o-o-d) and blows it off.

Needless to say we have had to have some talks about modesty, bragging, and hurting other's feelings. I kinda feel bad for Noah. He is an almost 6yr old with 3 soccer seasons under his belt, however, all of his team mates are 4yrs or young 5's that are playing for the first time. On the other hand, this situation sets itself up nicely for us to teach him a lot of good moral lessons AND for him to learn more self-control. Today, he expressed both, until the end of the game when he made the comment about the tall girl. Come spring he will be done with soccer and we will try his hand at basketball.

I am knee deep in halloween costume sewing and crafting. The boys chose to be power rangers (Noah orange, Caleb red). So far things have been coming together easily. The main parts of the costume are easy enough; shirts and pants in the colors requested. I made shoe covers that will make their everyday shoes looks like white boots. Today, however, I am trying to make the helmets. Oh my. Let's hope I did not spend two hours paper mache-ing balloons for nothing. Here is the progress so far (see pic). I ran out of the nice store-bought mache pulp from the craft store. So, Caleb's mold is made from newspaper strips dipped in a combo of water and mod podge. Let's hope that works too.

The boys wanted to play in the leaves falling in the yard. I raked them up and it took all of about 3 seconds to blow all the leaves back out in the yard. It was cute. Nice way to spend 5 minutes of this nice fall weather.

Caleb's school had their fall party on Friday. It was cute. The class sang songs, and we saw some of their normal day, and then they were loaded up on sugar (cupcakes, M&M's, gummies) and add in a little carbs (pretzels, cheese crackers) and then released to their mommies to take home.

YAY! So, on Friday Caleb's lunch consisted of those items listed above and half of a banana. The banana was all I could get him to eat when we got home. AND who wants fruit when you just ate a plethora of yummy junk! He got some goody bags and the pic is some of the things he got to bring home! FUNNY GUY!

I have been thinking ahead to Christmas and Teacher Appreciation gifts (plus I really wanted to make these), and picked up the goodies to make these drink coasters.

I have seen this tutorial and wanted to give it a try. Some turned out great. I think the simpler stamps worked best. Others, the stamp didn't sit just right or the ink is lighter in some spots. Oh well, it wouldn't be homemade if it was perfect and identical. I love them anyway and believe their recipients will too.

I also made some little pocket tissue holders. Sorry, no pic. I was able to make 7 of those little easy gifts in little less than 1.5 hours. If I can do it that quickly, an experienced sewer could prob do it in like 45 min.

Upcoming projects that will be finished before the end of November (I like giving myself deadlines - I find I accomp

lish more with this pressure):

Canvas painting of my kids hands - saw this online too and have to do it.

Tote bag that I bought material for a VERY long time ago. (plus I am on fabric buying restriction until my stash diminishes substantially.)

Knit a poncho (which I bought yarn for so long ago {big surprise} and found a finally trendy cute pattern)

Ok I better stop.

The boys ran The Spirit of Survival Super Hero Kids Marathon. I can't bel

ieve how great they did! The way this works is that the kids are given a log sheet and are supposed to complete 25 miles before the race day. It took us about 3.5 weeks to do this. We would walk/run 1-2miles at a time and have a rest day after a stretch of back to back walk/run days. It was slow going at first, but once the boys got it down, by the end we were running most of our 2 miles. The day of the race every kid participating comes together and runs the last 1.2 miles together all in support of cancer research. We got out there and the boys were so excited. They didn't realize how many kids were going to be there.

Noah got so excited, that he took off and ran the entire 1.2 miles. He only stopped at the aid station half way through. It was amazing. At the last .25 miles to go, I left him and sprinted to the finish so I could get a picture of him coming across the finish line. No sooner had I crossed the finish line, turned around and dropped to one knee and focused my camera, I saw him coming. Unbelievable! He told me he just decided to run and try to stay as close to me as possible. Literally my mouth was on the ground! Caleb soon came across to the announcers shouting "Folks that there is possibly the fastest 3yr old we have ever seen!". They both received medals from Superman. After all, this was a Super Hero marathon. The world had just witnessed Super Orange Man and Super Red Man (requested names by my 2 super heroes) complete their first marathon.

We have fall break, trip to Tennessee to a Titan's game, halloween, Noah's Birthday, Noah's fall festival, all within the next two weeks. Here to keeping our lives full and busy! It's a wonderful life!

A Little Family Time

A couple of weekends ago I got to go to California for one of my good friend's wedding. I got to see some of my besties from Alaska, which was awesome. I love seeing my gals and being able to travel and celebrate with my friends. Living in the lower 48 does have some perks! Here is Lori, Krista, and me at our table.

I must say that I am liking living closer to family. This past weekend we were able to drive down to Abilene for Kevin's cousin's wedding. (It is wedding crazy around here!) It was great seeing our boys getting to play with and know better their cousins too. It was a little difficult to get all the kiddos together in one picture when they were all dressed up, but nonetheless we got a picture with 3 of them together!

Anyway, at this wedding I saw the cutest wedding favor EVER! They were giving out little tiny jars of homemade plum jelly. They had a little set up with a table with a board that said the couple was "plum" tickled their guests could attend. How cute is that? Love it, something homemade (which will win me every time), and usable, and a great play on words. I was in love! I am banking that one for use in the very very very far off future (my boys!!).

Oh, and I guess my flintstone feet were just too much for my cute silver strappy shoes that matched oh so perfectly to my dress, for they broke. A break that was so bad nothing could hold it together for me to fake it for the rest of the reception. I was so saddened and yes, like any southern girl, I took them off and went barefoot. However, I stayed off the dance floor since it was covered in cute heels of cute little 20-somethings. Until, Noah wanted to dance and I really tried talking him out of it, until the last 30 seconds of this one song. Thank goodness the place was packed and my hubby came out for moral support, even if he didn't realize that that is why I thought he was there! And, it was one less thing for me to remember to pack to bring home.

Well, I just had to post this, cause who doesn't know that Bama is like the best college team in the nation?! Roll Tide!

And just look at the pride of my son holding that flag! A true Bama Man in the making!

Back in the saddle

We are slowly getting settled into our home. We still have boxes left to unpack, boxes that need to move out, that have been packed with things that we have outgrown, or just don't need anymore, and still things are not neat and tidy. However, it has only been a little over a month, so I will cut us a little bit of slack.

I have hurt my lower back somehow. I think this is a previous injury I keep aggravating off and on. So, it just comes back worse than the time before. This has slowed down the straightening process of our home. However, sitting on my ice pack every couple of hours has given me some time to catch up on some things like digital scrapbooking and sewing.

I am most excited about a project I have been wanting to complete since last halloween. I found this little slice of craftiness so close to halloween last year, I did not have time to complete it. It has been in the back of my mind off and on for the last year. I finally have all my sewing things unpacked so I spent a couple of hours getting this out of the way before October.

First I need to note that this is not my original idea. I got the inspiration here. I am so excited about these "magic halloween bags". My bags are not as elaborate as Blue Cricket's, however just as functional. I think these little bags are so wonderful, because I can get rid of the leftover candy, easily. The deal at our house goes, you get to pick out 7 pieces. One piece a day for a week. Then the rest usually gets vaccuum sealed and I recycle the candy for halloween the following year. Cheap, yes I know. But at $8/bag of candy. I would rather my $8 stay in my pocket.

I had a little left over material so I also whipped up a little table decor. I did not want a full runner for halloween, so this little rectangle works out nicely.

Yes, I am getting in the fall spirit which has not happened in 3 years. The past 3 years, my fall included snow fall. :) Not complaining, though, cause I miss that snow, as facebook friends report it hitting the mountains already!

Time

My thoughts for this morning and the past few mornings........

So, today I unpacked box 1. Box 1 of just a few that are in a stack in a small corner of my garage. This small corner holds all that is physically left of my mother. Her presence was so big in my life and yet all there is now for me to see and touch is a small corner of things in my garage. I go through these treasures thinking of what she may have said to me while I try to find a special spot for each one. In just a little over a week she will have been absent from my life for 6 months. Time, how is just slips away.

Then I get to thinking about how I don't have much time left with my two blessings that day by day get more independent. Needing me less and less. Every night I think I am so blessed and overwhelmingly in love with two little boys. Each kiss that is, as of now welcomed, will soon be replaced with "aww mom" and "can you give a me a kiss before school, not at school?" How I wish each minute was just 2 seconds longer, so I could have just a little bit more.

Each day I read my Bible and read how the Apostles teach to hurry. Time is ending. Do it now. Learn now, love now. Then I think about a lesson I heard in church that said one incredible deception most of us believe, is that we have time. We can do it tomorrow, we can wait until we are ready. The time is not right yet.

Do we have tomorrow, Friday, next week, next year ? Who can answer that question? Yep, no one.

I hope God can fill me with more than enough love, wisdom, and peace that my time will be fulfilled in Him and anything extra is a blessing to someone in my life.

Picture Updates

Noah, the day before school at "Meet The Teacher"

Caleb and Noah in front of an erupting Old Faithful

The Fam at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Our awesome boys!

The boys and Olley at Destruction Bay, Yukon

Might as well get it out there

So several people have asked and expressed their interest in hearing some of our adventures from our recent trip: driving the Alaskan Highway from Anchorage Alaska all the way to Altus Oklahoma.

So, before my husband gets the chance to pick on his wife, I am going to get it out there first. My husband has loved to tell this story to those we have already spoken to.

So, we were on our way to Yellowstone Nat'l Park. It was a long day of driving through Montana and we were hoping there would still be a campground open in Yellowstone, cause we have been camping our whole trip down from AK. When we arrive all of the campgrounds were full. This, however, was fine with me since there was the escaped convict and his woman on the loose in the park. Yes, I know it is a big park and my chances were probably slim of running into them. However, it would be just my luck that we picked the campground they were in and low and behold I have no story to tell cause I would be DEAD! Thank you Lord for full campgrounds. Anyway, we track back up the road from Yellowstone about 15 miles and find a little campground that will work for the night. The wind is howling and the rain is blowing sideways (kind of reminded me of Homer, AK). We get the tent pitched. Go scavenging for wood..no luck there, all we found were twigs. We collected lots and lots of twigs for our fire that lasted 15 min, thank you very much wind. I go pay for the website and there is a large board beside the pay slot that tells you about the campground and anything going on in the immediate area. So, there is the normal info about bears being in the area - this was nothing new all the campgrounds we camped had and have bears in the immediate area - and rattlesnakes were in the area. I walk around a little bit and deem we are snake free and all is well. Kids are in their sleeping bags all cuddled up, Kevin and I enjoy the last 30 seconds of our wimpy fire and we hit our sleeping bags around 9:30 - it had been a long day and we had another before us, we didn't realize yet how long the next day would actually be. The wind was fierce, flapping our tent and shaking it all night long. I was well into my sleep when at my head I hear "sniff sniff, long breath out, sniff, sniff, sniff" then something walking in the grass around the tent. OH CRAP! I smack Kevin and tell him to get up and get the bear spray. Mind you, it is pitch black. We have not been in darkness since the winter in Alaska. I could not see a thing! I grab the kids and pull them to the center of the tent and we listen. and listen. Then, I hear people talking. Uh, there is possibly a bear out there and people are talking? What time is it, only 11:30? Then I hear it. The people are calling up their dog. Yes, there was a rottweiler camping next to us, and my bear turned out to be a dog. Go ahead, get your laugh.

I was so freaked out after that I could barely sleep (no pun intended!). And you know what happens when you wake up from a good sleep. You have to go pee. I was NOT getting up and walking to the bathroom. No way, and neither was Kevin! So, I was on high alert all night, not getting back into a good sleep. The wind picked up and kept us up even more. Morning came too quickly and we had to breakdown and hit the road. We were exhausted. The coffee we found tasted like dirt. I had toothpicks propping up my eyelids all day. It took us forever to get through Yellowstone and Old Faithful didn't help our time issue any. Our day ended up being 15 hours in the car to make it from the North entrance of Yellowstone to Colorado Springs.

There it is. It's out......

Patient

So, I am limited on internet.

I have emails and messages to send a reply. I am not ignoring you. Promise.

I am gonna be out of pocket until mid Aug.

Pray we do not smell like food to bears while we are camping through Canada and the Northern US.

xo