I just can't get it together today. What's up with that? Seriously!! I have finally gotten all our tax stuff together to give to the accountant Friday. I thought it would only take till lunch time and then I could enjoy the rest of my day off but I finished at 2:00. The kiddos get home at 2:50 so not much R & R for me today.

It's now 5:49 and I have very messy kitchen and no dinner to be found. Sounds like we're eating out!! I want something really, really tasty and bad for me. I think I've burned a trillion calories getting up and down a trillion times to attend to my house full of kiddos and dogs. Decisions, Decisions!!

Yesterday was my Mamaw Dunn's 85th birthday. She lives in a nursing home a few miles away and I hate to say that I do not visit her enough. I am always a little uneasy going there b/c you never know what I will find. This visit was actually pleasant. It is really a nice facility - clean and all.

My mom being ever so thoughtful bought a slice of cake for my grandma. Even though it was a bad day for Mamaw (she was not responding very well), mom put a lite candle on the cake. Kaylea did not get a chance to help blow it out so she lite it again with a match.

I was relaxing and enjoying the visit when I noticed some unusual commotion in the hallway. I saw nurse and several maintenance men seeming panicked and acting as if they lost something. Suddenly I realized that they were smelling our candle & match and thought the place was on fire. The nurse was saying "I checked all the rooms" and "I smell it really strong right here". We were totally busted. You know - oxygen and all - I guess open flames are frowned upon.

I think I will forever remember Mamaw's 85th birthday.

Oh, the stress of it all!

I used to say that motherhood is the hardest job in the world and really believed it. Those sleepless nights, tantrums, climbing furniture adventures, diapers, strollers, car seats, drool and lets not leave out spit-up - those were some tough things BUT the older they become the harder it becomes. My brain is completely mentally exhausted.

We want to give our sweet darlings the best upbringing possible and this leads to much stress in my life.

Mason wakes up every morning - GRUMPY!! He mentions daily that he hates school - its boring, and he doesn't like anything but spoons full of sugar for breakfast. When I try to make him behave in a kind and respectful way he says "You hate me". What? Is he crazy? That must explain why I spoil him so much and give him 100 kisses everyday. When, oh, when will this phase end??

Kaylea on the other hand is perfect in the am. If only I could get those emotions under control. I can't believe that she already has the "I don't know why I'm crying" down to a science. Boy, are we in trouble!! She's just turned 11.

Speaking of science, FCAT starts tomorrow for her. She is a ball of nerves. She performed very well last year and I keep reminding her of that. So much hinges on the scores from that stupid (I mean standardized) test. Her whole middle school future is apparently on the line. Science is the big thing in 5th grade. Fortunately, she loves it and seems to understand it completely - unlike her dear old mom.

Anyway, Kaylea and I said a little pray tonight for a week of pleasant and stress free testing. It is so hard to send our kids out into the big world sometimes but - such is life. I just strive daily to really listen to them (or at least pretend to) and to tell them how much I love them. I really want to live in the moment and enjoy the utter craziness. Before we know it they will fly from our nest and start to build their own.

Here are some Monster Jam Pics! What can I say ... big trucks, big tires, big noise, lots of people. Actually we had a great time. We got there early enough to meet some of the drivers with a pit pass. I can't say that I actually knew who Grave Digger was and that he was by far the most popular driver, but when I saw the 2 hour line just to meet him I figured it out. Yes, we did wait in that line. Kaylea got her hat signed - at least we had good company for the wait ... our ever so sweet friends Kevin & Angel got there before us and graciously allowed us to "merge" in line with them.

It's Good to be home.

Today is my usual day off from work. I usually spend it running around catching up on errands. I hate to do errands and tend to push them off as long as possible. Today was a little different because Kaylea was home sick. I really enjoyed attending to her ever little need. She is growing up so fast and doesn't need me as much these days. In between caring for her, I actually started spring cleaning the house. I think it has been 2 years since I've given the old home place a deep clean. Sometimes, I really miss being at home full time. My job is so stressful these days and it is difficult to get out of stress mode once I get home. I think I will be home with her again tomorrow and hopefully she will be feeling much better.

Mason and I had a nice little evening out until we got called out of an old lady.

We went to Party City to pick up his birthday invitations and Mason asked to eat dinner at Wendy's. I was completely on board because the dog trainer was at our house and I wanted to stay away as long as possible.

The line to order was long and slow, as usual. Mason picked a perfect table by the window and during the long wait decided to take the salt & pepper shakers off 2 other tables and built a pyramid. I have totally learned about picking battles and this wasn't a big deal at all to me. At least he was not using them as bowling pins (which he has been known to do). Once our food was ready we had a nice little dinner - just the two of us - having great conversation. When we were ready to go, Mason left the pyramid as a special treat for the next lucky family at our table. As we walked to the door, an old lady totally called us out. She looked right at Mason and said "Young man, you need to put those salt & pepper shakers back on the other tables." We both looked at her confused and she repeated it and added that other guests would need to use them and he needed to put them back. Mason was terrible shy and embarassed and tried to hide behind me and asked me to help him put them back. I was still uncertain if the lady was actually serious. I think she was. I just didn't see that it was a big deal (at Wendy's after all) and I didn't want some crancky old lady to ruin our evening. Mason was actually behaving (for once) and now he was getting in trouble by a stranger with a bad attitude.

I thought about assisting him in putting the S & P back in their rightful place but changed my mind. I simply said "Please don't get on to him about that, his mommy thinks it OK." The lady mumbled something about his mommy and we left with a friendly smile on my face.

Maybe, I should have listened to the old lady but by gosh it was OK with his mommy.

It been a long time.

I was reminded that it has really been a long time since I blogged anything. Mostly because things have just been - how do I say this?? BORING!! I need to put some excitement back into my life so I have something worthy to share.

I just remembered that I haven't posted any pics from our vacation in January - so I'll do that soon. I feel like we just got back and it has been over a month.

Random things:

I am doing pretty well on my Couch to 5K adventure. I just love the whole running experience - not really while I'm doing it but the way it somehow lifts my spirits and I just overall feel better. My big 5K is less than 2 weeks away. I really doubt I can run the whole way but who knows - maybe with the adrenaline flowing.

We had a very unromantic Valentine's Day. The sad thing is that neither Bobby or I seemed to really mind. We spent it with the kids at a soccer tournament in Tampa and ate Wendy's on the way home. I really needed to go some place that served cocktails after entertaining Mason for 2 hours at the game. He is really over soccer. I could watch it all day - Well, depending on the age level. I am sorta over watching adults on the soccer channel every single night.

Mason has started tutoring after school one afternoon a week. He is there as I type - that is why I am able to type. She has recommended speech therapy for him. I am thankful for any suggestions that will help him in school. I am really tired of hearing that boys just learn slower. I don't expect perfection but I really don't want him to fall behind so early in his school career. Trust me, I know that boys are different than girls (Kaylea is currently doing her homework without even being told) but I so want to see him excel in school. I also want it to take less than an hour to do a 1st graders homework each night. The tutor does his homework with him and that makes for a great afternoon. Do you think I can pay her a weekly rate? It is just delightful to have it all finished so early in the evening.

We have dog training tonight which puts an uneasy feeling in my tummy. It just stresses me out and I really don't like to participate. It has made a huge difference in their behavior so for that I am thankful. This will be our 4th week so we are halfway there. Mario is drinking rain water out of our fire pit as I speak. I'm sure that tastes yummy not to mention I can't remember when it last rained.

Well, Mason is home now and begging me to play with him. I will try to limit my Facebook time and blog a little more.