2013 Highlights.

I got a simple yet cool idea this year. On the back of a photo Christmas card a friend put highlights of their year. You don't see things like this anymore. Don't get me wrong..I love to see your mug but it's nice to know what's up too or just reminded of happenings. (Shout out to the Ligi's, Good job!) Their card gave me an idea and a long over due post for this blog. 

Here are my 2013 highlights:

I got a third niece who totally and utterly owns my heart with the rest of the kiddos in my life.

Jaxson turned 7, he made it through kindergarten with flying colors and half way through first grade. He loves his Momma and hates Monday mornings. He did breakdancing and then He moved on to playing basketball and is a head taller than more than half his team. He's very sensitive and adores being outside. He loves babies.. Hannah has his wrapped around his finger.

Annabelle turned 4, with a big Belle bash! Belle herself showed up and the world stood still. She is in preschool 4 mornings a week where she is very shy but is blossoming lately. She loves gymnastics and has taught herself a cart wheel and does them often. She has quite an imagination.  She has a stubborn side but is sweet as pie.

Corey and I have been hitched for 9 years and together for 13.  The kids sometimes suck the life out of us but at the end of the day we are a great team.  We genuinely still like each other and love each others company.  

I ran half marathon -what, what! Still shocked I actually did that. And still have no desire to do that again.

We got a family gym membership and we love it. Family that works out together stays together.. True?! Who knows.  I do know we are pumping iron and I will take that any day over running!

We went to the beach 2 times..Once with family and once with friends ..freakin' love the beach. Is it summer yet?!

We had lots of visitors! We love visitors! Wheats, Coons, Haines, Luekers, Wackers, Hedgpeths, Sutherlands, Derringers...keep 'em coming. 

We went to Texas in June to see Corey's family..we had the best time. 

I went for an interesting yet very fun trip with my dad and brothers in October for Papaws 90th birthday.

We will go back to Texas in 9 days.

Still running the Fun Bus with Dad...most days it is still FUN.  Business has doubled and we are grateful!  Have to use my "mom voice" at least once a day ...once a day is not bad when you see 400 plus kids a week.  We call it "kid crack"  kids LOVE the bus and we love them.

I learned that people are people, people in Texas are the same as in Maryland, church people are the same as no church goers, no one is perfect, everyone has issues and we all need Jesus!  You can be the nicest person in the world and some is still going to hate you.

We got Direct TV that allows us to watch every Cowboy game...and they stink to high heaven but I'm still a fan.

We have a rotating front door...we entertain a lot and love every minute of it.  The recycle guy is sure we are alcoholics...think what you will, we are having fun...join us sometime.

At the end of the day I call that a SUPER year.  BAM!

Over it.

If I hear another Black Friday commercial I might scream! I love to shop..love and enjoy it. I used to love Black Friday. Since I can remember me and my mom would go.. At 5am every. Single. Year. We couldn't wait to scan the ads thanksgiving morning and map out our plan. We were being crazy y'all. We would park at kohls at...wait for it.. Wait for it...4:45AM! We would run through the door with everyone else and just start grabbing shit...shit we didn't need but everyone was crazy for it so we did it too. We would then get in a line that wrapped around the store and we would take turns shopping while the other waited. We were genius. We would be at IHOP at 9am and home to decorate at noon.

Gone are those days! I remember 4 or so years ago when we went to kohls at 4am..we got there at 3:45. That was nuts. 

Since we moved to Maryland my parents go to Texas for Thanksgiving so my mom and I haven't shopped in a few years. The last 2 years I recruited friends and we shopping in the middle of the night like crazies and both times I felt very let down.. Sales aren't that great and the loss of sleep is not cool! 

This year, I'm pissed. Nearly everywhere opens on thanksgiving night. That's not Black Friday! That's stupid, inconsiderate and greedy.  

Happy Shopping from a bitter Black Friday fan!

Update: Black Friday has come and gone this year. I did not partake. There was one time today I sorta felt the urge but I didn't give in. I slept in ..had breakfast with my family, we decorated the house and we snuggled all day in our pjs and were totally lazy. I think a new tradition came alive today.

Happy Halloween!

Captain America, Ariel, Batman and Boo (from Monsters Inc)

AB loved trick or treating this year.  She walked almost the whole time...actually I take that back she skipped.  Jax has always been a big fan.

Tales of a "home room mom"

You know at the beginning of the year when they send out the form that is asking you to volunteer at school as well as "check here" if you want to be the home room mom? Of course, I'll volunteer in the class to cut 5,000 circles and print 10,000 copies. I'm not even scared of the double sided copies..watch yourself I'm a pro now.. What what! I digress... Back to the home room mom part..That title seems scary to me but I went for it ..On this sheet I wrote "I would do it if no one else could". Duh?! Apparently EVERYONE and their dogs know not to do that cuz guess who got home room mom. Oh yeah-you know it.

I love to entertain and have parties so I really don't mind. I just can't believe out of 23 sets of parents I am the only one who volunteered. There are only 2 class parties to plan.. No big deal. First grade parents are still pretty involved so I've had a lot of help. 

Here's my first party...

                    First, a parade around the school.

Next, games!  This one was "Roll a Jack-o-Lantern".  Excuse the fuzzy phone pics..there is only so much a mom can do.

Another game- Feel in the bag and guess what it is? Pumpkin teeth?  Witch Warts?  Fingers?

No hands do-nut eating contest...no allergies in this class HOLA!

                            The Mummy Wrap.

                              What is that I feel?

                              The class photo. A bunch of teethless monsters...so cute!

Fam'dam'ily.

This year my grandpa turns 90..yes, 90. That's old y'all. It didn't dawn on me how old that actually is until we were writing it on the birthday cake. Wow. It was really important to my dad to take the three kids back to Texas to celebrate Papaw! We obliged and I ain't gonna lie I was less than excited about rooming with 3 dudes for the weekend. Let me tell you-scary!!!

Crazy Coons we once were and still are...at least some of us. I was in bed each night at 11pm ..the rest.. Yeah not so much. 

Besides the fact while I tried to sleep on the plane while my brothers pluck my nose hairs, or besides the fact they took me to a scandalous bar one night (Redneck Heaven-except replace the hot girls on the show with some uuuugly gross hoochie mamas..go ahead google that shit), or besides the fact I woke up to farts everyday...

I mean those were small issues I guess. We had a good time, a nice party for Papaw, we were very well fed..no meals to be missed in Texas.

The not so cool part was the part that getting old SUCKS! My grandparents are getting to the end of their time.. It's time to move them to assisted living as they can not care for themselves anymore. Seeing them this way sucks...it was hard for us and even harder for my dad. It was definitely a reality check-cherish your family because life is short...even if you make it to 90 plus years. 

October baby!

Awe Fall how I love the! And more than Fall I love these guys more! I could eat 'em with a spoon!

7th Heaven.

Buddy made out pretty dang good for his big day!

 Updated room decor!  Da BOYS!

 The CEC baby!

 Twinkies...this happens with them WAY to often.  Either mom and I need to stop shopping together (not gonna happen) or they need to quit with the"memos".

Big dawg bike thanks to Mimi and Papi!  

The little guy who's not so little.

Happy Birthday to my favorite little guy ever!  The little guy that is not so little anymore.

The little guy that still at 7 years old sees his mom with lipstick on and wants her to kiss his hand leaving a lipstick kiss so he can have it for his day.

The little guy who gets a cowlick while sleeping and wants me to hair spray it that way so he can tell his friends he went surfing last night.

The little guy who is the LOUDEST in the movie theater- with his loud laughs and quotes of what to come next. Embarrassing..maybe a little.

The little guy that insist on wearing Cowboys gear to school spirit day even though he says people are going to say mean things to him...stand up for what you love kid!

The little guy that knows every song on the radio..being christian, country or that other stuff. 

The little guy who thinks he is very grown up but still very much a softy. 

The little guy who loves sports and really has a knack for it but doesn't care to play on a team.. Would rather take a break-dancing class (thanks Boo/Pops for classes).

The little guy that who adores his sister and always takes good care if her. She's feisty...but he rarely snaps back.

The little guy who looks up to his daddy ...he's a "little Corey"...a little wond up but just a tender heart.

The little guy who is friends with everyone...boys, girls, big, little. He's social.

The little guy that loves his family...from the oldest Papi to the youngest Hannah...he's a lover!

The little guy who is so stinkin handsome..even with a snaggle tooth!

The little guy that I told last night "lets just stay up all night so you don't turn 7" to which he replied as he put his arm around me "not gonna happen Mom, not gonna happen".

The little guy that made a very sad day (9/11) a very happy one from here on out. 

Happy Birthday to my lil buddy! I love you more than words can tell.

Here's some pics of his day so far...

                                Donuts of course...

                       Balloons from the avalanche..

                   School buddies- Meadow, Jacie, Jax, Ethan

Meal Swap.

I had the idea a few months ago to get some friends together and meal swap. Two of us did it together and it was awesome so we invited more to join. Man, 8 different meals in your freezer every 3-4 weeks is super awesome!

This is how we do it. There are 4 of us as more than that would be too hectic in my opinion...cooking more than 8 meals would be too overwhelming. Each of us choose 2 recipes and make 4 of each. You keep one of each for yourself and you give each of the others 2. 

If you are overwhelmed and trying to simplify-start a meal swap. As long as you can remember to take one of the freezer in the morning it works like a charm. That's 8 less meals you have to plan. And even cooler is that often they are not anything you have ever tried and different than the same ol same ol. 

It does take about 2 hours for me to get my meals made. Most times my recipes will make more and i have 9-10 meals.. extra is always bonus. I often use those for families with new babies, or just someone in need... or just one more for us. Typically, we set a time to meet at someone's house or a park and we get to swapping. 

Most meals we have swapped are recipes we have found on Pinterest and the Internet is full of them too. 

Happy Swapping! 

Life is a BEACH!

I friggin' love the beach!  I was completely made for it.  Our besties invited us to tag along on there beach trip. Of course- we obliged!  Even though that meant Jaxson skipping school on the second week- opps! He did not seem to mind one bit.

It's crazy to me how everyone stays so content at the beach...its just so simple.  Water and sand and we are set for hours and hours of fun.  Not every beach trip we have been on have been like that of course...but this this one was great!

On the way home we contemplated and set up a plan to move there...I mean we picked up and moved once...no big deal- right?!  I joke...well kinda...

Bethany Beach is AWESOME and I want to live there forever!- just sayin'

 At the beach AB just squeals and jumps and plays and laughs- makes my heart so happy!

 Beach Scavenger Hunt in progress.

 Ridin' the waves!

 Us

Them

Thank you Blaszak's for the time of our life!

School Daze are upon us!

Where in the heck did summer go?  It flew the heck by.  Here's to a great school year- first grade and preschool.  I had a few loose tears putting Jaxson on the bus.  I surely miss that lil brat but routine for him is great!  And my feisty lil lady, well she goes to school very part time so I don't have time to miss her but next year at this time...fair warning- don't even look my way.  I am going to be sooo sad to have to two "schoolers".  Let's not talk about that now...

Where does the time go?  Seriously?!

 Happy School Year treat! with sweet Mckenzie.

Whip it

I had to, I just had to.  Almost expired whip cream in the fridge was just too tempting.  Jax was a great sport.  SPLATT!

Carn-y Peeps

It's weird but it's something Maryland people do.  They have these small town carnivals that cost an arm and a leg - you bet we participate!  They had me at Funnel Cake!  It's a beautiful way to spend a Summer night!

Cousin Camp

All in a days work we did ALL this.

1st stop-library for zoo day

2nd-picnic

3rd-crafts

4th-family walk

Too fun and all we are missing is "sweet baby Hannah she's so cute" as the kids call her.

There was only one time I lost track of a kid.. It was Colt and I quickly found him quietly reading at a table in the library. Shew!