A Year in the Life

It's that time of year again when gardenias have started blooming.  It makes me happy.  So.Happy.  I think I could shove the flower up my nose so I could smell them all day long. I've tried to find candles and perfume that smells like a gardenia, but there is nothing out there that comes even close...just nothing like it on earth. Gardenias remind me of my parents.  Momma & Daddy loved them.  It was their flower.  When my parents were transferred back to my hometown after being in Atlanta for 11 months, daddy dug up the gardenia bush he bought mom and brought it to the new house.  It almost died, but he worked very hard to keep it from dying.  We still have the bush in the backyard, and it has become huge.  Hopson has taken over the care of it...for me.  Hopson also bought me another gardenia bush to plant for us.  He's such a keeper.  Wh...

As a crazy, in a good way, mother of four, I live in my car.  Most moms I know live in their cars until their youngest children have their own driver's license.  Since Henry is only 9, I have a few years until this happens.  There is a mom here in town who had a tag on the front of her car that said 'NATZ'.  I asked her one day what natz was.  (I pronounced it as gnats.)  She giggled and said it stood for 'in a tizzy'.  Didn't I feel like a goober?  She is one step ahead of me as far as raising kids, (her youngest is a freshman in high school) and now I know why she was in a tizzy.  I need to hire someone from UPS or FedEx to help me handle my logistics.  Just kidding, but they might be a great help. Today was a fairly slow day it the car.  I only put 43 miles on her today, but they were a very important 43 miles.  The old Suburban flipped over to 100,000 miles today.  I'm hoping to get at least ano...

  Alex, Ryan, Abbey, Anslee, Hannah & Allison I love it when the first thing teenagers ask me is if a picture is going to make the blog.  Well, DUH, of course it's going to make the blog.  Especially when I've spent all day at the lacrosse field & have done nothing really to write about.  Y'all know I love you & will post things about you whenever you want me to!!!  (just send me a picture with it, or call me so I can take a picture.)  Hop with Pop & GiGi My in-laws, GiGi & Pop, are here this weekend to see the boys play, and they are getting a full weekend of lacrosse.  :)  It was hot today.  Harry's game was not so bad, but Hoppy's game was burning hot, and Elizabeth's legs are lobster red.  I need to go get sunscreen.  Thank goodness Henry's game is tomorrow, so that helps us a little.  I'll be sitting under my umbrella again tomorrow for Hen's game like I did at Hop's ...

 Have some fun family time together. The girls in our household are outnumbered 2 to 4, so there is a lot of testosterone around here, and bad guy smell.  It can and will permeate anything.  The boys will all disagree about the numbers being uneven because both of our dogs are female.  That gets a big 'whatever'.  I am very blessed with all my children, but am very happy to have a daughter so I can have a little bit of girl time every once and a while. It's been a boy heavy spring with lacrosse almost every day of the week, so I was needing some time with Miss Priss.  The children didn't have school because it was an inclement weather make-up day.  (today it a year since the violent outbreak of tornadoes in my state.  it was a scary day!)  Hopson & I decided it was a great day to take the children out to lunch to celebrate everything they've done this year & then I knew Elizabeth & ...

Ok, so, I love to give gag gifts.  Especially when I have to try to keep a straight face while I give it, because I have a hard time not dying out laughing.  If I give a gag, we follow it up with the real gift, but we've given some good gag gifts in the past. I know you'll find this surprising that Ashley & I came up with this gag gift idea on one of our walks.  We could probably solve some of the world's issues on our walks.  We have a couple of hours...it's possible.  It all started when she was telling me how it's Hannah's boyfriend's birthday.  His name is Daniel.  Daniel has a great sense of humor.  It's a little goofy, which I love, so while Ashley tells me funny stories of what Hannah & Daniel do, I'm about to bust a gut while trying to keep up with her.  During prom, Ashley's youngest, Woodson, brought his scooter to have something to do while all the moms took umpteen thousand pictures of everyone....

Our high school is getting ready to make the school bigger by adding another academic wing...again.  It feels like they just finished with the construction of H wing last year.  You know what adding on means?  Yea, limited parking for students!  (that is meant to be said uber sarcastically)  Seniors are guaranteed a parking spot, all 451 of them, and only 75 of the juniors will get a spot.  About half of the seniors will be parking in the 'junior lot' and the lucky half will be in the 'senior lot'.  There haven't been enough spots for sophomores to park once they turn 16 anyway, so it doesn't affect them at all.  But, ouch, that hurts if you're a junior parent, and you were counting your child driving themselves to and from school.  It's every 17 year old's dream to be dropped off at school by mommy.  NOT! We live 1/4 mile from the school.  When mine are freshmen and sophomore...

First of all, let me apologize, there will not be a picture with today's posting.  I'm tired  & I can't find a picture of a mother nesting.  We're just not that cool... I have a love/hate relationship with my nesting instinct.  I love it because after I'm done, everything looks great.  I hate it because while I'm in the middle of it my house looks like it's been hit by hurricane Katrina.  I mean it.is.a.mess!  (and yes, it's messier than it usually looks, it drives me nuts)  I've also realized I have ADD when I nest.  I'll jump from room to room and not finish one thing at a time.  I have been nesting in Henry & Elizabeth's rooms for the last few days.  (and the garage, and my closet, and my pantry, and I need to hit some junk closets.  See what I mean, it's bad!) Along with my nesting today, I changed all the sheets on all the beds.  If I had a bizillion dollars, I would pay someone to put clean sheets on my be...

Hold on just a sec...Big Hopson is sick & needs some Advil.  I'll be back... ...Ok, I'm back.  It's pretty funny when the men get sick at my house.  They can become quite needy.  Just in case all you moms out there didn't know, there is an official memo against you getting sick.  I have had to refer back to it multiple times since becoming a mom.  This is just a copy, the original is much prettier.  Us moms have to be well at all times... ...there is no going to bed when we're a little sick.  (I'll cry uncle for the flu & throw-ups, but that's about it.)  For my fam I'm the keeper of the schedule, finder of lost things, head chef, and head dishwasher.  I've seen what happens if I try to get sick & it's not pretty.  I just follow what the memo says and take two Advil & try my hardest to work through it.  It's a similar situation and can be equated to when our ch...

Today, there are 180,000 reasons to Celebrate.  I would hope that you would agree with me that 180K is a pretty big number.  Imagine that the 180,000 represents extra days.  That is what Relay for Life does, it helps provide more money for research that will give just one more chance/birthday/year to someone with cancer. The high school students take this fund raiser very seriously, and along with raising money for the American Cancer Society, their next biggest goal is to beat the rival high school in our area.  This year's goal was $175,000, and the Rebels raised $180,000.  The students sell baked goods, t-shirts, lanyards, sunglasses, water balloons, have a battle of the bands, Relax for Relay (wear pjs to school).  They get area businesses to partner with them; they write letters; sell luminaries; and collect change in carpool line at the elementary schools.  I think those kids wou...

Relay for Life  Celebrate More Birthdays Courtney, Samantha, Caroline, Scarlett, Elizabeth, Wynne & Ellen This is going to be a two part posting, because today is Relay for Life in my town.  Relay is a great fundraiser for The American Cancer Society, and they happen this time of year all over the United States.  For so many families, Relay is personal.  You know what I have realized in my 40 years of life?  You tend to fight harder when it's personal.  When it comes to cancer you have to bring your A game.  Team Scarlett & her friends Tonight I want to focus on Elizabeth and her friend Scarlett.  The theme for Relay this year is 'Celebrate More Birthdays'.  For Scarlett the theme is part of who she is, because Scarlett is a five year survivor of Leukemia.  It's even more special today because it's her 13th birthday.  It is a great day to celebrate life.  I reme...

Christie & her daughter Jackie Well, Ashley and I logged a 10 mile walk today.  WooHoo!!!  We decided to not be wimps about it & we really pushed ourselves by taking the tougher route.  We tackled 5 big hills.  One of them was the massive one  in front of my house, and the others weren't quite as steep, but still nothing to sneeze at.  The wrestling team runs up my hill & just don't know how those boys do it.  It's hard enough just walking.  Oui! While we were walking, a friend called to see if Ashley wanted to go for a walk.  So we added a new element today, our friend Christie.  We dubbed her Speedy Gonzalez.  She's petite; has the prettiest skin; is built like a brick house & was walking at least three steps in front of us most of the walk.  (Ash, I think you're pretty too!  You don't look much older than Hannah.)  We picked Christie up about mile 4 1/2, and she forc...

My biggest blessings call me Mom. I have been thinking about what it means to be a stay at home mom for the last few days.  I have been trying to figure out when a SAHM (stay at home mom) became a four letter word.  When did it begin to equate to someone who does nothing, means nothing, and is nothing? I remember the first time someone put me down for choosing to stay at home: Hopson was less than a month old.  17 1/2 years later & I will never forget what that woman said to me, and how hurtful it was. It's disheartening to me that it's women who are putting other women down for their choice to stay at home with their children.  It's these women who claim that they want all women to have the right to make any choice for themselves, and not have to be told what choice to make.  But what I have found is that they are fine with what ever choice you decide as long as it's one that they put in front of you, and if you don't...

I love the Olympics.  I love everything about them:  the opening ceremonies, the competition, the medals, and all the pomp and circumstance.  I am a homer when it comes to cheering for who wins.  I don't care who it is, or what they are competing in, as long as they are from the good 'ole US of A.  I will be in their corner, cheering, loudly.  (ask my children how loud I am if you don't believe me)  I have wonderful memories watching the Olympics with  my family.  The first Olympics I really remember is the summer Olympics of 1984, and it was a good one.  It was Los Angles, CA.  It was Mary Lou Retton, Carl Louis, Auburn's own Rowdy Gaines, Greg Louganis, both the women's and men's basketball teams (this was before eight years before the 'dream team'), the cycling teams, it was just...everything!  It was hearing my national anthem played over and over.  It was the soundtrack, do you rememb...

I'm going to admit that today's posting is boring, and I'm not excited about it. It's hard to write about life when it's one of those days where nothing noteworthy happens.  It was a nothing day, just the same old same old.  Here is some of it in a nutshell:  up early, workouts, getting children ready for school, carpool, purging some closets, wash clothes, pick-up tuxes, bought birthday gifts, lunch/enter stats, answer work emails, carpool, homework, grocery, dinner, clean-up, watch movie (MoneyBall, very good movie & I've been wanting to see if for a long time), and write blog posting.  After I am done writing this posting, I am going to bed. I like seeing everything written down that I've done in a day.  I was a little panicked today when I looked at my list & realized I had not done anything on it.  I'm a list maker by nature, and have been known to add things to my list I've done during the day...

Lots of beautiful girls & lots of boys just waiting to lose something. The ingredients:  teenage boys and tuxes with many different parts.  (shirt, jacket, pants, shoes, vest/cummerbund, tie, buttons, and cuff links)  Do you know what you get when you combine teenage boys and said parts?  Lost things. I took on a contracting job this spring renting tuxes for prom.  I wanted a way to save a little money & thought other moms would want too as well.  When I gave my little spiel to all the guys I tried to reinforce the part on the contract that talked about losing any of the parts of their rental.  If you lose any part, you pay to have it replaced, and the replacement prices are  expensive .  Hop came home with all his pieces but one.  There was a missing cuff link.  Really?  A cuff link?  Hop, how in the Sam Hill did you lose your cuff link?  He said he had a bug ...

Harry & Joe during our picture taking for prom I love Harry's friend Joe.  He and his brother David (Hop's friend) have inserted themselves into our family like 2 more children.  They are awesome.  Joe & Harry are truly like Mutt & Jeff:   Joe is tall, blond, and burns like a lobster when he gets too much sun where Harry is shorter, dark headed, and gets a Hawaiian Tropic tan.  Don't worry Joe, Hoppy burns like that too. :/  Joe will come in & make himself at home.  I love that!  I love that I will come in my kitchen & tell Joe to decide what he wants to eat & close the refrigerator door.  I can give him the 'what are you doing look' that I give my own children & he knows what I'm thinking.  Their parents don't put up with any foolishness from my boys just like I don't with theirs. Joe & Hop Last night was prom , and after all the picture taking was over, Joe's fa...

Molly & Hop Do you remember being 17?  The sky was the limit & if you could dream it you could achieve it.  I love to see Hop & his friends and know that they have their entire lives ahead of them.  It's like riding at a full gallop in wide open spaces.  You feel like you could fly.  (If you've never ridden a horse at a full gallop, I highly recommend it!) Tonight is a major milestone for Hop & his friends:  Junior prom.  Y'all know how much I love his friends .  They are really a special group of kiddos; I see so much potential in them, and I fully expect them to change the world. Hopson asked his friend Molly.  I love her dress; it looks like Monet painted it.  Her hair was so pretty.  Elizabeth & I loved looking at every one's hair tonight & we both agree that hers was our fave!  I know they will have a wonderful time together tonight.  Molly & Hopson h...

...and being fine with it.  I first need to give a shout out to Harry, Joe & Pete.  Joe & Pete are some of Harry's friends who are spending the night tonight & they read the blog & wanted a shout out, so there you go guys.  Joe, watch out for any tongues on your cheek tonight while you sleep.  ;)  Just fyi, tonight I mentioned to the boys that something was 'tongue in cheek' and Joe said he was going to sleep with one eye open if someone was going to tongue his cheek.  I guess I need to work on my pronunciation, or either I need to get some serious sleep. Anyway, today was a very full day.  I spent most of the day doing tuxes, but I was privileged to be able to speak at one of the school's in our area's Communication Celebration.  I was so not the coolest speaker there, and I'm so ok with it.  I knew my roll and went with it.  There was a FBI agent, a pilot with a computer flight simulator, the people with Hand in Paw ,...

You know, marriage is an art. You have to practice to be any good. I'm being serious. It's the little things in marriage that fall through the cracks; especially flirting.  It's no wonder the divorce rate is so high.  We get comfortable with the status quo and aren't willing to shake things up a bit.  I remember how I felt when I first met Hopson.  Butterflies.  I wondered if he noticed me.  I wondered what he thought about me.  Was I cute to him?  Did he think I had a good personality?  I know for all you guys reading this you may be wondering if I'm telling the truth.  Let me clear it up for you...yes it's the truth. I am a fairly low maintenance kinda girl, but I like for Hopson to tell me I'm beautiful.  I really like flowers:  roses, tulips, Gerber daisies just in case a certain someone happens to be reading this & remembering that I am getting very little sleep & have been a ball of nerves these last few ...

Hannah, Ashley, Chandler, MiMi, Woodson, Jim & Doc Today Ashley & I were talking about our dads on our 6.7 mile walk.  We talk about a lot of things on our walks.  Luckily, Ash didn't try to 'borrow' any one's paper.  I told her the story of my dad's brain tumor diagnosis, treatment, and eventual death, and then I told her what her dad did for my family. There are several things you need to know about Doc: (we all call him that because he's a doctor, I know, duh, but I just wanted to clarify.) He is about the kookiest guy I know; he would give you the shirt off his back, and then tell you that you look great in it because it belonged to him; he can play, I think, nine different instruments, and played in a band named Pooh Nanny; he has a great bedside manner; he loves to write on children's arms (Every time we would go see him  he would write something crazy on my boy's arms:  like 'Doc was here' as big as he could); he i...