A Year in the Life

My fam loves pizza.  A few summers ago I think I averaged cooking at least 2 homemade pizzas a week. I like homemade pizzas better because I know exactly what is on it & can load it with different kinds of vegetables & the people will gobble it up.  Tonight, I went into uncharted territory.  Henry is trying to lean up for lacrosse season.  Being 16, it shouldn't take him that long.  I hate teenage boys.  They can burn 1000 calories by just blinking.  That's fair, said no momma ever.  I've been on a diet most of my life & I'm still trying to lose baby weight I gained when I was pregnant with Henry.  Granted he is 16, but I still have about 10 pounds I need to get off.  I'm thinking at this point it may just be a permanent part of the bod, boo.  Anyway...  Henry started eating much leaner last week, aaannnddd he lost 5 pounds in one week.  (Insert huge eye roll here.)  All he did was cut down on his...

Harry (22), Elizabeth (18), Hopson (24) & Henry (16) Christmas season is so wonderful because everyone comes home.  It's also great because once Christmas is over they leave.  But not this year.  I was just getting into the habit of cooking for 3.  It's a big difference cooking for 3 instead of 6.  Henry was loving being an only child.  Like really loving it.  He had the entire upstairs to himself.  He could spread out all his stuff & be king.  Last year he moved into Harry's old room & since it wasn't everything he wanted he then moved into Hop's room.  In September Hop asked if he could move home for a time.  His lease was up on his apartment & he wanted to take his time finding a new place to live.  We said ok as long as he didn't expect to live at home forever. At about the same time Harry told us he had a Co-Op with a building company in Birmingham.  Obviously, we wanted him to live at home....

Time, ugh.  I picked up E's senior pictures today  & then I started looking through pictures trying to find one of Elizabeth when she was little & found a bunch when all of mine were small.  I don't remember them growing so quickly.  I know didn't want them to grow up quite so fast & I think a small part of me has changed my mind.  There is a little piece that misses the crazy schedule and all the teaching moments ahead.  It seems they were all here & now most of them are gone.  It's funny because this is how I still see them, not how they are today.  I'll be ok...maybe the next time I see a screaming toddler, or a child that has projectile vomiting.  It has been a great ride so far & I will appreciate every second I see all my crazy kiddos no matter how old they are. Celebrating Life, ~ashley

Not to brag, but (actually I am bragging here.  FYI, when someone says 'but' in the middle of a sentence, they are oftentimes contradicting themselves.) I have successfully taught three children how to drive.  Today, I begin my fourth and final journey in teaching the art of driving.  Don't kid  yourself, driving is an art.  Have you seen how half the people drive on the road?  Some of them need a few more lessons.  It's a ready and go kind of day! I used to joke that, with my brother being 7 years younger than I am, my mom just threw him the keys and made him teach himself how to drive.  Henry is 7 years younger than Hopson, and  I've been looking forward to having a chauffeur since Elizabeth turned 16.  I always have to drive everyone everywhere, so I'll be happy to sit, observe and teach from the passenger's side.  (Hopson is turning into his dad & likes me to drive him as well.)  Now I don't have to go to the groc...

Hop's graduation from Auburn this May. First off, I know how weird this is.  I've posted two days in a row after not writing anything for almost a year.  All my coherent thoughts are finally surfacing after all this time. :) How my life has changed in 10 years!  10 years ago I was a crazy and stressed mom of 4 ages 5-12.  Fast forward to today & I'm still crazy, but I'm now a mom of 4 ages 15-22.  I don't know where those 10 years went, but they flew by.  While I was driving children places, teaching kids how to drive, cooking dinner, folding clothes, and monitoring homework, all my little chicks grew up.  I have always loved my children.  Duh, they're mine.  What I've really noticed over the last few years is that I like them, and I tell my children I like them.  At first they said:  "you have to we are your children", but that's an untrue statement.  I have to love them, but not like them.  I heard a mom say sh...

I was accused, and rightly so, of not teaching the children how to cook.  Apparently they didn't learn by watching me cook for hours on end all through their childhood.  Yes, I'll be waiting on my mother of the year trophy and accolades from each of you reading this.  ;)  Well, the not being able to cook stops now for the 4.  Since this may be the very last time I have all four under one roof for the summer everyone is going to learn to cook, even Henry. (who, by the way, turned 14 yesterday!  HBD Hen!) Sunday night we sat around the table eating dinner and we planned out the menu for the week.  Several rules were laid out for the summer of cooking:  You cannot grill out two weeks in a row.  No repeating meals over the weeks.  I will do the grocery shopping, but I have to know what you need.  I'm pretty sure I'll have to throw a few other rules in as we go along, but this was a good place to start. Here's what everyone is cookin...

Yeah, I wish.  Cake is easier to make, well sort of.  Ok, not for me.  For me, cake is impossible to make as well as anything that is classified as a dessert.  Did you know that stressed spelled backwards is desserts?  For me it should be desserts (that I have to cook) spell stressed. Last week Henry told me that for his French class today he needed to bring Mille-Feuille.  It's no big deal he said.  We could get it at Whole Foods he said.  Of course, I completely forgot about the M-F until yesterday when Hen reminded me about it.  Ok, no biggie.  I will call Whole Foods to make sure they have some handy & I'll pick it up & Henry can take it to school & we'll all be happy. Because I'm writing about it, you already know that Whole Foods did not have any.  As a matter of fact, they looked at me like I had grown another head when I asked them about.  The bakers at WF had no idea what I was talking about.  Mill...

It's May.  If you are a mom with multiple children at home, you know what that means.  It means it's crazy, and you don't know your name; your children's names; or really what day it is.  Most of my mom friends will tell you May is worse than December.  We all have to stick together to make it through to the last weeks of school, sports, dance, graduation etc.! Sports teams are starting to wrap up.  If you had rain outs during your season you very well could end up with 4 games in a week...because we all have time for that.  There are team parties, coach's & team mom gifts.  Don't forget teacher gifts, dance teacher gifts, bible study leader gifts, Sunday school teacher gifts...well, you get the idea.  If you have a graduating senior, hold on tight, because it's a world wind that everyone just expects you to know about.  Parties, gifts, gifts and parties, there's a little school thrown in too. Today, I sat down for 2 minutes and came ...

Hop & some of his Dance Marathon friends in college.  Everywhere on the web you can find rules to date my daughter.  And, I do mean everywhere.  When you start typing "rules to date" in Google, 4 of the 5 will be female related.  It's true, we do have to watch out for our daughters, but in all honesty, I'm also worried about my sons. The one & only Harry... Sometimes you don't see straight when the love goggles are on.  We've told all our children that if we say something about someone  you bring home to meet us, it's not that we don't like them.  We may see a level of crazy that you can't see through said goggles.  Hopson & I are pretty doggone good at finding crazy.  And no, in this case it's not "it takes one to know one".  We're weird, not crazy; they are two very different things.  But beware to all who come to my home, I'll find out if you're crazy... Henry (on the right) & his friend ...

Harry 18, Hopson 20, Elizabeth 14 1/2, Henry 12 1/2 I love this time of year.  I love it for all the reasons I've said in dozens of different posts over the years, but I think today I love it because it means all my chicks are here in the nest, and my home feels complete. The other night I was sitting at the computer writing & heard the high pitched tapping sounds of the ping pong being volleyed from one side of the table to the other from up in the playroom.  I stopped and just listened.  I heard brothers talking & laughing like they did when all four were here all the time.  It was a beautiful sound and it made me smile.  It's amazing how things change when just one is gone.  The schedule isn't quite as robust; there's one less mouth to feed; and there's a little less talking and laughter.  So, I love this time of year. I love it that Friday we will all go see a movie like we did when the four were little.  I love it when Hop wil...

My children are pyromaniacs, but then again, aren't most children?  Mine come by it naturally.  My sister & I used to stick our fingers in candles to play with the wax & Hopson used to set rice fields on fire after they had been harvested on his family's farm growing up.  (yeah, I know, Hopson wins...)  But, playing with candles has always been a fascination of mine.  I just can't help it. Our kitchen, which I spend most of my time in, smells like rotten pumpkins right now.  Yuck!  My centerpiece that was on my table had three pumpkins & I didn't know the bottom had become rotten until yesterday.  In case you've never smelled rotten pumpkins, it's gross.  I've scrubbed my kitchen down, but I still get whiffs of it every now & then.  Bleh!  Because of the smell, I picked up some fragrance spray that I like at the grocery store.  It has a nice fresh smell to it. When I brought it home, Henry discovered it ...

It's a Jagged Little Pill Yes, I know it's a song by Alanis Morrisette, but it so applies to this post. Have you ever so totally messed up something that you relive your embarrassment and shame over and over and over again?  See, I told you the song title applied.  It's like a jagged pill that you swallow over and over.  (or at least I tend to relive mistakes in my mind...maybe I'm crazy, but that's another posting for another time.) Henry had one of those moments yesterday.  Luckily, it wasn't life threatening, but it was something that was very public & ended the advancement of his team in a competition.  I think, as parents, we tend to want to shield our children from failure and embarrassment.  No one wants their children to fail, but can I tell you, the lesson your child learns from that failure will be one that they remember for a lifetime. A few things that you need to know about Hen before I lay out what #4 did... Henry has b...

So, this past weekend the entire fam went to Oxford to visit the grandparents & go to to the Auburn/Ole Miss football game.  It was nice to spend more than 10 minutes with Hop, and it's always nice to be spoiled by my in-laws.  Tickets, check.  Very warm clothes, check.  Tailgating, check, and as far as tailgating goes, The Grove is iconic...and...a little crowded...and...a little rowdy.  We passed about 7 different Elvis impersonators.  (hilarious)  Most tents are decorated to the hilt.  (love it)  The food is second to none.  (my pants are a little tighter today.)  It's funny because when the game starts, there are about as many people in the Grove watching the game on TV as there are in the game.  It's great! Our game plans were varied and interesting.  Hopson wanted to say in the Grove to watch the game on TV.  Hop, Harry & nephew Garner all went into the game & sat in the Auburn section.  We...

Holy Schomly...my daughter is an internet published photographer!  And not just by me on this blog or on her webpage ...see, I know what you're thinking.  :)  Now, don't get me wrong, I love to use her photography, but as her biggest fan & biggest critic, she really does have an eye. There are wonderfully talented people in my community.  Artists, artisans, home decorators, fashion consultants, writers, and the list keeps going.  It really is amazing as I stop and think about it.  There are many of them who use their talent, not only to make something more beautiful, but a chance to share about the One who gave them the talent.  It's pretty cool. One of those people is Buffy York.  Buffy started a very popular blog called The Style Gathering , and features a talented Godly friend, Laura DiFatta, as one of her guest writers.  How Elizabeth came to meet Buffy, and now be a photographer for her is, to me, a pretty cool story. This past...

Today is that crazy Henry's 12th birthday.  No more little kids in this house, and I have to say, it's kinda nice.  Everyone has been able to wipe their own fanny, tie their own shoes, make beds, fold clothes and do chores for a few years now.  It's nice to have at least a little help from the people who make the mess.  Each baby is a miracle & I think it's important for each child to know stories about their pregnancy and birth, so I'm documenting Henry's here. But before I go any further...Happy Birthday Hen!  We love you bunches & bunches!  You are #4 & you have completed our fam. Henry is our little surprise baby.  We had three children & were clicking along.  E was 1 1/2 and I could see a light at the end of the diaper tunnel.  Then one day I woke up, and just like with every other pregnancy, started throwing up...everything.  I was sick all the time.  (and those of you who think I needed to eat saltines ...

The freshman, 6th grader, senior & college sophomore This  year has been a haze.  How is it already June???  I mean, I know May flies, but we are almost half way through 2014.  Yeah, I don't think I like it, except that means we are a little over 6 months away from my birthday.  :)  December 26th, you gotta love it.  Sorry, rabbit trail!  But seriously, do you know why I don't like time moving so quickly?  It is because my kids are growing up too fast.  I worked so hard to get them all independent & then when they get really fun they leave.  :/  Not only do they leave, they really love their independence.  Hop only came home a handful of times last year, and now we are going to be getting Harry ready for the same thing, thank goodness I have another year with him. But... We are about to start another year of lasts.  Harry's lasts.  Not ready!  He'll be getting his senior portrait stuff in the ...

I know Valentine's Day was 4 days ago, but I have to write about Henry's class party.  His teacher did something so wonderful and different & I loved it!!! Caleb drew Henry & guess what's in the heart...CANDY! Now, before I talk about the party, I need to let you know some things about how I view Valentine's Day & school Valentine's parties.  I absolutely abhor Valentine's day.  Well, abhor may be a little strong.  I dislike it...a lot.  We didn't celebrate Valentine's day in our house.  I don't want one day a year to show Hopson I love him.  And, I do not think that Valentine's should be given from parents to children.  That's just my opinion, and it's my blog & so, yeah, there you go. I love it when Hopson brings me flowers for no reason, or if he surprises me when I've had a really bad day.  I've actually saved every one of them.  I have different containers around the house that have all the dried buds,...