A Year in the Life

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

Ugh stained sink This weekend our fam of 6 was able to spend some time together.  It's getting harder, but those moments are wonderful.  I talked to Harry earlier in the week and he wanted to know if I had some of that 'oxy stuff' that could get stains out of his shorts.  He wore them to work and got grease on them.  NOOOoooo!   Of course they are his nice shorts; and he probably tried washing and drying them to get the stains out; but set those stains right in.  Great. Oxyclean and very hot water I pulled my Oxyclean off the top of the dryer & went to my porcelain sink to soak them in very hot water, because that's supposedly how you remove grease stains.  A side note about my sink.  I think it's the original to the house.  It has seen its better days.  (I would love a copper sink, but am not willing to spend the money to get one; there is too much money going out.)  One of my children, and I won't name which one (co...

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...

I has already been a very busy August for the fam, and we have had some pretty big changes around here in the first 9 days of the month.  But, I have a few questions first: 1.  I'm wondering why & when my children grew up. I don't remember giving permission to.  I remember wanting them to become self sufficient, but not grow up and leave.  I realize it's a natural progression, but each time it happens I'm shocked it's here.  They leave when they are getting really fun, so it's kind of a bummer. 2.  I don't remember telling them they could age past 20. Hopson turned 21 August 1st.  I don't know how that happened.  I distinctly remember being 21 yesterday, so how is it possible for me to have a 21 year old?  I asked my in-laws why they were so old.  ;)  They know I'm teasing.  I mean, if I can't be old enough to have a 21 year old, they aren't old enough to have grandchildren that old, right? Can I tell you how quickl...

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...

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...

Photo creds to andrewcorbett.net AMEN!  Well, something happened today that I never thought would.  But before I tell you what child #1 did, let me preface it with the next paragraph.  Don't skip it, especially if your a momma. You know all the years you spend training your children.  Say yes'mam and no'mam; say please and thank you; put your napkin in your lap; chew with your mouth closed; hold the door open for ladies to enter before you do; hold the door open for the people coming behind you; look people in the eye when speaking to them; speak clearly; give a good firm handshake because no one likes a dead fish grip; excellence in everything...and the list goes on, and on and on.  I'm wondering if the reminders never end, because even when they become young adults (and maybe sometimes middle aged adults) a momma never stops wanting her children to have good manners and act like a normal human being. I witnessed a miracle today!  Hop actually said...

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 ...

Hop receiving his diploma Last night Hop graduated from high school.  No, I didn't cry.  I was very proud of myself.  I was so excited for him.  I remembered when it was my turn to walk across the stage to receive my diploma, and how excited I was.  I focused on his excitement.  I thought about how hard he has worked to get to this point.  How could I cry? Hop with GiGi & Pop Then there was today.  Yep today.  Hop is leaving Saturday to go to DC for a summer internship.   I wrote about it ; I know you're shocked.  I was fine as long as I stayed focused on him graduating, but when I thought about my little chick flying the nest, I started crying. Hop & David We are up in his room.  I'm helping him go through some last minute packing and asked him if he packed his favorite hat.  (Tahara, it's the distressed Rebels hat.  :)  I think of you every time he wears it.)  I couldn't finish th...

Stephanie & Hop I have to say, my boys have great taste in girls.  The girls they hang out with (and date) are just as pretty on the inside as they are on the out.  And to this momma, that's a big deal .  We don't have time for mean girls around here.  A BIG telltale sign about the kind of girls they are is that they are kind to little siblings.  They never complain when the little ones want to say hey, or get excited that other teenagers are in the house.  Elizabeth mentioned that she feels like she has a lot of brothers because of all the guys who come in and out of the house.  The girls are just as nice.  Hop's girl friends, and his girlfriend, Stephanie, are always sweet to the little ones.  Thanks kiddos!  Mama Nance loves you for this!!!  Last night after Sadie Hawkins, Margaret & Haley wanted to wake up Henry last night to say hey, and they pulled in Harry to help.  Any chance...

My sweet Elizabeth.  She truly loves people.  She truly loves her brothers.  She is proud of their accomplishments, and when they are disappointed she feels it too.  I don't know how I am so blessed to have such a kind child.  God knew I needed a living example in my household of how I'm to be, so He gave me Elizabeth.  She is the person I aspire to be. Hopson played his last high school football game in November.  I didn't realize it would affect Elizabeth so much.  I mean, I knew I would cry and be upset, but I'm his mom.  As the last two minutes ticked down, Elizabeth looked at me after she took some pictures with tears in her eyes & cried that she couldn't believe it was over.  Yes, I know it's over.  Oh how I know.  I think it is a realization for her that we are not going to be a family of 6 for forever.  I have to stop writing about this, I'm making myself cry.  (I am not redoing my makeup fo...