TGIF

I've been in somewhat of a rut. A blog rut that is. I have so much to blog about but so few words. Maybe it has something (probably a lot) to do with the fact that I'm still reeling from the effects of having the flu last week. Newsflash: THE FLU SUCKS! I am almost back to 100% but am still worn down by day's end. But today was better than yesterday and I'm sure tomorrow will be even better than today.

Famous last words when asked about a flu shot earlier this year: "No. I don't get the flu shot. I never get the flu."

I do foresee flu shots in my future. And I'm really growing tired of crow sandwich. :)

A few "funnies" to end the week on, for my benefit.

Last week (Thursday to be exact) Grant got hurt in the bathtub. Nothing major. In fact, I can't even remember now exactly what it was he hurt. However, he was ill as a sore-tailed cat already and that obviously made it worse. He had a Negative Nelly moment and grumbled, "MAN! I've gotten hurt Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Fri... Well. Tomorrow is Friday. But I'll probably get hurt." Just call him Eeyore. hehee

Reid had a little money to spend after his birthday so of course it was burning a hole in his pocket. We stopped by Wal-Mart one day because I like to torture myself to let him spend some of it. He found something he wanted, and it just so happened to be on sale for half price. I made a big deal about it and told him he was a great bargain shopper, that he would still have this much left, etc. He just grinned and said, "Yeah, yeah I'm am." Which is another one I love how he says and can't bring myself to correct - I'm am. :) As we were getting in the car he gave me the receipt and said, "Here, put this in my baby book please." Apparently he was so excited about his first big bargain he wanted to keep a record of it. ;)

Dawn sent me this the other day (which she found on Pinterest) - said she thought about me when she saw it. I thought it was funny:

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The proof is in the snow

I have a few Christmas village-type houses I put out every year as part of my Christmas decorations. It's one of the boys' favorite decorations. The little houses look so neat lit up at night. One night Jasper, our elf, brought back some "magic snow" from the North Pole he put around the village in which he made a snow angel. So the next night when Jasper moved again the snow was still there. The boys asked if they could play in it. Actually Mac did the asking. The other two chimed in once I said yes. However, I told them they could play in it just this once because it's almost like glitter to clean up, and I didn't want to be finding snow in July. As I was sweeping the other day I knew they had been in it again. Which I really wasn't upset about. I chuckled that they thought they could be inconspicuous. So I questioned Mac about it. "Me?" he said, shocked that I would even ask.

Gee. I can't imagine why I thought Mac was the culprit.

Name Change and Doctor's Orders

Reid is under the weather and has been for a few days. :(

He has pretty much been on the couch since Sunday. He toughed it out for Halloween and has little bursts of energy here and there, but for the most part he just feels rotten. Monday when I took Mac to our pediatrician for his ears, I decided not to get Reid seen about. It was only day two of fever and some stomach issues, and I'm not one to rush to the pediatrician's office at the first sign of a sniffle or fever. Well, fast-foward to day 4 of the same symptoms and I thought it warranted at least a phone call. They called back and said it would be best to bring him in.

Thankfully my children are not intimidated by nor do they fear Dr. Trumbull's office. In fact, if it's possible, they look forward to going. They enjoy sitting in Dr. Trumbull's lap, answering his questions (while I hold my breath that all their answers are polite), then stop by the sticker/pencil buckets for a prize on our way out. Today's visit not only called for a game of ring the pee in the cup (which is so fun for the boys for some reason) but also for a finger stick (which isn't so fun).

Dr. Trumbull suspects what Turbo has is viral. There is a small chance it could be bacterial, but his blood count isn't indicative of that. So these were our orders for now:

Watch him over the next day or so to see if his symptoms start to subside. If he doesn't seem to be getting any better we have other orders, but they're not very pleasant so I'll spare you.

And...

You ready for this???

EAT LOTS OF FOODS HIGH IN FAT like chicken nuggets and french fries.

This is the same doctor who pushes and pushes "eat your fruits and veggies" like it's his job. Ok well it is his job. But you know what I mean. So for him to tell us some of Reid's favorite junk foods are what he needs, well we surely can handle that! So after a stop by Target - because all big boys who don't even flinch with a finger prick deserve a little "happy" - we're home having had a good "dose" of chicken nuggets.

One more thing because I thought it was funny and want to remember. On the way to Montgomery Reid said, "Momma, I need a new name. Because my name Reid is old."

Me:  "Really? Well what do you want your name to be?"

"Zach. Yeah. Zach Norton. [pause] Zach Norton. Zach Norton. Zach Norton. Yeah, I like that. It's cool."

I don't think we even know anyone named Zach. :)

Here's hoping and praying my little "Zach" is up and running again real soon.

LIGHT-HEARTED

Some random light-heartedness...

Grant came home yesterday with a web address for the Alabama Virtual Library. They use it at school, so he was anxious to show me when he got home. He thought it was so neat you could type anything in the search box and it would bring up different resources. Thankfully he doesn't really know about the google yet as there are some "resources" I don't wish for him to encounter. Mac, Reid and I gathered around the computer while Grant educated us. He looked up information about everything from sharks to baseball to Auburn football. One of the resources had a book with something about the year 1955. Grant said, "WHOA! 1955. Was that when you were growing up, momma?" 

Hilarious, Professor. Yet the funny thing is, he wasn't even trying to be funny. :)

This is what my kitchen table looked like after clean up the other day.
It meant we had a good afternoon. ;)

In the past I have resorted to drastic measures to cure boredom.
Remember the pies?
Amazing how much fun can be had with 3 boys and a $2 can of hair paint.

You know you wish you could be this cool on the way to preschool.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Last week Grant's class read a story about baseball. His teacher likes to have special snacks to go along with the stories they read. Since she knows how much Grant loves ball, she asked if we would bring special snack that week. I immediately thought of iced sugar cookies from Liger's made to look like baseballs.

And since you can't have a baseball game without popcorn (nor can you have something sweet without something salty), Grant thought popcorn and cookies would be the perfect snack.

The kids loved the cookies - who doesn't love anything from Liger's - and loved each having their own box of popcorn (I found the boxes at Target in the popcorn aisle). It was a hit!

Speaking of baseball, we lost a game last week. Boo. It was our first loss. It sucks to lose. Fall ball isn't nearly as competitive as spring, but those boys still love to win. Chris used it as motivation for the game this week. Obviously it worked because they had a great game. I guess you can't win 'em all. But we'd like to. ;)

This makes me smile.

While we're on the subject of things that make me smile...

Mac is doing really well in school. Now that he has learned to read a bit and can spell a little, he wants to write ALL THE TIME. And while Bueller may still have trouble with a couple of letters of the alphabet, the boy knows how to write the names of the people in his family (he did have help from his big brother on the word "family"). More importantly, though, he knows how to spell AND write the most important word in the English language:  Auburn. Well done, son. :)

The only thing I have to say about the last picture is that Reid's going to get me for this one day because he was furious once he realized I was taking a picture of him playing around in heels:

I wasn't sure if I should laugh or pray. ;)

A TREE AND A BOAT & SOME OTHER THINGS

Actually how it should read is a tree IN a boat:

Oh how it pains my heart to see that picture. We had been staying at Wind Creek but had to come home for a few days. We got word that the boat (which was not tied up when we left) was drifting and needed to be tied up. Some thunderstorms were in the forecast. Chris got in touch with someone who could go by there to make sure it was taken care of. It got tied up alright. Of all the trees on that big ol' lake...

It's totaled. And I'm not even lying when I say I'm mourning the loss of it. Our kids have grown up on that boat. Ok well it's not like they're grown or anything but it's the only boat they've ever known. Bethany was 9 when we got it, Grant was only a year old and I was pregnant with Mac - then of course Reid came along after that. We've had some really great family times on that boat. I know it's just a material thing but it had a lot of sentimental value, and that can never be replaced. Chris and I were talking last night about how we cannot imagine what it must have felt like for the victims of the tornadoes who lost everything. This pales in comparison so it kind of keeps it in perspective. But I'm still sad.

When I was importing the picture of the boat from my iPhone I found a few more pictures I thought were worthy of posting...

Umby and I got to shop for camper stuff at Wal-Mart... ALONE, without boys. Naturally since she was the center of attention it was her turn to ride on the back of the cart.

I mentioned how the boys love to try to catch fish in the lake first thing in the mornings when we camp. Well they were getting a little aggravated this particular morning so they each came up with their own unique way of "fishing."

Bueller waited like a knot on a log (heehee) and said he would swoop in at the right time.

Professor put the bread inside the net and stuck the net down in the water to lure the fish in.

And last but not least Turbo stuck his net in the sand and told me the fish were going to just jump right in.

 

Reid keeping busy during the day while his brothers are away at baseball camp.

...because they obviously can't get enough baseball and maybe because they can't get away with this at baseball camp. :)

Mac's turn to play catcher. Big brother helps out.

What??? That's so worthy of two pictures! ha!

They may not always get along (and don't a lot of the time) but I can guarantee you they are always watching out for each other.

And because I don't want to forget, here are a few things Reid has said this week:

Yesterday he answered me a couple of times with "yes" and "no." I kindly asked him to try to find those manners of his he seemed to have lost. A little while later he was doing a really nice job using his manners so I said, "I'm lovin' those manners, Reid. You must've found them."

He replied, "Yep. I mean, yes ma'am. I did. They was on the couch." :)

As we were driving home from Wind Creek, out of the blue Reid says, "Do you know it's hard to 'wick' [lick] you armpit?"

Why no, Turbo, I guess I've never really thought about it. :)

I would like to say a belated Happy Father's Day to Big Daddy and my daddy who is the best daddy a girl could ever ask for. And also to my husband who is the glue of this family. Your three boys adore you. I love you!