Raleigh Christmas Parade

Today kicked off our holiday season. We went to the annual Raleigh Christmas Parade as we've done just about every year since we moved back to the Raleigh area. We got there earlier than usual and still got 2nd row seats, but had a perfect view. My good friend and her son met us there so we got to chat and catch up while enjoying the parade. It was cloudy, but no rain thankfully. It seemed to get colder as we sat there, but luckily mini#2 came and sat in my lap for the last half of it and kept me warm!

After the parade we raced home in order to let the crated puppy out. No accidents while we were gone. Yay! Mini#2 had basketball practice. I stayed home with mini#1 and wrapped Christmas presents while watching ECU take control of my Wolfpack on TV. Can you believe I wrapped presents? I just wanted a jump start on things. Plus my kids are out of school Dec. 4th (until Jan. 2) so the less stuffed in my closet the better. I cannot start decorating until after Thanksgiving though. I used to make myself do it in December, but with kids, I bend the rule to after Thanksgiving, which is so late this year anyway. I see some neighbors already have Christmas lights up. That's just not my thing in November...one holiday at a time I say.

Enjoy your weekend! It's going to be blistering cold here in the south tomorrow. Well, 38 degrees...but that's FREEZING to us southerners! Stay warm!

Been a little busy with...

...our new family member. Baby Pink. Because, after years of being the only female, I am no longer alone. We adopted our sweet baby girl, Harper, on Nov. 1st. This was no small decision. While my boys have been begging for a dog since they could speak, I was enjoying the freedom no pets allowed us. We had a cat, but his personality completely changed for the worst when mini#2 came along so a co-worker took him when we moved to NC from GA. For 7 years it's been a pet-free zone at our house.

Then a neighbor and friend of mini#1 introduced the kids to the mixed lab puppies they were fostering along with the puppies' mother. So the kids kept playing with them all week, picked out 2 they wanted, brought them to our house a couple of times, begged, pleaded, cried (that was me faced with such a big decision)...you get the picture. So Mr. Pink and I had long conversations and then we had long conversations with the kids. We officially decided that at age 8 and 12 they were ready and we were ready as well for ONE dog, not two- even though they tried for two. I was scared. I won't lie. I've never had a dog! Much less a PUPPY!

But that Friday after Halloween we picked Harper up in the pouring rain, gave her her first bath, woke up with her about four times that night, but we've never looked back. I told a close friend yesterday, had I decided against getting her, I never would have known the real joy we (I've!) experienced these last 2 1/2 weeks. She has brought us so much happiness already. She fits right in and we are loving her to pieces. She's brought us all closer together because she is a group effort. I can honestly say we made the right decision.  And mini#1 is an excellent pooper scooper, too. I think Mr. Pink gets up easier at night with the puppy then he did the kids (although that was mostly my job.). And she already has pink bows for her hair/fur and a couple of girlie sweaters. The girl I never got to dress! She just has 4 legs instead of two!

Halloween

We had a great Indian summer kind of Halloween. It was low 70's! Perfect. This year I had a Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and a Washing Machine. The washing machine was a huge hit around here. Mini#1 found the idea online and did it all. It cost me about $3.50! I found a great stick-on battery operated light at the dollar store as well as the clothes basket and we used a plastic plant pot  liner for the door. I could not believe the amount of candy they both brought home. I've been helping myself, too.

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We did. Stayed around here. Mini#1 and I went on a 4 mile run on our local Neuse River Trails. It was fun. He talks, I listen. He stops. I continue on. He catches up. We talk some more. It's something I did with my dad and am glad I am able to do this with him now.

Have a great week. It is very chilly here this morning. I am getting ready to make my favorite potato and corn chowder for lunch and catch up on laundry and my DVR'd shows before the minis get home from school.

Letting go....

NBA Cafe Orlando, FL



Carolina Mudcats game

Goalie!! (It makes me nervous when he's goalie!)



As a mom of an 8 year old last child, it is so difficult letting him go and not have him be my baby. I think it's just impossible, actually. I still want to cuddle him and hold him like a baby (he loves that one-not, but will do it for me sometimes if I beg.). I'm thankful he still lets me do this and dread the day when it will not be cool to love me like he does now. I cherish the chilly mornings when I wake him up and slide into his bed to watch the sunrise (his room is the best room in the house for this!). I wonder when he'll eventually tire of my game of naming his "new" freckles on his face. All I have to say is "Awww." And he says in an excited voice, "I got a new freckle" and then I name it and then he changes the name. Ha!I still check the back of his hands from time to time to see if he still has those baby dimples across his knuckles. They are fading fast. THAT breaks my heart! I am a sentimental sap I know.  But, I consider myself lucky to have two sons who aren't afraid to show me (or their dad) their love through hugs, kisses and words. Maybe we'll just continue to grow together in our  relationships and I can stop thinking of letting go!   

 

 

 

 

 



This year's Halloween Costumes

 

 

It gets harder and harder coming up with these costumes. I loved the color of this costume so we went as Mad Men/Pan Am decade of Pilot and "Air Hostess." It was a fun night full of great costumes, but I better not post their photos. We had a Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat, Robin Thicke and Miley Cirus, Ralphie in the pink bunny suit and the Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story, Cousin Eddie and Clark Griswald from Christmas Vacation, Kim Kardashian and Kanye...on and on. Everyone looks forward to this every year, but it's stiff competition! What were you or are you going to be for Halloween?

 

Do you ever feel like this???

I certainly do!! And I especially love how I get somewhat regular telephone calls from school (20 minutes after mini#1 arrived) saying either: I forgot my lunchbox. I forgot my homework folder. I forgot my gym bag. This morning it was the lunchbox. I was angry, too because I had to use a backup lunchbox because he didn't know where his monogrammed Pottery Barn lunchbox was and he didn't know where the backup lunchbox was! He, without a hint of concern, said "I think I left it on the bus" knowing full well his free personal assistant, aka moi, would handle his latest dilemma. I told him "Well, I hope you have enough money in your lunch account (never used!) for lunch today." Click. It was his middle school tone that got me. What he didn't know was that I saw it on the den floor where he left it as we were speaking. I decided to let him, in my mind, sweat the situation out a bit. We all know there was very little sweating going on in 7th grade homeroom. Well it was another 20 minutes until I could swing it by the front office on my way to the elementary school to help 3rd graders with their math facts. And, hopefully, he didn't believe me and saw his name flash up on the TV screen to go get it. Yes, I've sweated that a little. Ha!

And, is it just me, but why does mini#2 come to my side of the bed at 5:00 a.m. (this morning!) and scare me to death when he hovers over me to tell me he had a bad dream? His dad is closer to the bedroom door? Luckily this morning was the first time in weeks since he's shown up like that. I, seriously, lose seconds of my life when he does this....

Have a great weekend! We have our annual Halloween Party that we attend in our neighborhood. Stay tuned for photos.

And how's YOUR Monday?

I received this unsavory email today from mini#2's teacher... Wanted to let you know that H's weekly grade for work habits is quite low for last week. We are having trouble with focusing in class and getting the highest quality work out of him! I really think he is capable of so much more than what he has shown. I am very proud of him mastering his math facts, but I do think his work in reading and writing should be higher. Hudson frequently socializes and needs to make sure that he is focused on the essential tasks. I am hopeful that this week will improve so we can help him meet his top potential. Let me know your thoughts and if there is anything additional I can do to help facilitate these behaviors. Your support is greatly appreciated! Mrs. Teacher In his defense, the poor child gets his socializing naturally...his mom and dad like to talk. Really, I am thankful for this awesome teacher. She is on top of things and leaves no room for slacking off! I appreciate that. Luckily, this child cares what she thinks and we've already had a discussion (and am sure another one will occur when dad gets home). Plus, if there aren't improvements this week, there will be consequences for this sweet child of mine.