Busy Time

I feel like we have an awfully lot going on right now. I mean, I usually feel like that these years, but when I got the text message tonight that rec soccer practice starts tomorrow night I had me a little micro panic attack. Don't get me wrong, I love that we have full busy lives. I want my kids to be involved. I want to get my Masters Degree. I want to excursive on a daily basis. I want to have birthday parties and go out and about. I guess sometimes I just worry that when I look back on this time in our lives it is all going to be a big blur. My plan to battle the blur is to make a few rules and stick to them. These are rules to ensure a little family togetherness in this time of crazy busy. Rules #1 All meals eaten in the house will involve all members of the family sitting down at the table together to eat. #2 My homework time will start at 9PM and last until 10:30 PM on week nights. Only things not completed in that time will be done on weekends. #3 I will walk during all sports practices. Two birds one stone...less time. #4 We will take at least one family outing to the park each week. #5 We will read a book as a family every night for the 15-20 minutes before bed. Super Z wants to start with The Hobbit.

Through the Eyes Of Stoosh

http://writeonedge.com/2012/01/remembered-personification/ I saw this challenge on a new friends blog. You are supposed to write a short article from the perspective of an object. What you see below is from the point of view of the best pillow ever, Stoosh.

I have to be honest. By the time she came along I had spent years in the top of that guest closet. I had pretty much decided that I was at the end of my road. I had begun to forget my previous life. That small closet and the comfort of the hand made quilts that surrounded me were all I knew. I ensured the faded yellow quilt that I was not sad. I had had a good life.
Then in 1989 the Girl showed up for a sleep over. She and her little sister were the daughters of the Man's new girlfriend. I will never forget that night. As soon as she put her frizzy brown head
(She had not yet learned about not running brushes through her curly hair after it was dry) on me, I was in love. She told her sister that I was the most comfortable pillow ever.
The next morning she asked the Man if she could have me. And he said YES!
I have been with the Girl since. I was there when her mom married the Man and she moved out into the country. I was there when she lay in the bed with her sister talking about how scared she was to ride a new bus to school on the first day of eighth grade. It wasn't fair that the girls had to ride two different buses. Their whole lives they had ridden to school with the same people. I was there in high school to absorb her tears when she cried over the boys. I went with her to Mississippi State in August of 1995. And every single time she came home, I was there with her.
I was there in 1996 when they brought her new niece home from the hospital. Her mom gave her a hard time about laying that pretty baby on me in her lap. She thought I was dirty. The Girl just laughed and said that I would be there in the bed at the hospital when her babies were born. Her mom just shook her head.
I was there the first time the Boyfriend spent the night in 1998. Looking back I can't believe that they both slept in that twin size bed. Even more impressive was that she shared me with him. She had never let anyone else lay their head on me (other than her sweet baby niece) at night in the nine years we had been together. I remember how happy the Girl was. I remember when he became the Husband the very next year. I was glad that he would be with us forever. Most nights, I spend pressed against the side of his face. I have always appreciated the fact that he doesn't seem to mind me being there.
I remember when the Girl ran in screaming and crying and laughing and jumped on the bed to tell the Husband that she was pregnant. I am here to tell you that if not for me, she would not have slept a wink in the 18 month she has spent pregnant. As the girl had predicted, I was there at the hospital when she had her babies. Her mom made sure that I had three layers of clean pillow cases even though the Girl washed me three times before taking me to the hospital.
Some of my favorite memories are of the girl laying those sweet babies on me while she fed them and held them close. I also loved when the Boy got older and he would ask to sleep on me. The Girl would often let me comfort him to sleep when he was sick. Just this morning the boy and his Sister  crawled in bed with their mom to snuggle. They lay there and told her they loved her while I cradled the boys head (It is not as curly as it used to be. I think he may be growing up on us) and the little Girl ran my pillow case through her fingers. 
I have been with the girl for 23 years. Sometimes that is hard to believe. We have only spent a handful of nights apart. A few times I have spent the night with the Husband, the Boy, and the Little Girl because the Girl had to go somewhere on an airplane. I have also spent two nights in an overnight shipping box because the Girl accidentally forgot me at her Mom's. Even though the mom insists she doesn't like me, she always gets me back to her Girl as quickly as possible.
Twenty three years...wow. It really does seem like just yesterday that I was in the top of that closet telling the faded handmade quilt how good my life had been.

Cookie Rally

Princess H had a big time at her first Cookie Rally for Girl Scouts last night. She was apparently appropriately indoctrinated. She woke me up this morning by jumping on my bed and declaring, "Mom! The cookie sale starts today! We need to get started! Let's go!"
I told her to calm down. We have a couple of weeks to sell. She looked at me like I was insane."Mom. The Girl Scout OWNER told me that it starts today and YOU have to listen to the owner."
Who can argue with the owner?

My List

This year I am attempting to be a better wife, get a promotion, lose weight (again and for good), work towards my Masters Degree in Health Sciences, plan a family reunion, spend more time with my family, be a better manager with an outstanding high performing team, make time for yoga, cook healthier meals, get Princess H to ballet on time, get Princess H to eat something besides pickle and mayonnaise sandwiches, keep Super Z on the honor roll, support Super Z through DII Soccer, encourage Princess H to make more friends by actually attending all of the Girl Scout Functions, spend more time with friends, have a relaxing vacation, keep my house a little cleaner, get up earlier, read more books, and last but not least return to blogging.

If someone could help me make the days longer that would be great. This is a start.

Wordless Wednesday - Dancing Fever

Fun Monday

Sayre is hosting fun Monday this week. She has a great topic.

I want to know your car history. What was your first car? Which was your favorite car? And what are you driving now - and why?

My very first car was a 1978 Firebird that my parents bought brand new when I was two years old. I remember being mortified by that car when I was 16. It was very LOUD and not me at all. I should have been grateful that I had a car at all...but I wasn't. The sad part is that even though I only had to drive the car for a year, it is determined to be a part of my life forever. When I started dating my husband way back in 1998 he bought the Firebird from my mom. Apparently he liked it a lot more than I did. I am not complaining too much because he did use that car to come see me almost every weekend when I was still in college. And guess what is still sitting under my carport now 12 years later. That is right. The busted ass 1978 Firebird that my parents bought new when I was two years old. My husband is determined to fix it up. I am afraid that this car may be in my life until I die.

My favorite car was my 1999 Honda Accord. I got the Accord about two days before I found out that I was pregnant with Super Z. At the time it was the newest nicest car that I had ever owned. I loved driving the Accord. AND it was built to last. Last I heard the car has 243,000 miles and it and is still running great. I had to get rid of it last year after Randy rear ended someone and we only had liability insurance. I pretty much gave it to my brother n law, who has fixed it up and continues to drive the wheels off of it like I did for six years. (We love to keep cars in the family apparently.)

My current car is a 2005 Ford 500. I like it well enough. It is nice. It has heated leather seats. It makes me feel like a grown up and also has room in the backseat for all three kids to be comfortable. It will do. I don't think that it is the car I would have picked if I had had days and days to ponder the decision, however. I bought the 500 the day after my Mamaw died last December. We were coming home on a Sunday from Louisiana when our van broke down. This was only a few weeks after Randy has wrecked the Accord. We were on the side of the road when my sister called to tell me that my Mamaw had died. We had to get a car. There was no time to waste. We borrowed my sister's car to get back home and spent the next day looking for a car so we could get back down south for the funeral and family time. I was so sad. The last thing in the world I wanted to be doing was looking for a car. When 4 o'clock came that day, the 500 was the best thing I'd seen. Sooo....I have a Ford 500. I guess that is okay. I am sure it will be in the family for a LONG LONG time, so I guess it better be okay.

Santa Was Good

Princess H says we should do Christmas again next year. I think she is catching on! I have been off of work since last Wednesday. Unfortunately I have to drag my behind back into the office tomorrow. So, in honor of signing off on Christmas and bidding New Year's Eve a fond hello, I give you the 13 things that I enjoyed most about Christmas 2009.

1. I got to spend three nights at my Mom's with my sister an all of the kids. I love being with my family. It can be stressful (and loud), crowded (and loud), and chaotic (and loud), but I always miss it when it is over.
2. Princess H LOVED her Barbie Dreamhouse with Elevator. LOVED IT.

3. The kids woke us up at 5 AM when Santa came! My sister and I used to be that excited. That just tells me that we are doing something right.
4. Super Z told me that he would be happy no matter what he got. (Unless he didn't get the bike that looks like a dirtbike. If he didn't get that he would cry for three days.) He was just glad that I was such a good mom.

5. I got to be off work for eight days in a row!!
6. Christmas day we went out to Mamaw and Papaw Felters. They played board games with the kiddos and Mamaw taught Alisha and I how to make her world class crispy, yet mushy, fried potatos. Yum.
7. Randy, the kids and I got to spend a whole day at the house playing with our toys and enjoying each other before we headed out of town.
8. Felter Christmas on Christmas Eve was a blast. I laughed so hard at one point with my sister and my cousins that I made no sound at all.
9. At Felter Christmas I sang the whole family Princess H's bath song, "You don't have to take your clothes off the have a good time, oh No...but you have to take your clothes off, to take a bubble bath, uh huh." to the WHOLE 50+ family. Classic.
10. Randy and I snuggling on the couch, looking at the tree, and waiting for Santa to come.
11. Giving people presents that the liked. I LOVE that. If I was rich, I would give presents often...just for fun.
12. Tyler is home with us!! We LOVE Tyler!!! He is awesome.(Even thugh he is a teenager!)

13. The kids at mama's. They are so awesome and they love each other so much. I am so happy with those kids. They rock my world.

My Goodlooking Guys

His Favorite Girl In The World

Last week, I was doing a little last minute Christmas shopping when Super Z asked if he could buy my 13 year old niece, Brittany, a gift. I told him that we had already bought Britt's gift. She was marked off the list.

Brittany

Zane looked at me with wide green eyes (a little puppy dog creeping into them), and said, "Please, Mom. I didn't get her anything. Please let me get her something."

Me, being the brick wall that I am, I relented instantly. He picked out a really cool peace sign ring. It was $10. It worked out pretty well for Super Z, Britt, and, my wallet.

When we got home and he was helping me wrap the ring he said, " Mom, do you know why I had to get that for Britt?"

I said, " Because you love her?"

And he responded, "No, because she is my favorite girl in the world. I have to treat her really good."

How sweet is my baby?

Super Z is 7!

Today we are having Super Z day in honor of the boy's 7th birthday. Super Z day, as far as I can tell, consists of eating a lot of  junk food and playing all day. He wants to ride his bike all the way down to the stop sign, go to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop, eat lunch at Sonny's, go swimming at the Y, go see The Christmas Carol in 3D, and have dinner at Chuck E. Cheese. I am not sure if we will be able to get everything in, but we will give it our best shot. After all, you only get to turn 7 once, right?