NEW BABY!

Meet the newest addition in our family!!! That's Abby (on the left) and her 'big' brother, Alfie. He belongs to one of my dearest friends. Can you believe the difference in size?! She weighs about 2 pounds & he looks 3 times as big, but only in size, not weight. They love playing together! They don't get to that often, but when they do, it's hilarious. It took me forever to get a picture of them both looking at me!

I tried to post yesterday, but I went to highlight my post so I could change the font & the color & dear little Mason came up and hit the keyboard, erasing EVERYTHING I had written. I was so mad. Doesn't blogger have something to fix that....like "UNDO!" They should add it somewhere!

Things are better with Shelby, a little. She apologized to Eric and me Sunday night. She called her dad to see if he could come over because "an apology means more in person." I had to do a double take & wonder where in the world my daughter had gone b/c this was not something she said! Her attitude is a little better, but it has to be b/c she has no "cool" clothes to wear. She has to earn them back, along with everything else in her room!! She has a bed & a dresser & that's it! I didn't go as drastic as the last time - I took her curtains down!!! (I was mad, ok?!)

She likes this junior now. I emailed a friend of mine who's son runs around with this boy & she "highly" recommended him. He's a 4.0 student, attends church, but goes to youth at a different church, wants to be an engineer, wonderful kid with great parents. OK, I'm happy with this one!! I've never met him & have no clue what he looks like. But at least he's a positive influence (in those areas) to my daughter. Honestly, I can't wait to meet him & I can't wait to hear if he likes her! :)

O Lord, may Shelby walk before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and do what is good in your eyes.

Thank You Jesus!

"It's raining, it's pouring..." Praise God! We need the rain so bad, it's unreal. My mom said they were going to have to split up the kids in her town & send them to the next 2 towns because the rivers & lakes were almost dried up & they have no water. Luckily, she has a well, but ------- YUM...

We survived the first week of high school. OK, so we almost did. Nothing major with school, but we've had quite a ride this weekend. Let's just put it in terms like this - I found some notes written tomy daughter & a note written from my daugther that I wasn't real proud of. Her father was involved, along with both step-parents. But the details need to be left within the family. Nothing is wrong - everything is fine. She's not in trouble, just a 'thing' we took care of. BUT - please continue to pray for her. She is so vulnerable right now. She's one of those kids that don't just need attention, she requires it. This weekend was pure hell. I can't believe I'm dealing with some of the stuff I'm dealing with. I will be meeting with a counselor/psychatrist next week, then we'll schedule an appt. for her. I've even called the local Christian School for information to transfer her. The military school I checked into was in another state - AND $22,000 a year! I'm physically & emotionally exhausted. I take 'diet' pills for the metabolism boost - to stay awake (they don't work for losing weight) & I just can't function right now. I'm seriously about to pass out, but it's almost time for me to leave & go get the kids at school. If I fall asleep, I'm liable not to wake up in time. Also, please pray for me - that God gives me the strength to deal with this & get through it. I will be honest - it's tearing my marriage apart. I don't know what to do or how to deal with it...how to deal with any of it. I just know that God won't put anything in my life that I can't handle - but right now, I'm wondering. I am sick at my stomach, I don't want to eat, I have no energy - and I really have no desire to pick her up at school because it's just easier not to have to put up with her crap. -----OK, so does that make me a horrible mother?!

Well, on that note, I completely forgot that I was going to clean out her room today, so I guess I should go do that so she'll have a "surprise" waiting for her at home.

Our 3rd Day Alone...

The 1st day of school for the kids was great. As soon as Eric got home, he was asking Brayden how his day went. Of course for a 2nd grader, it's not much, "Fine," he said. So I said, "He thinks his teacher is pretty." Eric then said, "You do? You think your teacher is pretty?" Brayden, not saying words like this, said, "Yeah. She was *beautiful* today." My heart just melted. It was so cute. He has a crush on his teacher!!! And you can bet I walked him in the 2nd day just so I could tell her that!

Later at dinner, I asked him if he had a girlfriend (that's something we don't push b/c we think he's too young to have a girlfriend), but he said - several times - "Mom, I don't want to talk about it." So finally Eric said, "Brayden, just tell your mom her name so she'll quit nagging." (That's his favorite word for me - nagging.) He looked at me and said, "Mom, I told you I don't want to talk about Sara." Oh yes...we still like Sara - and we have for quite some time. She is a cutie (and lives on the same road we do)! You can go here to view her picture... http://www.junkitz.com/designers/blog/images/Sara%20first%20day1.jpg

Shelby had a great 1st day of HIGH SCHOOL. She was telling me about it before she even got the door opened when I picked her up. She is taking 4 AP (advanced placement) classes and French I. She loves French. She said she enjoys most of her classes. However, she doesn't have lunch with her best friend & she's not happy about that. She said there are only about 5 freshman that have B lunch. But she does have it with Tyler...he lives down the road (about 6 houses down) & he's my friends son. They've actually gotten pretty close over the summer. He's in 10th grade...a super sweetheart (and CUTE at that). So she hangs out with him at lunch and after school.

She hasn't said too much about any of the older boys. Only that she found out the name of one guy she thought was "Hot." But I can't think of it. I think she's really enjoying the high school life. I'm just waiting for my life to turn to pure hell - life with a teenage daughter - when all the older boys start calling; start asking her out; possibly ask her to prom. OOOOOHHHH what will I do?! Eric has a great questionaire that he's going to ask each boy that enters our home. She thinks it's hilarious! I'll be anxious to see if he really uses it & what their answers will be. If I can find it, I'll post some of it on here.

Mason is napping. He's been quite a handful today. Into everything as usual. I've had to duct tape my pantry shut b/c he's gotten everything out - baby food, hot roll mix, cookies, etc. and thrown them in the trash. I need a Nanny! I'm listening to one of my new fav. songs. "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder. I honestly don't know why I like it. It goes against everything I believe (unfaithfullness) and I'm not too sure about the band. I've never heard of them, but I still love the song. When I watch the video, well, I think I'll keep that comment to myself. You can see it for yourself & probably get the gist of what I was thinking. www.hinderonline.com (click to enter - then in the center, click under New Video, Lips of an Angel)

I have a ton of errands to do, but it rained for 2 staright hours this morning & by the time it slacked up, it was lunch & nap time for little May-Mo. (That's one of his nicknames) So, I've been inside all day long. I needed to go to Tracy's house today to get my business supplies for Arbonne. Yep, signed up to sell it. I'm pretty anxious about getting started & I hope that it turns out well for me. I'd really like to get to where they provide that Mercedes-Benz for me, so I don't have to buy it! :) Yes, I know - I don't want much! Maybe one day. Eric got a new black Mustang GT last year & yesterday got his company vehicle - a black 2007 Chevy Avalanche. Yep, we love black vehicles. Although mine is charcoal. It's the mom-mobile...and Expedition. So with 2 new cars in a year, I'm really wanting a new one. A black Expedition Limited or Lincoln Navigator. I keep begging for my Merc. GL series, but I don't see it happening ANY time soon.

I guess I should get my kitchen cleaned so I can start my dishwasher soon. I really need to plan dinner tonight too. We've been eating whatever I throw together. Last night it was Macaroni & meat with some corn. Yum, huh?! It's simple, fast & easy. (Just what I like.)

There She Goes...

Yes, there she goes. My baby is crossing the street for the first time and about to enter HIGH SCHOOL. I can't believe it. Time sure flies, doesn't it?! It just seems like yesterday that *I* was in high school and now I'm dropping Shelby off ... OOOOHHHH, I'm dropping her off to all those older BOYS! My heart aches. My body hurts. I'm so sad. Does this make me old?! How can I be old? I'm not even 32 yet. To top it off, my dear friend Christy just reminded me that all the older boys will be scoping out the new freshmen. Wasn't that nice of her?! :)

This is a picture of Shelby (in black) with her friend Cody & best friend, Danielle. Yeah, I hear it every now and then about how HOT Cody is. He's a sweet boy, but I do have to remember he's a teenager with raging hormones. Danielle called as I was dropping Shelby off & made us come across the street so they could "walk in together." I remember the first day of 9th grade. My best friend, Brandi and I dressed alike. She wore a black and neon orange outfit & I had the exact same thing, except mine was neon green. Lordy, what were we thinking?! I wish I had a picture of that!!! It would give us a good laugh for today!

Brayden started 2nd grade. He was pretty excited about it. He asked me to bring my camera in b/c he wanted a picture of him with his teacher. Isn't she a doll?! I've known her pretty much my entire life. I was best friends with her step-sister growing up, so I was around her a lot. She just had a baby 9 weeks ago. I don't know how she left her! Anyway, Mason was a nightmare while we were there. I chased him all over the school. It's a wonder I'm not 100 pounds! Not only that, I can't even get off 5 pounds chasing him! haha

Brayden is such a quiet person until he gets used to his surroundings, so I'm sure he won't give his teacher any trouble. I just can't believe he's the "old" one in his school now. (It's K-2). He'll be starting a new school next year...but let's not get that far yet. Here he is at his desk! You can see the little nightmare in the background (Mason) - he thinks he's big enough for school! But I couldn't talk Brayden's teacher into letting him stay!

And last, but not least, just a photo of the kids on their 1st day of school. (Brayden is weighted down with school supplies - that's why he's standing so funny - b/c I forgot to bring them to open house! It was at 6pm last week & I thought it was at 7 - I found the paper 15 minutes before we had to be there!!) Shelby got her bag at American Eagle. No more backpacks for this high schooler! Yeah, she's too old for that kind of stuff now. Danielle has the same one, just in khaki.

Now on to other things... Eric and I celebrated our 8th anniversary a week ago. I can't believe we've been married that long - and we've been together 10 1/2 years! WOW! He was 29 years old when I met him...and in January, he'll be 40! I was 21 at the time & will be 32 in November. Shelby was only 3 1/2! We've had quite a ride & I look forward to the rest! He bought me a new kitchen table for our anniversary (I got it a month early) and he took me to eat at a wonderful restaurant Saturday night. We then went to the mall to pick up his suit that he bought the previous weekend & walked around for a little while. I got the Nickelback CD at Target. It was really nice to get away together without the kids hounding us every 2 seconds. I can't wait for him to put that suit on - he's already HOT & Sexy as it is... :) He dresses up every day, but when he puts that suit on, it's another story!!!

Well, this YOUNG mom with OLD kids is signing out for today....