A backwards way of doing things

Kris Kross will make you, Jump! Jump! The Daddy Mac will make you Jump! Jump!

Please forgive the 90's photo but I couldn't resist placing the photo on this post. Anthony is the past 2 days has removed 4, yes count them, 4 diapers!! I have tried duct tape (it breaks out my sensitive boy), even zip up pj's with the arms and legs cut out so he doesn't sweat to death, he still is removing his diaper. You should have seen him with his pj's unzipped still buttoned on top completely on, but , diaper completely OFF and slung across the room. He looked like someone on the movie Saturday Night Fever wearing a fresh gold chain, with his shirt unbuttoned down to his belly button, trying to show off his chest hair. Newsflash Anthony...... you don't have any yet!

Jennifer his OT for First Steps has suggested putting his diaper on backwards. So I am giving it a shot. He looked at me like I had lost my mind when I stood him up to fasten the side of his diaper across his butt. We will see how this works.

It is official!

I have a list of school supplies that I need to buy in my hand. Hooray school is almost here! We pulled up and found a really good parking space right next to the front door only to find that it was locked and that registration was happening in the gym on the other side of the school where the only unlocked door was.

I have to thank my friend Jill for helping me out. As a first time mom enrolling it was quite overwhelming. Jill is a second grade teacher so having someone with me that knew the ropes was GREAT! Plus she handled passing out animal crackers to two cranky two year olds very well! You make a great mom. ;)

Victoria's teacher is Mrs. Anderson. She is the one that gave Victoria the tour of the classrooms when we went to Kindergarten round up. I was kind of hoping that we would get her. Victoria was VERY excited and wiggly as we were standing in line and taking care of paperwork. (again Jill thank you so much for your help)

We are ready to go school shopping now. Let the countdown begin. 14 days!!!

Jackson Co. Fair

After Papaw dropped Victoria off from her overnight stay we headed up north to pick up Grandma and Grandpa for the Jackson Co. Fair. Such a tradition to watch the ducks go down the slide. There wasn't much action on the duck slide this year because of one duck asleep on top of the slide. We did have fun though. You should have seen Dad shoved in between the two car seats on the way. Victoria was in the 3rd row confused that it was going to take all of us to go to the post office to mail Grandpa's letter and then put some gas for Grandpa's semi into the empty water bottle that we had her hold the whole trip. (This was the story we told her to keep the surprise, she wasn't buying it)
Checking out the fish tanks. The kids really got a kick out of it.
This was the fair in a nutshell. Anthony wasn't too fond of Grandpa putting him down on the ground, especially in the horse barn.
That is until we gave him TWO fly swatters.

The day ended with us hitting the McDonald's drive thru. Grandpa kept handing french fries over the seat to Victoria. She yelled up to me in the driver's seat "THIS is why I love your Dad!!"

Holiday World!!!!!

I can go on and on about how much fun I had a Holiday World and the "release" of emotional tension that I experienced on my first coaster I rode that day, but you would probably think that I need to be medicated or committed. I will just get straight to the pictures.



My handsome little man in his new visor. Growing up way to fast.



Addison sporting her new visor that Grandma got her. You have to love the color coordination here with the pink shoes and yellow top. She looks like a box of Crayons.



Eskimo kisses during lunch. I love when they have moments where they act like they like each other.



Addison had her first carousel ride. She LOVED it, as you can see by her face. She got to ride two times in a row because she screamed when I took her off of the horse. After ride #2 she still was screaming "neigh! neigh! neigh!" across the entire park.


"NEIGH! NEIGH! NEIGH! NEIGH! NEIGH!"




Anthony was perfectly fine watching sissy ride from the comfort of his stroller. In normal Anthony fashion the horses made him nervous.



While waiting for the Holidazzles show to start Addison was trying to wake her brother. The kids really got a kick out of the show.



Anthony with "Berry" and "Boo" of the Holidazzles show.


Addison's favorite was the Mermaid in the Holidazzles show.



Let's just say it wasn't' easy to get Anthony into his PJ's once we got home. I think he was a little tired. I picked him up off of the changing table, pad and all.

Fun things about today...

-Addison was VERY 2 years old today.

-Torrential downpour during my bank/post office errand run with the kids.

-Lucy peed on our bed. Didn't discover this until I decided to put everyone to bed for a nap so that I could have some quiet time to work on my Bible study and sat right in the wet spot...looovely!

-I was told that Victoria was trying to teach another little girl in class at church how to lie.

Although I haven't had the best day/week around here something came to mind. This time last year I was on my Faces of Christ Retreat. I have spent some time tonight thinking about what I was doing a year ago tonight. This night was the cross ceremony, one of the most pivotal points in my life. The night were I truely understood God's love for me. I am so thankful for my experience that night. I am nowhere close to where I want to be with my relationship with God but I can look back a year ago and see that God has brought me out of habits, beliefs, and lies that I have told myself into peace that only he can offer. I believe I am going to crack open my notes from that weekend and recap so that I can spend a little more time with God thanking him for the journey of the year following that experience. What a ride! I am still standing.

Procrastination in starting a lonely weekend.

Here we are again it is Saturday and my husband isn't home. I hate that! He is in Pennsylvania (I believe) and is isn't able to move till Sunday night, due to his log book. It really sticks when he is gone, but I especially hate it when he is stuck in his truck when it isn't moving. It is very frustrating for him too.

I do have some exciting things going on. Monday we have a trip planned to Holiday World. I haven't been in FOREVER! I believe it has been over 10 years. Victoria went a year or two ago with Grandma and Aunt Punkin so this year Mommy and the twins are joining on the festivities. I haven't told Victoria about it yet. The only thing that she knows is there is a HUGE surprise in her near future if she "plays her cards right" as she says. She is very intrigued.

In learning how to better discern God's voice I am hearing some things that are very exciting. I know he is always working, but I believe that I being prepared for something, in the line of ministry. I am trying not to get ahead of God but just wanted to ask for prayer about this. I need for God's vision to be clearer and for negativity to be far away from me while I explore what God is cooking up. It is very coincidental and scary how things are lining themselves out. I am kind of in one of those "Who me??" moments.

Climbing the walls.

Here is the new spokesperson for Revolutions Trucking Company (our business). Isn't he the cutest darn thing you have ever seen? James had this hat made at a truck stop last week and brought it home. It hasn't left Anthony's head since. He screams when I take it off so that he can go to bed.

Anthony has been sick on and off for 5 days now. He is fine one hour then the next his nose is running and he is MAD! I have been keeping him doped up on Tylenol cold and cough. Addison has been as patient as she can with him being in a bad mood. When he doesn't feel good he goes from one extreme to another. He wants to cuddle and hug then he will bite you and knock you in the head with the heaviest toy he can find. Victoria has been on strict punishment since Saturday. So on top of having a sick toddler I have a 5 year old that has nothing to do. I haven't been out of the house since Saturday. These have been long long days.

Learning with Addison

Story time was VERY interesting today. James bought them an Encyclopedia for children. This volume is all about animals. Addison started joining in on repeating what the different animals were names in the mammal category. I rushed to grab my camera to capture her attempt at Porcupine. Notice the hand gesture..."MOM that is EXACTLY what I just said!" Also take note of Anthony's Mariah Carey impersonation when asked to say it.

Bye bye mudflap

My little Addison Marie has bad hair. Let me just say that is very hard for a hairdresser to admit of her daughter. Thank goodness for Victoria's beautiful curls. Addison has my hair, very fine, and flyaway. It is shorter on top and about the same length all the way down to the nape of her neck and then it is long. OK brace yourself I am going to say it......My daughter has a......a.....a...mullet! (composing myself) I couldn't take it anymore. Although I like the fact that her hair in the back in long enough to put up in piggy tails it had to go. I got her in her jammies and played a video on my phone and then propped it up in the handle of my bottom cabinet in the bathroom so that it was at eye level and she couldn't get it out and take off across the room with it. I combed and combed as she talked to herself and Bubby in the video and without warning Mommy cut her mudflap off (that is what Daddy has been calling it) her hair is really flippy now, very cute and still able to get into a ponytail I believe. She wouldn't let me try it out though when she heard the shears close she turned to see was I was doing behind her and my cover was blown. So bye bye mudflap, dear old friend.

$50 worth of fun

Two $25 co-pay for two doctor visits today = loads of fun.....NOT! Victoria had an appointment today at the pediatrician's office to see about getting medication for Impulsive-Inattentive ADHD. We have been back in counseling, I am not sure if I had mentioned that, and have been doing some testing. Victoria has a couple of diagnoses now. Dis inhibited Reactive Attachment Disorder and now a diagnoses of this certain type of ADHD. Victoria's counselor has recommended medication to expand the time in between thought and action in Victoria. So off to the doc I go. After explaining our situation and symptoms that we are dealing with our doctor agrees that ADHD is there but probably only a part of what is going on with her. She said that she is probably going to need other psychiatric medications and is going to hold off on medication until we get a more thorough psych eval. I completely appreciate her not blaming everything that is going on, on ADHD and going further and encouraging me to do so also. I agree that Victoria has ADHD but I don't believe that is the only thing going on with her. Let's face it, in a short 5 years little Victoria has had to endure quite a bit of adult situations. So I have an appointment with a Psychiatrist at the end of August. I was hoping to get this straightened out before the start of school but as we all know our timing isn't God's timing, and I choose to not give up and trust.

After the doctor appointment I headed to the grocery store while Grandma helped watch the babies back at home. Just a quick note I hate my Walmart. They are doing a reset of the store and I can't find ANYTHING! It makes me nuts! Victoria and I also saw a man in the parking lot wearing a pirate hat in the parking lot loading what looked to be beer into a cooler. Not your everyday occurrence but you never know what you are going to get at Walmart. It is always an adventure.

When we got home Grandma had the twins down for a nap. I took advantage and took one myself for about 20 minutes. When I got Anthony out of bed I noticed that his forehead felt very warm. I had taken his temp. (it was 99.7) this morning because he felt warm. I noticed that he has a tooth that is getting ready to break through and I have heard that a fever can come with that so I wasn't to concerned. His temp after his nap was 103, ok starting to worry. I called the doc and within an hour we were back in the doctor's office waiting room.

This was a big hot flash appointment. Addison was screaming, Anthony wanted to snuggle, that made me even hotter to have his little noggin snuggling on me (even though I loved it) and Victoria was wild. By the time the doctor was in the room, Addison had a blown up rubber glove that I grabbed out of the box on the wall to play with, Anthony had a fresh cup of water and Victoria was sitting in her chair knowing that if I had to tell her to calm down again that she would lose TV time when we got home.

The doctor checked him out and what I was sure would be an ear infection, is apparently a viral infection. Not sure exactly what it is. They checked for strep and it came up negative. So instructions to give him Motrin and Tylenol every 3 hours were given and out the door we went.

It is now almost midnight, Anthony's fever finally broke and he is asleep in his bed. I am exhausted, emotional, and not able to stuff one more chocolate chip cookie in my body. Just another day in our home thank God James is suppose to be home tomorrow night. Today is day 11 of him being gone, I am about to lose it.

The preciousness in my house named Anthony

Oh I can go on for hours about my boy tonight. He drove me nuts earlier today. He has now taken to wrestling with Addison when they are playing in their play area. Another new favorite game is "Let's grab whatever Sissy has and knock her in the head with it". It has been a real eventful day here as you can tell. Then nap time happened, a glorious thing in our home, and Anthony woke up first. I was trying to catch a 10 minute power nap in between loads of laundry, and I heard him call out for me on my monitor. I tip toes as quickly as I could to snatch him up out of bed before he woke the others up and took him to my bed. I wrapped him up in my favorite blanket and we watched some TV while laying on my bed together. He wasn't interested and just turned around laid his head on my chest and patted my check saying "Mommy, Mommy" in his sweet little dimpled cheeks, charming whisper voice. I was a puddle in a matter of minutes. Melt my heart.

It is now midnight, I finally got him go lay down about a half hour ago. He wouldn't let me leave the room. I finally caved in and grabbed him up out of bed and he just wrapped his strong little arms around me, nuzzled his noggin in my neck, and tapped his little fingers on my back as if I was the one that needed comforting. I have to admit, I must have been, because within 5 seconds I had tears streaming down my face and I am tearing up remembering what the felt like just minutes ago. That was one of those God moments when he took my rambunctious little man and turned him into my cuddly little Boogie Bear. How could I be so blessed?

"Uh Oh Boot"

Anthony spent some time in his bed reading one of his Favorite "boots" (books). I was in my bedroom getting ready to start folding laundry. From my monitor I hear "Uh oh boot". I wander into the nursery to find Anthony standing in his bed with shreads of paper from the spine of his board book all over his bed. He stood up telling me over and over "Uh oh boot". I picked up the book confetti in his bed and placed the "boot" on top of the dresser. He did surprisingly well, and didn't cry when I took it away. From now on I believe that "boot" time will be supervised. That child loves his "boots".

On a great note. I just got an anticipated call from Mom. My sister just got news that her 3rd pathology report came back clean. Hooray!

Oh how I love Mondays

Bible study is going so well. I love this study by Priscilla Shirer called Diserning the voice of God. Such good stuff. I have learned so much just 3 short weeks into it, and God has revealed alot to me while doing the work through it. I had never had the courage to EXPECT God to speak to me. In the back of my mind I have always placed God far away, he died for me so he didn't want to be bothered with day to day stuff in my life. He wanted a relationship with me but it would be a long distance one. And when I pray I always thought that I would throw up my requests to him and never expected a reply. He was busy with other things and didn't have time to get back with me. I now see evidence of God speaking all along. Funny how when the veil is lifted off of your eyes how clear things look. It has really changed my prayer life a lot along with how I view my relationship with him. He is much closer now that I have opened up my arms to him instead of keeping him at arms length. Such awesome stuff! Plus we have an awesome table. We have us youngins (I am going to put myself in that group. It is my blog I can if I want to *wink*) and we have two ladies that I just adore that are in their 70s. One is a long time Christian and one is a baby Christian. So amazing to hear there insight on what we are learning about. I truly treasure our time together.

I also love my Leslie Mondays. We haven't had a chance to hang out alone for a while to catch up and it was so nice. She has a new boyfriend, and I love hearing about it. She is really smitten with this one and he treats her wonderfully. So well deserved and long time coming. He is a doll! I hope the best for them.

The most intense workout I have had in a while

Week two of getting to the gym. I have been horrible at working out. I tried out an aquatics class and really enjoyed it last week so I decided to go back. I loaded up the kids and headed out. Of course this entails unloading the stroller and making my way up to the door. I wait in line behind a couple that are checking out the membership packages, which always takes a while, when the girl behind the counter notices that I am waiting to get my membership card scanned and waves me around. I get my card scanned and get told that the computer screen says "ACCESS DENIED". Great!

I get moved around to the other end of the counter to someone with more knowledge on what could have happened. Victoria is bouncing off of the walls asking if she is going to go swimming and Anthony is now stomping on Addison's leg in the stroller causing her to start getting upset. The lady looks up my information and informs me that the membership was cancelled in June due to medical reasons. I stared blankly at her and explained that there was never a call or letter from me or a doc to terminate our membership. She politely informed me that it wasn't at the Floyd Co. branch it was at the Clark Co. branch and that she would give them a call to see what the problem is. I stood there with my antsy children while she placed the call. She tells me that her information is correct that a Victoria placed a call to the other branch to cancel to due medical reasons. She asked me "There IS a Victoria on your membership right?" I smile tell her "Yes" and point down to my Victoria that is reaching the counter at eye level and tell her "THIS is my Victoria and she has no medical reasons that would prevent her from being here or knows the phone number to call here.". At this point Victoria, who always seems to be in trouble over something is pleading with me "Mommy I swear I didn't call! I swear I didn't call!" I am laughing at this point and the lady behind the counter is frantically typing away trying to find out what is going on. She asks Victoria's birth date and I tell her. She starts laughing and says that in the computer Victoria, my Victoria, is listed as 80 years old and must have been mistaken for another one that cancelled her membership back in June. We are all laughing at this point. Victoria is explaining to the lady "I am 5 years old not 80. I am going to be six on my next birthday." through her laughter. I ask her "Out of curiosity how old are my twins in the system?" A few keystrokes later and she tells me that Anthony and Addison are 105! Hilarious!

I get all of my paperwork filled out for the kids in the childcare area and get everyone labeled up with their ID tags and I am off to go get ready for my class. The class is great, I am relaxing and sweating too, things are good when at about a quarter till I hear my name being called. Fifteen minutes to go left in class and they tell me that I need to come to the childcare area because Anthony fell down and landed on his plastic construction hat that he was playing with, busted his mouth open and was crying. Out of the water I go. I make my way to the locker room and throw my clothes on my dripping bathing suit. I am soaked! I grab my stuff out of the locker and head to the childcare room where Anthony is. He is hanging out doing just fine, laughing and cutting up playing with another little boy. He gives me this look as to say "Hey mom, wow class must have gotten out early. Your not suppose to be here yet. Why are you so wet and breathing heavy?". It figures, he is all cleaned up and I stand dripping on my shoes, with my ID tags in hand, to pick up my kids. I decided heck with it. I grabbed my diaper bag, my 80 year old daughter, and my 105 year old twins out of the childcare and we hit the door. I give up!

Forget about me??

After dinner tonight was bathtime for my crew. Anthony was first because he was the first to finish his meatloaf and be covered in ketchup. I pulled him from his highchair and take him to the bath tub for a quick run through because Addison was still in the high chair eating. About 2 minutes into the bath, Anthony all soaped up, I hear Addison yelling at me in the kitchen "OKAYYYYYY, ALL DONE!" I scooped up Anthony out of the bathtub and dried him off and headed into the kitchen. Addison was sitting there with ketchup on her nose and her hands up in the air as giving me the "What? Did you just forget me?".

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband! This is our 3rd "official" anniversary. You know the neck brace Anniversary. I wish he would have been able to be home for the occasion. But hugs over the phone will have to do for now. Miss you honey!

Princess in our eyes.

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Well she didn't win but do I have stories to tell. It was worth all of the work. I totally got all bummed that I didn't go all out on the float once we got there. The people that were in the parade behind us had a pipe buggy covered in camo painted cardboard and made a tank. So cute! We ended up using my Dad's truck and signs and purchased cut outs of flags and such, along with balloons and streamers. Victoria was very excited to see all of the people that "came out to see her" and had me laughing 5 minutes into the parade when she started noticing all of the food at the people's houses that we were driving by. "Oh Mom look they have chips. They are cooking hot dogs!" She then turned to me and said "Man, I wish I had some snacks to throw to the people" She really got a kick out of seeing some of the kids throw candy. On the parade route she got to see Mamaw, Papaw, Aunt Punkin, Darwin, Leslie, and her new "friend" and many people that I went to school with. She was beaming! She told me that she was getting nervous because she thought she might forget to wave to someone.

The rain started just as we got back to my mom and dad's house. Leslie and her friends made it back to my mom's house for some awesome food and played some pool and music while waiting for the actual contest to start. A 10am parade and 4:30 contest made for a long day for all of these kids. Leslie and I took Victoria into the bathroom and got her changed into her dress that Leslie bought for her for this occasion and touched up her makeup (a little mascara that she asked me repeatedly if her makeup still looked good through the parade). Strapped on her white high heal shoes that Grandma got her at a yard sale for $1 and we were off.

We arrived with umbrella in hand and made our way through the puddles to the bandstand. While observing the crowd we noticed that 3 other little girls had on Victoria's dress. Only one luckily was in the contest but we were still crushed. All of us parents piled the kids up on stage and took our seats hoping for the best. Victoria did great and was chatting with the 4th of July Queen and the little girl standing beside her. We were all laughing at her because Victoria was really having an intense conversation with this little girl (more on that later).

I am not really sure that I can relay how funny this was in print. Victoria did a great job when it was her turn to go up front. Nothing embarrassing at all. We were very proud. She even did a good job when it time to stand back in line and let the other kids take a turn until.........the other little girl with her dress was up for her turn to be announced. Her name was also Victoria. I wish I had a better picture of Victoria's face when she found this out. Her mouth dropped open she looked out in the rain soaked crowd to us and mouthed "OH MY GOSH SHE IS A VICTORIA TOO!!!!" while rapidly pointed back and forth at their dresses,as if we hadn't noticed that they were wearing the same dress. Our whole group was hanging off of the bench with laughter. It was very hard to compose ourselves. The other Victoria was to stand in front of our Victoria. We spent the rest of the contest watching Victoria try to get our attention the explain the irony of the situation. She checked out her shoes and accessories and talked and talked to the little girl. It was so precious. I wish I could have heard what Victoria was saying to her. I am sure that she was telling her the whole story of how Leslie got her dress and they went to Kohl's all by themselves and how her shoes had high heals. She was genuinely excited about this coincidence.

We didn't win but each and every kid got a trophy with their name on it. Victoria felt like a million dollars and thanked us over and over again for letting her be in the "con-tit-tition". It was so worth it!

-Apparently the little girl next to her in line (not the other Victoria) was telling Victoria "I am probably going to win" Victoria told me that she was telling her "Well you might win, you might not, you have to have fun and be a good sport." That's my girl!


The two Victoria's in the same dress.


The sparkle from the trophy matches the sparkle in her eyes that day.


She was having such a good hair day due to the rain.


I had to post this one too. So creative!


Victoria on our float. Thank you Grandpa Jerry for letting us use the truck

Here we go...

Today is the big day the Pekin 4th of July celebration. The signs are finished and the bags of hairspray and toenail polish are packed. We are to leave in 5 minutes and my husband is in the shower, so typical. Victoria is bouncing off of the walls and is having a wonderful hair day (no flippies Felicia). She is prancing around the house in her mascara and lip gloss. Wish us luck in this jam packed day of Independence.

I always feel like somebody is watching me.

This is my tribute to the late Michael Jackson. Last night I was a secret spy.........

I really enjoy living in the Pines. I have always felt safe and it has been nice and quiet. I hate to tell people that I live in a trailer park because it really doesn't have the image that one gets when they think of that term. I have great neighbors surrounding me except one. We all have "that one".

They have a young son, I would say about 14 years old. I am not sure if he works out in the middle of the night by throwing furniture around the house or if it is music that he is playing, or if there is a drum set in the house. I have been woken up numerous times with the noise. Then the friends started coming over. I believe his mom works 3rd shift, parties somewhere else or what the deal is but she is never home. James had to go outside and speak with them a couple of months ago because they had popped the screen out of his bedroom window, was crawling in and out of the window and wrestling around outside at midnight and slammed each other into our home. James and I were on our way to bed when we heard and felt the loud bang. Here we are again midnight and I am watching from my living room window the neighbor kid take the screen out our his bedroom window and there are 5 boys running around yelling and jumping in and out of the window. Greaaaaaaaaaaaat! I watched until around 1 and then headed outside with my flashlight to approach the....well...we will just say... young punk. I ended up calling the New Albany police to handle the situation apparently my words were falling on deaf ears. The cop showed up and talked to the boys for what he claims to be 20 minutes pulled his car around the corner and dealt with the tired mom with the flashlight (i.e. me). I am really ready to have some property and a little more distance between me and my neighbor. 6 feet just isn't enough. I am sure I was a sight to be seen sitting in my living room with all of the lights off watching out my window like a lunatic. Sleep deprivation can make you do crazy things.

Cleaning poem

This was sent to me by my crazy Aunt-a Kathy in California. It cracked me up and hit close to home so I thought that I would share.....

Cleaning Poem

I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been 'computering',
And I had to answer 'yes.'

He told me to get off my fanny
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up...
The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick...
I was just admiring my work.
I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops I found
A real absorbing site.
That I got SO way into it.
I was into it all night.

Nothing's changed except my mouse
It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney.

Gearing up for the weekend ahead

Still so much to do. Victoria's contest is this weekend and I still haven't made my signs for our parade float. I had grand plans for a Candyland theme float using my Father-in-law's trailer that we haul his golf cart on. We have ended up with a couple of sheets of poster board and some Fourth of July cut out purchased at Horner Novelty. I still need to paint her name on them and our sponsor's name. We have decided on the back of my dad's pickup truck. Mom and I have been pondering what to have her sit down on so that she doesn't slide all around the back on the parade route. We asked James and he gave us the simple answer of "Have your Dad drive" I have to say good point. LOL.

My niece is suppose to come home today. Surgery went well and she received excellent care. I am anxious to see how well this surgery holds up. I pray that this is the last time that she is going to have to go through this. My sister did find some kind of loop hole so that they can have insurance for another month. That was very very good news. I will keep you all posted.