Just a family day, with meatballs......

Well after a busy weekend of kids, neighbors, work, baseball tryouts, sleepless night we stayed in Sunday morning. Have you ever thought that life was just too busy sometimes and have you ever missed you kids even when they are home. That was me on Sunday. I felt like I had not seen them since Thursday. For lunch we decided to go to Cracker Barrel for lunch. We played checkers in front of the big warm fire and it was so nice to slow the pace and look at them and notice the changes that had happened to them this week. We had time to talk with them and enjoy them. After we went furniture window shopping. Braiden was wild. He went from sofa to sofa and ran from table to table. He loved it.
I love the idea of a big Sunday dinner together with family. Our family lives too far away to do this. Normally Sunday night is hamburger night. My hubby grills. But tonight I wanted to have that big dinner. Upon request from my little bottomless pits, I made spaghetti and meatballs. I love this. It is so easy to fix and the kids love meatballs. They do not take alot of time and are fabulous. (Giada's Everyday Italian FoodNetwork.com). It was nice to see the kids playing together before dinner. My favorite thing is kids laughing and having silly play time. No video games, TV, other kids over, just playing made up games.
After the kids went to bed. Patrick and I had some quiet time. I have been wanting to sit in the hot tub, but it has been too cold outside at night. Last night I did not care. I ran and hopped in. It was freezing (the 20's) but the HT was warm and the sky was clear and a million stars were out. We had time to talk about our week and relax. We felt like the snow monkeys you have seen in the hot springs on animal planet. Now the getting out and dried off was NOT so much fun. My hair had ice in it from where my hair had gotten wet. I think we will wait till it warms up to get back in. It was so much fun and we laughed so hard trying to get dry and back in the house.
Today I have Madi at home. She woke up not feeling well, sore throat, no fever, but she has just laid around this morning and snuggled. Braiden is still teething and very ill. Today I think we will take it easy and enjoy a day of being together.

Brandi

Not Me Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.


My weekly confession about a crazy week with three kids and what we did Not do.

I did Not skip my Monday morning workout because I was too tired from Madi's big dance weekend and the kids were out of school.



Tuesday my sweet husband did Not take off work just to be home with us because the kids were out of school that day also.



Wednesday my Boot camp work out did Not almost kill me, I did not almost get sick on the way home (think of swimsuit season girl, think of being healthy and tone). I did Not seriously think about quitting, I am Not a quitter and I can do this.



Patrick and I did Not get our love language right in our marriage class at church. Whoo hoo, we do know and love each other. He is Not a strange man I share a house with and we are Not in desperate need of a date. I do Not feel guilty for thinking this way because so many people I have prayed for have lost their children recently. I do Not feel blessed beyond what I deserve. My children do Not make my heart happy.



Friday I did Not have a house full of boys. We did not end up at the batting cages in the freezing cold. My son did Not hit one ball and end up crying and feeling sorry for himself. His friend from down the street, twins Tyler and Triston did Not hit every ball and this did Not make my son very mad. We did Not eat at Cici's with the rest of Cullman afterwards. We did Not stop by game stop and wonder to ourselves is this all some people ever do???? Really, go sometime and people watch.



Saturday I did Not, not want to go to work and teach all day. That would be selfish of me. And I am not that. I did Not find everything already set up for me by Mrs. Cindy. I did Not feel blessed to work at such a great place with a "mom" looking out for us teachers. I did Not end up having a wonderful class and enjoying the day.



I did Not come home to fajitas and salad fixed by my sweet hubby. The floors were Not vacuumed and the table set for 7. The twins were Not at my house. After dinner we did Not treat the kids to Dairy Queen.



I was Not up all night with a baby who will not sleep longer than an hour at a time when he is teething. Since we are Not teething we did Not miss church this morning because my hubby let me sleep in.



This week I did Not let Braiden walk around with Madi's pink bow in his hair. Every time I took it out he did Not cry to have me put it back in.

I also did Not let him walk around with my hubby's underwear on and wrapped around his tiny body. Again he did Not throw a fit when I tried to remove it. We did not go and pick up the kids one day from school with the pink bow in his hair and the underwear on as well. That would be too silly. Hey, whatever makes you happy babe.



Over all this was Not a great week and I do Not feel incredibly blessed and loved.



"In your presence is fullness of joy." Psalm16:11

Not Me Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This is NOT a weekly vent on Monday's to confess all the things that did NOT go wrong in your week and you desperately wish you could NOT change and redo.

This past week did Not seem like the longest week ever.

I did Not start a mommy boot camp at a local gym. I am Not in bad shape. I was Not sore. I did Not feel like I was going to die after the first class. It is Not at 5:30 in the morning.

My sweet baby has Not been in the worst mood all week long. Teething is so much fun.

Madi did Not have 5 fillings and sealants at the dentist Monday. She is Not band from sweets for life..... It did Not cost a small fortune.

I was Not late and rushed to get my class Tuesday night. After teaching I did Not come home to find a school project left still to do. Urrrrgggg! We were Not late to bed.

We did Not miss church Wednesday just to have more time at home with our kids. We have Not felt rushed and crazy. I do Not miss them at all.

I did Not take Lil B to WalMart only to leave when he threw a crazy screaming at the top of his lungs, everyone looking and wondering why you can not control your baby. I did Not feel embarrassed.

I did Not have 2 Valentines day parties to squeeze in on Friday pack and leave for out of town on time.

I did Not leave with only one side of Lil B's hair cut again because he was Not crazy screaming at the top of his lungs, everyone looking and wondering why you can not control your baby. What is wrong with this kid. I did Not want to hide under something.

We did Not have to stop 3 times on our way to Montgomery (2.5 hours away) because again my sweet baby was screaming so loud my husband seriously couldn't drive. It was Not so loud.

I did Not rescue scissors from my baby as he ran from he in the kitchen.

He has Not learned to pull the gate at the bottom of the stairs enough to crawl under it.

My house still is Not as dirty and messy as the last Not me Monday post. I am clean and organized.

My daughter did Not win gold at her dance competition Saturday. Her Dog dance did Not win the high point award, 2nd in choreography, and 3rd in entertainment. I was Not proud of her at all. It was Not the longest day in history.

On the way home yesterday we did Not have to stop again for a screaming baby. We did Not have a yummy lunch at the Iguana Grill. We did Not decide on the way home we were never taking our baby on a road trip ever again.

My wild kids are Not happy to be out of school today and tomorrow. I am Not excited that my husband is off tomorrow also. I do not have a Loooooooong honey do list for him to get started on.

I am Not hoping to get a shower soon and go to the store.

I have Not cried and my Heart does Not ache for baby Cora's family.(please be in prayer for them, they need it more than ever and will for a long time.)

SO how about you.......Do tell!

My letter "B"

If you want to play along, just leave a comment on this post letting me know. I'll leave you a comment and assign you a letter. Post ten things you love that begin with your assigned letter (and let me know when your post is up so I can stop by and read all about you!). When people comment on your list, you give them a letter, and the chain continues on and on.

It should be fun fun fun.....

1. My boys Brennon and Braiden

From Braiden Wesley

2. The BIBLE - yes that's the book for me....

3. The Beach

From Braiden Wesley

4. Long bubble baths- oh one day I'll get to take them again, but until then these are just as fun.

From Braiden Wesley

5. Birthday cake

From Braiden Wesley

From Braiden Wesley

6. Births- All of mine, all were very quick and super easy.The most precious moments of my life. I had no words except "Thank you God for this baby". And all the births I have been blessed to witness. I love being a labor and delivery nurse. I love teaching new parents even more. I am in awe of God's grace and love each time I help a family deliver their new baby(ies).

7. Here this past year with a new born and a baby that doesn't sleep too well my Bed.

From Braiden Wesley

8.Brave men and women who are fighting for my freedom.

9. My husbands bald head.

From Braiden Wesley

10 Baby Booties

From Braiden Wesley

From Braiden Wesley

Prayers Please!!!!!!

Please visit this blog and read all about his wonderful family and sweet Abby.

Another baby to be in prayer for is baby Cora.
http://themcclenahans.blogspot.com/
They do not have a link button but this is critical. They need all of our prayers. NOW!!!! God is in the business of miracles. SO please, please, please go to their blog and GET ON YOUR KNEES!!!!!! I'll be sending out emails to all as well. Just pray.

On a praise note baby Harper is healed Praise God. She went from not making it through the night to going home TODAY!!!!! She is too yummy, just want to eat her up.

Baby Brayden is also doing well, still having feeding issues but doing good. He is so cute and reminds me of my lil B.

I have to keep reminding myself that No I do not want another baby right now.

Brandi

Another Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This is NOT a weekly vent on Monday's to confess all the things that did NOT go wrong in your week and you desperately wish you could NOT change and redo.

My house is NOT a disaster and there is NOT a mountain of laundry in my living room to fold and put away. I am a organized mother of 3 NOT busy children and that would be just lazy of me.

My son did NOT go undefeated in basketball this year and he did NOT win the tournament Saturday. I was NOT guilty that I wasn't there to see his last game because I was with my daughter in Bham at a dance competition.

My daughter did NOT kick some serious b^&* dancing Saturday night. They did NOT win gold in her dances. She did NOT hold her heal stretch that she hasn't been able to do till that night. I was NOT so proud I could burst.

I did NOT go out to lunch with a bunch of moms and their daughters at the Cheese Cake Factory. We did NOT indulge in yumminess.

I did NOT have to call 911 and put a friend in an ambulance because she started hemorrhaging. She was NOT pregnant with twins. I did NOT send her by herself to be met by her parents. I did NOT take care of her daughter and she did NOT miss her little girl dance in her 1st dance competition. I did NOT call her Dr on his cell phone and got her into a full ER because she was NOT less than 20 weeks. That is NOT the most stupid rule I have heard of. ( She is doing OK, if you were wondering)

After all was OK I did NOT have a drink to calm down after a NOT so crazy, NOT long day. It was NOT good at all. YUCK!

I did NOT joke and laugh with our pastor in our Wed night Fireproof class. That would NOT be right.

I have NOT prayed like crazy for babies and their families I do NOT know.

I did NOT tithe for the 1st time this Sunday and I'm NOT worried NOT one little bit. I have too much faith in GOD and I know that this is what he asks of us. I also do NOT know that all we have belongs to our Father. He will take care of us and supply all of our needs.

My daughter did NOT come home and ask me to sign a spelling test with a grade of 55!!!!!!!!

I did NOT nurse my sweet baby all night in hopes he would sleep and he was NOT in our bed. He does NOT sleep in our bed most nights.

What have you not done?

Brandi

Friday night out??and popcorn..

Well I'm sitting in the floor of my bedroom listening to my sweet baby sleep and Brennon, Madi and Tyler ( a neighbor) are up stairs playing what sounds like xbox 360. Why am I sitting in my floor you ask? well I have this fear of Braiden falling off the bed and if I sit on the bed with him he doesn't nap as well. Patrick, my BIL Blake ( who sings fabulously and really could do it for a living but feels led to be on the praise and worship team at his church - Church of the Highlands), my sister Jami and I are going to our church - Daystar to see Fireproof. I think we are some of the few who haven't seen this movie. I really am looking forward to it, it is almost like a date.... I haven't been on one of those since November of 2006. And the best part it is free, and with popcorn. Yummy. My Dad and Janice ( my step mom- but we don't use that word it sounds so evil thanks to Disney, she and my dad have been marries since I was 3, I honestly can not remember a time with out her) are coming over to keep the kidos for us.
I do have a praise report of sorts. My Dad had his tests today and they saw nothing remarkable. They took several biopsy's and are checking on some preexisting stomach conditions but over all things look good. No cancer or sig. bleeding seen. My dad and I haven't always been close and I would love for us to be even closer and we are working at it and trying. My mom and him divorced when I was 2 and I lived with her only seeing my dad every other weekend and a couple of weeks out of the summer. Things were also stressed between them and a lot of neg. things were said in my home about my dad. So I grew up with my mom talking bad about my dad and to be honest I was afraid of him for a period in my life. I now know that to be wrong and mostly not true. I'm reading a blog called Bring the Rain and I really have felt so much comfort there. In her blog Angie recommended a book Parenting the way God Parents. WOW this book has changed the way I see myself. I have always tried so hard not to repeat the mistakes of my mother and this book address just that. And Wed night in class Pastor Jerry talked about breaking the generational curse that is in your family. Things can stop with you, you do not have to repeat the parenting styles of your parents. This book really is worth the $ and time to read it. I think I got off the topic of my dad- anyway he is doing better and feeling better. So thank you God, continue to cover him with your healing and love.
I'm really excited to spend time with Jami and Blake. They are young and are pregnant for the first time. Such an exciting time in our family. They can use our prayers also. Things are changing for them and Jami is nervous and a little scared about this baby. Her progesterone was too low and they told her she wouldn't get pregnant, well she already was and didn't know it yet. So this child was in Gods plan and is a blessing from Him.
Patrick and I are going through some personal problems, Mostly about $. When I was on bed rest for 23 weeks and not working it messed our finances up a smidge. We are trying to avoid bankruptcy and work through this. It has been very stressful on us and our marriage. But I have faith and hope that things will be OK. We are starting to tithe the full 10% and that may sound crazy to some when we are faced with all this dept and all but I have faith that God will see us through. We never really tithed the full 10% before and why should God bless us financially when we never gave Him the chance. Really all we have is His, we should give it all. So I'm asking for prayer this is a HUGE step for us, but I feel the right one to take.
Please continue to pray for Harper and Brayden the babies in NICU in Tulsa. Their buttons are on the previous post.

Brandi