Moving

Most of you know by know that our family is moving. Movers came yesterday and we are pulling out tomorrow. This is a very exciting time for us. We are certain that this is a God planned thing and is all in his timing. He has most definitely showed out during the last few months!

Each of you here in the wiregrass area hold a special place in our hearts. This is home. It is all our children have ever know. To our RBC family, words cannot begin to tell you how much you mean to us. We love each of you. I think about each of the special people that have loved my babies and Rich and I know we are so blessed to have had each of you be a special part of their lives and growth in Christ. I have been blessed to have been able to minister to the preschool families for almost 10 years. I have watched as your children have grown and matured. Each of those precious babies will always hold a super special place. 

As I reflect on our 17 years here, I know I can't name each of you individually, but please know we love you and will miss each of you. Please don't be sad, for our crew is super excited about this new adventure God has placed us on. 

Fathers Day 2012

Happy Father's Day! This is Payne and his daddy on the ball field! Where we spend much of our free time, but we love it. Payne loves having his daddy as one of his coaches and I must add this: those other men who invest their time are such a blessing to us. Not only are those men special to the boy, but these families we have met because of Scrapper Baseball mean the world to all the St John Crew!

I have to reflect a tad on the memories that I have of my own daddy. I do miss him but I am so thankful for the 30 years I had him. I am thankful that he got the chance to meet the man of my dreams and walk me down the isle. I am thankful that he got to hear that crazy little Emma call him Papa. I remember one time, momma and daddy had come to our house for dinner one night and while Momma and I were putting the finishing touches on the meal, Daddy was entertaining Emma. Out of nowhere, I heard Daddy scream "it is wet"! Not knowing what was wet, Rich ran into the den, Daddy was holding a baby doll that was dripping from her hair, Emma had given her dolly a bath and taken it to Papa to help dress.The stories go on and on. I am sad that Meggers and Payne never met him but they do feel like they knew him because Rich does and outstanding job of keeping his memory alive. Payne acts just like Lefty Henderson! Same temper, same silly sense of humor and even the way he eats, reminds me of Daddy.

Since I really do not want this post to turn into a trip down memory lane, I am going to completly change the subject. Everyone knows I love my Daddy and miss him, enough said!

Payne is about to finish up this season of travel baseball. He will be playing in the World Series in Orange Beach the end of this month and we are so excited. So super proud of the Scrappers!

Emma is headed to Boston for a couple of weeks and I have been told that she may even go to a Sox game!

Meggers returned from a week at camp where she had a blast and can't wait to return next year, I think she is more excited because next year, Payne will be old enough to go! Those two are one of a kind, I don't think they could be closer if they were twins!

Rich and I are about to celebrate 17 years of marriage in July and I think I love him more know that I ever thought possible. He is truly my soul-mate. God made him just for me and I am so glad!

Just trying to catch everyone up on what is happening around here for the next few months. I am super excited that the kids don't go back to school until the end of August. We may actually feel like we get a summer break this year.

Happy Summer and Go SCRAPPERS!

What's For Supper!???

If you friends are anything like me, your family is always asking, "What's for supper?" Well, today was no different. I work outside the home on Tuesday and Thursday, so I don't have time to prepare my evening meals like I do the other days of the week. When I cook, I like to take my time and plan my meals and time management so that dinner is basically prepared when my children get home in the afternoons. We are early eaters!!!

With soccer, baseball and homework and football games and this and that... you get the picture, we have been eating out WAY too much. I am determined to prevent myself from having to say, I don't have time to cook. This afternoon when I got home from work, I took some steak out of the freezer. It had been sliced for like stir fry. Well, I had nothing in the cabinets for Chinese so I began to wonder what I was going to do with this meat!

Before I picked Emma up, I stopped by the bread store for our weekly bread and snack supply (you just can't beat bread prices from the bread store). People think that the bread store is old bread but I can promise you it AIN'T! I have been buying from there forever! I refuse to pay grocery store prices for bread. I even get snacks there too! Well, they also had a bag of small flour tortilla shells (30 count) for $1.29. I thought "DINNER"!

I got home and fired up the iron skillet and tossed in the steak with a little salt. While that was cooking, I put a pot of yellow rice on to boil. I discovered McCormick's Burrito sauce mix about a year ago and it now replaces ALL Mexican sauces I have used in the past! You mix this little packet with 1 cup of water and cook until thickened. I then took a spoonful and added it to the steak and let it cook down till thick.

Rich came home in a mad dash to exchange hellos, change clothes and take Emma and Payne to a football game. While he and I were catching up on the day's events, he fixed him a "whatever" you want to call it. He looked at me and said, "That was fine!!" just what every cook loves to hear! Took me all of less that 30 minutes to prepare and after I fixed me one with a sprinkle of cheese, a little of the burrito sauce and a dallop of sour cream paired with a spoonful of yellow rice to which I added a little burrito sauce, I must say, it was good!

I know you are all just as busy as we are over this way, so I wanted to pass along a QUICK and Delicious dinner idea!! Serve with your favorite chips and salsa and you are ready to go!

My Emma!

This my friends, was probably the second indication that God has a sense of humor! Rich being my first!

Emma is about to be 13 years old and not long ago, I teased about the fact that she may not make it to teenagehood! I am pleased to announce, I have chosen to let her experience it! She just thinks life is rough now!

When Emma started 6th grade, I thought that some thing, and i don't mean "something", I do mean some THING, had taken over my baby girls body. She became something that I did not know, could not reason with and some days, did not like to be in the same room with. I have stated before, and those of you who know me, know that I am a completely transparent person, what you see is what you get, I do not put up a front for anyone's sake.

Even into Emma's 7th grade year we struggled to even get along. But I must share with you that in the last couple months, we are managing to do much better. One night after a terrible couple of days, Rich left me at home to ponder things. As I was washing dishes, it hit me, HIT ME HARD. I was scared of my children. Not physically scared but emotionally scared.

I am the mother that instructs my children to do something and when that task is not completed or not completed correctly, I just do it myself, usually with a bad attitude and lots of anger. Rich reminded me that I am the parent. While completing the task that I had asked Emma to do, I begin to think of my fears.

If I MAKE my kids do something that they don't won't to do, then they won't like me! I was to worried about being their friend instead of the parent. After I finished cleaning the kitchen, I went to Emma's room and had a long talk with her. I explained that as the oldest, more responsibility is laid on her shoulders. She needs to lead by example. I also told her that I make the decisions that I make in order to protect her.

The attitude from a teenager did not automatically go away, but when she does get smart, I ask her "Why do I do what I do?" She responds, sometimes, most times, with a not so willing attitude, "You do it to protect me". Then she is obedient.

As a special friend shared with me, these moments are rays of sunshine in a cloudy day! Many of the days are cloudy, but in the little village of St Johnville, Rich and I remember that they are CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS!

I don't blog these things to complain or be negative about parenthood. Anyone who stumbles across my blog can see that Rich and I are so not textbook in ANY aspect of our lives together, but we are writing our own book and I just want people to know that it is OK not to be perfect and have others think that you live in 1960's television!

I have said before, I am not sure anyone even reads this crazy blog, but it helps me put into words what I am feeling at the moment! I have one loyal follower and she knows how mixed up and nutty my world is! But just in case someone stumbles across my lonely little blog: The silly nut pictured above is my rock! This pic was taken at our Christmas Vacation to Disney World. We had a blast! This was the first time Meggers and Payne had been so it was quite exciting.

I just want to know why someone doesn't tell new parents what to expect. I think that I am going to venture into the writing world and write a book "What to Expect when you leave the hospital". No one tells you the truth! Everyone wants you to think that those precious little things will stay that sweet and smell that good always, guess what, they LIED!

Babies grow up, they produce stink beyond your wildest imagination. Then they discover their voice and before you know it, they begin to talk back to you, and it is not always kind things they say.

I don't want you to think that this post is bashing parenthood, because I am not. I love my children and I love being their mother, but most of you who truly know me, know that I am completely transparent. I want you to know that it is hard! VERY HARD! I am glad that I have mounds of laundry, get to run errands, pick up a messy house and cook for my people. I could be all alone.

Life is not always picket fences and pink rosebuds (which by the way, my pink rosebush is full of blooms!). But even though we did not fall out of Ward and June Cleaver's house, my life is perfect. I have three healthy children and a MARVELOUS husband to share in the maddness with me. I told Rich last night, that I know he is my biggest fan! With God, he and I can turn the maddness into happy memories for our children. Not every day is going to be perfect.

The British are Coming!!!

This is from our recent trip to Boston!

We had such a wonderful family vacation, probably one of the best yet. We left on a Tuesday afternoon and arrived at Rich's sister's on Thursday. The kids were great travelers. Played lots of "Punch Bug" and "PT Bruisers"! No matter how many Richie had, Payne had "One" more!

Rich stayed with us until Sunday then had to return home for meetings. The kids and I hijacked my sister-in-laws GPS and hit the road. Those of you who really know me, know that this was a stretch out of my comfort zone but with the help of the GPS we made it safely to each destination.

One day we traveled to the Salem Willows and had pizza, played arcade games, fed the birds and walked the shoreline. Another day, we went to Salisbury Beach. That was wonderful! I am pretty sure that I am supposed to live somewhere just like that one day!

Rich returned to Boston on Friday and the kids and I joined him for some sightseeing. This was the first time the kids remember being in the city. Emma got to see some history lessons come to life and I think she was really excited, although she would never admit it!

On Sunday, Rich got tickets for the Ole Town Trolley and surprised me with tickets for a three hour Whale Watching tour! I was so excited! We learned lots of history that missed the books and witnessed several whales on that Sunday!

The kids returned to Middleton while Rich and I enjoyed a few days to ourselves. Although I did not get to attend a Red Sox game as they were out of town for two of the weeks we were there, Rich and I did get a tour of Fenway Park. That was also amazing, got to see parts of the stadium that I would not have seen if I was just there for a ballgame. Rich and I have decided that when Payne becomes a Red Sox and buys us a house on the Vineyard, Rich will work as a trolley guide and I will be a Fenway Park guide!

After our stay in Bean Town, we returned to Middleton to a huge pig roast hosted at Rich's sisters house and catered by his brother. Lots of friends and family gathered for the feast.

As we left for home, we decided to route our return home through Lexington, SC to watch DAL boys play in the world series. What a fun way to end our time together.

Again, this was an amazing family vacation. We are so blessed to be able to spend this time together and grow as a family. Lots and lots of "Hostage Time" with the kids and even as a married couple.

School started as soon as we returned, so sad. Along with the start of school, school projects also began. Emma had to do a project from the Revolutionary War. She choose to do Paul Revere's home and why the British soldiers did not choose to stay in the Revere home ( a small piece of trivia learned on our trolley tour). Big thanks to our friend, J for crafting Paul Revere!

Wedded Bliss!

This week, Rich and I will celebrate 15 years of marriage. I do love him more now than ever. I know that sounds cheesy but it is so true.

Rich and I have a relationship that is so not textbook! People always talk about how much fun he must be at home, and they just have no idea! I can remember during the early days of our marriage, I would go to bed crying from laughing so hard. We still have nights like that, though not as often.

Rich is a good man who works hard so that I can be home with our children. Rich is a man who loves God and tries his best to teach that love to his children.

Just in case Rich does decide to read this, I want him to know that I love him more now than I ever thought possible. I want him to know that he is the best daddy our children could ever hope to have. I want him to know that I still get butterflies when he holds my hand. I want him to know that I dream about growing old with him. I want him to know that I have dreams of how we will spend our time when we do get older. I want him to know that I also dream of what a fun "Papa" he will be one day. I want him to know that although I am not perfect, I do love him with all my heart and I would do it all over again!