My favorite time of the YEAR!!!

I am such a maw maw when it comes to the holidays. From Halloween until New years is my most favorite time of the year. I love the cooking, and the decorating, but more than that I enjoy the family and friends! So far we have celebrated Halloween, and this year was a little different because all of the boys(excluding Peyton) had halloween with there other parents, seeing as it landed on there weekend. So I have no pics of there costumes, but I do have one of Peyton in his pumpkin costume, and he was so cute, trying to say "trick or treat" Justin as you can see was "Slash" from GNR and man did he rock it!!! And Peyton in his "umkin" costume(thats what he called it)

So a few quick Updates!

Football season is over for Ethan,and Justin. Ethan did really well this year and I saw him grow from a little scared football player, to a tough"Ima lay you out" football player. LOL No seriously I am so glad he got over his fear of being"Creamed" lol. He took last year off, and it truely paid off. They played pinson in there playoff game and lost by 2 points, but we were all so proud of them! Go Skins, and # 55.

his year was Justin's first year of being on the OHS Marching band, and he loved it! He played the bass drum, and marched every Friday night they had a football game. He has made several new friends, and has become somewhat the "popular" kid. lol, I could not be prouder. Of course since football season had started he started drifting a little bit further from me, and I knew something was going on with him, especially since he refuses to leave his cell phone lying around the house anymore. You know what I'm talking about "GIRLS!!!" UH!!! I dont want him to grow up yet. Pathetic I know but sometimes I still see that sweet little fat faced Justin, and its hard for me to let go a little.....Anyways now that I am threw whining.....The skins had a pretty good season, but honetly Im glad its over, poor J-Han(his band nick name) needs this break. Next he will be going to Disney World!!!! Justin Im proud of you son, always remember that!

Trey has done very well this year in football, they are still playing and going to the championship! He is so fired up! This year he played center, and make several great plays(sorry I cant remember the lingo). I am so proud of him also, he has grown into an amazing ball player and I think one day he will play college and may pro football! Who knows it really could happen! I cant remember how many we won or lost, but I feel like the Juniors had a great season, stay tuned for an update on the championship game! Go # 97!! We love you Trey! This is a pic of Trey and his fellow team mate Chad!

I will not give in.....

About two months ago, I had to go back to work. As everyone is well aware of we have a large family, this is no secret. I had originally went back to work to make some extra money for Christmas, our savings for our home,and to renovate a home my husband had inherited. However, within a month of me working due to unfortunate circumstances ,he lost his job. This was an unexpected bump in the road, and we have had to make do with the situation that we are now in. I believe God had a plan for him bigger than he had for himself, and I also believe that He was preparing us, by allowing me to get a job exactly one month prior to Dusty losing his. You know life is hard enough in itself, and I feel like sometimes the harder you try the harder it seems, but I am no quitter, and WE as a family will get through this tough economic time. I have learned in the past few months what it "Truely" means by "For good or bad" and I would be lying if I sat here at this computer and told you, that at times, I have wanted to just give up. But I refuse. I have been through harder times than this, and I know we will make it. Ask my mom and she will tell you , or you could ask my husband, Im stubborn as they come, and I WILL NOT GIVE IN to this attack that I feel like is on my family. AMEN!!!!!!

What it takes....to make this work

Normally, I don't brag on myself, or talk about how I feel like I owe myself this or that. Generally I seek making myself feel better, by seeing my family happy. Recently, I have had to go back to work, and I haven't been at home much. I work long hours, and the pay isnt all that great, but I am so greatful for employment. I get up almost every morning at 5 am get myself ready and go cook for 25 plus something people. During the week I could 3 days, and every other weekend I work really long hours, and it can be very tiresome. Not only on me, but my family(esp. my husband). My husband does the morning shift with the kids, getting them ready, to school, and to child care, and in the afternoons I pick everyone up.Some days we are both so wore out that we hardly have time for each other. He works long hours as well. I get the middle two from school, go home, wait about and hour an a half, get supper ready, get Trey and Ethan ready for practice, then go get Justin from band practice. Then I come home finish my diner, then run the two football players to practice, then go home, eat diner, go back pick up kids, get them fed, and baths, then sometime find the time to clean up the mess that has been made during this rush, then the hubbs gets home. Somedays he is home early and can help me out, most days we need him getting that extra time to help the ol payroll out.Times can get very hard for some, especially with large families. I am not complaining, but giving myself a little pat on the back for holding my own, and not giving up, even though sometimes I wish my kids knew how much me and Dusty do for them, so they would appreciate it more.

I have found that it takes hard work, and dedication to make this work. Our lives are so busy and at times so chaotic that we hardly have time for each other. We are what holds this family together, and together we make it work. Times have been hard for Dusty and I but we have always managed to pull through. I think its love that keeps the wheels of our busy life moving, and without that Im not sure I would be sane enough to even write about it. So if you are having a busy day, and things get overwhelming take the time to remember why you are doing it. I used to say when I worked full time and was a single parent that I wanted a job that I could work around my family, not work my family around my job. Well I have found just that. So I have learned its not really what you make, but what you make of it. I am so greatful for my family, and all of my blessings that I have been able to catch and hold onto. Thank you for reading........

Ridiculously proud.....

Justin had his first band performance on August the 28th,2009. The Oneonta Redskins played Arab and came out with a victory of 34-33! I have to admit I was a bit nervous watching my child,who I wish at times was still little, being so grown out there on that field at half time. I remember being a kid, and in school anyone that was on that stadium field, seemed so much older than me, now I am so much older than them, one being my child. I know I have said time and time over my posts that I don't want to let go, but I know I have to. After he came off the field, I automatically wanted to run over and get a picture with him, but I knew this would embarrass him, so I paced myself.I waited until I felt like no one was watching, and I could just grab some random person to take our picture. Well to my surprise that didn't happen, and still wanting the picture, I make probably one of the biggest mistakes I could have made, I asked a band member(oops) So being very hesitant(and embarrassed) Justin stood beside me, and the kid holding my camera says" So like are you like one of his family members?" I said" I'm his mother" while looking me up and down and giving this look,( and I'm still not sure if this was a "wow your mom is hot look" or "omg Justin your mom is ugly look") he says"Wow you don't look ANYTHING like my mom" right then I knew. I knew that embarrassed Justin,and the picture was snapped!!! Omg boys are so weird sometimes, had this been his dad, no biggie, but what is it about us moms? I mean are they "Too cool" to be seen with us? I know he is at that age, but all I wanted was a pic :(

Besides all that I just have to say to my son, Justin I am so proud of you. You have proven to me, that you are a very mature child and I am so proud to be your mother. You have an amazing-talent, and continue to pursue your music dream! I love you!- mom

Finding the time....

Just a quick update: Its been a week or so since I have posted anything, I have been super busy. Due to the economy, and the fact that we have such a large family, I am having to go back to work. I have basically been a stay at home mom since Peyton has been born, and it has really been good for both of us, to have that time apart. I started last weekend, and Im doing what I do best COOK! I never saw myself as a "chef" per say, but I enjoy making good food, I always say"Its good for the soul" So I won't be on much blogging, but when I do they will be mainly stories with no photos, my phone is acting up and I cant just upload straight to my blogger. Go figure, and its brand new!!

Ok, now on to the post. I am so proud to be southern, and lately I have really been getting "in tune" with my cooking abilities(hence the paragraph above) and I decided since I cook alot of Peach Cobbler at work, and I have never made it, I would try a tester out at home, and see how successful I was. Well as it turns out, I totally over underestimate myself all the time because it turned out FANTASTIC! For my first try, and actually finding the time, it was a huge success! Thanks all for following, and I will be seeing you soon....

Myspace & Cellphones & Girlfriends....OH MY!

See the kid in the middle, with the black shirt on, yea the "Crunch" junior. Well that's my Ethan. He is trying to be cool waiting on me to pick him up from school today.(Sorry the pic is blurry, took it as I was pulling up ) Anyways, you know I have talked in my earlier posts about "Paying for my raising"; well he is DEFINITELY the one. He gets in the car today and asks me why he still cant have a girlfriend. The rule in our house is the boys aren't aloud to have "girlfriends" until we feel like they are ready. Ethan has been working on me for about two years, and still no success. So he proceeds to tell me today that he really really needs a girlfriend. I asked him why all of a sudden does he "need" a myspace(which he don't have) a cell phone(don't have that either) and a girlfriend. He says its cause he wants to be like the other kids in his grade, you know since hes in the 3rd grade and all. I explained to him, that he has a right to his childhood, and its my Divine right to protect it, so the answer was still"No" I'm sure he is not going to give up on it, and everyday for the next year I will get to hear how Trey and Justin have myspaces, cell phones and girlfriends, BUT its something we will just have to deal with want we.

A while back I read an email that someone had sent me, and it said something along the lines of"I am glad my children hate me" Well I do not necessarily want mine to hate me, but if they say they do, that means there usually not getting there way, which also means I am doing my job. I am one of those parents that is not afraid to get onto my children in public. If I have to correct them until they get it right, even if it means doing it fifty times, at least they have that lesson they can take with them. I refuse to let my kids "Be like everyone else" . They are unique in there own way. I feel like with anything and everything being so readily available to kids now days, I feel like its our jobs as parents to protect them.Duh! crystal we all knew that. But seriously, for those of you who know me, know I was fast growing up, and I have strived very hard to make sure that my kids aren't. So Ethan I'm sorry if you cant have a myspace or a cell phone or a girlfriend, but your only 8. And one day you will thank me for this. For those of you who allow this...no pun intended lol