What a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

It was so beautiful today; we had to get out of the house. We woke up to a licking dog, a rattling blue puffy and a blonde Goldilocks in our bed this morning. No sleeping in on the weekends, but that’s fine when you wake up to smiling faces.  So off to make butterflies, dogs, cats, lions, hearts and flower pancakes for the girls. I just used my cookie cutters to cut them after they were done. Sam and Steven ate the scraps from the cut out and called them worms. All I know is they were delicious.

Later we were off to Waggy World Paw Park in Alpharetta. Remember last weekend was Gracie’s first time at a doggie park and there was only 1 other dog in the fence with her. OMG I almost fainted when I saw how many people were at this dog park. This is no lie: there had to be at least 60 people there with their dogs and probably 50 dogs in the small and big dog areas combined. We went in and Sam was like, take her leash off. I was like, NO! THAT”S MY BABY! I was so scared she was going to get hurt. I looked like a first time mom chasing the baby around the house to make sure she doesn’t fall and get hurt. Finally I let her off the leash, and she was PERFECT!

At first she wasn’t too sure. She kept running back to me and then 2 minutes later BYE . She played with other dogs; she ran, chased the ball and even came to Mommy for a break. Being good parents we brought doggie treats and a collapsible bowl for water. Sage was so thrilled because we put them in one of her play bags and she got to carry if for Gracie. I don’t know who had more fun, Gracie or the kids, because they got to play with so many dogs.

Then off to Wacky World at Wills Park in Alpharetta. We wore the dog out, now it was time to wear the kids down. It’s a really nice park with so many different fields, parks, walking paths, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. We are thinking about getting a season pass to their pool for summer, it looks a lot nicer than Roswell and bigger, plus it’s a lot cheaper too.

Now it’s back to the real world. Cooking dinner now and doing laundry, getting the kids in the bath, getting clothes out for work and school, feeding the dog, making snacks for school and sometime tonight snuggling with my husband and my day will be complete. A perfect end to a perfect day.

My version of 5 little monkeys

5 Little Brady-Shireys in the House

5 Little Brady-Shireys in the house all healthy and well until
Steven fell in bed with the FLU!

4 Little Brady-Shireys in the house all healthy and well until
Sam fell in bed with the FLU!

3 Little Brady-Shireys in the house all healthy and well until
Jewel fell in bed with the FLU!

2 Little Brady-Shireys in the house all healthy and well until
Darlene fell in bed with the FLU!

1 Little Brady-Shirey in the house all healthy and well until
Jessica is the only healthy one so far

Pray for Jessica that she doesn't get the flu. OMG it was the most terrible week I think we have ever had. Steven with a 103 fever, Sam hit 103, Jewel 102, me 101 and Jessica played nurse to us all. I have Cloroxed our house inside out and washed every blanket we have. I never want another week like that again. Sam was home from work Wednesday until Monday. I have been home since Friday and am returning to work tomorrow. I almost want to go out and buy everyone one of those white suits with oxygen tanks and all just so we can stay healthy. One, maybe two, kids sick in the house is not bad, but when you throw Sam and me in the flu bed too, enough is enough. Thanks to my wonderful (but sick) husband, by the time me and Jewel got down in the couches and couldn't move, he was feeling a little better and began taking care of us. I am so proud of him! On Saturday he started washing clothes and in out of my Nyquil sleeps I either dreamed or heard him say he had done 8 loads of clothes on Saturday alone. I can believe 8 loads with this family. If I don't do at least 2 loads a day our laundry gets out of control quickly. Back to my wonderful husband, who ran to the store for orange juice, back to Chick Fil A just for tea for me, to McDonalds for nuggets for Jessica, refilled water bottles for Jewel, answered computer problems for Steven, and walked Gracie all weekend. Even though we abused you this weekend, we do love you with all our hearts. You're the greatest man ever!!!!

Let it Snow

We left snow to see more snow this weekend. We left on Friday evening heading for Grandma's house. When we arrived they still had snow on the ground from a few days before. We woke up Saturday morning to see still more snow. Steven goes snow tubing every year for his birthday but this was the first time it actually snowed while he was snow tubing. Not only was it snowing, they were actually making snow on the hill while Sam, Steven, Jewel and Jessica tubed. Every year we go to Tony's Tube World in Maggie Valley. It's a nice hill up the side of a mountain with an "escalator without steps" as Steven calls it, which takes you back up the hill. The session are every 2 hours. It's amazing how many people are there the first hour then the second hour everyone I guess is cold, tired or wet because you can get more riding time in the second hour. It is always fun for the kids and Sam too. Sam was the only one who stayed out for the whole session in our group. Everyone else got cold or tired.

The rest of our weekend was spent lying around the house playing Uno and watching our cousin Tom Brady clinch a Super Bowl spot. It was so cold in the mountains last night Gracie wanted to go outside and the Packers and Giants were in overtime. I thought I would be a good wife and take the dog out for Sam who usually takes her out at night. Then I open the door and realized it was 6 degrees and called for Sam immediately. I have the most amazing wonderful husband in the world. He didn't complain or pout, he just took Gracie out. He missed the end of the game, too.

So of course now I have to brag on my husband a little. Sam and I met when Sage was about 6 months old. We became instant friends but decided that a relationship was not in our future. For the next 5 years we stayed friends and complained about not finding the right person for ourselves. Finally a light came on in both our heads "DUH" and we knew we were right for each other. It's wonderful when the person you love most in the world is your best friend, your strength, your hopes, your desire. It takes a real man to come into a ready-made family and become a dad to three children. It takes a lot for a single mom of 6 years to allow someone else in to her children's lives. I prayed that God would send me a wonderful man and he sent me the best he had. Our family really has come together in 2 years. There have been some bumps in the road, some hurt feelings and some tears. But there has been so much more love and laughter that the other things just bring us closer together. I know I have a special man when he gives up watching the last few minutes of the Packers and Giants to take the dog out.

I love you Baby! You're the greatest and you have a cute butt! (He made me say that, but it is TRUE!)

Merry Christmas!

Yes, finally we are out of school! Why is it when you have two weeks off from work, you still wake up at 6 a.m. and can't go back to sleep to save your life? I will guarantee by the end of next week I will be sleeping late, only to realize I have to start waking again early on the 7th.

Last night I started wrapping presents at 4 p.m. took an hour dinner break and didn't get finished until 11:45 p.m. Omg I was so tired of wrapping! Sam my wonderful, wonderful, husband tried to help me but only ended up confusing me. I had everything separated and was wrapping my little heart out when he came in to find out what Santa was bringing and what we were giving. Then the confusion began switching this gift here that one there, my head started spinning. Counting presents to make sure everyone had the right amount and right ones. Usually I am pretty good with sticking to my list of what to get the kids so I don't overspend or overspoil. Unfortunately, last weekend in the mountains, me and Sam went shopping alone to pick up last minute gifts, which turned into another shopping spree. Why do they put everything cute for girls right in the front of the store? Our cart was full and we weren't even in the door yet. Then you find something that one girl would love, so then you gotta go find something for the other two girls. Needless to say, our girls have way too much and Steven was way too expensive. I try really hard to be one of those responsible parents who buy reasonable gifts. Not sure if I achieved that this year. Christmas morning, when four kids wake up to see everything, the smiles on the faces will be well worth it.

We are trying to stay in our Holiday spirit mode for the children, but it's a little hard when both sides of our family have some tragic news this week. Sam's Aunt Lois has been sent home from the hospital with the sad news that there is nothing more they can do, so my in-laws left town Wednesday night heading to California. Our first family Christmas in Georgia will be spent missing them. Then on my side of the family, my Uncle David was hit in the head with 1000 lbs of steel at his job and has a serious brain trauma. The good news he is home but it could months or even years to fully heal from this injury. So if you will, keep our families in your prayers.

On a lighter note I want to take the time to wish everyone and their families a very Merry Christmas!  May all your holiday wishes come true. Don't let the craziness and madness of the holidays get you down. As Jessica would say, don't forget it's Jesus's Birthday too! Yes, there will be a birthday cake for Jesus, compliments of Jessica and Jewel.

Merry Christmas to ALL

FINALLY A FREE WEEKEND!

For the last 20 months our weekends have been spilt between Sage and my parents. See, before I moved here I lived with my parents for six years. It totally worked for us. I was a single mom of three and needed help taking care of the kids while I worked crazy hours. It also helped that my parents are my best friends. I know it sounds unimaginable but it’s very true. We all loved living together in a big house and working together to raise what my mom and I like to refer to as “OUR KIDS”. So when we moved to Georgia it was very difficult getting used to not seeing them every day so we made a pact…to help the kids get used to being away from their grandparents, we promised them that on weekends we don’t have Sage we would go to Maggie Valley. I told my mom it was like her having visitation of us. We have been very faithful about going every two weeks, I feel after all they did for us while I was a single mom, I owe my parents, my kids and myself, to visit them every other weekend. Now Sam and I have fallen in love with their place up there. We all look forward to our visits.  It’s almost like a mini-vacation

Back to the free weekend. My parents spent Thanksgiving with us and stayed through the week. I told the kids we were going to stay home this weekend since Grandma and Pop just left last Sunday.  Of course they yelled we don’t have Sage, we always go when we don’t have her. I said yeah but won’t it be nice to stay home sleep in on Saturday and just have a lazy weekend. So now they are thinking of a million things we could do, places we could go. I’m pretty sure the FREE WEEKEND is gone!  I am sure my husband has plans for the both of us after the kids are asleep. Then the laundry will be sitting there screaming WASH ME! The floors could use a shampoo. The hall closet needs to be cleaned since my husband threw all the empty Christmas boxes in there after we decorated. Then I need to write out Christmas cards, wrap presents, and put the garland and lights around the balcony. Of course, the kids will want to have three meals plus a snack. Mama/Wife’s work is never done. It’s a 24/7 job. I paid my dues for six years as a single mom. I give all single moms the praise! I am very lucky to have found a wonderful man like Sam. He’s can wash laundry, cook, vacuum, sweep, mop, clean bathrooms, fix computers, do homework, make beds, be my best friend, lover, provider, strength. Now only if I can get him to do windows?

Goodbye free weekend!. Hello to what makes my world go around, makes my life complete, and makes me happy inside and out: my beautiful kids and wonderful husband. I will take that any day over a free weekend!!

TIME TO MAKE THE DONUTS

Remember the commercial of the old man getting up early in the morning saying time to make the doughnuts? Think it was Dunkin Donuts, not sure though. Anyway, that’s it what it felt like Friday morning when the alarm went off at 2:30 a.m.  Sam and I did our “Breakfast with Santa” thing Friday morning, which means spending all day Thursday looking through sales papers, going over Christmas list from all four children.  I must add we really have great children who didn’t really ask for outrageous things. Steven wants a PSP, Jewel anything Tinkerbell, Jessica a scooter, Sage a pink Nintendo DS Lite, plus a bag of Dove candy. Once we had the kids’ lists and our list of gifts and stores in line we were all set for “Breakfast with Santa”.  See, on Friday after Thanksgiving our kids have been told we go eat breakfast with Santa, walk around the stores and show him what every kid wants and then give Santa some money to help pay for the toys, feed the elves, and reindeer food of course.

So 2:30 a.m. beep...beep…beep……….Quick shower, sales papers in hand, off to our first stop. JC Penney opened at 4 a.m. and had what I wanted!  Hey, I deserve a little something for getting up that early.  They had my George Foreman grill on sale.  At 3:30 a.m. I dropped Sam off at Target to wait in line for their 6 a.m. opening.  I went to the 4 a.m. opening at JC Penney and was out of there at 4:05 and off to Toys R Us for a 5 a.m. opening.  Got everything there and was out at 5:45 only to rush back to Target to meet Sam who was like 10^th in a line of 200.  All of a sudden the doors open and what a rush. Everyone took off running and I was cheering Sam on. Go baby, run baby, there will be a reward for you tonight if you get there quickly.  By 7 a.m. we had been to JC Penney, Toys R Us, Target and Old Navy.  Finally it was breakfast time--off to Chick Fil A for food and to strategize. Then off to Best Buy and back to Target. We got home around 11:45 a.m. dragging like you wouldn’t believe.

While waiting in line at 4:00 in the morning you meet some strange people, like the girls who just left a club and came to JC Penney just to get a free snow globe. They were probably having the most fun. There was the 50ish man who came from Dawsonville to buy a Christmas tree. Toys R Us was no different: a young couple behind me were in line for a Wii for his 65 year old parents who are addicted to his game. Then on the inside was a lawyer who was getting the Wii for his son.  The funniest part was he was arguing with his wife that they could afford a Wii off sale so what in the hell are we doing here at 5 a.m. I talked with a more reasonable mom who was just trying to give her children and get Christmas and not remortgage her home in the process. I told here we are both guaranteed a room with a view at the nursing home after standing in line for Hannah Montana.

All in all it was well worth the 2:30 a.m. wake up. I know we are going to have a lot of smiling faces on Christmas morning. We have maybe four more things to get and we are totally done shopping and it’s not even December yet!