Remember when we were kids...

And got to go TP'ing (or is it teepeeing?)

So much fun knowing your doing something your not suppose too, trying not to get caught but laughing so hard your sure you will. And everyone had jobs. One had the bushes, one got the car, one got the trees and another got porches or fences.

And then you run as fast as you can!!!

Awww...good memories.

This weekend brought with it another funeral for us. My Great Aunt passed away last week from age and a painful illness. I was really glad that a few weeks ago I had made the trip to go see her and say my goodbyes.

And my aunt was big into family. She had 12 kids! And those kids had LOTS of kids. She left a legacy. 26 grandkids and handfuls of great grandkids.

And she loved to have fun. A big practical jokester. One of the traditions she had with her kids and grandkids was TP'ing. She took each one out at some point in their life or even groups of them and sneak out at all times of night and parade them down to neighbors houses and wreak havoc. Laughing hysterically the whole time. And she had perfected the technique on how to properly throw the roll so you got the most distance, even how to wrap and tuck.
So Friday night before the Funeral, all the siblings (my cousins) got together with their kids and invited my family and my cousins to join them in one last Hoorah TP finale event in her honor!!!
You see, the house she lived in for 30+ years is still there, and her son now lives there for the last 20+ years. So all the neighbors on that street have still lived their and still enjoy the pranks.

So we met at the house armed with rolls and packages of TP and waited for darkness to fall. There must have been 30 of us there. And in true family tradition when "GO" was yelled, we descended on this poor house like a MOB at a rally. The kids had the best fun. I took Austin with me and he has never TP'd before. At first he was hesitant. You know...it's not cool to TP with your mom. But he was having a good time.
We did the house justice and made Aunt Ray proud, I am sure.

My cousin, Jim, who lives in the house now, was prepared for us to come. He had rigged the yards and driveways with fireworks. And was hiding behind the fence. So when someone yelled "GO" to start TP'ing, and we were running across the lawn, off goes these poppers and fireworks scaring the crap out of us!!
Afterwords, we Toasted Aunt Ray with Champagne and the kids lite off fireworks for awhile. We had a great street party going and telling stories of pranks Aunt Ray would pull on the neighbors.

I had a great time, and I got to meet allot of cousins I had not met before. Our family is so huge. Literally in the hundreds. You can't go to college in town, grocery store, bank, work a job with out running into someone wanting to know if your related too or know someone...Our name is everywhere!

Thanks Cousin's for including me and letting us share in your memories of your mom. It was priceless!
And whatever you do...don't sit down on the job!

XOXO

Easter Eggs...

It was time to pull out the hard boiled eggs and color them for Easter. It was a much different Easter this year. This was the first Holiday when Austin "knew" the truth about the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. So he wanted nothing to do with it. Didn't want to color the eggs. Didn't want to hunt for the eggs. Didn't want to open his Easter Basket.

So we tried to keep it fun and happy for Emily who still of course believes in it all!

She was so excited. She had opened the dye packages 6+ hours early and had it set up on the table. She kept asking me every 5 minutes for said 6+ hours if it was time for the eggs yet. She grabbed an egg and plopped it in every color cup before we could blink. I think she was just a little excited. So I explained to her that she could mix colors, make designs, write on the eggs, stickers, etc. and she got very thoughtful...Doesn't he look SO excited to be doing this?Please don't mind my messy kitchen. I had been baking and cooking for 12+ hours straight on new PW recipes to take to Easter at my parents house the next day and I was exhausted. The finished project!

Now...time to put them away and wait for the Easter Bunny!

XOXO

It's BASEBALL time...

So you all know my pain of Austin trying to decide if he was going to play or not this year. It meant moving up into the Juniors Division. High School age. Bigger field means 90ft bases instead of 70ft. Farther to pitch and throw. Tougher competition. New rules. Allot of "New" was scaring him. But with a little push, he decided to do it.

And let me just say...does this look like a kid who isn't enjoying himselfDoes this look like he was "forced" into playing?

He's having a blast! Met some new friends. Learning new things. Big Barrel Bats now. First String First Baseman.
He hasn't had any huge hits yet like last year, but he's never hit with a big barrel either. So it takes some getting use too.

But man, oh man, is he loving his role at first base! He is a key player now. 40% of the play and outs are at first base. And he is getting them out! :o)

I am very proud of Austin for staying with it and getting past his fear of the unknown to find his passion in it. He's even talking about playing High School Ball next year! :o)

XOXO

To Tell or Not To Tell...

Remember this? It's been way too long since I visited this haunt of telling on myself for the past week. So join me as I throw myself under the bus...

*I am super happy and excited that Emily is eating again! And even more excited that my plan to hide medicine in ice cream sandwiches is working and she hasn't even asked why I let her have them 3x a day! (I cut them in half people, sheesh!)

*I did have to let Emily's jeans out one button on each side!

*I am secretly wishing I could take my jeans IN one button on each side. :o)

*I did have a houseful of boys all weekend and did not cook ONCE!

*I did NOT eat the left over Easter Candy that did not fit in the baskets and hide the rest from Hubby.

*I did finally wash my car and scrub the rims with 6 mos of rain, mud and brake dust on it.

*I was a little (alright a lot) mad when it rained 2 days later.

*I did NOT go 4Wheeling in my little Honda Accord and get stuck in mud up to the doors.

*I am getting a little enjoyment that you are all curious as to my 4Wheeling story now. :o)

*I did NOT have secret thoughts for hubby to go back to work soon and not be home ill because it's invading on my "ME" time.

*I did secretly wish for a Money Tree to grow in my yard.

*I may have silently grinned when hubby said something wouldn't work and I said it would and it did!!!

*I just may or may not have taken a nap yesterday.

*I am very proud of Austin for stepping up to the plate on a challenge I gave him and the outcome was life changing!

*I may or may not have enjoyed the side effects of Emily's medication ~ it makes her very sleepy and many naps have been had in the last week and early bed times....awwww....quiet!

*I may have changed my hair color...jury is still out.

*I may be boycotting Pioneer Woman's website because I never win her prizes and I've been a follower since 2007, and all these people are hopping on the bandwagon and winning and it's not fair! (yes, i stomped my foot)

*I have not whined AT ALL this week...but then again, it's only Tuesday...

So there ya have it. All my sins out in the open. So join along and copy the logo and confess all your sins you may or may not have done. That is...if you are brave enough for the challenge! Muahahaha...

XOXO

Happy Monday Humor...

First Sacrament time...

I am super proud of Emily as she just completed her first Sacrament at Church last week. She has been going to classes every week in the evening, and completed a retreat and did community fundraising. So on March 26 we got dressed up and watched her complete her First Reconciliation (Confession). It is the first step in her completing her journey of becoming Catholic. It is pretty ironic considering this year Austin will be completing his LAST Sacrament into the Church.

She was so nervous, and her wonderful teachers know about her "specialness" and worked with her and us to make this a very positive experience for her. They "forwarned" the priest and let her write down her "sins" and draw pictures. She then gave the priest her papers. Emily does not speak to anyone she does not know, so we knew being somewhere new, with a stranger that she would not talk. So this worked out great! She came out all smiles! She then got to go up on the altar and receive a wooden cross necklace from her teachers, light a candle and stand before the banner she helped make. She was all smiles!

She informed us she "accidentally" cut her hair off! Love the polka dot legs!

So you may ask yourself, at this young age, do they really understand what a "Sin" is? Because I did. I asked that question. But when I was speaking with Emily about what sins she wanted to write down, she absolutely understood right from wrong. Without divulging her sins (should she one day grow up and read this tiny blog), she knew when she had hurt feelings, been mean and so on. I know there are allot of mixed feelings out there about religion and especially the Catholic Church. But the church that it is now, and the one I grew up in are very different. They have changed their ways allot, and everything is out in the open so to speak. I feel it is important for my children to be grounded. To have something to fall back on when this cruel world unleashes the nastiness that hurts. That they can pull from the strength and love of the church and knowing God. By no means are we perfect Catholics. We don't make mass every Sunday. But we go when it's important, and we still practice the faith at home with grace before dinner and prayers before bed. And to me, I believe that as long as God knows you love him and have not forgotten him, he will forgive us for missing a Sunday service now and then. At least, that's what I'm praying for! ;o)

XOXO

Time for a new look...

Spring is here and that means a new face lift! Darn it, only the blog gets one and not me. :o(

I love spring! Capri's, shorts, short sleeved shirts, flip flops, pedicures and shaved legs! (You know your all laughing now!) How many of ya don't shave as often in the winter? I know I cut back (no pun intended) allot! It's such a pain to shave legs! Who has time? Seriously...they need to invent a permanent solution to it that doesn't cost thousands like laser.

So new blog look (and hoping my dear friend has pity on my banner and makes me a new one ;o)) and I bought new clothes and new shoes, new color in hair and time for a new me!

So stay tuned for my plans...
XOXO

Spring...

Has officially Sprung!!!

XOXO