Happy New Year's Eve

I'm not planning on making many new year's resolutions this year, because somehow I can't ever seem to keep them.....so.....this year I am only going to concentrate on a few....and hopefully I'll make it!

1. Spend more time with my family - I mean Real time......not time with me on my computer saying I'll be there in a minute....but really being there and doing things even if it's just talking.

2. I want to REALLY get to know Corey - pay closer attention to what his eight year old self is thinking and feeling.....instead of me always telling him what he SHOULD be doing or saying. I want to let him be him!

3. I want to SCRAPBOOK - and not always feel like there is so much more I should be doing instead......but enjoying my pictures and my memories.....and not worry about house stuff......

4. I want to spend more time with my friends.....and really being there for them......

5. I want to clean out my house and get rid of stuff that we just don't need or use but somehow I always think we might need it one day.....

6. I WANT TO FIND A JOB!!!!!!

And that's basically it for now......

I hope you all have a great and safe New Year's Eve....and a wonderful 2009

Happy Blogiversary

I wanted to let you know that 2 Bloggers (Finding Normal & John Deere Mom) are coming up on their one-year-Blogiversary soon and they are both offering GREAT give-aways to celebrate. Please check out their sites and their stories, very inspirational........I look forward to reading their updates daily.

Don't forget to register!
Good Luck and I hope somebody I know wins......how awesome would that be?

Christmas

I can't believe Christmas has already come and gone.......our family had a really busy but an extrememly nice Christmas. My step-son TC was able to come home for a few days before Christmas. Brandi, his wife couldn't make it this time because her grandaddy was sick and she ended up going to visit him in Kansas. We missed her but certainly understood.

I went to Corey's Christmas party on Friday the 19th....we made all these chocolate covered peanuts to give all his teachers. Don't they look yummy? Then Corey & I met Colin & TC at Applebees in Franklin for lunch. Ate way too much then tried to do a little shopping with Corey.

Chocolate covered peanuts

Colin's family always does Christmas the weekend before so it worked out really well that TC was here. We went to a family dinner Saturday night at Colin's uncle's house then spent the night and did Christmas with Colin's family on Sunday.

After TC went back to Florida on Monday we went to McArthur Center in Norfolk. Corey agreed to visit with 'Santa' one more year because everybody knows that eight year olds are a little too old to be seen in PUBLIC with Santa....so.......I wanted to make the best of it this year and we love Polar Express so that's why we went there. It was great!

Before finding Santa

It was SO magical

(sorry this is the same picture....I don't know how to get rid of it)

This is my NEW friend. He started out behind us in a 2 hour line but soon told his grandma he wanted to stay with me and she could just go on and wait for him.

Too Cute!

Corey woke up not feeling well on Christmas Eve.....can you Believe that?

I think just a cold.

Even though he didn't feel good we still opened a few presents

I LOVE those little feet

Now You Know....EVERY eight year old boy NEEDS a spotlight of their own!

And a couple of nerf guns!

Corey was really feeling bad by the time it started getting dark.....I felt so bad for him........I recruited my mama to do his part in the Christmas Eve service at church.....we were suppose to do the last candle for the advent candle before communion......he was so sad and we had been practicing our speaking parts...but.....some things can't be helped

After church we all went to my parents for dinner and presents.......

This is TOO cute!

Corey LOVES to help grandma cook

Opening more.....

After opening presents from Grandma & Grandaddy and Uncle Alan & Aunt Sue, Colin & I had one more for him that he did not know about.......

That's right.......His very own cell phone.......

I had wrapped it like 8 times in different size boxes so he couldn't even guess what it was.......

was that mean? Hmmmm???

He already knows more about it than I know about mine

After we cleaned up at grandma's and baked cookies for Santa it was time for bed........It took him like 15 seconds to fall asleep.......Um.......I wonder if the cold medicine had ANYTHING to do with that?

I was amazed that Santa found the EXACT bike he wanted..........

Tony Hawks AND black & silver

And the wii has already worn ME out!

More Santa......

And finally....the Stocking!

I hope all of you you had a great Christmas!

I'm sorry for such a long post.....Aren't you glad I didn't take a picture of EVERY present he opened?

I actually didn't take pictures this year like I usually do but I enjoyed it all more this year.......being on the floor with Corey & experiencing it all with him was priceless and really seeing everyone open their gifts and taking time to enjoy mine.......I guess there has to be some year's like this......

Not the present I was hoping for.....

Well........yesterday came and went and I didn't hear anything from the interview I had had a couple of weeks ago......so.......as I went to bed I was thinking....well......maybe the interview didn't go as well as I thought it had........well......tonight after supper I got the call........NOT AT ALL WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR........he said with the economy like it is he's going to wait it out before opening his business........I told him I totally understood and thanked him for calling........ all while I was falling apart inside..........when I hung up the tears started falling and it was nothing I could do at the moment to get myself together.........Thank God for the suite life of Zack & Cody which kept Corey occupied while I was having my break down........not a pretty sight........

So........... I spent a couple of hours having a GINORMOUS pity party for one........how can one phone call just change everything so fast?..........I'm now back to square one of being un-employed and now not even a hope for anything...........and an 8 year-old that wants everything.........I'm very thankful I've already taken care of Christmas for him........What in the world?.....Now what?.............It's really hard to be my age and to have lost my job and to have to start all over again............no wonder I toss & turn all night........and on top of all that.........I feel an incredible amount of guilt for even worrying about a job anyway........there are so many people out there that have real problems and tragedies..........how can I be so self-centered?????

So..............I'm going to go to bed.......take a 'Big Girl Pill' and stop feeling sorry for myself and trust God and his plan for me and my family..............and remember tomorrow is a new day with a new beginning..........and after Christmas is over I will re-group and get out there and find me a job..........

Sorry for all the whining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Busy, Busy!

Our busy, busy weekend started on Friday.......I sent Corey to school long enough for him to take a spelling test & a math test and I picked him up at 10:30 to go hunting with one of his very best friends......Mr. Richard and Mrs. Ethel Mae......I have been really good friends with them for I guess about 30 years now........(whew.......just another reminder to myself how old I'm getting....ugh!!!) anyway.......this was the first time this season that Corey has been able to go with them........and wouldn't you know it....they saw N-O-T-H-I-N-G........but they did alot of bonding........and alot of talking........can any of you imagine Corey doing alot of talking?.....he is so much like me..........I think he had so much fun that he didn't even think about the fact of not killing his FIRST deer......

Getting ready to go Hunting!

Corey is in the back seat with all the coats and stuff....



Then Saturday, His Cub Scout Pack sold Bar-B-Q and Fried Chicken Plates before, during and after the Jackson Christmas Parade.....Corey stayed home with his daddy and I went to work.......I spooned alot of potatoes on plates that day......whew....I was glad when it was over......although things like that are alot of fun just cutting up & talking & laughing......good medicine for the soul sometimes.............

When I got home Corey was bored, daddy was busy in the shop with a friend that had come over....... so we decided to go to Roanoke Rapids for a while......we did a little shopping, ate supper and did alot of talking.....(imagine that).......we filled each other in on the days events...........I do love talking to him....and fortunately for me he's still at the age where he cares what I'm talking about....on the way we just drove around and looked at Christmas Decorations.......one of my favorite things to do..............


Then......Sunday morning......
We went to Sunday School at our church, Corey gave Mrs. Jayne a Poinsettia and a Willow Tree angel for Christmas......we didn't even know she collected them.......we gave her the little boy holding the gold heart........how appropriate was that?......especially being that he is the ONLY one in his class........they share a really special bond

Mrs. Jayne opening her Angel


Then it was off to Zion Methodist Church, who sponsors our Cub Scout Pack....the boys sang some Christmas songs for the church.......only 10 boys from the pack were able to come but they did a really good job (I thought)

Pack 834

Why did they have the papers all over the place?

After we sang we rushed home to change clothes, grab some lunch and it was off again to a Birthday Party for the afternoon....

So........That was our weekend......Monday was not much better...............I volunteered to work at Corey's school in the Santa Shop all day........the kids were so cute buying gifts for their families and I was so touched just to be a part of it..........it was really special.......AND I took my camera to get pictures of Corey 'shopping'.....but......did not even take one picture......what?????

Happy Tuesday!

Corey's Christmas Program

Last night Grandma, Grandaddy, Corey & I headed to Courtland for Corey's Christmas Program, "Night of Carols"........it was such a great night......the kids all looked great and did such a good job singing......although the gym was SOOOOO hot........Corey started off wearing a red sweater but before the program even started he was taking it off.......why is it so hot this time of year......how can we feel Chrismassy (is that a word?) when it's not cold?....Anyway....I was very proud of him last night!

Corey & Mitchell

Corey & Evan

Why are they looking so GOOFY?

What??????????

Corey & Macy

this is the sweetest picture of Corey I have ever seen

It really shows me why I love him so very much!!!!

Then............

here is the R-E-A-L Corey

I love him too!

Sorry the pics are so dark.....

Too Cute!

What a sweet group of third graders
(Both classes)

I think he's glad it's over!

Cub Scout Den Christmas Party

Friday night we had our Cub Scout Den Christmas Party at Galatia Baptist Church. I became a den Leader in July when our Leader went to another Pack. At the time I thought it can't be so bad but......I'll tell ya.....I had NO IDEA what I was getting myself into. Although it is a tremendous amount of work....with the planning & scheduling.......the Den Meetings....the monthly Pack Meetings......the monthly Leader meetings ........calling all the parents so often to let them all know things and to find out things from them........and all the EXTRA stuff our pack does........I can honestly say I have loved it all.........I have an amazing bunch of boys in my Den.........and spending the time with Corey and getting him involved helping me plan the meetings has been great...........I just hope by May all our boys will have earned their Bear Badges.

We had Christmas Word Searches for the boys to work on as we waited for the rest to get there......was Josh stumped or bored?
We made Christmas ornaments.......

The parents did an amazing job with all the food.......but......as usual the favorite was

the C-A-N-D-Y

These are 5 of my 7 boys in our Den

Are they funny or what?.....or was this just the outcome of way too much candy?

I'll have to admit....... I had planned a Bingo game.....found a Christmas one on the internet......it was a S-A-N-T-A instead of Bingo.....(how festive.....or so I thought).......bought prizes....for everybody (just in case).........printed the cards on green card stock.........and did enough for all the boys and parents......even separated the tokens into zip lock bags for them.......explained to everybody how this was going to be different from regular BINGO......instead of going up or down or diagonally......we were going to make a complete square.......how cool.....everybody was so impressed with all my details........because it is so not me......I am so last minute and unorganized.....

well......the game started..........all was great..........until on about the 5th or 6th number we realized............

ALL THE CARDS WERE THE SAME.......

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!

How did THAT happen?

So.......we all laughed and laughed and got prizes.........I don't think I will be living that one down any time soon!

But.......we all had a really good time!

And HOW did I get to be a Den Leader?????????????

Fire Bug??????

After the Conway Christmas Parade Corey decided he wanted to build a fire and burn some leaves.......
How did HE know where the matches were?

I'm wondering as I'm watching him...."Has he done this before?"

Making me a little nervous......

But.......he is a REAL Cub Scout afterall.......

Needing a few more leaves......

He sure worked hard........

Light at the end of the tunnel

I had a job interview yesterday afternoon that went really, really well. I have a pretty good feeling about it, keeping my fingers crossed. It is something that I have never done before so I know it will definitely be quite a change, but after being in Daycare for 18 years I guess change may be a good thing. When Ahoskie Methodist Daycare closed in May, and after having Little People's University for 15 years, I told everybody I didn't want to do Daycare anymore......I wanted something different.......but I will have to admit I find myself really missing the little ones........and the parents too......well.......some of them not so much (ha)........

I can say I never in a million years would have ever thought I would find myself in the position of not having a job........but.......in April Colin got his news (on a Friday afternoon) that Lee Tractor was closing in a week.......and that same weekend (Sunday afternoon) I got my notice that the Daycare was closing May 30th.........what a devastating feeling.........so many emotions & thoughts & questions.........at our ages.......finding ourselves starting all over.......but......it just goes to show there is a definite plan for us all.........

Colin has since started working with Gay Implement in Seaboard and really enjoys what he's doing...........he's a Salesman in Southampton County, Va.

I have to say I would not have traded this summer with Corey for anything (except maybe the worries)........I have never been able to spend real time with him and he's 8......so it was great!......we did all kinds of 'fun' stuff together..........I think we really got close, I guess I should say closer because we have ALWAYS been close........being a mommy is the BEST job in the world......

These past 6 months have really made me stop & think about what is really important in life.....and it's not the material things.....it's the realtionships......

Sorry for going on & on & on........But say a little prayer for me & the job.......I'll hear from it around the 15th.....Wish me Luck and have a Great Weekend!

New Blogger and so excited!

I am so excited about starting my own Blog......I feel like I already know so many of you through reading your posts on a daily basis. I got started reading blogs through Kelly Clark, one of my very best and dearest friends.......Thank You Kelly!

I am looking forward to making new friends and sharing our lives.