Another Chapter...

My health has been an up and down thing for me over the past years becoming increasingly worse over the past seven years and consistently a struggle over the past 7 months.  I am having surgery on May 4th and will be off the grid for a bit.  These are my updates from My Intestinemony :

Here We Go Again

...And Again....

...And Finally....

I am so grateful to have so many friends and family that love us, pray for us, take care of us.  I don't want to worry anyone at all, but also want to keep my status updated.  We are so confident that this surgery will take care of so many problems that have been building over the years.  We are so confident that God has us in His hands.  Thank you so much for all your prayers!

Driven Like None Other

It is such a joy to watch my boys develop their personalities.  It's crazy to me that I have three boys not many years apart, yet they are so entirely different.  Each of them have such endearing qualities and each of them have those qualities that make you want to scream.  This one, however, is my driven child.  I have posted about his determination to ride a bike without training wheels at two or his determination as a baby to not have shots or not sleep thru the night.  If there is a contest or a race before him, JLS plays to win....and win he does.  This child was BORN with determination that I often thought would be the death of me.  However, that determination has turned into one of my favorite parts of his personality.  I love it!

Last week, he came home from school with his Readopoly paper.  The librarian puts on a contest to encourage reading among the kids.  JLS realized it was due in a week and he was only four books away from a Blackout.

JLS:  Der is only one odder kid who has a blackout in da second grade and no one else is close but me.  I have to get a blackout mom!

That was Friday.  So, we determined that on Monday he would go to the library at school and get the remaining required books.  However....it was STAAR testing week and the library was closed.  I asked him why he was so determined to get a Blackout.  "Because I get a twophy!!!"  Of course....highly motivated at all times to get that hardware.  To get recognition.  He loves it!

So, on Tuesday, we went to the public library and found the books he needed.  Two were easy, the other two were longer and I was just hoping he would complete them by Friday.  He also had to write a report on each book.

He finished one book on the way home.  Wrote the report at home.  Started and finished the other book when we got home.  Wrote the report.  Started the third (more difficult book) and went to bed with that one partially read.  I thought that it was possible he could get the remaining one and a half books completed by Thursday so he could write the final report.  But it was going to be a stretch.

When I woke up early on Wednesday am, the kitchen lights were on, but no children.  JLS is the early riser and he wasn't in his bed, so I called his name.  I found that little stinker in the living room reading by flashlight.  "Mom!  I have 3 pages left of my last book!"    WHAT?  "I woke up at 5:30am and knew I needed to get reading if I was going to finish.  I just read them all!"

He came home from school on Cloud 9 because he got the Blackout and all the attention that went with it.  He is so excited for trophy day at the end of the year.

Of course, JBS goes to the same school and I asked him where he was on his list?  "Ah.  I don't care about that list.  I am not doing it."  Please meet highly motivated {above} and never motivated about much....  And I love the heck out of them both.

She is Taking OVER!!

Babe and I were both so excited that this morning was a sleep in and go nowhere kind of morning.  We haven't had a morning like that that we can remember!  Babe actually got up early and worked a bit upstairs and returned to bed.  I am ALWAYS freezing and Babe is ALWAYS hot, so my cold feet always find his.  As I woke up this morning, I felt something really warm on my feet.  As I was more coherent, it was blowing on my feet and it was really hairy.  I rolled over to see what Babe was doing and this is what I saw.

The warm and breathing beast on my feet and UNDER my sheets was Mona!  I sometimes let her sleep on the end of our bed, but not often because I have no place for my feet.  I certainly never let her get on my sheets.  At what point did she a) think this was OK  b) burrow herself under my sheets and snuggle with me?

So I took a picture of her under my sheets asleep.  I wiggled around hoping she would move and I rolled over to doze and listen to the news.

I was in and out with the boys coming and going from our room.  Within an hour I decided to get up. I looked over and those little white-tipped Mona feet were STILL there!

The nerve of that girl.  How does she breathe?  Why does she do this?  What is she thinking?  Why do her feet look so funny sticking out of my sheets?  Why am I OK with this?  Why?

So you know...this is the dog we rescued as an OUTSIDE dog.

Sheets will be changed today!

Wittle Squirrel

I am not a huge fan of squirrels.  In fact, if there is a BB gun close by and I see a squirrel, I would shoot him just to stun him and get him out of my yard.  I don't like squirrels.

Today, however, I was meeting someone and sitting in the back of my car with the tail gate up.  As I sat and waited and BREATHED in the beautiful morning, a little squirrel walk under my car and right out under the trailer hitch.  I know he didn't know I was there because I was in a rare moment of peace and total quiet. :)  I snapped a picture. {right}

I said, "Hello, little squirrel!" And as though we had a moment together, he stopped and looked right at me!  He started at me long enough for me to grab my phone and snap a picture.  Maybe he was telling me to stop shooting is relatives.  I have no idea.  But it was a good long stare and completely in response to my saying, "Hello!" to him.

He was cute....for a moment.

Big Week

It has been a big week of realization for me!  Yesterday, the count down began for Mommy-Willie Days. Today, I hopped in my car after Bible Study and something felt weird.  I looked back and my car was naked and empty.  JBS is 11 years and 3 months old.  This is the first time since JBS was born that there are no car seats in my car.

Yesterday, I realized that WHS was almost 6 and he is still content to ride in a five-point harness car seat.  He is the baby and he knows that's what the baby does.  He isn't even able to push the bottom button to get out.  He sits and waits for me to do it.  For the record, JBS and JLS got in and out of their car seats alone just fine.  WHS likes to have things done for him.

I started thinking how nice it would be to not have a car seat to climb over or to clean up around and under and in between.  So, I told WHS he didn't have to ride in it anymore.  The third seat is smaller and accommodates a little guy without a booster, so that is now his spot.  The next time we got in the car, he was in his car seat.  I reminded him and he was so excited he jumped to the back.  SO,  I officially removed the car seat to expose, cheerios, crumbs, dirt and other unidentifiable things under there.  I have a sweet tennis partner who just had her first child and is getting a new, yet used car seat from WHS!  

Gone are the days.  The Samplers are growing up.  {Sniff.  Sniff}

Mommy-Willie Days

I once heard someone say that the appropriate amount of days for a little one to go to school is directly related to their age.  So..when the boys were one, they went one day.  And oh how glorious that one day was!  I was able to go to my doctor appointments or meetings or do nothing for a few hours once a week.  It was HEAVEN!  All the boys followed this rule...until they got to transition.  All three boys have done Transitional Kindergarten and all for different reasons.   When JBS was in Transition, this little toot on the right was born on his first day of school.  JBS was five, so he went five days a week.  He was TOTALLY ready for it.

JLS made it thru Transition only going 3 ½ days because that half day was when I picked him up to go to Speech...to learn how to EAT.  The most expensive healthy child I have.  He had extreme stubbornness combined with reflux which equalled moderate texture issues and refusal to try anything new.  Oh this child!  That said....he is extremely driven and that determination has served him well in other areas of his life.

WHS is the BABY!  WHS is the youngest of the three at his age.  Meaning, JBS is a January birthday, JLS is a May birthday and WHS is August.  WHS does seem a big younger at this age than the other boys did, but he is!  JBS was 7 months older than WHS when he started Transition.  This little guy will turn 6 on his first day of Kindergarten next school year.  He will be older, but definitely not squeaking by the age limit like he would have been if we started him last year.

This year, every day that he stays home from school is highly anticipated by us both.  It has been dubbed "Mommy-Willie Day."  We always try to do something special, but not always big.  Yesterday we went to Chick-Fil-A and bought new tennis shoes.  These are the reasons why he loves having his own special day!  I looked at that little smile and looked thru my calendar to discover that there are only 7 more Mommy-Willie Days until summer.  And then there will be no more because he will start Kindergarten in the Fall.  When I told him that, his sweet happy face immediately fell.  Then I told him the reason was that he would be in school with JBS and JLS and he lit up again.

I have had children for 11 years now.  It is very difficult to remember what it was like before children.    I do remember when JBS was an infant realizing that if I wanted 3 children, that I would be changing diapers for many many years.  It seemed endless!  And now, here I am.  I am having a countdown to how many days alone I have left with my baby before he starts school.  And I even postponed him a year!  He is such a sweet angel.  I  know he will do well in school for a full week without me.  I cannot fathom the time in the day from drop off to pick up...8 full hours...that I will be alone in the day.  I mean...wow.  That does have a slight ring of excitement, too!  

Hanover Street

I think this post was one of the ones that was not recovered when I lost my blog.  I was sure I posted on Hanover before, but was not able to find it when looking last week.  So now, to catch up on Hanover.

I grew up on a street in Dallas named Hanover.  This block of kids was like none other and we stuck tight...even as we grew up and moved away.  We all agree that our childhood was perfect and we all hold a special place in our hearts for Hanover.  It is fair to say that there aren't many other places that had such a great group of kids.

To start, there were three homes next door to each other with the crux of the neighborhood.  First it was us, with me and Vin.  Then our neighbors who had 3 kids living at home and on the other side of them were 3 more kids...all of us within a few years of each other.  There were other house of kids that came and went, but we were the central part of what made up Hanover.

There were the "big kids" and the "little kids" and middle children automatically were "little kids."  We played every day after school and all day and night in the summer time.  We had clubs and dress up parties and played in our forts.  At night we played Ghost in the Graveyard and Spotlight.  We had lemonade stands and toy sales.  We were together all the time.

I was recently asked how long is the longest friendship that you have?  Without a doubt, it is my friend, Sloane, from Hanover.  I was born on Hanover and so was she...only a year before me.  So even though we didn't know it, our friendship was blossoming from birth.  I am 40 and have had a friend for 40 years!  We all had our own friends at school, as each of us were in different grades, only a year apart from the others.  But we played with each other ALL. THE. TIME.

Back then, no one locked their doors and we paraded in and out of each others houses all day long.  Each house was known for something special and our house had the dress ups.  We even came home once to find Sloane in our house playing dress up! :)  We didn't see ourselves as different families.  We just knew we had three houses to play in.

We celebrated holidays together...trick-or-treating and always the big "day after" candy exchange.  We shared our Christmas gifts and Easter candy, the first 4-5 birthdays of my life weren't with anyone but the neighbor kids.   

Not only did the kids love each other, but the parents had great friends in their neighbors, too.  There was always an egg, always a cup of sugar, or an air conditioned house when one went out.  

The houses that were built in the 30s and 40s are no longer standing, sadly.  There are big monsters in their places.  So much so, it is actually hard to recognize where we once lived.  However...there are still the two trees that we planted when I was little that are 35 years strong now.  There is lots of history on Hanover Street and too many fond memories to count.

What I wouldn't give to see all these friends back together in one place again.  And what fun to have all of our kiddos meet and get to play together like we did when we wore the paths out between our own houses.

Hey Neighbor

This little guy adores....ADORES our next door neighbor.  Heck...we all do.  Rich and Kathye are such amazing neighbors, generous with the boys, fun, friendly, generous all around.  Their kids are out of the house and my boys have latched themselves on to them in more ways than one.

JBS and JLS like to go fishing with Rich, they like to help him in the garage and around the yard.  WHS, adores Mrs. Kathye and begs to go play at her house.  I am sure there are days when she just wants to be alone so I try to keep it to once a week...which isn't easy.  

They just had their first grand baby about a month ago and it is a little boy, so Kathye was pulling out old toys and apparently beefing up her Lego department.    The beauty was that my boys got to build Legos at Mrs. Kathye's house.  They loved it.

Rich is a geologist, but an engineer type.  He has every tool in his garage and will, out of total kindness, see Babe working in the yard and come out to help him...as if he doesn't have 3 of his own acres to take care of.  He helped Babe lay the electric fence for our dog, he secretly swept up our leaves in our yard....and who knows what else that this crazy household hasn't even noticed.

We are so blessed to have Kathye and Rich next door to us.  They are wonderful neighbors to have.   And every Sampler would agree!

Oldies are the Besties!

I grew up with Lysa (on the left) and have been good friends since junior high.  I went to graduate school with Kristen (on the right).  Both girls were and are some of my best friends to date no matter how far apart we live and how crazy our lives are.  These two wonderful worlds collided when Lysa married Jason, who was a fraternity brother of Chad, Kristen's husband.  Do you follow?  So, now they both live in Kansas City and get to see each other WAY more often than I do.  Another dear friend from graduate school was heading to Kansas City so we coordinated a weekend and it was WONDERFUL!!!

Lysa hooked us up with a fabulous night is a darling boutique hotel on the plaza.

Saturday, we met up with Kelly, our other friend from graduate school.

And in the evening, a wonderful meal with the two present husbands:)

We ate, and talked, and ate, and talked and ate......

So much fun to catch up with some of my favorite people...and in the snow to boot! 

God and Family

So proud of both JBS and Babe for being a part of God and Family for the Cub Scouts.  Babe lead the 6 week program with Scott Robertson for a group of about 25 4th grade boys.  When they were done, they received their medal for completion.  Not an easy task!

Way to go boys!

New Uni's

This season the 108's have new uniforms and the boys look sharp.  This little guy is growing up.  He loves to play hard and to win and most importantly he loves to be a part of the big play.  In the outfield,  he usually plays short stop or left center...always ready for a pop fly!  Even more so, I think his favorite thing to do is steal bases and stealing home is the most intense.  

This Sampler is fast and when they send him home, it is rarely an easy run.  It always has this Momma's heart jumping as Speedy Gonzales races the ball home.  Amazingly, he usually wins!

Love him so much.  He may look like he thinks he is cool, but he is one big Momma's boy! ;)

Camping

The first weekend of Spring Break, we met Vin and her family at Tyler State Park for a camping trip. They have their own trailer and we rented a trailer.  Grammy and BD met us, yet they stayed in a hotel. {hmmmm}  We were smart in that we rented the trailer and never towed it :)  They delivered it, set it up and picked it up when our rental was over.  It was a good scenario for us for sure!

Sadly, the weekend started out cold and rainy.  BUT...we still had fun.  It took at least a day for Babe and I to settle into doing nothing at all.  We sat around the fire and read books and snuggled in our blankets.  We watched Vin cook yummy meals and Paulie, Babe and BD mess with keeping the fire going consistently.

The second day warmed up a bit and we hiked around the park and the lake.  It really was pretty.  

Babe and Millie, Paulie's dog, bonding...

Hiking....and some places logs were the only means across the water....

JLS "winning" the scavenger hunt...

JBS and JLS next to a really big tree!

Keeping warm by the fire...

Consumed by smoke...a rare appearance by Chiquita.  She slept most of the weekend away.

Hiking photo op...

Such a strong boy...

There is no place that Big Daddy can't find a way to catch some zzzz's....

A great time.  A lot of work.  I think we should do it again in a big ole RV. :)  Just my opinion.

"New" iPhones for All!

I will just get it out there...I am NOT a fan of my kids having iPhones, phones, computers, laptops, kindles, video games.  I want to go back to the dark ages and play outside in a treehouse.  All.Day.Long.

But, the world is upon us and here we are with all of it.  We had an extra iPhone laying around our house the past year that was discovered and snatched by one of the boys for game purposes.  It does not have service or anything paid for on it.  But, they can use it for games under our wifi. 

Last weekend, we somehow convinced Grammy to get a NEW iPhone (she had the archaic iPhone 4), which left another iPhone available for snatching.  That left ⅔ boys with an iPhone for games.  The sad little 3rd child who didn't know to pounce (i know the feeling) said, "I have ZERO!" and pouted off.  UNTIL...we were outside with our sweet neighbors and the conversation came up.  She said, "WHS, I have at least three old phones in there laying around if you want one!"

You have never seen a happier face.  He went running inside and said to Grammy, "I am only five and I have my own iPhone!!"  Exactly the monster I did not want to create.

So...these are the photos that are now cropping up in my iPhotos.  The life of a five year old with a phone.

A blurry Grammy....

A retarded Mommy...

A blurry cooking Mommy....

A blurry Sally dog...

a Blurry BD.....

An absolutely necessary picture of the dog bone the dog doesn't like...and the toes of the little human snapping the photo.

A surprised (yet normal) BD....

An egg basket...

And his self-proclaimed, "Selfie!!"

Happy Easter!

Last week was a bit nutty with my health and my family scurrying to rescue me...which I hate.  But am so grateful to have family to scurry and rescue me at that.  It made Easter all the more wonderful and SO grateful that I was home with my family on Easter morning.  Wouldn't miss these three handsome toots for the world!

For the last 5-6 years, JBS has gone into a "I hate pink" mode only to resurface this year and ask for a  PINK Easter shirt.  "Real men wear pink" he says.  I have only said that fifty times myself.  Clearly, there is a friend at school who is so bold....

We were up early for eggs and hunting and off to early church.  We were sad that Grammy and BD had to head home before church, but glad to have them their for the fast and furious Sampler Egg Hunt.

Happy Happy Easter!