Stomach flu

Well, it's been a while again. I apologize. The holidays were great. And the kids were spoiled rotten as usual! I got sick this past Friday. All day Saturday I spent the majority of the day either in bed or in the bathroom. I had that stomach bug that's going around. It is AWFUL! I tried to take enough phenergran to keep me out of the bathroom and that made me extremely sleepy. So, Brandon was in full charge of the house and kids! LOL He did a great job actually. There were only a few incidents. The one I thought was so funny was Brax was in the kitchen spinning himself in circles making himself dizzy. You can guess what happened! He got dizzy and fell and hit the kids table knocking it over and busting his nose and lip! I could hear Brandon screaming something about blood so I got out of bed and walked to the kitchen. Brax was bleeding just a little but Daddy was having a fit!! It was quite comical. The next big incident was the boys fighting which is nothing new! They fight and they fight ROUGH. So, I hear both boys crying and Brandon was getting on to them. I got up and the boys were covered in bloody scratches all over their faces, heads, and shoulders. Again there wasn't anything life threatening, so I went back to bed. All in all, everything was pretty good. Brandon to them to one of the sports grills and they had lunch and watched a football game. They all loved that. Not too bad for Dad!! Now, all I'm praying for is that they don't all get it next! Ugh!!!

Our Baby Boys.....

Oh how the years go by, Oh how time can certainly fly. From once just a thought in far away dreams, now into my arms and in my eyes gleam the presence of you. Your laughter and smiles which go on for miles, warms my heart and soul. You're growing up so fast, as I wish each moment with you to last forever. My little boy will someday be a man and right by your side I will forever stand. I will pick up the pieces when you fall, I will hold your hand and help you stand tall. And when the day comes when you are on your own, never feel that you are alone. No matter how near or far apart I am always right there in your heart. Always remember whatever you go through that no matter what, I will always love you.

2 days til Christmas

I haven't posted in over a week! Wow, that's awful. As usual, we've been trying to do the Christmas shopping because like we do EVERY year, we've waited until the last possible minute to buy gifts! LOL We finished it up this past weekend. Thank goodness. And let me just say that the Grapevine Mills mall and Bass Pro Shop were TOTAL CHAOS!!! I couldn't believe how crazy it was. But, it's all done and the presents are wrapped and under the tree now. The boys have been eagerly trying to figure out what each box holds. It's funny because you can overhear conversations between them like "If you'll rip open that end, I'll look and see what it is!" Hilarious considering they're 2 and 5! They shouldn't be so well-organized yet! LOL The only thing left to do is making the cookies for Santa. We always do that on Christmas Eve. Once, that's done, we're set! YEA!!! I have so many emotions this year. I'm super excited because the boys are both so into the whole Santa thing. Of course, I got an early present and it was a GORGEOUS strawberry sapphire and diamond ring! That helped bring a smile to my face. We're in our new home and that's a gift in itself. But, I can't help but feeling that lonliness for my brother. Dangit, I'm still so upset with him. Last year at this time, I couldn't wait for him to be home so his son and my sons could spend Christmas together this year. However, that just wasn't in the cards. It's been 19 days since that night. It's been 21 days since I've talked to him. I'm emotional. But, I'm trying so hard to be strong. This was all his doing. This was his deal. He knew what his actions might bring. And he chose that path anyways. I tell myself that everyday and it still hasn't brought me any comfort. Oh goodness, I could go on and on. I'm not. I love you, Dallas. I think about you daily. I'll miss you Christmas day, little brother. And I'm sorry this is what your life has become. But, I'm going to enjoy Christmas day with my husband and babies. Just know that I'm thinking of you......

Brandon's Christmas Party

We had Brandon's company Christmas party over the weekend. It was really fun. It was Mardi Gras theme so they had the jesters on stilts who were juggling. Of course, there was a ton of beads. They had a casino set up so we could gamble. We had alot of fun. It was nice getting to do something to take my mind of the last week's worth of events. The best part of the night was winning a $200 gift certificate to Bass Pro Shops! Brae has been wanting for him and his daddy to get fishing poles so they could go fishing. We can get those free now! LOL Brandon was super excited about winning that. I was so happy for him. All in all, it was a wonderful night.

"Letting Go"

My best friend shared this with me a while back. I think I've been reading this nearly everyday for the last week. I just wanted to share it.

Letting Go

Author unknown

To "let go" does not mean to stop caring, it means I can't do it for someone else.

To "let go" is not to cut myself off, it's the realization I can't control another.

To "let go" is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To "let go" is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To "let go" is not to try to change or blame another, it's to make the most of myself.

To "let go" is not to care for, but to care about.

To "let go" is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To "let go" is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

To "let go" is not to be in the middle arranging the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their
own destinies.

To "let go" is not to be protective, it's to permit another to face reality.

To "let go" is not to deny, but to accept.

To "let go" it not to nag, scold or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings, and
correct them.

To "let go" is not to adjust everything to my desires but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.

To "let go" is not to criticize and regulate anybody but to try to become what I dream I can be.

To "let go" is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.

To "let go" is to fear less and love more.

Finally Winter!

Well, tonight finally feels like winter! I have lived here in North Texas since November 2007 and I haven't felt like we've had any kind of a winter since then. We had a fireplace in our apartment that we never even got to light because it was never cold enough. The temperature dropped drastically tonight and it even sleeted a little while! YEA! So, Brandon got a roaring fire started in the new fireplace and started a pot of chili. By the time I got home, he had turned on all the Christmas lights and put a pan of cornbread in the oven. YUMMY! I have felt so homey and cozy this evening. I am loving it! It finally feels like Christmas to me. Thanks Babe!

Emotions

I was an emotional basketcase on Friday. I would go from angry to crying at the drop of a hat. It wasn't pretty. Then Saturday, I was pretty much a complete grouch. Brandon tried everything to make me smile. He bought me some new socks with chihuahuas on them because we have 2. Then he took me and the boys to a Christmas carnival. I was still Scrooge. I tried. I really did. But by Sunday, all I wanted was to talk to my brother. I just wanted a chance to hear his side. He knows me well. He knew I would be super angry for a few days then I'd calm down and want to talk to him. So, at 2:19 on Sunday afternoon, the phone rang. It was him. I was relieved, excited, sad, happy....everything all at once. The operator on the phone starts talking to me trying to explain how to either accept or deny the collect call. I listened attentively and couldn't understand the plain English he was speaking! I finally just took a guess and pressed #2. I waited for us to be connected. Then the phone clicked off. WHAT?! I guess in all my emotions, I didn't really pay attention too great. I called my grandmother just bawling. She told me that I needed to press zero. She assured me that when he called her she would let him know to try me again. I waited by the phone all afternoon and most of the night until 10:30pm. But, I never got another phone call from baby brother. I felt like I had really let him down. Can you believe that? After everything that's happened, I felt like I had betrayed him. Crazy. But I was so afraid that he would think I had denied that call. I talked to my aunt this morning and she told me she talked to him last night. She told him what happened and he promised that he'd call me again tonight. Tonight amid supper, homework, baths, and bedtime, I will be carrying the house phone around on my hip so I won't miss his call. And this time I will press zero.....