Getting ready for Christmas!

WOW! This past month has been pretty exciting! We found a house and have a signed contract! We are very excited about it, but no looking forward to the move. It appears that trying to get my family to move me one more time may be in the not-so-distant future. I know all of you are in the spirit of giving this month, so save some for me the week after Christmas. I will need all the able bodies and strong muscles I can get. I just can't afford the $4500.OO estimate to have movers come load and haul my stuff away. It's a tad bit out of my price range! The house is 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and a 2 car garage with a nice fenced-in backyard complete with a playground! Austin & Cameron will be in new schools which are both within 1 mile of our new house. Austin started this past week and he says it is sooo much better than his other school down here, I think because he doesn't have to wear uniforms now! Cameron will start his preschool on Monday. It is a learning center within a Lutheran church. Since I have been promising Austin a dog for the last 4 years, the first thing out of his mouth when our offer was accepted was "let's go get that dog!" You see, earlier that day we had been to the mall and the SPCA was set up just in time for Christmas and we saw the cutest dogs there. Austin fell in love with one so much that he cried when I said "not right now, we don't have a house yet". Sooooo, away we went to the mall and we now have a cute, lovable shepherd/rotweiler mix named Jake. Austin is doing great taking care of all his doggie business! That was our agreement that he take care of the dog and I pay the vet bills! We went to the mall this weekend to visit Santa. Cameron actually wasn't scared of Santa this year as he had been in previous years. He was very excited to see him. Well, this is getting to be a long post so I'm going to sign off, peace.

Halloween!

Things are going well in the Big D. Cameron is adjusting to his new school and Austin is meeting new friends. He says school is easy, so maybe he will do just fine. Halloween has been fun this year with Cameron. He is Superman - see side photo. He's very excited about it! He has already been to 3 carnivals, 2 at local churches and 1 at the YMCA. Then there is the actual trick or treating! wow! Can't wait for that sugar high! Austin decided to go scary this year, which he thinks is really cool. He says he wants to scare all the trick or treaters that come to the house by standing by the side of the house and run towards them (in the dark) screaming! UGH!

Big D

We are now settled in Dallas at my mother's house. Austin has started school, but recently got strep throat so he is out of school today. Which is alright, since most of the 5th grade went to Sky Ranch for 3 days for a camping trip. Sky Ranch is in East Texas about an hour and a half from Dallas. Unfortunately, we were a litle late getting in on the registration and all the spots were filled and counted for. So, he's sleeping soundly today. Cameron started his new school yesterday and tells me he doesn't want to go. However, it's a private school and there is an indoor swimming pool, a roller skating rink, horses to ride and a great curriculum and staff. He did have fun playing yesterday, but he misses his old "new" school. I have had 2 interviews with 2 school districts here and hopefully will have some news that I have a job soon. It's kinda weird not working, when that's all you've done most of your adult life! I had my 20 year high school reunion this past weekend and had a good time seeing everyone. The men changed the most - they got fatter and balder! Some got a ton of gray hair! Man, I feel old!

na na na na hey hey hey

Well, it's official, no more football. No more TaeKwonDo. The leg has been put out of misery, no just Austin's desire for sports has succombed (did I spell that right?)to his injury. He has been trying to dislocate his knee. He is doing some physical therapy and still using crutches. Tonight he told me that he thought he could walk with the brace and without the crutches. So we'll see how tomorrow at school goes. Cameron is helping Austin by putting ice packs on his knee for him, and then I get the ice pack for my knee, and then he puts the ice pack on his own knee to make it feel better. What a little helper I have!

Well, talk about injuries! Austin injured his right knee again today on the playground. It was pretty swollen so I had to run home and get the brace and crutches from before. He was scheduled to go on a filed trip to Little Rock for World Fest, but I don't think he will make it. Not even sure if he will play this Saturday's football game. Cameron finally got a hair cut so now when he sweats from playing outside, he doesn't get so hot! He was really telling everyone at school about his new hair cut this morning!

Football!

Well 2 losses today, Austin's football team and the Hogs. The Pioneers also lost last night to Newport, so I guess you could consider this a losing weekend. But, Austin had a great game. He made some awesome tackles and even an interception on defense and ran the ball for a number of yards on offense! He played the entire game, defense and offense. But it wasn't enough to beat the other team from Melbourne, who were made up of both 5th & 6th graders. They beat us by a touchdown at the last minute. It turns out that the coach for the other team actually played football with Uncle Justin at Highland. His dad also coached and was a coach at Highland. We'll be ready next weekend when we play Mt. View. Austin is very tired and a little sore this evening. It was 53 degrees tonight when we drove home from PawPaw's. Brrrr!

Change in the weather! It's been beautiful lately! Cameron said it was cold this morning when we left the house to go to school! One more day of school and then the weekend! Austin has his first football game this season on Saturday and he is looking forward to it. However, since he injured his knee last week, his coach does not want him running the ball on Sat, but he might get to play a little defense. Austin was disappointed, but understood that another injury might possibly put him out for the season. I'll post more pictures later, don't always have the camera handy at the opportune moment, but will try harder in the future. And the great event of the day today was that Cameron decided this evening while he was "pooping" that he would pour my Clinique liquid make-up all over the toilet and in it. I might have enough to cover my face tomorrow morning! Good night all...

NO TIME!

Will there ever be enough time in the day to do what is needed? This day is sooo long for me and the boys. To begin with, it's Monday. Don't we all just love Mondays?? After trying to get 2 not-so-morning-persons boys out of the bed, dressed, fed, teeth brushed, lunch & backpacks ready, and then try to look like I tried to brush my hair (after my shower of course), grab something quick to eat from the fridge and haul all of us out the door, then our day starts and we're off to school. Austin is pretty self-sufficient, with a few reminders. I keep forgetting to make him a visual chart, which I'm sure will help his daily routine, once I remember to tell him to read it. He can dress, fix, and feed himself, and make his lunch. Cameron also does his part by putting on the bottom half of his wardrobe. He hasn't figured out how to take off and put on shirts yet. Anyway, after school is over, we pick up Cameron, who has decided lately that biting ( a past behavior that got him almost kicked out of Montessori)is his way of telling others he is mad. This is the 2nd day that he has bit another child in less than a week. Any suggestions for biters? I thought we had passed this behavior after he learned to speak in sentences and use his words rather than actions. Back to Monday routine - we run home to allow Austin to change into Taekwondo (which is in Southside) uniform and get his football pants and cleats that he changes into as we drive from Southside to Cave City (about 20 miles or so) for football practice until almost 8pm. Then we get home, bathe, try to do last minute homework if it hasn't already been completed or have a fight over it because I don't explain it to Austin in terms that he can "get it" and then fall into bed. Eating, oh yeah, it is usually in the car on the road, but at least we're eating together! So, Monday's aren't necessarily blue, just a little long! I will say good night from one tired momma!

So, if anyone out there is seeing this, please let me hear from you. Any ideas on what to change or any ideas to help me are welcome, but please make it worth reading, nothing inappropriate!

My first post

OK, just seeing if I can post something on my own blog. I'm learning this stuff without any help.