Friday Night Leftovers

Is it Friday already!? OMG this week went so fast for me. Anyway, here are my leftovers

• I ordered 20 Cleveland Browns tickets today for Nov 7th. I'm surprising Josh this year for his birthday with Tailgating and Browns game with his friends and family instead of just a bonfire. He's been working so hard this year, he really deserves it! Every year he says how great that would be, so this year, he's getting it! BTW, I have no idea how to tell him about it. Any good ideas would be appreciated.
• My house is a mess. No, seriously, a disaster area. There are toys all over the house, the dishwasher needs done and I have two loads of laundry on the couch waiting to be folded. It's been so flipping hot today, though that I can't even begin to do any of it, especially after a day of chasing after 3 little ones.
• Vacation countdown...3 weeks! :D I.CAN'T.WAIT. (and neither can the kids, btw)
• You know what I hate? HYPOCRISY. I hate it like nothing else in this world. Like when someone creates drama out of nothing and then they bitch about other people starting drama just to make themselves look better. I just hate that. Or like when someone tries to make up with them and they say they aren't interested, then they go around saying that they wish that person would make up with them. Or like when someone says that they are a good Christian and they go around saying that anyone who doesnt have a college education is useless or that stay at home moms (and dads) are setting a bad example for their kids because they are lazy and unmotivated. Not very "Christian" is it. Just sayin.
• I bought a winter coat today. It's 98 degrees outside. But it was on sale and I haven't had a winter coat in 2 years that actually fit, plus I had a gift card from my birthday I still haven't used. Totally justified. (also I NEVER buy clothes for myself...hence the 2 years thing).

The runner

Dear Jackson,
Here is a list of times and places when running is appropriate.

• You are being chased by a dog, serial killer, debt collector. Really ANY time you're being chased
• You are on the track team
• Your house is on fire
• Your car is about to explode
• Someone is trying to have sex with you and you are under the age of....40 ;-)

And here is a list of times that your running was not appreciated

• You wanted to see the cows, but your daddy didn't know that...
• You wanted to see Grandmas neighbors backyard while she was playing with your sisters and Dakota
• You wanted to visit your Grandpa and Linda but everyone else was going inside
• You saw something shiny...across the street, while we were at the park

We have definitely had some close calls because of your running, and I would appreciate it if from now on you would take daddy and I seriously when we scream "Jack, stop!". The giggling is cute, but could definitely get dangerous once you get faster than us.

Way back Wednesday

As promised, a WBW post. If you'd like to join in and do one of your own, post 1 to 1,000,000 old family pics, stories, whatever and then just link back to me.

This is Joshs Grandma Shirley, her sister and their Mom in about 1926.

This is a portrait of Shirley that she sent to Bob when they were dating (it was in one of the love letters and then I found an 8X10 of the same photo). I just think it's so gorgeous and I really think that other than her nose, Maria looks a lot like her.

This is not the greatest picture but it is her parents at her and Bobs wedding. Her mom looks so incredibly British here, it just cracks me up.
This is Shirleys Grandfather who has a truly amazing life story that I will share with you all one day. This was probably taken around 1905.

And now, the most amazing one of all. This would be Shirleys Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather who lived from 1688-1769 and was a Reverend in England. I actually got a tear in my eye when I found this. The original is still hanging in the church where he preached.

friday night leftovers

The leftover action is back and I'm getting back into it too.

• Josh hit the old family photo motherload a couple nights ago at his grandma's house. He brought back some of the most beautiful pictures and a year of love letters between his grandparents that brought me to tears more than once. I always knew that their love was real, but wow. And the more I read, the more I see that she and I were a LOT alike. I have an entire letter here that she wrote in 1947, that I EASILY could have written last week (except for all the "shall's"). Anyway, I'm planning on starting my "way-back wednesdays" back up, if people still like them.
• I've been GLUED to ancestry.com for the last week (I got 2 weeks free). I'm trying to get as much out of it as I can because I really don't want to pay for it (yes, I am THAT cheap lol). I've done REALLY well, too and I actually think I'll be "done" (if that's ever possible) by next week.
• My bestie of 20 YEARS (omg, I'm old! I can't believe I've had a friend since I was 6!) came to town and I was soo happy she agreed to meet us at the park on Tuesday. I had already promised the girls we'd go. So it was really nice to catch up with her. If you'd like to follow along with her she just started blogging about her life, hubby, family, IF issues, etc. at www.lifeonwindyhill.blogspot.com
• It's been so un-Godly H.O.T.T. here, that I can't even freaking stand it. Summer is generally not my favorite time of year (it's all the sweating and the feeling dirty all.the.time.), but DEFINITELY not when it's 98 degrees every flippin day. And when we don't have central air, it's downright unbearable. The rain today was supposed to cool it off, but no such luck. "Cooled off" is 84 and HUMID...blargh. Call me when it's fall. THAT is when I'll be back to my happy self again.

Total awesomeness

I don't know about you all, but we had a GREAT 4th of July. Seriously, the best holiday we've had in a long time (IDK if you've noticed but holidays don't really like us/me too much).

Saturday Josh didn't have to work! Yes folks, that's right we got an actual weekend Memorial day weekend AND 4th of July weekend. It was soooo nice. We literally did nothing. It feels like we or Josh always have something to do, so it was really nice to spend the day doing nothing. Then that night the kids and I came in to relax and Josh went up to the farm to help them out baling hay.

Sunday we went over to Joshs moms house and had a really relaxing picnic with all of that side of the family. I got some good info on his grandparents so I can finally start on their side of the genealogy. I've got a really good starting point and they told me I could come over this week and get some pictures and apparantly they have a book with a bunch of info in it. Anyway, we just spent the afternoon hanging out and talking. Then we left there and went to the park we always go to for fireworks and stuff. We got sooo incredibly lucky and actually got a parking spot near where we sat. Granted, we had to drive around 3 times and I had to stand in the spot while Josh came back around, which got some nasty looks, but IDK what we would have done otherwise.

The girls played on the playground

and got their faces painted (I think Sophia's going to be in the paper getting hers done).

and went in the bouncy house and DIDN'T get to ride on a pony because they were only there for 2 hours and they packed up at the speed of light (7:03...."we packed them up at 7"...). Anyway, once they got over that disappointment (and I decided not to be too mad about it) we went and played on another playground and just hung out until the fireworks started. OH and the best part...the people watching. Going to an event like this (where the hoopies come out in full force) really makes us feel better about ourselves. It's times like those when we see how incredibly smart and pretty and classy we really are. Oh and our kids are quite possibly the best in the world (at least it felt that way) LOL. We left with so much self confidence we were almost full of ourselves. Hopefully it'll last until next year...or at least until the fair. ;-)

The fireworks were AH-MAZING as they always are. (however, impossible to get a picture of)

I was soooo incredibly happy listening to the girls giggling and Jack ohh-ing while we watched them. It was a perfect moment in life that I'll always remember. And about 10 minutes into it Sophia stops giggling and she looks at me with a serious look on her face, puts her hand on my arm and says....."mommy...can I have another twizzler". :D It was perfect. It was just so, Pia to be thinking about food at that moment. It was great. And the funniest thing was the end when we were literally throwing everything in the car (including the kids) trying to get out before the crowd starts leaving, because at that point it's just a lost cause and we would just wait until it's all over (like last year). So we finally get in the car after all that and we're sweating and out of breath and laughing so hard and we pull out and Maria says "Mommy, what is wrong with you guys! Why you running all around and being so silly with Daddy!". I said "because, it is a little known fact, that I am, in fact, a silly mommy". She says "No Mommy, I already know you silly".

getting back in the game

OK, I'm quite sure you've all noticed my horrid blogging practices lately. I mean 3 posts in a month? Totally unacceptable! I'm ashamed of myself. Ok, not quite, but I do feel like I need to get back in the game a little bit here. So I'll be trying my hardest to blog 3 times a week, even if it's just something short and sweet, it'll be something.

Fathers day came and went without major event. We moved Josh's mom into her new house that weekend, then we went back over there to help her with some stuff. Then we visited with his dad for a little while. It was difficult because he had to work until about 9:00 so as soon as he got home we got the girls shoes on and headed over. As we were walking over we saw that Josh's brothers wife pulled in with her kids so we had to turn around and go back home. We sat there waiting (keeping the kids up waaaaay past their bedtimes) for them to leave. After a half an hour we finally just decided to go over and completely ignore her. After a little while, she finally got the hint and left. But still, it was almost 10 o'clock so the girls didn't get to bed until after 10:30, which I don't think they've ever done. We were sitting there trying to talk and they were begging to go home and go to bed. So that night Josh and I talked about how maybe we should sit down and talk with them (Travis and Candy) to try to make up. I mean after the things she has said and done, we wont ever be best friends, but the least we could do is try to work through some of it to try to make up. I emailed Josh's brother the next day and 2 days later he sent me an email back that said they have no intention of EVER making up with us. nice. So needless to say when I read the email to Josh he was beyond disappointed in his brother and what he has become since being with that woman.

However, in spite of that, it was still a relaxing weekend and it was great to see a REAL father in action. We are soooo lucky to have Josh. I can't tell him that enough. I'm sure my friends on facebook get sick of hearing it, but I really don't care. We are blessed to have each other and have such love in our home that so many other people don't have. We have chosen to raise our kids differently than I was raised. We shower our kids with love and compliments. We will try to build the bonds between them, instead of forcing them to take sides. And he would never dream of going a year without seeing them. I am so happy to have Josh as my partner in this life. And the kids will grow up knowing how lucky they are to have him as their father.

Last weekend Josh went over and offered to cut down a dead tree in his dads yard because he was worried about someone getting hurt. Branches kept just randomly falling down (and when I say branches, I mean HUGE tree limbs). So that was quite a sight. Every time he would cut a limb down, it would come crashing to the ground into little pieces and the kids would yell over there from our deck "ooooooohh!" lol. It was really cute. They didn't get all the way finished, but probably halfway.