Mt. Juliet, TN

I have tried countless time to sit and blog this month. Took a well deserved week off the first week of the month and spent it at the House of Mouse….will blog this later when I can give it the honor it deserves.

Last week was a very hectic week at my house. There was an ER visit, a Community report due, a day spent at Vandy, hitting practice, speed school and ball practice, softball booster meeting (which I missed by being at the ER, but I had already prepared the reports) plus all the regular things that happens with three school age children and a full-time working mother, but this is how the week ended. Baylee and her Sox team played ball in Mt. Juliet, TN. This is the first weekend I have not had a wedding to shoot for Gray Photography in about a month so I was able to make the trip. I have never been to the town of Mt. Juliet and I had no idea that when we pulled in to the ballpark this is what we would find.


Hayden spent two days fishing on the banks of this creek. Charles Hunter’s family had their RV and they spent the weekend at the park so we had a nice place to call “home camp”. I was able to sit in a chair in the outfield by the camper and watch the entire game with the best seat in the house while Hayden and Maycee played. The kids and I had a blast playing and being out in the fall sunshine for two days. Some people do not understand how we can be at the ball field for two days or even an entire day, but I can assure you that if we had been home then we would not have gotten to enjoy the sun or each other. I would have missed out on seeing Hayden fishing the creek, and I would have also missed out on seeing him take a fish off the line for one of the girls. I was very proud of my young man. I caught a glimpse of the man that he is going to grow up to be. One that is considerate of others. One that is nice to girls. As a mom I hope that I am raising him to be a courteous young man who opens the doors for ladies and comes to the rescue to a “damsel in distress” whether it is a fish on the line or a flat tire. God blessed me with some awesome memories in Mt. Juliet.



Maycee caught this salamander in the same creek and I finally talked her into letting it go. She really wanted to bring it home with us. I am glad I was able to convince that it needed to stay at its home and not ours.

Sox.....

Baylee and her fellow travel team members have decided to play as the Sox this fall and next spring. They have played as the Gator Girlz, the Kreepers and now the Sox as a tribute to some of their dads who played slow-pitch softball in the 90's and were really quite good playing all over the state of Tennessee.

Rattlesnake – Sonoran Desert

Hayden has been under the weather and missed Tuesday of school. Last year, Hayden and Maycee both had perfect attendance for the entire year. I think that is awesome considering they were in 2nd and Kindergarten. I am just hoping that this is the only day he misses. This is the child that hates the doctor’s office and cannot swallow medicine without throwing up. Needless to say we were at the doctor twice – once when they opened to get an antibiotic and once immediately after lunch when he threw up the first dose of amoxicillin. I gave him the options – 19 more times of that or a quick shot. Smart boy chose the shot that lasted only 13 seconds and we know that because he counted….and we are much better!

I guess I have been in a fog lately because I have thought all week that next Monday was September 17th giving us an extra weekend to prepare a diorama on rattlesnakes in the desert. Last night at roughly 11:00, I (oops – I mean we :) ) finished the project and here it is……I only have two blisters from the glue gun and a complete mess on the kitchen table, countertop and floor…………BUT it is finished and turned in today! Hayden – I so enjoyed spending time with you on this and I think I learned more about the Sonoran Desert than you!

It is official....

I have begun shopping for Christmas. My first gift came in the mail today from one of my most favorite places...Shutterfly.

At this time, they are having a great sale on Christmas cards and photo books. Last year I did not even get to send cards, but THIS YEAR my cards are already designed and on the way to me for safekeeping until December 1.

Hope everyone has a safe and family-filled weekend! We are off to Cullman tomorrow for a little bit of fall softball action with Baylee's 16U team called the Sox.

Four weeks of school under our belt.........

Four weeks into school and……………
this is how someone’s tennis shoes are holding up.

All three of my children are so different……
Baylee – who has more shoes than I do and rarely wears anything but sandals or flats except for softball and speed school where cleats are her normal preferred choice.

Hayden – who takes his shoes off each day and puts them right where he is supposed to.

AND

Maycee – who just lets hers fall off her feet and that is where they land until we start searching the next day for the “lost” shoe….however I am not sure her shoes are going to make it until fall break which is only 5 weeks away.

School is in session......

It is the 2nd week of school at our house and we are getting in a routine. Our routine consists of: rush in the mornings to eat breakfast, rush to get ready, rush to school and rush in the traffic around school which consists of something like Nascar pit stops........then be glad to get work to sit down and work 8 hours......then rush to school to pick up, rush home and clean out backpacks, get homework, cook and eat supper, baths and bedtime........then the "mom" falls in bed exhausted to attempt to recharge for the next day. I totally understand why my mother used to be so ill in the afternoons when we would get home from school and work. I am hoping that it gets better as time goes on and the routine smooths out.

Birthday

Today has been one of the best birthdays ever…. and it is always good to get flowers from your boyfriend!!!! Just want to thank everyone for taking a minute out of their busy day to wish me a happy birthday!