HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BABY BOY

My baby is 4 today. Time sure flies. Here are pictures thru his 4 years. Some have more pics than others, but I made sure to put some in each year. Hope you enjoy!

2003









Easter outfit






First Christmas

More Idol?

This article was online today. Thought ya'll might want to hear about it. (For you Crystal :) )

American Idol appears to be the "show-that-can't-be-stopped." At last week's Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, executives referred to it as the "Death Star" because it consistently destroys the competiton. And few expected that Amercan Idol, now in its six season, would not only maintain its monstrous ratings -- but continue to grow.It's no wonder then that Fox executives are planning on scheduling at least 45 hours of Idol -- and possibly more -- to take full advantage of their ratings powerhouse.
Idol will be used as a powerful lead-in to launch new shows, such as, David E. Kelley's The Wedding Bells, and will hopefully revive barely-breathing shows, such as the Brad Garrett sitcom, 'Til Death.
Competitors have accused the Fox network of "over-milking their cash cow" by adding more hours of Idol to its already-saturated Idol schedule each year. Of course, this criticism comes from networks that think America needs to view Deal or No Deal or CSI Whatever several thousand times a week. Considering the fact that Fox typically remains in last place among broadcast networks when Idol isn't on the schedule, you can't really blame them for pushing their "cash cow" for all it's worth, when it is.Only, I have to ask "How much Idol is too much Idol?" Right now, I'm already dreading the prospect of watching Idol three times in one week, as scheduled in upcoming weeks. And I find their 90-minute episodes to be a bit "too much" already, filled with fluff and commercials (which I'm going to skip on my DVR anyway). And if you really think about it, couldn't we cut the result shows completely, skip the Seacrest-rejection-theatrics, and just find the results posted online somewhere?
Yeah, maybe that wouldn't be any fun. Still, at which point, if any, will you get sick of viewing American Idol?

This came in an e-mail I recieved today. WBTV is a news station in Charlotte (my fav news station :) )

Melissa Greer, a meteorologist with WBTV has a very rare form of cervical cancer and is 5 and half months pregnant. You may have read about her in the (Charlotte)Observer several weeks ago. Anyway, she has worsened. Yesterday, they were going to do a C-section and a hysterectomy when they discovered that the cancer has spread throughout her body. They have reconsidered and decided to wait a week to give the baby a little extra time. The baby only weighs 1 1/2 lbs. Obviously, Melissa and the baby need a miracle. Could we take time and pray now and in the week to come that God would work in this situation for their good and His glory. Thanks so much. We are not only praying for physical healing, but that the Lord Jesus would reveal who He is and offer to Melissa HIS LIVING WATER.

My update.

I have done something to my heel. I don't know what, but it's been hurting. And since I'm having problems with my bunion AGAIN, I have only a little area on my foot that I can walk. Fun, fun. I hope to be able to get an appointment with another foot doctor to see what's going on.

Had a great day with the boys yesterday. Then last night, Ross had a break down! It was CRAZY. I don't know what happened, but it was terrible. Just please remember to keep him in your prayers, plus me to have the patience to deal with everything.

I joined the choir last Sunday night, so this Sunday was the first time singing with them. It was fun.

Tonight, I taught the children how to sign a song. (Yes I wrote sign. Didn't want you to think I mistakenly wrote that instead of sing) I love sign language and am having fun teaching it to them. It's a tough song and they did great learning it.

Thurs is my baby's 4th birthday. I cry a little as the day gets closer. He has grown so fast (which I know we all say). On Thurs, I'll put up a post showing him "grow up". I remember when my dad would put his hand on my head and press down and say "I'm not going to let you grow anymore" I know how he felt now.

OH~~I almost forgot. I made a 90 on my first American History class. The 2 questions I missed were the 2 I wasn't so sure about hehe

I had to leave my Abnormal Psychology class again Thurs.. She was showing the rest of that movie (refer to post on 1-12 "Hola~a bit of randomness" if you forgot what I am talking about) She's nice about it tho. She knew I'd want to leave and gave me a short assignment so I can still get a participation grade.

L has been working CRAZY hours. Last Wed. night, he had to stay the whole night. He came home at 10am. He had to work this whole weekend, has to work tomorrow, and said probably Tues. We never really know how much work he has to do til that day. I just miss having him around :( Oh well. We have to do what we have to do.

Well, I guess that's about it. If not, you'll be the first to know :)

Write ya later.

How many of you?

How many people in the US have your name? howmanyofme.com


Gretchen
There are 47,995 people in the U.S. with the first name Gretchen.
Statistically the 800th most popular first name. (tied with 18 other first names)
More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Gretchen are female.
Names similar to Gretchen:
Margaret

(My last name)
There are 8,819 people in the U.S. with the last name (My last name).
Statistically the 4120th most popular last name. (tied with 24 other last names)

There is only 1 person in the US with my first and last name so I guess that'd be.... ME So cool hehe

Let me know if you do this. I'd love to see other peoples statistics.

Goodness

I went to a circle meeting for church on Mon. night. I've never been in a circle group before and it was cool to be able to go. On Sun., I was telling L that I was going. He said "What do you do? Sit in a circle?" I started laughing....then I realized he was serious! So that made me laugh even harder hehe

Tonight, Ross and Mark were arguing about who was grown up. Here's how that conversation went

M~ I'm a grown up
R~ No you're not!
M~ Yes I am!
R~ You can't drive.
M~ I'm driving my truck right now (has arms up as if driving)
R~ Mommy's a grown up and we're kids. Grown ups tell kids what to do.
M~ Mommy's a grown up cuz she can tell Daddy what to do.

Oh....out of the mouths of babes hehe

Write ya later

More pictures

Here's Mark helping my parents pack up :) He wanted to carry everything!

Even the HEAVY bags hehe

Here's some "buildings" Mark made with his blocks from Christmas

On New Years Eve, I gave Chrissy her Christmas gift~ a wolf footstool. I thought it was so cool.

Our annual New Years Uno game

Chrissy winning a hand hehe

L and Chrissy were dueling it out.

We were at Wal-Mart and Mark wanted to try the weights. Here he is with the 5 lb.

And then 10 lb hehe

Some of my cloud pictures

And my last pictures. Chrissy and I "tried" to make waffles on her waffle maker~ this is what happened.

So we "tried" it on my waffle maker...and again~ this is what happened

Now~ we've NEVER used a waffle maker, so it was a trial run for us. What did we do wrong? We let them heat up; on hers~ we put some Pam on it, on mine~ we didn't.(We ALWAYS have an adventure when we cook together hehe)

Write ya later.

Some pictures

Somewhere around our anniversary, we always get together with my best friend and her hubby. We were married together in a double ceremony at the courthouse. So it's all of our anniversary. :) On Sat. we got together and played games outside since it was so nice. I didn't get any of us playing badminton, but here's us playing horse shoes.



It was men verses women, so here's the men stratigizing.



My best friend's hubby.



Me :)

I decided to get more in front to take better pictures. Well.....a horse shoe goes awry :) (No photographers were hurt in the making of this picture )

L giving her bunny ears with his horse shoe

I was trying to get more distance to my horse shoe :)

Watch the pro hehehe

More pictures to come. I have more pictures to get caught up on.

Write ya later.

Hola~ a bit of randomness

I went to my first Abnormal Psychology class tonight. I think I'll like it. The teacher seems to be good. She's been thru 11 YEARS of school. Goodness. hehe

I did have to walk out of class in the second half. She wanted to show us a movie of how Hollywood depicts the mentally ill. Well, they said GD in it 3 times in 20 mins, so I couldn't stand to watch it. I told the teacher I didn't approve of it being used, and could I leave (after the second time of hearing it). She said yeah, so I did (before I could get back to my desk to leave, they said it again). I just can't stand for that to be used. Why do movie producers think that's "cool" to do? uggg

L's and my anniversary is coming up, the 14th. I'm still trying to figure out something for him. Cutting it close, ain't I?! hehe

Ross is going to start his new medicine this weekend. We'll see how it goes.

I've been going picture crazy lately. I've been in love with taking pictures of the clouds. I'll post some soon. I just love the "fluffiness" of them. :) It's just so amazing to me how they are so pretty. I don't live in an area where I can see the sunrise or sunset, but I do get to see the clouds.

Mark's fourth b-day is the 25th. He knows it too hehe. I got him some Thomas the Train things. My FIL said he got him a Radio Flyer. I haven't seen it, so I don't know if he's talking about the wagon or bicycle.

I guess that's it for now :)

Write ya later.

I got this in my e-mail today. Thought it was great. Click on it to read the caption at the bottom.

School has started

I have started back to school. I am taking Abnormal Psychology on Thursdays and American History II online. I told my mom I was taking Abnormal Psychology and she said "Just study me" hehe.

Well, we went and talked to Ross' neurologist today. She has added another medicine to his schedule. She can't take him off the one he's on and start the other, so he just takes both for right now. UGG another medicine to remember hehe. I am praying this one helps! One bad thing about this medicine is it means having his blood drawn a lot again.

I was invited to join the choir at the church I've been going to. It made me feel good. I was helping with the children's choir (I've been helping lately) and the music they were working on was kinda confusing (with repeats and Codas and things like that). There was 3 other helpers there and they were getting lost and I was just spitting out where everyone was supposed to be. The 3 other helpers were 2 adult choir members and the pianist. They told me after children's choir "You have no excuse to not join since you're able to follow it so good and I was getting lost. Plus I heard ya over there singing." It felt good.

I also ask for your prayers. I really don't want to divulge why right now, but I just ask for support.

Write ya later.

Well what a day

I won't go into the whole long conference, but we still walked away upset a bit.
1~ The teacher said we have never told her the extent of Ross' condition. YES we did. Once at the very beginning of the year (cuz we wanted her to know what was going on with him), at a parent conference before, and various other times when we've asked how he's been.
2~ They knew about the private part incident. I was so stupified that I wish I had asked why they hadn't told us. They had called the other kid's parents, thankfully.
3~ He's been telling the teacher that he was very tired and would go to sleep in the classroom. WELL.....They need to tell us. That tells us that he has had a seizure. His seizures make him very tired.
4~ She has seen changes in Ross and hasn't told us. His mood has been different lately. She questioned it, but still failed to tell us.

We have now asked her to write down things in his agenda book to let us know if he sleeps or if something out of normal for Ross behavior happens. Hopefully this will happen and we can prove to his neurologist that this medicine is NOT working. I can only pray.

Write ya later.

Please pray

At 3:30 today I am having a parent teacher conference with Ross' teacher and I need prayer for my temper. Something else happened today, but I don't have time to tell about it right at this moment. Just keep me in your prayers.

Welcome New Year

I am so looking forward to this new year. I am ready to leave last year behind.

L's and my anniversary is the 14th. It will be 4 years. I can't believe it. Time flies when you're having fun ;). Also, Mark will be turning 4 on the 25th. He has grown up tooo fast!

I am registering for classes tomorrow. I wanna take one at the college and 1 or 2 online. I haven't decided yet.

We are going to go talk to Ross' teacher soon (I hope). We are going to have to explain to them AGAIN what we need to be told. The day that I met up with Staci, Chris, Chloe, and Jess, I get a call that Ross is having a meltdown at school. I had to go get him and bring him back with me at Chick-fil-a. (Sorry again for that Staci) Then we found out that he had had a bad day the day before, but we weren't told. The teacher just thought he was having a bad day. Unfortunately with Ross, we have to take seriously his bad days. We can't just fluff them off. So we weren't happy with that. Then Ross was playing tag with a neighbor boy and the neighbor boy came and told Geri (Ross' step-mother) that Ross was touching him in the privates. Ross then preceded to tell Geri that some boys at school have been doing that to him. What is it with schools these days? Parents tell teachers what to look out for concerning their health and they ignore ya, then they can't even notice that some kids are doing this to others? I understand that you can't watch kids every minute (BELIEVE ME I know that), but from the sound of it, it hasn't happened just once. UGGG

Had to take Ross to have his blood taken today. First time in a long time and he threw a fit, like I thought he would. He screamed and tried to kick the people trying to take the blood. This is more evidence that this new medicine isn't working. He had no control over any of it. The people there were looking at me and Ross as tho Ross was crazy and why wasn't I doing anything. Excuse me for having a son that doesn't like his blood taken! Also I believe he had a seizure in there also. He was tired when we got home and laid down most of the day.

Sorry I sound like I'm griping. I have so many things weighing on me and I had to get a few of them off my chest. Thanks for reading :)

Write ya later.

Me and Staci at Chick-fil-a
Mom was getting tired of me takin her picture, so she did this hehe

My dad, me, my mom, my bestie. Good pic although I look high hehe

Me and my bestie. This is the best pic we have gotten of ourselves.

Trying to get L to smile for the camera. Kinda worked.

L and my dad playing chess

My mom wrapping gifts

An ornament that Ross made for the tree. It's got more color to it, but I couldn't get an angle that would really show it up.

CHRISTmas Day

Mark and his remote control truck

My mom and dad opening gifts

My mom with her new earring holder I made her

Me and my new tool box

Mark sticking out his tougue as he opens his presents :)

I got L his NASCAR monopoly. He has a kooky smile because we weren't supposed to get anything for each other :)

We got the kids a DVD player for their tv set, so they can watch their new DVD's

Ashley and her gel pens

We got Emily a Pirates of the Caribean throw. Can ya tell she was happy?

We had 13 people over for CHRISTmas dinner. VERY crowded in our house, but it went very well. These are my mom and dad and at the table is L with his family.

The Food

The kids playing with Ross' Play-Doh

Hola. Como estan? Sorry. Hi. How are ya'll? hehe

Anyways. Busy busy here as I'm sure everyone else is too. I've been feverishly cleaning my house, although it's not how I wish it was. One year when my parents came to see us, we came home one time finding my mom cleaning the shower, even tho I had just cleaned it. UGG I told my dad today that it's as clean as I'm gonna get it by the time they get here. (I shouldn't have waited til the last minute hehe) He said it'd be OK, that mom's calmed down some. Good :)

I have been debating teaching Mark the whole Santa ordeal. I have had mixed feelings about it. See, my girls are so worried about how many presents Santa would bring or would be upset if they thought Santa didn't bring them enough things. I don't want Mark to do that. I want him to learn the reason for this time of year and want to DO things for people instead of worrying about how much he can get and what Santa will bring. (My parents never did the Santa thing with me. I always knew where my presents came from and didn't believe in him.)

Well Mark made up my mind for me. We went to the mall the other day and Santa's there taking pictures. We were going to Chick-fil-a. We were standing in line and Santa came over to talk to someone in the line beside us. All of a sudden, Mark saw him. He starting screaming bloody murder and wedged himself between the counter and me. The lady at Chick-fil-a asked Santa to leave for a few minutes. After Santa left, Mark was fine. Wellllll, we weren't gone by the time Santa came back. As Santa walked back toward us, Mark notices him again and starts screaming again. He literally DRAGGED me out of the mall. He was soooo spooked. It was the second time this has happened. A day or two before, he went to a CHRISTmas party with his PawPaw and he said that Mark got scared there. I just didn't realized HOW scared! So I guess I don't have to do the Santa thing. I don't think he'll mind either :)

Question for ya~~How old is too old to still be believing in Santa? My daughters are 12 and 10 and I think that's old enough to know the truth. I'm I off base?

Write ya later Hasta luego

Another I pass

I passed my Criminal Justice with a B. Considering how BAD I started the semester out with, I proud of that.

Please pray for Mark. It's the first time he's ever been sick (almost 4 years old, in Jan., and this is the first time he's been sick!), and he is so pitiful :(. He was running a temperature today, had a bad cough, and throat was hurting. I felt so bad for him. He asked me (in a barely audible voice) "Am I sick?" and I said "Yep honey. Sorry." He looked at me and cocked his head and said "Why???" Awww my poor baby. Please pray that his fever will continue to go down and stay down.

Run-down of sicknesses~ Ross~ strep and croup; Emily~sick, high fever; Ashley~ flu; Mark~ don't know what yet. Also pray that L doesn't get any of this!!

I have got soooo many things I need to do before my parents come in town next week. It seems as tho when I get one chore done, three more take it's place! UGGG L finally hung up our fish above the mantle and our aerial photo of our house. I need to take a picture of the fish. Technically, it's not of a real fish, but it looks real :) It's a fish body with an alligator mouth. :) hehe

Hope all is well with everyone in this hectic time of year.

Write ya later.

I passed

I passed my Forensic Psychology class!! YEAH!! I made an A++ :)
Now all I have to do is wait for my Criminal Justice grade. I wish she'd hurry up. I'm going to be starting a Speed Spanish class on Wed. I can't wait.

Tomorrow nite I will be childless. My FIL's fiancee will be taking my 2 boys to a CHRISTmas party, so I will have the house to myself. L said he may be going to Greensboro.

My parents will be here next week. It's funny the little things you miss when you grow up and get out of the house. When I was smaller, I LOVED to help my parents with the CHRISTmas tree. Then as a teen, I did the tree. I wouldn't let them help. As I was decorating the tree this year, I was wishing for my parents to be here to help. That's one reason why our tree isn't completely done. I wanted to have them do some to it too. I can't wait.

I got L a Chris Daughtry CD. I hope it's good. I hid it from myself when I got it and accidentally blamed Mark for doing something with it. I felt bad when I found the CD. I went and apologized to Mark and he hugged me and said "It's OK mommy" AW WWW :)

Ross is better. I forgot to tell ya'll about this. Thurs. I went and picked him up from school. The teacher's assistant told me that Ross had said he wasn't feeling good, but then went out for PE and acted fine. So she didn't want to bother me and call me if he was feeling better. (Yet he had fallen asleep in class) As we get into the Expedition, Ross told me that his teacher said to tell me that if he didn't feel better the next day, to keep him home. I said we'll see. I get him home, help him out of the vehicle, and he was HOTT. I took his temp. and it's 102.1!! I asked if he told the teacher he was feeling hot, and he said yes. He had this big of a temp and they didn't want to BOTHER me? Took him to the doc and he had strep throat! Mon, took him to the doc again and he had the croup. I hope no one else got sick at school since they didn't want to call me! UGGG! School people! They drive me nutz.

Sorry for the rant! At least I put good news in here too :)

Write ya later.

One Word

You can only answer with one word. No explanations.

1. Yourself: amuseable

2. Your spouse: commendable

3. Your hair: growing

4. Your mother: better

5. Your father: talkative

6. Your favorite item: tv

7. Your dream last night: nothing

8. Your favorite drink: tea

9. Your dream car: dream

10. The room you are in: getaway

11. Your ex: son

12. Your fear: losing

13. What you want to be in 10 years: younger

14. Who you hung out with last night: family

15. What you're not: unloyal

16. Muffins: chocolate

17: One of your wish list items: laughter

18: Time: late

19. The last thing you did: kiss

20. What you are wearing: pj's

21. Your favorite weather: warmer

22. Your favorite book: Peretti

23. The last thing you ate: chicken

24. Your life: busy

25. Your mood: tired

26. Your best friend: forever

27. What you're thinking about right now: snoring

28. Your car: heatless

29. What you are doing at the moment (other than the quiz): listening

30. Your summer: hot

31. Your relationship status: working

32. What is on your TV: Courtv

33. What is the weather like: cold!

34. When was the last time you laughed: hour