We love Grandmama & Papaw

Tuesday Blues

Well for starters, we had an AWESOME weekend with Mom & Dad~ The kids were BEYOND excited when they woke up from nap Friday to see 'Grandmama & Papaw'. It was just too too too short.

Maybe that is why I am a little down today? I worked myself up with joy and am just coming down I guess. Tomorrow we are going Trick Or Treating and that should be so fun! We have never done that with the kids...and they have cute Pirate costumes to wear...PROMISE I will post pics on Thurs.

It is SO cold here! This morning when I checked the temp. it was 29 degrees, can you believe that?

I am so excited

My parents are visiting this weekend!! YIPPEE! I just have to clean the house and cook
that lasagna and I will be set.

I am sorry the blogs have been few & far between lately, but I have been super busy. The date night was AWESOME....we need to do that about once a week (I wish!).

Do you have pumpkins and mums yet? We do...and Kevin is already thinking of grotesque ways to carve them.

Have a great day!

A few Random Thoughts

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes are a little bit of Heaven on Earth

I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL NEXT FRIDAY!!!! Mom & Dad are coming!!!

I wish it would get colder.

I have a date tonight...with Mr. Roboto of course! I think I will make him open the car door (well, he does that already....what else can I make him do??)

I wish I was a better friend. I have several REALLY WONDERFUL FRIENDS (You know who you are) that I feel like I contact so little....I need to do better.

Xavier knows who Santa Claus is, but calls him 'Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho' (is he CUTE or what???)

Patton knows what 'punkins' are...and reminds me EVERYTIME we see one (pretty cute too!)

I Heart Exclamation Marks!!!!!!





I hope everyone has an AWESOME weekend! Love you all!

I need a Nanny....and a Cleaner

So today has been a doozy! To start things off, Xavier wouldn't eat breakfast. Not a bite. Not even a nibble...and I JUST got a letter home on Monday reminding all parents that kids NEED to eat before school. SOOOO...I was a bit put out and ended up raising my voice and then he DEFINTELY wouldn't eat.

So I got (yeah me!) to drop Patton off with my Mother-in-law so that I could grocery shop in peace and I STILL didn't make it home to put up the groceries away until after I picked the kids up. YIKES.....2 toddlers and about 50 bags of groceries to carry inside was NOT FUN.

So now, guess who are NOT NAPPING? You got it....BOTH. I feel like pulling my hair out....Xavier has Occupational Therapy in less than 2 hours and he is really a hellion if he doesn't sleep...plus I am in the middle of about 10 loads of laundry and Mr. Roboto wants to know why I don't want to take BOTH to therapy????? I need a break! Thank God I don't work tonight...

Ok....I think I need to clarify!

I went back and read the blog entry I last made and I am thinking I sound just a teeny bit depressed!

Wow....I mean I really DO feel those things, and at that exact moment on Thurs. I meant them....but I am a true woman. SO emotional! WOW again. AND I just want to insert RIGHT HERE...I Love Love Love my family and I know that they love me...but my big question was have I been gone so long that I can no longer be part of their daily lives.

I want to watch a race (did I just say that?) I want to go into ANY restaurant and hear Country Music and order Sweet Tea. I want to drive up to the Mountains. I want to make dinner for my Mom & Dad. I want to stay up late with Squire and watch a documentary. I want to go to Family Reunions. I want my children to sound like they are from NC. I want to 'Go Home'.



In other news, we went to a park today and had a BLAST! I will be posting pics VERY soon!

I'm in a pensive mood

It't one of those days for me. I am typing this while on the verge of not only tears...but serious emotional breakdown.

I have been away from home now for 11 years. REALLY? Yes...it does not seem possible...like only yesterday I was heading to MeiMeis with Mom on a crisp Fall Saturday morning. Maybe it's that it's Fall..I don't know.

I want to be able to go with my Mom to the Mall. Or to get Coffee. I want to sit down and play Rummy with Dad. Talk about music or current events with Squire. None of these things are completely out of reach when I am there...so it's not like it can NEVER happen, but there is a deeper question lingering in my mind.

Have I finally been gone SO long that even my own family does not long for this like I do? My last trip home was like none before it...it was odd. For one thing I was VERY sick....so maybe that is it. I am sure anyone reading this knows just how much I love my family...but Kevin (after holding me during my depressed cries about the trip) said something that shook my world: He said "Chelsea...I..WE (he and kids) ARE your family". Wow..even as I type this I am not quite ready to deal with how I feel about that. TO say I am 'fiercly' protective of my loved ones in NC is to put things mildly. HOWEVER...I am a happily married woman and like it or not we currently reside in OH.

On the horizon for us has always been to move to NC and I still want that to happen. We took this year to keep Xavier enrolled in the programs around here knowing we had the momentum going and wanting to to the BEST for him that we could...but I wonder. Is it too late? Will home ever truly be the same? I know and do not ever doubt the love that is shared between Mom, Dad, Squire & I...butI can't help but to worry. I am a Virgo if ever there was one, LOL. Just ask Mom abou the times they don't answer the phone!

I don't want ANY distance between us....in all the ways that count.


TOLD YOU I WAS IN A PENSIVE MOOD!

Lucky!

There is an AWESOME clothing company called 'Boden'. It is based in the UK and has started to make it's way here...and the clothes are TDF. I ordered Xavier 2 really cool t-shirts from them this summer during a promotion because many mothers on the clothing web-community I go to are always going on and on about them (much like this sentence, LOL!)

Anyway, I love the quality of the shirts...just the softest, thickest knit jersey material and the drum set/guitar are appliqued..so well worth it to me...and let's face it. When you are trying to dress your son as nicely as your daughter...sometimes you have to think outside the box! Especially since my just-turned-3 year old is the size of a 7th grader(not really).

You are wondering where I am going with this, aren't you?

WELL....They have this promotion going right now that if you send them x amount of new addresses that FOR SURE aren't already on their list, you get $5 each! Seriously, after entering all of you reading (I am only 1/2 kidding...don't worry! You will only get catalogs!) I simly went down my street.

You are only supposed to be able to enter 4 at a time...I have done this for 2 months...so I call and GUESS WHAT? I have a $65 credit? I have no idea how this happened!

I also have 10% discount and free shipping card....

SO...I got this for Patton for $1.76. NOT BAD!





In other news...Mom (aka Queen Janis) also has been on a roll this week! Think lottery tickets are in order? LOL

My store closes at 9

NOT 9:20. NOT 9:30. NOT 9:45!

Seriously...people are SO inconsiderate! I (very kindly) asked the 3 ladies if there was anything I could help them with..since "we closed about 5 minutes ago". Now, whether or not they could understand me is a different post altogether...see....we don't speak the same language.

Anyway, finally after closing one door, turning off the music/tv, running reports and intentionally sweeping around them they waltzed up the the register to spent their collective Gymbucks. The problem (beside the afore mentioned language barrier): They wanted to SPLIT the $125 in Gymbuck savings BETWEEN 3 of them. Are you cringing for me yet?

Yes...I had to help them figure up how much each could spend...minus the gymbuck and still help them get about 150 pieces for $41.25 each (insert sarcasm here).



It's just rude in my opinion. Do people just not care about the person working? It happens at our store ALOT and usually by people who conveniently "can't speak English"..(where is Allison when I need her, snicker).

Oh well...in brighter news, there is a cold front coming yeah~ It looks like The X. Man and Baby Squirrel might not have to Trick or Treat in swimsuits after all.


One more pic just cause I think they are so darn cute(especially the tall dark and handsome one in the 'Trucker hat'...Hubba Hubba!)

PUNKINS!

So we went to get a few pumpkins yesterday..my kiddos were beside themselves with excitement! The odd thing is how HOT it is! In the 90's. Is it REALLY October? I have some really cute Fall/Halloween themed clothes for them but are they going to get to wear them??? WHAT IS THE DEAL?

Ok..rant over now.

A few pics

It's been 7 years

I can't seem to wrap my mind around it. 7 years since my sweet baby sister was murdered by a punk who found it necessary to run from the police since he was high. I normally try to not focus on the accident..I mean, we can't bring her back. I try to remember her laugh. Her "Whats up, Dike" Her desire to pick me up EVERYTIME I saw her. "Are you two Sisters? NO....YEESSS!~!" Her smile...laugh. The sound of her voice.


BUT sometimes...It still feels so fresh and raw. My parents, who I love more than anything...have NEVER been remotely the same (who am I kidding...neither have I). There are times I am in absolute despair. I remember the days before she died, life was great! Life is great now, too..but different. SO many things/people are not a part of my life now that were then. It sometimes doesn't seem real.

I am so lucky to have my husband, children, parents and brother still. I KNOW that...but is it so wrong to want her back? The life of our party is gone, so to speak and I don't like it! Brett was wonderful...and I really hope I keep her memory alive and well...

Sorry..I think this post has rambled away from me.

Do me a favor. Spread the word. If you knew Brett....go out today and fnd yourself a Krispy Kreme. Keep the Phat Girl Club alive and kicking!

Oh...


and if you DO drink...don't drive. It's simple.






*~* In Loving Memory of Brett Patton Ford 11/28/80-10/01/2000*~*