13, THIRTEEN, 1-3, One Three......It stinks any way ya say it.

 I have so much in this house that needs to be done. Mondays are always my cleaning day because the kids have herded off to school. Today it's raining which is a perfect ingredient for a cleaning day. Unfortunately there is no school today. Last Friday was a snow day. That's four straight days of kids. My home and me need a break. My one little nerve is holding on for dear sweet life in anticipation for tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow. I will officially have a 13 year old. A Teenager. I had Peyton when I was 18. We have grown up together. I have been raising babies my entire adult life. This year my resolution was to do something I thought was impossible (and there are many but  I chose only one).  Classes begin a week from today. All a person can do is try, right? 

The weekend was relaxing for a few hours on Saturday. Thankfully there are two Mommy's and two Daddy's in our family. Mike and Lacy entertained the kids while we strolled Bowling Green. 13 is a big year and needed a nice gift. These things take peaceful thinking and what my new found writer/blogger mom likes to call, Mommy Juice.

I found nothing at the book store that screamed "I'm a great gift for a 13 year old" however I found a lot that spoke "I'm a great gift for the Mother of a 13 year old".

I have no idea why I bought every book that spoke to me. Danny is convinced that when classes begin I will have no time do much of anything. I hope it's not as paralyzing as he has made me believe. Maybe it's just a survival tactic he's pulling with me. Ya know, make me think it's going to be a near death experience so I get all pumped up and worried only to find it's much easier than I was prepared for. If that is you plan dear, it's working.

I have been told I am very indecisive and couldn't make a decision on my own if my life depended on it. I am happy to report that this one was made on my own. I may fall flat of my arse but at least I followed through with a choice I made. I have spent the last 2 months worried about who I would tick off. Who would make me feel like less of a parent for going. Honestly I didn't get any weird responses. Only a few concerns from Danny of how I intended to add more to what I already do, and how it would affect us. I think he had a momentary brain fart because he is never here anyway. Hard to be affected if your not present much. That's the life of a truckers wife. Our marriage is 90 percent via telephone. That's a blog for another day tho.

The boys are great. At the present time Zac has a carpet burn on his nose, Evyn has a busted lip from a fall yesterday, Peyton has red swollen bleeding gums because I have to brush his teeth these days (also a blog for another day) and Eli has a goose egg and little gash on the side of his head from a trucking incident. No major injuries this week. Yay.

I guess as some of you may have already noticed I closed the FB down again. I won't go into detail but just know I do not care for Thumpers using my statuses to preach. It was meant for my child and his fantastic doctors and surgeons. Take your testimony's to your church.  And certainly do not degrade any of my friends for their choices. Shame on you. I had my limit of FB back in the Summer but chose to reactivate it because it was such a fantastic way to publish my blogs. I have had my limit of the preaching,  bragging, whining and competing. Geeez people. I refrained too many times to count from asking "who are you trying to fool and how old are you exactly".

This is my life in a shell for the last few days. Shopping, snow, some cleaning and a teenager.
I am positive this huge birthday will result in a drunken blog later this week when it sinks in.

A Baby for my Baby

 What did I get Evyn for his birthday you ask. Well, I am not ashamed to admit I bought him a baby doll with a bottle and a stroller. I am a firm believer that baby dolls make little boys learn to be good Daddy's. In the past I have bought baby dolls to help the boys prepare for the shock of having a new baby in the home. We practice holding them, loving them, rocking them, an we learn where their little soft spots are and that they are "no no's to touch." Don't get bent out of shape on me tho. There will be no new babies in the Smith house in the near future. This was simply a whim. He loves his baby at the moment of these pictures. Later this day he got his foot caught while trying to fold up the stroller and was convinced it was the poor babies fault. Said baby was tossed across the room head first and we had to explain that the baby done nothing wrong and should not have been throw. I think "the talk" went in one ear and out the other.

I must complain about one thing. I am very irritated by the fact Kmart had a whole isle of babies and baby accessories and nothing was boy colors. A couple years ago we bought a baby in blue for Eli when Zackary was due. No blue clothes this time. Only pink, pink or pink. What's up with this people? Pink bottles, pink strollers. Only little girls on the boxes. What are we teaching our young men exactly? That they are only good for driving trucks, tractors and sports cars?

Happy 2nd Birthday to my miracle boy. Before you thumpers try to tell me all babies are miracles maybe you should take a look several post back at Evyn's Thursday. Which reminds me, I will be continuing the Thursdays post now that the new year has reared it's head in what feels like 30 days instead of 12 months.

Eli just simply had to paint on his poor Mommy as well. What the hay.......that's what soap and water are for, right?!

A REAL Top Toys List and The Guard Was Not Required

Every year all the major stores produce their own list of top toys for year. I'm not sure where they pull these stats from but I never  pay mind to them anymore. Usually they are over priced pieces of plastic that are a huge waste of money. I decided to use my 13 years experience as a Mommy to make my own top toys list. Some are old toys and some are a few things I actually just discovered this year and some are not  toys. I have to include a couple electronics since I am rounding the corner of having a teenager in less than a month. They are in no particular order. I think they they are each equally fantastic.

The first is the Aqua Doodle. We have had 4 of these and they are great little inventions. The kids love them. The 2 year old all the way to the 13 year old has been caught playing with these. No batteries. No mess. No noise. Win win.

Next is a trampoline/net. We have also has a few of these. Their only con is they take flight in strong winds. They have gotten less expensive from the first one we had 11 years ago. The nets make them safe for the 2 year old as well. We have had 3 and will have another. If it takes flight we will replace it as well. Love love love them.

Having all boys you won't find barbies or baby dolls on my list but you will find Die Cast toys. The little plastic tractors, trucks, cars, lawn mowers, trailers, ect. are crap even if they say John Deere on the package. Don't waste your money. Always buy die cast and they will have them till they have children of their own.

Next is the Apple iPod. Not exactly a toy for younger ones. My oldest has one and so do I. You must buy a Otter Box for them. They are fragile but these nifty little protective cases make them virtually immune to drops and spills.

The next I just bought for Christmas this year and only have a few hours experience with it. So far I am very impressed. No pieces to keep up with except one little laser type pen. Its called a Glow Crazy. I got Eli a travel one and one to play with at home. Eli and I have taken turns. Amazing little pen and glow paper that sticks to the walls and makes them a huge drawing board.

I also adore the Crayola easels. We have had two of these as well. Wonderful for the little artist in the family.

Sidewalk chalk will be a toy that is always readily available in my home as well as bubbles. We have bubble machines, bubble guns, bubble lawnmowers, ect. Great for all ages and great got getting the family together for photographs. Bubbles are timeless and can even be made at home. I must admit tho, I buy the Gazillion brand bubbles. They are a bit expensive but make THE BEST bubbles ever!!

The last 2 is the Wii and the Xbox 360 Kinect. I can't decide between the two. We have both and they each are great for different things. The Kinect does require much more space to play then the Wii but the Wii still requires the hand held remotes. If you can't have both then depending on the age of your children I'd suggest one or the other. The Wii belongs to our 5 year old and the Kinect is great for the 8 year old and up.

I'd love to hear about your favorite toys as well.

Hope you each had a great Holiday. Ours was great. Breakfast with Santa at Chaney's Dairy Farm was great as always.  My family dinner went off without incident. The National Guard was not called in. Thecompliments on the food and the house made my head so big I barely could fit through the doorways. :)
The house was full of kids and family. I could not have wished for a better couple of days with my tribe.

Tree is already down. I waste no time taking down decor. I thought I'd leave it up a few extra days this year but my OCD would not allow it. It was giving me the shakes. (hahahaha)

No food at all was left over. People took plates home for lunch today as well. When they ask for to go plates it really must be good, right?

We Deep Fried our Turkey and we will never fix one any other way. 14 pound turkey, GONE!

Now that Christmas is over I have 2 important birthdays coming up. Peyton turns 13 and Evyn turns 2. 13 is a bitter pill for us to swallow and Evyn's will be Bitter Sweet as well. My miracle baby boy.

Lots of peace and love to each of you. I hope you are all bubbling over with it as much as us tonight.

Hope you enjoy pictures from our weekend.

If I make it through December I'm demanding a vacation.

Holidays are not good to bloggers. I have NO TIME whatsoever to sit. My days are so long that the second I am in a horizontal position sleep spontaneously occurs.

Christmas shopping is done. I think.

Christmas will be at out home this year. I am stoked to say the least. Lesia and Diane are helping me otherwise I don't think I could pull off dinner for 25ish bodies.

I have dusted, scrubbed, shampooed, mopped,washed, vacuumed, wiped down, wiped off, polished, shined, bleached and even painted three times over. And will two more times since the kids will be home 3 days before this meal takes place.

The boys are great. Except for this whining stage that Zac has entered and its about to drive me insane.

Before I pass out for a couple hours I just wanted to share my menu for Saturday.

Deep Fried Turkey
Pork Loin
Chicken
Dressing
Potatoes
Pintos
Cornbread
Yeast Rolls
Fryed Apples
Brown Gravy
Corn
Cranberry Salad
Chicken n dumplings
Green Beans
Red Velvet Cake
Sweet potato Cobbler
Pineapple Upside Cake
Homemade Custard
Pumpkin Pie
Italian Cream Pie

Saturday morning is Breakfast with Santa at Chaney's Dairy Farm. There are 17 of us attending as a group. We went last year and the boys requested to go again this year.

Tomorrow is parties at school.

If you don't hear from me shortly after Christmas you'd better send in the Guard.

Happy Holidays.

Georgia, you suck!

I have to rant before I explode. I'm going to make it short and to the point.
Danny got pulled over in  Dekalb County,GA in May. When he realized the officer had turned his lights on he did not get off at his exit because apparently cops get rather angry when they are on the side of a exit ramp.
He pulled over just sightly past his exit.
The initail citation was for tinted windows. Luckily for him he also received a ticket for not using the bypass which required him to take the exit that he passed just after the officer flipped his light on.
The ticket for tinted windows was 480.00. It's cheaper to get caught with a prostitute in GA then have tinted windows. Yes, we looked.
The second, for failure to use the bypass was for 280.00.
Both were paid and GA closed the case. They neglected to send the information that it had been resolved to KY and therefore last week Danny's CDL was suspended.
Be advised that if you ever need to speak to a actual person in Dekalb County GA that you are shit out of luck. I have emailed these people 20 times. Danny's company has done the same. I have contacted ever single number in the judicial system. They all tell me the same thing or redirect me to a automated system where I can pay these citations AGAIN and then receive confirmation and have the license reinstated.
I am seriously considering contacting the governor and telling him how bad his state sucks ass!!
I have been advised by someone employed inside the court house there that this is a very common complaint and to avoid waiting a month for this to be resolved that it's best to make the drive and handle it in person. Well, he'd love too IF he had a license. He has decided maybe he should make the drive and do something terrible to get pulled over. THEN maybe he might get a chance to speak to someone inside the courthouse. I'm sure the jail has a number for someone inside the courthouse, right?
Jerks.

Water for Elephants

Two words. Must see.

I know. I know......I never ever watch a movie without first reading the book. So this one is now added to my Santa Wish list.