Bipolar Temps

My sister took this picture of me one day.  I didn't think I looked goofy but she just had to sneak in this shot to post on Facebook.  When I caught her I began to feel a bit embarrassed.  Even looking at the picture now, I don't think I look funny.  This is definitely not a style I would want to go out in, or even to the store, but c'mon, it isn't that bad.

I've also come to accept the fact that my body temperature is bipolar.  Very seldom do I feel comfortable; I'm either dripping sweat or shivering cold.  One this day in particular, my teeth were chattering. 

Back to my get-up....  I had a tshirt on and shorts, got chilly and added fuzzy socks and a hoodie.  Makes perfect sense to me :)

PS - That's my new kitchen!

Breanne Turns 21

My sister.... once a complete pain in my side, a pest always wanting in my room, my shadow when I was a teenager, is now 21 years old!  And my best friend :)

Happy Birthday Breanne!  I love you so much!!  You bring so much joy to my life.  Your love for my children is incredible and I know one day I can be the same "second Mom" to your children.  I pray for your prince and I pray for you to see God's will for your life.  You're an outstanding woman, someone to admire and honor.  We were very excited to plan your 21st birthday night out!!

We went to Ad Libs in Deep Elum.  None of us had ever been there so it was a neat experience, definitely somewhere I'd like to go again.  Of course the night can't end at 11:30, especially when you're turning 21!  So we went to a bar across the street.  Then we took her to Sherlock's.

Here's what I learned at Breanne's 21st Birthday Celebration:
I am not 21 anymore,
I'm very certain I lost some of my hearing that night,
Deep Elum just isn't the same anymore,
I still love to have fun and dance!

And of course we took pictures to capture the moments.....

"THE" Video

Courtnie comes home from school, hands me a piece of paper and says, "I do NOT want to watch that video.  I know everything already!"  Of course I knew then what "video" she was talking about but read the letter anyway.  Apparently they have the girls watch the video a year earlier now since they are hitting puberty at an earlier age (this is just so sad to me).  I make sure she really doesn't want to watch the video, sign the letter and have her return it to school the next day.

A few days later I get a call from Courtnie on her teacher's cell phone.  "Mom, please send Mrs. Marks an email saying I want to watch the video.  If I don't watch it, I'll be the ONLY girl in the class.  I want to watch it now!"  I send the email right then (yay for modern technology!).

Later that night we're sitting together with the family at dinner - the 5 of us, Aunt B, my Mom and Grannie.  Courtnie tells us about the video, about how it's called a period because it lasts for a period of time.  She tells us that periods usually last 3-7 days and that you will need to change your pad every 4-6 hours.  We quickly informed her that because she was born into our family, we have longer periods, like 7-14 days, and that you will need to change your pad every hour and maybe even wear a tampon with the pad. 

At this point, Cameron is beyond humiliated.  Courtnie slams her hands on the table and says, "No way!  I listen to you boys talk about balls all the time, you're going to listen about periods!"  No rebuttal was necessary as Cameron knows this is very true.  He agreed, sat back and learned more than he wanted to know about girls.

Our conversation continues about tampons - me and Courtnie, Aunt B, Nanie and Grannie, Dad and both brothers.  If you've ever had a dinner time conversation with the Gautreaux's, you will never know which direction it will take.  We are a very open family and quite possibly a little too open.  I do know this, my kids are very well informed and neither the boys nor Courtnie have any level of curiosity.  They are not modest, they ask questions and they tell things like they are. 

I love them!  I love my family!  And I love dinners together!  We've even ended the night with an hour and a half game of Paper, Rock, Scissors together.  But this dinner conversation just might top them all :)

My Reality....

I read a friend of a friend's blog, yes I do stock random people's blogs don't judge, and loved her new blog post.  We bloggers always write about the happy moments - the pictures of our children's smiling faces, the holidays and joys in life, our new adventures and vacations and maybe even the moments of hardship when prayer is needed from other.

I love blogging!  I love to capture the smiles of my children and write about that happy moment.  I've even caught myself taking a picture with the only intent to use it for a blog.  I love to read other blogs too.  I feel like a part of their lives and with them through trials and joyous moments.

Sometimes blogging makes our lives seem so picture perfect, like we have it all together and every thing is bliss.  But this isn't always the case for myself and probably isn't for anyone.  But we blog about what people will want to read and see.  So to make myself seem more lifelike rather than just another happy blogger with a husband and always cheerful children, here is my reality....

This bed will remain unmade, unless my husband specifically asks me to make the bed.  Now my childrens' beds.... always made first thing in the morning.

This is my closet :)  At some point my dear husband will ask me about the closet.  That's when I know I've let it get too bad and need to get in there and do something about it.  There's laundry that needs to be hung up and clothes and shoes from a "moment" when I couldn't figure out what to wear. 

This is an unfinished project.  It's been there for about a week.  Maybe my husband will bring me home some nails so I can complete it.  Then again, maybe he doesn't want me to put anymore holes in our walls.  Until then....

I look forward to bed times and nap times.  I look forward to sending them outside and telling them to come home at dusk.  Sometimes their voices get on my nerves whether it be from talking, yelling, arguing and even screaming.  Sometimes my voice gets on my nerves from yelling at them!

Dishes get piled after busy nights and you may step on something if the vacuum cleaner insists on not being used.  Junk drawers - everybody's got one!  We've got FOUR!  And surely everyone has a "catch all" in their house.  We have TWO!  One in the kitchen and one near the computer desk.  They attract everything we don't have a place for.

I don't always answer my phone and often times, I forget to call people back.  My reply text messages are short and to the point and my emails get backed up.  I'm a busy mom!!!  And my family is always loved and taken care of.  At the end of the day, I choose to let the little things go undone and spend quality time with my family.

Mother's Day Poem

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

Author: unknown

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her
she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook
("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is setting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse
that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two-year-old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her
that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are...If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.