Just a few ramblings

This week has been another great week. We were blessed with rain that we have desperately needed. The storms here were GREAT! Not to overwhelming, but enough to where you could hear them, and sleep soundly with them... or at least I did. My littlest of loves did not sleep so soundly. That afternoon when the storms started to come in it was obvious that he was not fan. I opened the window (before the rain) so that we could hear the thunder better, and he panicked. So down the window went and he sat VERY close to me and shook each time a thunder came. He kept asking me to take him to daddy's work. Bless his heart.

So that night, it got a little intense and he was awoken by the storms. As most of you know I sleep in the room with the boys. I heard him get up and head toward the living room (which is where Matt sleeps). I heard him knock over a few things on the way there, and then heard him crying by the time he got there. So I was getting up to go and check, and Matt was bringing him to me. So moved Mason to the lower bunk and put Micah up top with me. Although it was heartbreaking seeing him so afraid, I could not have been more blessed by his cuddling. More like LAYING ON TOP OF ME. :) He was RIGHT next to with his face pushed up against mine, and it was GREAT!

The next morning he talked to us about it and he told us he closed his eyes like this ---->

Ha, he is a cutie. Don't mind the peanut butter face. :)

Ok, so this week (Wednesday) was the annual "If the shoe fits buy it" day. This day was created by a wonderful camp friend, Mindy in honor of her mom known to me as "Nurse Georgia". Georgia was one of the nurses at the Summer Camp Matt and I worked at the summer of 2003. Georgia has since passed away, and Mindy (her daughter) has created this day in her memory. Nurse Georgia LOVED shoes, so the object of this day is to carry that love on by way of purchasing for yourself, someone else, or by donating.

This is my 3rd year to participate. The 1st year I participated I bought a pair of solid black flats, last year I bought a pair of black and silver sparkly flats (which I still have both and wear VERY often).. I am not one who buys shoes that often. I'd love to, but I'd rather my kids eat! :) This year I splurged. This year my purchase was my 1st ever pair of TOMS. I am pretty stoked about them! This particular company donates pair of shoes to a child in need with every purchase. I also hear they are quite comfy! I can't wait! I'm sure Georgia would have loved them as well!

This week was a short one for Mason as far as school goes. He only went Monday-Wednesday. It's Fair week! Yay for fair week! Wednesday, this past week was their 100th day of school!! What a milestone for such a little guy! They made these sweet hats, and had a banana and 2 powdered doughnuts for snack. I have sure enjoyed having him here. It is so nice to go to bed late, wake up next to him and get to love on him. He is uber lovey dovey in the morning. Well, the mornings that he is not being made to wake up. :) This week I also received a gift from Channa, a teacher friend of mine from Abbott... A plastic cup with the plastic Straw.. Yes, the big ones... I love it!

OH... BIG wonderful news I almost forgot about!! Some of you know, most probably not... but My grandparents (dad's parents) passed away both over 2 years ago. At the time they passed they had 2 houses. One known as the Gholson House ( on Gholson Rd) and a China Spring house. My love for the Gholson house goes WAY back, and the memories I have there are irreplaceable. I was so upset when my grandparents had decided to move to the China Spring house, I can remember crying for a long time. I was SO upset.

Anyhow, since the death of my grandparents, my dad has had ALOT of work done to the Gholson house because it was in BAD shape after my grandma had rented it to some who did not take care of it AT ALL! :( It was heartbreaking to see how awful it had looked compared to the memories I have of it.

So, after my dad had fixed it up he had planned to sell it... :( This just broke me... I had and have no say in this matter, so just to watch it be sold to someone and me or my kids ( my grandpaarents grandaugher and great grandchildren) never have the chance to make memories in it again was very sad to me.

Well this week my dad called and told me that they are going to be moving into the Gholson HOUSE!!! I am so excited! SO excited! To think that it is still in our family, that my boys will be able to make memories there just as I did makes me SO HAPPY! I only hope that this does in fact go through, and he stays there for a LONG, LONG time! I have been praying in regards to this house for about 2 years now, and this is an answered prayer. I will surely keep praying though!

Ok, well I have not taken or decided on a picture for this weeks theme of "Imperfection". I have until tomorrow. I better get after it! :)

I think that is about it for now. I will leave with a few funnies from this week.

Mason & I's conversation

Mason: Why do we have princess books?

Me: Because we need to have books for everybody

Mason: Well, princesses are for girls.

Me: Well, you better get to liking them because you will have to marry one one day.

Mason: Then I will have to live with her.

Me: Yep

Mason: And you won't live with me

Me: No

Mason: But I want you to live with me

Me: OK!! :)

Micah and I in the car waiting for Mason - He's looking at Matt's fishing worms

Me: Don't open those, they are stinky

Micah: yeah, they might make my tootsie come out.

Here are some extra pictures from this week.

He managed to color himself with marker while I was getting gas!

In this one we had been playing at the park, and Micah slid down a slide with water at the end of it. I had to make a cover up for his undies :)

January in Texas

This week has been nothing short of Amazing in terms of the weather. 60's - 70's during the day this week. It has been beautiful. I know there are many who are wishing for the cold weather, but I am pleased with what we are currently being blessed with.

The boys and I were able to get out Friday and goof around outside for quite a while. I cut both the boys' hair first, then let them run wild in their undies... every mans dream. :)

Mason had a great week until Friday. Well, Monday I forgot to send his folder to school. So right when he got in the car he said "I got a sad face" "but I didn't do anything". He then told me that I had not put his folder in his bag, which led him to not get a sticker that day. We had just talked over the weekend about how he had 9 stickers and Monday he would get to get his 10th if he had a good day.

I. felt. awful. Oh my goodness. When he began telling me that he could not get his 10th sticker he just began to cry uncontrollably. When they get 10 stickers they are able to pick out something from the treasure chest. This particular day his teacher had disc shooters to hand out for those who had completed their sticker chart. Mason was completely devastated that he was not able to get the disc shooter that day. I of course apologized to him multiple times, and told him that it was ok because it was Mommy's fault. That sweet little boy said "It's ok mommy, it's not your fault". Poor guy, he was heart broken!! Needless to say as soon as I got home that day I put the folder in the bag, and I do not plan to EVER forget it again!! :-/

Ok, so back to Friday. The teacher had told me when I picked him up that he had to sit for a little bit during center time because she had asked him many times before then, and also that day to not play fight or pretend to kill people. I'm torn with this as far as handling it. I completely agree with the teacher for sitting him out, and that it should not be allowed at school. Completely Agree. My dilemma is at home. Mason LOVES to watch and act out avengers.. Super Heroes. In the Avenger episodes the Super Heroes kill the bad guys... harmless, I think. However, since he does not need to be doing this at school, I am unsure was to allow him to watch it at home. Or if I should not allow him to pretend to "kill" people at home. I have always told him when he is playing with his Nerf guns to not point them right at people, and also to not say that he is going to kill people. That part has always been a NO NO. As far as when he plays with his action figures though, the Avengers, I do not get on to him when he uses the good guy to knock over the bad guy and says "stay away or we'll kill you." Maybe I should. Matt says' "He's just a boy, he's doing boy things" I agree, but then there is the you can do it here, but you can't there issue. Anyhow, I'm just blabbering... Enough about that. For now I have explained to him that he CANNOT play that way at school, so I sure hope he understands it.

Monday I was able to got and watch Jacob play basketball. :) Which means I also got to love on the Driessners! :) Makes me wish I had signed Mason up, but I'm not sure he would care to much about it. With Matt's schedule, (never home before 6 and 2 games a week - Home by 9-10 or so) Marc's Schedule ( 2 games a week and practice that ends between 4:30-5:30), and my picture schedule (completely random at the moment) I just wasn't sure we could get to practices/games. Also, like I said, he does not show much interest in it, but cannot stop asking about T-Ball. :-)

Matt only had one game this week, Friday, and they didn't win. :( Boo.

Marc and the team he plays on Aquilla, won both of their games this week. Yay

Ok, for my photo for the 3rd week of the My Four Hens "Project 52". The theme for this week was "Inspiration."

I chose this photo because these boys are my inspiration to do so many things! To be a better Christian Woman, a better Wife, a better Mother, a better Friend, a better Photographer, and so much more. They are amazing, and I am inspired by them!

Well, this week I can't really think of any funnies, and I have YET to write them down... goodness. I do remember one last week that I forgot to mention. This is R rated. :)

Just after Mason had used the bathroom he had asked if I would wipe his hiney... Yes I still do on occasion. He of course can on his own, but hey... I'm his mommy and I'll do whatever I need to. :)

So he usually bends over and sticks his head between my legs with his hiney there for me to wipe... well I had him just turn around and I did it that way he then says

Mason: " Mommy!! I wanted to get in your pants"

See... R rated!

Then just a minute ago Micah had ate a chip that Matt had, then Matt ended up finishing them. Micah was not happy about this he said

Micah: "My tummy is mad" ha.

This is a picture of him sitting close to me playing a game with my phone. ---->

Ok, that's all for this week. I will try to write down the funnies and keep you posted more often!

Hope you have a blessed Sunday tomorrow and a wonderful week to come!

Side Note: When I type this I promise I have spaces between my paragraphs, but for some reason it just does not do it on the final draft.

"Give us Rest" - DC*B

This week was a quick one for me. Or it could be that I posted already once this week, so that kind of makes it feel like it has gone faster than what it did.

This week was a pretty good one for us, minus that first day... Monday... eh, not the best, but we were blessed to see Tuesday. Which leads me to "Give us Rest" the latest, and LAST album released by the David Crowder Band. these. guys. are. phenomenal. In all aspects of the word!!! Phenomenal song writers, phenomenal people, phenomenal musicians... phenomenal! Whether Christian be your taste of music or not, they meet the needs of those who Love God, those who need God, and those who do not know of God, but just want to listen to good music (which of course you can love God or Need go and still love good music) :).

Matt and I started attending UBC (University Baptist Church - Home of the DC*B) in 2003. At this particular time we were not attending there each Sunday. Matt and I both were still in Stephenville, and the 1.5 commute each Sunday was tricky. Then that summer (of 2003) we left there to work at a Summer Camp in Ingram, TX (just beside Kerville) so that summer we were not there either. The following school year we began attending pretty regularly. In 2005 we were married there at the church, lived in Waco and were proud to be UBCers. :) Being blessed in a way to have an ultimate worship service each Sunday that the guys were there was amazing, the fill in band was amazingly awesome as well. It was wonderful to grow with these guys and their music throughout the years! As a church, UBC faced birth, death, life, happiness and sadness. Facing these trials with such men of God was a time that Matt and I will never forget!! We welcomed Mason into that church (at just 12 days old was his first day) :), we dedicated Mason to that church, and enjoyed being able to be a part of it!

In 2006 we moved from Waco back to the home I was raised in, and continued attending UBC. Then 2008 we moved to the house we live in now, and at that point for financial reasons at the time were not able to make the drive each Sunday. Believe me when I tell you WE MISSED IT! We still miss it.

When the band made the announcement that they would be putting out their last album, and taking part in their last tour I was heart broken. Then when thinking about the wives, and now children that were being born into the band, the broken heart was happy! :) These guys have been making music for over 10 years now. 10 years ago they were college students, even still in High School for one I think... who knew then what they would be now! I know David didn't and he speaks of that. Now however, with children and wives being home a majority of the year without them, they have decided to come to an end. I am so excited for their wives and for the little babies! What a joy to have them back! I am sure a mix of emotions for them all!

Wow!! Well, it has been a wonderful run for them, and I am glad to see it in on such a positive Album! I will cherish it for sure! --- Now If I could just get a chance to LISTEN to it..haha.

Ok, so this week I spent the afternoons with Matt and the girls that he coaches, playing basketball. Man... makes you miss it for sure. I wonder if any college teams need a 27 year old momma of 2 on their team?? ahha

Micah had another random sickness. If you can even call it that.. I just think he had an upset tummy and throwing up made it all better. He was up about 4:30 am telling me his belly hurt, and just kept wanting "fresh" water. Which let me tell you, bottled water that is room temperature is NOT fresh water... Did you know that? Fresh water is cold water. It can be 2 month old water that has been sitting on the shelf and you add ice to it... magically you have Fresh Water!!! So I was up and down with him until about 6 when he was finally able to get sick. All that "fresh water" went straight to the toilet. He was fine the rest of that day, ran like crazy, and has been fine since.

Mason spent the night with the Grands last night (Matt's Parents). He enjoyed that for sure... time away from Micah with the attention payed only to him.... a 5 year old's dream.

We had dinner tonight with the grands, and now the boys are tucked away in bed, and I am here watching the Mavs... GO MAVS! Sheesh...

Ok, for my Project 52 that I am taking part in with many others. One hosted by My Four Hens Photography... This week the theme is "Life" I had ultimately planned to take a picture of the boys during the week being their crazy, chaotic selves, but just didn't get it. We didn't spend alot of time here at the house this week. Excuses.. I know. I'll do better!

So anyhow, I picked an image that I had taken this past year during the birth of my dear friends daughter. It was the first moment she held her baby girl, and "Life" changed for them all that VERY moment. It is not the best in terms of quality (a little grainy) or in focus (out of focus pretty much) but life is sometimes a "little grainy" and "out of focus" if you will... I just love it!

I am loving this project (only 2 weeks in) but I just can't wait until Sunday when she posts the "theme" for that week.. keeps my mind going all week and I am constantly looking for a picture to take.

Just a Monday

Well today was a nice day...NOT - or that's how I could see it I guess. Cold, rainy, late start to the morning.

In all honesty, I LOVE the rain, and having two little boys to enjoy it with sure makes it nicer!

So, last night..

I went to bed, or should I say got in bed at about 8pm last night... yes I rock! However, I did not go to sleep until about 10ish or so, dang Pinterest, Groupon, Facebook, Zulily, Woot, Hanging with friends...Man, I have a problem. That I guess could be another blog post.

Anyhow, woke up having to use the POTTY, and then back to sleep I guess about 10:30... So still not too shabby.

Matt was still up playing video games and our nephew was still up as well, when his bed time is 10, so that is never good.

So today Matt and the boys didn't get away as early as they usually do. Me telling Marc to get up at almost 7:40 and him not getting in the shower until 7:55 is not my idea of a good start. But, hey.. they got out the door, and everyone was on time! Praise God!

Micah and I went back to sleep. I was surely grateful for this as well as he sure was perky when he told me he wanted to stay up with me when I was getting Mason ready. Once we got up, about 9:30 or so I got us ready and we headed out the door to get to the grocery store before going to get Mason. Today was the day that the Nestle (Ozarka) man was coming to set up our water dispenser.... We are basically trying to save the world... No more plastic bottles for the Hejl house. Oh, and yes.. there is a water dispenser on our fridge, the water tastes like a swimming pool, so I object!

So, anyhow... back to our perfect day... Got home from getting Mason and putting away the groceries. This right here is a hard lesson in patience for me with the kids.... The kids asking for EVERYTHING they see me putting away when we get home. I have to tell them to get out of the kitchen until I am finished... that's patience right?

So got them all put away, started laundry, all 77 piles of it and then began to do the dishes. While doing this, I heard the cry from the littlest child of mine that means business. As a mommy you know these different cries. I stopped what I was doing to see Micah coming in the living room with I guess I will call a little dent in his nose. It was not bleeding, just a dent and bluish under. Looked painful, and his scream said so too. I called Mason in and his first response was "I did not do anything" ah, poor kid... He gets in trouble quite a bit for doing things to his brother. I assured him that I knew he did not do it, but I wanted to know what happened. He said he hit it on the baseball thing that we have (yes in the house). It only shoots balls out at about 20 miles an hour... where else should it be but in the house. :)

When I asked Micah though, he said he hit it on the TV table, which makes more sense because the baseball machine is plastic... by the looks of the "dent" on his nose, this was not done by plastic. So we got that worked out, he would not let me clean it, or put anything on it.

Just after this occurred... a few whimpers still in play from Micah when he felt or thought of his nose, the Water man arrived. In the middle of the dishes, again, I stopped to put up our ferocious dog Molly, and her sidekick Emmy Lou... ferocious I tell you!!!

The water boy (ha) brought in the water, managed to knock off a cross from my wall (straight to hell he is going) JUST KIDDING, but did a great job installing (plugging in) the water dispenser! :) Again, we are saving the world!

Finished up the day with dinner.

By the way, did you know that if you put a wooden spoon on the pot it will not boil over?? I had seen this or heard this from somewhere and tried it out tonight... The potatoes were just about to boil over when I decided to try it... and KAZAM, no boiling over. Cool dude!

Well I had my bedtime snack, and I am off to dream about it. Not before I leave with a funny of course from my oldest of children.. Mason. First however, let me give you a brief vocabulary lesson.

Tootsie - noise coming from your hiney. Also to be called GAS.

Mason: "My Tootsie's are out of control!"

Week one of 2012

Well, it was the first week of 2012 and already resolutions have been broken. :-/ I am not big on resolutions really. I like to have a prayer for the new year versus resolutions that will, and have been broken. However, my resolution that I made for myself was to start running. Technically I did not break it because I did start running, but my personal intention was to run more than just ONCE a week, which is what I did this week. I ran once... blah. I'll do better next week, maybe.

<----- This here is our midnight picture :) 1/1/2012

So I started off the new year with Zumba. I started Zumba this past summer, and I just LOVE it. My personal reason for doing Zumba is to increase my cardio so that I can progress in my running. I would love to be able to run farther than a mile or two. I Zumba with Candace Barsh, who rocks our socks. She is a great motivator and makes you feel like a million bucks even if I may only be worth a few pennies. :)

This week Mason also started back to school, so that means Micah and I get our mornings together and the time in the car while waiting for Mason is always a lot of fun. He is a busy, busy guy!

Tuesday night (Wednesday Morning) of this week Micah was sick through the night with what I guess was a virus. Got sick 3 different times through the night, then woke up Wednesday just as happy as a clam. He was such a trooper!

Wednesday, I managed to get out for a run, and well that was it this week. :)

Thursday I took the boys to Coon Creek to walk along the creek and see what we could see. We put on our "Hunting Costumes" as Mason calls them... Some may just call them camouflage overalls. :) We got our hands and feet wet, jumped rock to rock, and even manged to get my should wet... yes the things I'll do to get a picture. :)

Friday we spent the afternoon at the Gym with daddy, and then a little time on the playground at the School. It has just been GORGEOUS this week!!
Today (Saturday) we took the boys to Dinosaur World in Glen Rose, TX . I had purchased tickets from Groupon a few months back that expire in March, and well we have had some pretty spectacular weather lately that I have been trying not to take advantage of. It was a pretty neat place, and an absolute heaven for children who may be obsessed with Dinosaurs. The boys enjoyed it, as did Matt

and I. We finished up with a picnic at a nice little spot off the road just downtown in Glen Rose, and then headed home. A pretty wonderful day indeed!.

Ok, so to wind down this post, I will talk about a project 52 that I have committed too, along with a bazillion other people I am sure. Mine is with My Four Hens Photography (who is AMAZING). She plans to have a theme for the image each week for you to post. This first weeks theme was "Resolutions" . Fancy that!

I chose this image with the resolution, or like I said prayer that I will see my children as children. To allow them to be the kids they want to be, and have fun doing it. I get caught up in the parenting, which YES is my job, but I feel like I spend 85% of my day correcting them, disciplining them, shushing them, and expecting them to be grown men, when they are just babies.
I of course will still do all of the above, but maybe on a lighter note. Or maybe not so quick to correct, but to see the child in their action.... we'll see... I just want to be a wonderful mommy to these boys and they are growing up so fast, so this is me letting them be babies just a bit longer. :)

Now for the last thing... I plan to write them down, but just have not yet... but I want to end each of my posts with a few funnies that the kids said that week (or that day if I blog daily). Here are just a couple I can remember from this week. :)

Micah and I while waiting for Mason - Looking at a picture of a baby

Micah: aww, baby
Me: yeah, that baby is sweet.... do you want a baby sister?
Micah: Yeah.... No... Santa already brought me a Pino (Piano) and a Bicycle

Mason while on the way home from a Basketball game

Mason: When we get home can we make a Friday?
Me: A Friday (which it was Friday by the way so I was quite confused for a minute)
Mason: Yeah, a Friday
..... Then it hit me
Me: You mean a Sunday??
Mason: Oh, yeah... a Sunday!

Disappointed and going to do better!

Well, the title pretty much says it! I am disappointed in myself for not keeping up with this better as it is my way to remember the little cute things my kids say, keep family up do date on whats going on with the boys, our life, and random happenings.

I will start by challenging myself to post AT LEAST once a week, but hopefully more than that depending on what has transpired that day/week. When I began the blog I had planned to post everyday (should have known better). Posting everyday is pretty much a no go for me, as I don't even get to shower every day... yes it's true. :)

So here is to the new year, 2012, and the blessings, challenges, and growing it brings to me and my family! Ready to take it on... starting tomorrow! :)

Goodnight All!